Web Desk/AFP

This live blog follows updates for Day 35 of the US-Israeli war on Iran. For a recap of Day 34, go <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-34" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">here</a><hr><ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li>UK-led talks demand &#39;immediate&#39; reopening of Hormuz</li><li>European nations say Israel, Hezbollah fighting &#39;must cease&#39;</li><li>China FM says US-Israel attack on Iran &#39;clearly violated international law&#39;</li><li>Austria says refused US requests for military overflights</li><li>Trump says US to hit Iran &#39;extremely hard&#39; for 2-3 weeks &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</li></ul><hr> Trump says US forces yet to start &#39;destroying what&#39;s left&#39; in IranPublished April 3, 2026 | 03:21 GMT&nbsp;US forces have yet to begin &quot;destroying what&#39;s left in Iran,&quot; President Donald Trump warned late Thursday, as he said more of the country&#39;s bridges and energy infrastructure were in his sights.&nbsp;The US military &quot;hasn&#39;t even started destroying what&#39;s left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!&quot; Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, several hours after he said Iran&#39;s tallest bridge had been destroyed.&nbsp;Trump has repeatedly stated that the vast majority of major military targets in Iran have already been damaged or destroyed over the past month of war.&nbsp;Iran&#39;s &quot;New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!&quot; Trump said, seemingly referring to his call for Tehran to strike a deal with Washington that will bring about a ceasefire. Kuwait says air defenses responding to missile, drone attacksPublished April 3, 2026 | 01:15 GMT&nbsp;Kuwait&#39;s military said on Friday its air defenses were working to intercept missiles and drones fired towards the Gulf nation&#39;s territory.&nbsp;&quot;Kuwaiti Air Defenses are currently responding to hostile missile and drone threats,&quot; the Kuwaiti army posted on X, saying any explosions heard were air defense interceptions.&nbsp;Israel military says responding to missiles fired from IranPublished April 3, 2026 | 00:29 GMT Israel&#39;s military said Friday that its air defenses were operating to down missiles fired from Iran, as Tehran keeps up its retaliatory fire on the country after a US-Israeli bombing campaign began at the end of February.&nbsp;The military said in a statement it had &quot;identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel&quot;, adding that &quot;defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat&quot;. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.&nbsp;UK-led talks demand &#39;immediate&#39; reopening of HormuzPublished April 2, 2026 | 16:55 GMT The UK and its allies have agreed to explore using sanctions to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;British foreign minister Yvette Cooper on Thursday said some 40 countries who joined a virtual meeting on the Strait of Hormuz crisis had demanded &quot;the immediate and unconditional reopening&quot; of the vital shipping route.&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;Iran is trying to hold the global economy hostage in the Strait of Hormuz. They must not prevail. To that effect, partners today called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the Strait and respect for the fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and the law of the sea,&quot; Cooper said in a statement after the talks.&nbsp;

Americas

Middle East

President Trump warns US forces have not yet begun major destruction in Iran, targeting bridges and power plants next. He says most military sites are already damaged and urges Iran’s leadership to act quickly toward a ceasefire deal.

