Abdulmajid Hakim Elahi, Representative of Iran's Supreme Leader to India, has said that the Strait of Hormuz has historically remained under Iranian control for thousands of years and that disruptions began only after the recent conflict involving the United States and Israel, which he described as a personal war driven by President Donald Trump against Iran. The US and Israel carried out joint strikes on February 28, resulting in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting Israel, as well as US bases in neighbouring Gulf countries, leading to a broader regional escalation that has led to the Strait of Hormuz crisis and disrupted significant oil and energy supplies. Speaking to IANS, Abdulmajid Hakim Elahi said, "This war is President Trump against Iran. Everyone knows that, because this war is not in the interest of Americans. This was his personal war, and now Americans are handling it. And they want out, but they don't know how they can get out of it." On the question of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, he emphasised Iran's longstanding control over the strategic waterway and blamed the ongoing crisis on the conflict. "The Strait of Hormuz has been there for thousands of years; it's under control and dominated by Iran. Iran will continue to do the same now. There wasn't any crisis or problem before this war. But now they (the US and Israel) have created this war, and they have created a lot of crises and problems through the Strait of Hormuz. We hope that it will finish very soon," he said. Elahi also underlined the historical ties between Iran and India, describing the relationship as deeply rooted and longstanding. "We have a very tight relationship and friendship with India, which dates back over 5000 years," he said. Recalling the global response following Khamenei's death, he said the Iranian leader was respected across communities and faiths. "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a spiritual leader not only for Muslims but also a religious figure and a voice for the voiceless. He is not just for Shia people but also those from other communities, including many Hindus and Christians, who also respected and admired him. When the news of his martyrdom spread, everyone came out in respect and paid their respects and shed their tears, mourning his death," he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
06 April,2026 11:30 AM IST | Patna | IANSTwo people have been killed while search operations are underway for two more individuals after an Iranian ballistic missile struck a residential building in Haifa, Times of Israel reported on Monday. The information was provided by Israel Police Commissioner Danny Levy tells reporters at the scene. "We are focusing all efforts on the four family members who are supposed to be here, using all means at our disposal," he said. Levy also noted that the warhead of the ballistic missile that struck the residential building may not have exploded upon impact, "and therefore we evacuated several buildings, so that in the unlikely case that the missile explodes, nobody will be hurt." The country's emergency service, Magen David Adom, also said on Monday (local time) that several people were injured following the missile strike on a residential building in Haifa. Number of people injured, including at least one in serious condition, following missile strike on residential building kn Haifa region. pic.twitter.com/9VTujz8Z8l — Magen David Adom (@Mdais) April 5, 2026 Meanwhile, Al Jazeera Breaking reported that over 10 sites were hit in Haifa in the latest round of Iranian strikes. Damage was also reported in central Israel after an apparent cluster munition impact in Haifa, Times of Israel reported, citing rescue services. It mentioned that one of the suspected bomb impacts sparked a car fire, while another flipped over a vehicle, as per the footage. As per the MDA, following the missile fire toward northern Israel, paramedics are providing medical treatment and evacuating four mildly injured patients with signs of smoke inhalation to Rambam Hospital. Following the missile fire toward northern Israel:At a scene in Haifa, MDA EMTs and paramedics are providing medical treatment and evacuating 4 mildly injured patients with signs of smoke inhalation to Rambam Hospital. A man and a woman in their 40s, and two 5-year-old girls. pic.twitter.com/YvvHssOLZ1 — Magen David Adom (@Mdais) April 6, 2026 As tensions escalate in the region, the Israeli Defence Forces said on Monday that it completed a wave of strikes targeting the infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in Tehran. Meanwhile, it also mentioned that a mosque and a gas station were damaged near Tehran's Sharif University after US-Israeli strikes. A gas outage hit several parts of Tehran, it reported, citing the Iranian state broadcaster. The developments come as the US-Israel and Iran stand 37 days into the conflict, which began on February 28 after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and top-ranking commanders of the Islamic republic with subsequent attacks in West Asia and the Gulf's civilian, industrial, and strategic infrastructure. With the deadline set by US President Donald Trump fast approaching for Iran, Axios reported on Sunday (local time), citing sources that the US, Iran and a group of regional mediators are discussing the terms for a potential 45-day ceasefire that could result in a permanent end to the war. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
