US-Israeli aggression on Iran: What happened on 35th day of the imposed war

By Press TV Website Staff

Thirty-five days into the US-Israeli war on Iran, launched on February 28 with the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and some top-ranking commanders, the military aggression continues to target civilian, medical and academic infrastructure across the country.

US-Israeli airstrikes on Friday hit a wide range of sites nationwide, including Tabriz, Khorramshahr, Qom, and multiple locations in the capital Tehran.

Explosions were also reported in southern Shiraz and central Isfahan provinces, while air defenses were activated in eastern and northeastern Tehran.

The IRGC announced that it shot down a second advanced American fighter jet over central Iran, apart from two cruise missiles and three drones. The US admitted that Iran destroyed an American fighter jet, as search operations continue for downed pilots.

One Black Hawk helicopter was also struck during a rescue mission near the border.

On the diplomatic front, France distanced itself from Washington's approach, with President Emmanuel Macron declaring that US President Donald Trump "cannot be taken seriously" and that the Strait of Hormuz can only be reopened in coordination with Iran.

Russia, China, and France blocked an Arab push for UN military authorization over the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively shut to American and allied vessels.

Meanwhile, Iranian oil is trading above Brent for the first time since 2022 — a profound strategic shift — as prices surged to $140 a barrel, the highest level since 2008.

Key developments from Day 33 of the imposed war:

• The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced that it shot down an advanced fighter jet in central Iran. The US military confirmed that one of its aircraft was downed inside Iranian territory, and the United States "has launched a search-and-rescue operation to locate the pilot or pilots."
• Posting on X, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf ridiculed Trump’s five-week war on the country, saying “this brilliant, no-strategy war” has now been downgraded to “can anyone find our pilots, please. Wow, what incredible progress. Absolute geniuses.”
• The commander of the United States Army Ground Forces, General Randy George, was removed from his post by US war minister Pete Hegseth.
• Two other senior military officers, General David Hodne and Major General William Green Jr, were also dismissed as a fallout of the war against Iran.
• The USS Gerald R Ford, an aircraft carrier that had been deployed to the Arabian Sea, left Croatia after five days in port for repairs following a fire incident on board, the US Navy said. It did not reveal its next destination as US forces reposition in West Asia amid the war against Iran.
• US-Israeli airstrikes severely damaged a plasma research centre at Shahid Beheshti University in northern Tehran.
• US-Israeli airstrikes also hit various locations in Tehran, Shiraz, Tabriz, Ahvaz and Isfahan cities.
• Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) said the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) silence on US-Israeli attacks on the country’s peaceful nuclear facilities makes the agency complicit in the aggression.
• According to the New York Times, Russia, China, and France blocked an Arab-led initiative seeking UN Security Council authorisation for military action against Iran aimed at forcing open the Strait of Hormuz.

• Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, stressed that any provocative action by the aggressors and their supporters, including at the United Nations Security Council, regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, will only further complicate the situation.
• Jordan's parliamentary speaker called for the revival of a joint “Arab defence” and economic pact to “confront Iran.”
• Satellite imagery confirmed the destruction of a critical American AN/TPY-2 radar at Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base during an Iranian strike. The radar was an indispensable component of the THAAD missile defence system. The antenna alone is valued at an estimated $136 million.
• Time magazine, citing officials, said that Donald Trump approved the plan to attack Iran nearly one month before the operation commenced. The plan was finalised after weeks of meticulous coordination, including close consultations with Israel. A White House official told Time: "He was deliberately deceiving public opinion to protect the mission."
• In a telephonic conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed hope for a swift end to the war and confirmed that humanitarian aid to Tehran will continue uninterrupted.
• Oil prices have surged to $140 a barrel, the highest level seen since 2008.
• According to Bloomberg, Iranian oil is now trading above Brent crude, the global benchmark, for the first time since May 2022, a development that signals a profound and historic strategic shift in global energy markets.

• In a response to Trump, Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain, issued a blistering rebuke: "Twenty-three years ago, you dragged us into a war with Iraq, and no nuclear weapons were found. You cannot fool us twice."
• Vietnam's foreign ministry announced that Iran is taking measures to allow Vietnamese vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
• The UN deputy secretary-general said that efforts are underway to reduce tensions and halt the hostilities, but warned that the signs are dangerous. "We are closely monitoring the situation in Iran,” he said.
• Middle East Eye revealed that Greek ships are secretly supplying Israel with oil and military cargo. According to the report, "shadow vessels" are switching off their transponders and registering false destinations to supply Israel via Turkey.
• The New York Times reported that US military forces committed a double-tap attack in Iran, two strikes hitting the B1 bridge in Karaj approximately one hour apart, with the second strike occurring as rescue workers were tending to the wounded.
• Trump wrote on social media: "Bridges are the next target in Iran, then power plants," provoking angry reactions.
• French President Emmanuel Macron declared that Trump cannot be taken seriously, pointing to his repeatedly shifting objectives in the war with Iran. "This is not a show…When you want to be serious, you don't say every day the opposite of what you said the day before." 
• The Wall Street Journal reported that Qatar is resisting efforts by the US and other regional countries to be a key mediator for a potential ceasefire deal with Iran.
• Amazon announced that from April 17, sellers using its delivery and warehousing services will be required to pay a temporary 3.5 per cent surcharge. The company said the decision is a direct response to rising transportation and fuel costs, which have soared in recent weeks amid escalating tensions and war in West Asia.

• The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, citing informed sources, reported that Israel is preparing to act forcefully against energy facilities in Iran if it receives a green light from Washington. According to Israeli sources, Tel Aviv has informed Washington that striking energy facilities would "cripple Iran's economy and could potentially lead to the collapse of the system."
• The head of Iran's Securities and Exchange Organisation, Hojatollah Seydi, announced that the capital market will spare no effort to expedite the reconstruction of Mobarakeh Steel and Khuzestan Steel. Both companies were struck multiple times by US-Israeli missiles.
• World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern over escalating US-Israeli attacks on health infrastructure in Iran, particularly in Tehran, saying these strikes have severely disrupted the delivery of vital services to patients.
• Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghani announced that Iran's armed forces shot down a drone over Shiraz. He revealed hard evidence on the involvement of some Persian Gulf Arab states in the unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic.
• IRGC has said that Israel carried out an earlier attack on Kuwait’s power and desalination plant, warning regional countries to stay vigilant.
• Donald Trump, who has repeatedly issued contradictory statements about the Strait of Hormuz, claimed on his social media platform that the waterway could be reopened soon. "With a little more time, we can easily open the Strait of Hormuz, take the oil, and make a lot of money. It will be a gusher for the world???"
• Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an immediate ceasefire during a phone call, warning that the war risks having global repercussions for energy, trade, and logistics.
• The Yemeni capital, Sana’a, once again witnessed a million-man march in solidarity with Iran and the regional resistance against ongoing US-Israeli aggression.

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