06 April,2026 11:29 AM IST | Haifa | ANIBangladesh has said that suspected measles has killed at least 98 children over the past three weeks, according to official data released on Sunday, as authorities step up vaccination efforts in the worst-affected areas, news agency AFP reported. Last week, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman directed two senior ministers to travel across the country to assess the scale of the crisis and help coordinate a response. Data from the health ministry showed that suspected measles cases among children aged between six months and five years have risen sharply to 6,476. "Compared with past years, the number of affected children is higher, and the death toll is higher too," Halimur Rashid, director at the Communicable Disease Control, told AFP, referring to the number of suspected cases. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, the highest number of suspected cases on record was in 2005 at 25,934, though the figures had declined significantly until this year. Rashid attributed the possible outbreak to "multifactorial causes, including a shortage of vaccines". The number of confirmed measles cases in this age group stands at 826, with 16 deaths reported. Experts said that in many instances, testing is either not carried out or patients die before tests can be conducted. WHO flags measles as highly contagious; delayed vaccination drive worsens Bangladesh outbreak Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, according to the WHO, and spreads through coughing or sneezing. While it can affect people of any age, it is most common among children and can lead to serious complications, including brain swelling and severe respiratory problems. Bangladesh has made significant progress in vaccination against infectious diseases, but a measles immunisation drive scheduled for June 2024 was delayed due to a deadly uprising that year, which led to the ousting of the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina. Officials said most Bangladeshi children are vaccinated at nine months, although many of those infected in the current outbreak were as young as six months. Mahmudur Rahman, chief of the National Verification Committee of Measles and Rubella, said, "We committed to reducing the number to zero by December 2025 but failed to achieve the target due to poor vaccination programmes". Authorities in Dhaka have identified 30 of the worst-affected areas and have launched a vaccination drive. Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul said the campaign would first cover the "worst affected areas" before being expanded to other regions. Tajul Islam A Bari, a former official at the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) and a public health expert, told AFP that although funds had been allocated for vaccine procurement, authorities had failed to purchase them. "Now we see the result — the situation is scary," Bari added. According to the WHO’s latest estimates, measles causes around 95,000 deaths globally each year, mostly among unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children under the age of five. There is no specific treatment for measles once it is contracted. (With AFP inputs)
06 April,2026 10:58 AM IST | Dhaka | mid-day online correspondentUS President Donald Trump hardened his threats to strike Iran’s critical infrastructure if the government in Tehran doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Monday deadline. In a profanity-laced social media post on Sunday, Trump said Tuesday would be “power plant day, and bridge day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it.” His direct message to Iran’s leaders was, “Open the F------ Strait, you crazy b-------, or you’ll be living in HELL — JUST WATCH.” Trump has threatened widespread destruction of Iran’s energy resources and other vital infrastructure, potentially including desalination plants that supply drinking water, if the vital waterway doesn’t reopen. Iran threatened on Sunday to step up its attacks on oil and other civilian infrastructure facilities if the US and Israel attack Iranian civilian facilities. Iran said it attacked a number of oil other infrastructure facilities in Israel and in Gulf Arab countries after an Israeli airstrike on Iran’s largest petrochemical complex. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
06 April,2026 08:19 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesIranian drones struck the Bahraini Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company on Sunday, leading to fire in several operational units, Al Jazeera reported. Al Jazeera, citing Bahrain News Agency, reported the fire was later brought under control, and no casualties were reported in the incident. Damage assessment to the inventory is underway. The incident aligns with broader regional hostilities, engulfing West Asian countries in the ambit of the conflict after Iran retaliated to US-Israel strikes. Earlier, two power generation units in Kuwait were shut down after an Iranian drone attack on two power and water desalination plants, a spokesperson of Kuwait's Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry said. According to the statement issued by the ministry, no casualties were reported in the incident. Spokesperson Fatima Abbas Jawhar Hayat affirmed, "Technical and emergency teams have commenced their work according to approved emergency plans, in coordination with relevant authorities, to ensure the safety and stability of the electricity and water systems, which are of paramount importance. All technical teams are working around the clock to guarantee the continuity of services." This followed a drone attack, which triggered a fire at Kuwait's Shuwaikh Oil Sector Complex, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday, citing Kuwaiti state media. Iran had also attacked the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Meanwhile, in the last 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force has struck more than 120 targets in Iran. "24 HOUR RECAP: The IAF struck 120+ targets of the Iranian regime in central & western Iran. Targets included: ballistic missiles array sites, UAV production and launching sites, & air defence sites," Israeli Defence Force posted on X. The Israeli military also claimed to have killed 90 "terrorists" in southern Lebanon since the conflict began on February 28, while two of these Hezbollah militants were killed in the last 24 hours, Al Jazeera reported. The hostilities in the region began on February 28 with the US and Israel's joint strikes against Iran, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran's retaliation and strikes by its proxies in West Asia widened the scope of the conflict to the whole Gulf region, disrupting oil and natural gas trade. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 07:49 PM IST | Bahrain | ANIU.S. Secret Service officers responded to reports of gunfire near Lafayette Park early on Sunday, triggering a security response near the White House. No injuries were reported, and no suspect was immediately found. The United States Secret Service said officers were dispatched shortly after midnight following reports of shots fired in the vicinity of Lafayette Park, located just north of the White House. “A thorough search of the park and the surrounding area was conducted, and no suspect was located. No injuries have been reported,” the agency said in a statement. Anthony Guglielmi, Chief of Communications for the Secret Service, said: “We are investigating overnight gunfire in the area of Lafayette Park in conjunction with the DC Police Department and the U.S. Park Police. Anyone with information is urged to contact DC Police.” Officials said the Secret Service Uniformed Division, working with the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Park Police, is actively seeking “a possible vehicle and a person of interest”. The investigation remains ongoing. Initial reports indicated the incident occurred around 1 a.m., prompting multiple law enforcement agencies to move into the area and secure streets north of the White House. Local media reports said authorities are searching for a person of interest after reports of gunfire near the White House overnight. Despite the proximity to the presidential residence, officials said there was no disruption to White House operations. “While operations at the White House remain normal, a heightened security posture is in place,” the Secret Service said. Several roads in the surrounding area were closed as a precaution, including sections of H Street NW, I Street NW, and 16th Street NW, as officers maintained a security perimeter around Lafayette Park. Journalists and witnesses reported a heavy police presence in the area, with flashing lights and officers canvassing the scene. Authorities have urged anyone with information, including video footage, to come forward. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 07:44 PM IST | Washington DC | IANSAn India-flagged vessel, Green Asha, has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, marking the ninth Indian tanker to transit the crucial maritime corridor since the onset of the ongoing West Asia conflict. The development comes even as tensions remain elevated and security concerns continue to disrupt one of the world’s most vital oil and energy supply routes. According to reports, Green Asha is an LPG carrier and its successful passage highlights India’s continued reliance on the strait despite mounting risks. The transit follows a series of similar crossings by Indian vessels navigating the conflict-hit region under heightened surveillance. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has remained volatile since Iran tightened its control over the passage following US-Israeli strikes on February 28. The escalation has impacted global fuel supplies and rattled energy markets, with maritime data indicating that nearly 60 per cent of commodity-carrying ships using the route are either originating from or destined for Iran. Despite these challenges, Indian shipping activity through the strait has remained relatively robust. Prior to Green Asha’s journey, at least eight Indian vessels had already crossed the corridor. Among them were LPG carriers BW TYR and BW ELM, which transported around 94,000 tonnes of cargo through the conflict zone. In late March, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers, including Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, delivered more than 92,600 tonnes of LPG over a three-day period. Earlier, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi had carried close to 92,700 tonnes of LPG to Gujarat’s Mundra and Kandla ports in mid-March. Other shipments included crude and refined fuels. Oil tanker Jag Laadki transported over 80,000 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE to Mundra, while Jag Prakash crossed the strait carrying gasoline from Oman to African markets. Another LPG carrier, Green Sanvi, also completed its transit recently with a cargo of approximately 46,650 metric tonnes. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 03:06 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSThe war against Iran has started to impact Americans, with Amazon announcing a fuel surcharge for its e-commerce deliveries and some airlines hiking fees for checked-in baggage to offset higher fuel costs. The average price of petrol in the US has increased to USD 4.09 a gallon on Friday, up more than one dollar from just before the war and the highest level since August 2022. The cost of diesel has risen sharply from USD 3.64 per gallon a year ago to USD 5.53 per gallon on Friday, according to data maintained by the American Automobile Association (AAA). Diesel is widely used in farming, construction and transportation, besides other industries. E-commerce giant Amazon also said that, beginning April 17, it plans to add a 3.5 per cent fuel surcharge on third-party sellers. The US Postal Service on Wednesday said it is seeking to impose a temporary 8 per cent fuel surcharge for package and express mail deliveries to deal with rising transportation costs. If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the surcharge would take effect April 26 and remain in place until January 17, 2027, the Postal Service said in a notice on its website. If the war against Iran stretches longer, it will also lead to supply chain disruptions in the US. "I don't think the US will avoid it. These are global markets," Rachel Ziemba, a New York-based analyst who advises corporations on geopolitical risk, was quoted by The Washington Post as saying. "Experts, even a week ago, were worried. Now they are more worried," she said. "If transportation costs start rising, it's going to bleed through in other prices," Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, was quoted as saying by CBS. "So I think it's in the near term, but not immediate, that you would start to see that weighing down of the consumer - they would just get sticker shock. People were already highly concerned about affordability and the cost of living, and this would just be piling onto it," he said. Blocking the Hormuz Strait has already cost the global economy hundreds of millions of barrels of oil, with the effects felt on a rolling basis corresponding to travel time from the Persian Gulf, The Washington Post reported, quoting from a recent client note from JPMorgan's commodities specialists. Asia was first to feel the loss of Gulf oil shipments, where governments have ordered rationing and conservation measures. Europe is likely to suffer physical shortages by mid-April as the last vessels loaded with oil before the war arrive at continental ports. Since it takes 35 to 45 days to reach US ports from the Strait, the United States will be the last market to suffer. Prices will rise, but shortages of refined products starting in late April or May will probably be confined to California, which is physically isolated from the nation's fuel supply system, the JPMorgan report said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 01:41 PM IST | Washington | PTIFormer Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sunjay Sudhir, said that there was no trend of Indians returning in large numbers amid the West Asia conflict. In an interview with ANI, Sunjay Sudhir lauded the UAE's defence systems, stating that only debris hurt the infrastructure, not the missiles or drones fired by Iran. Recalling the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted the UAE has a "robust and resilient" economy. Sudhir said, "The UAE is a robust and resilient economy, so there has never been pressure on people to return. During COVID, Indians did not return in large numbers, though some came back. They come back due to family and other reasons, and then they go back. We have not noticed a trend of people fleeing the country." "Although Iran has sent more missiles and drones to the UAE than even to Israel, the defence mechanism of the UAE has been so strong that what has hurt people or buildings is debris. It's not the missiles and all. And I think we have to give the country full marks for having the wherewithal to protect infrastructure and people," he added. Addressing the incidents of drone debris striking buildings in Dubai, he noted, "The world has seen Dubai bounce back several times. In COVID, when connectivity was shattered, Emirates and Etihad Airlines connected the world. Safety and security are key things people associate with Dubai." The Iranian military has launched drone attacks against United States military installations in the United Arab Emirates, as reported by the state broadcaster Press TV, as a response to strikes initiated by the USA and Israel. The Iranian army confirmed that its forces deployed Arash 2 drones to strike a radar system designed for the detection and identification of missiles and combat drones. The offensive also targeted the UAE's aluminium industry, which Tehran identifies as a critical component of regional military logistics. The army noted that several Arab media organisations had already documented reports of explosions occurring within both Kuwait and the UAE following the strikes. According to Press TV, the Iranian army characterised the strikes as a direct retaliation for US-Israeli assaults on Iran's own industrial hubs. On Saturday, authorities in Dubai responded after debris from an aerial interception fell on the facade of the Oracle building in Dubai Internet City, the Dubai Media Office confirmed. However, no injuries were reported in the incident. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 11:13 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe United States Special Forces have rescued the second F-15 crew member alive, who went missing after Iran downed the jet amid the West Asia conflict, Axios reported, citing government officials. According to the report, three US government officials told Axios about the successful rescue mission. Citing a US government official, Al Jazeera reported that the rescue operation is still in progress as the F-15 crew member is "not safe" yet. US Special Forces aim to successfully exfiltrate from Iran and get back to safety. Both the US and Iran were conducting search operations for the missing crew member. During the search operations, Iranian tribesmen reportedly opened fire on American helicopters, according to CNN. The incident occurred in the isolated highlands of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces, as well as the Bakhtiari region, where local groups targeted two Black Hawk helicopters on Saturday, as detailed by Iran's Fars News Agency. Following the confrontation, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) praised the tribal groups, describing them as "courageous, valiant and victorious guardians of the borders," as per reports cited by CNN. This followed the release of footage on Friday allegedly depicting nomadic Bakhtiari tribesmen armed with rifles patrolling the mountainous terrain of Iran's Khuzestan province in search of the American personnel. In the video, one of the individuals is heard saying, "God willing, he will be found." To further incentivise the search, Iranian authorities had reportedly announced substantial financial bounties for the successful capture of the missing individual. Earlier, US President Donald Trump withheld details regarding the potential US response should a missing crew member, forced to eject over Iran, be harmed or captured, The Independent reported. The President declined to specify a course of action during a brief telephone interview on Friday. When questioned by The Independent about the measures he might take if the airman is mistreated by Iranian forces, Trump stated, "Well, I can't comment on it because we hope that's not going to happen." In latest development in the situation in West Asia, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have destroyed the MQ-9 Reaper drone in the central city of Isfahan, according to the Fars news agency. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
05 April,2026 10:47 AM IST | Washington DC (US) | ANIA projectile from a US-Israeli attack struck near Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant on Saturday, killing one person, state media reported, as the foreign minister warned against further attacks on the site. The strike was the fourth targeting the area since the outbreak of Iran's war with the United States and Israel on February 28, according to the official IRNA news agency. The Bushehr plant is located in southern Iran on the Gulf coast. "Following the US-Zionist criminal attacks, this Saturday morning, around 8:30 am, a projectile hit the area near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the southwest," IRNA said. It added that one of the facility's guards was killed but noted there was no damage to the plant itself. Later, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said continued attacks on the site could eventually lead to radioactive fallout that would "end life in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) capitals, not Tehran". No increase in radiation levels was reported following Saturday's strike, according the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency's chief Rafael Grossi called for "maximum military restraint to avoid risk of a nuclear accident", according to a post by the agency on X. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 April,2026 10:36 AM IST | Tehran | AFPADVERTISEMENT
-1775454862910_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Abdulmajid Hakim Elahi. Pic/X")
-1775454293024_d.png "Pic/X")
-1775391076951_d.png "File Pic")
-1775398418891_d.png "White House. File Pic")
-1775381734224_d.png "Representational Image")
-1775376614100_d.png "Representational Image")
-1775367772137_d.png "Former Indian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sunjay Sudhir. PIC/X")
-1775366133090_d.png "US military extracts downed F-15 airman while operation continues in Iran. Representational Pic/AP")