Trump says US forces yet to start 'destroying what's left' in Iran

Faraz Saeed

LAHORE: Pakistan&rsquo;s digital economy could contribute between 5%-7% of gross domestic product by 2030, provided structural constraints are addressed and reforms accelerate, according to a new report by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI).&nbsp;Titled &ldquo;Recommendations for Pakistan&rsquo;s Digital Future,&rdquo; the OICCI Digital Report 2025 presents a detailed assessment of the country&rsquo;s digital landscape, highlighting both measurable gains and persistent bottlenecks shaping future growth.&nbsp;The report frames Pakistan&rsquo;s digital sector as a rapidly expanding but uneven ecosystem, where strong growth in connectivity, exports and digital finance is being tempered by infrastructure gaps and slow policy execution, raising the stakes for reforms needed to unlock its full economic potential.&nbsp;The report identifies the digital sector as an emerging driver of productivity, exports and financial inclusion, supported by a growing user base and rising adoption of digital services.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s IT and IT-enabled services (ITeS) exports have reached $3.8 billion, while the freelance economy contributes $779 million in earnings.&nbsp;Digital access continues to expand, with more than 150 million broadband subscriptions and over 200 million telecom connections. The broader mobile ecosystem contributes an estimated $17 billion to the national economy.&nbsp;The report also underscores rapid growth in digital finance.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan has made notable strides in digital payments and financial inclusion. The Raast instant payment system processed Rs18 trillion in peer-to-peer transactions in FY26, demonstrating the rapid adoption of digital financial services,&rdquo; said OICCI President Yousaf Hussain.&nbsp;However, infrastructure limitations remain a key constraint.&nbsp;Only 18% of cellular towers are connected through fiber, well below the global benchmark of around 40%, limiting network capacity and readiness for next-generation technologies.&nbsp;Policy execution is another concern.&nbsp;While engagement on digital policy has improved, implementation remains slow. The report notes that only about one-quarter of recommendations from OICCI&rsquo;s 2022 Digital Report have been carried out.&nbsp;&ldquo;Only about one-quarter of OICCI&rsquo;s digital policy recommendations issued in OICCI&rsquo;s Digital Report 2022 have been implemented so far. Faster execution, improved fiber penetration and a more investment-friendly regulatory environment will be essential to unlock Pakistan&rsquo;s digital potential,&rdquo; said M. Abdul Aleem, Secretary General of OICCI.&nbsp;To address these gaps, the report recommends reducing taxes on broadband services and digital devices, accelerating fiber deployment, ensuring regulatory clarity in data protection and cybersecurity, and strengthening public-private collaboration.&nbsp;The government has set a target of $5 billion in IT exports for FY26, while analysts project exports could reach around $4.5 billion, implying annual growth of 18% to 20% from the $3.8 billion recorded in FY25.&nbsp;Under the broader Uraan Pakistan framework, policymakers are targeting $10 billion in IT exports by FY29, requiring a compound annual growth rate of approximately 27%.&nbsp;The report concludes that while Pakistan&rsquo;s digital economy is expanding and foundational elements are in place, closing infrastructure gaps, accelerating policy implementation, and investing in advanced skills such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will determine whether current momentum translates into sustained economic impact

Economy

Pakistan’s digital economy is growing fast and could reach 5–7% of GDP by 2030, driven by rising IT exports, digital payments, and increasing internet and mobile use.

Pakistan digital economy seen reaching 7% GDP by 2030: Report

PUEBLA: Four people died on Thursday when a small plane crashed in the central Mexican state of Puebla, security officials said.&nbsp;The single-engine plane crashed around 12:00 pm (1800 GMT) shortly after takeoff, coming down in an industrial park in Santa Ana Xalmimilulco, according to the state security office.&nbsp;Local resident Vicente Hernandez told AFP that the plane attempted to recover, but it was &quot;already (flying) very low,&quot; and in the end plunged nose-first into the ground.&nbsp;The plane was destined for the city of Poza Rica, in the eastern state of Veracruz, authorities said.&nbsp;Puebla&#39;s Interior Ministry said three people were pronounced dead at the scene and a fourth died after being taken away for medical care.

Four people were killed after a single-engine plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Puebla, Mexico. The aircraft went down in an industrial park, reportedly flying low, and was en route to Poza Rica.

Four dead in central Mexico plane crash

WASHINGTON: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has asked General Randy George to step down as chief of staff of the US Army, a US official said on Thursday.&nbsp;The official confirmed a report from US broadcaster CBS that said George had been asked to take immediate retirement.&nbsp;The reason for the request was not immediately known, but CBS quoted a source as saying Hegseth wanted someone who would implement his and Trump&#39;s vision for the Army.&nbsp;George is the latest senior officer to be ousted during Donald Trump&#39;s second term, and his removal as the top Army officer comes with the United States engaged in a major war with Iran that the president has indicated could last for several more weeks.&nbsp;During a nearly four-decade military career, George deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times and also served in positions including vice chief of staff of the Army and senior military assistant to Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin during Joe Biden&#39;s term as president.&nbsp;Trump has overseen a purge of top military officers, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Charles &quot;CQ&quot; Brown, whom he fired without explanation in February 2025.&nbsp;Other senior officers dismissed include the heads of the Navy and Coast Guard, the general who headed the National Security Agency, the vice chief of staff of the Air Force, a Navy admiral assigned to NATO, and three top military lawyers.&nbsp;The chief of staff of the Air Force also announced his retirement without explanation just two years into a four-year term, while the head of US Southern Command retired a year into his tenure.&nbsp;Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has insisted the president is simply choosing the leaders he wants, but Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the potential politicization of the traditionally neutral US military.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth asks General Randy George to step down as US Army chief of staff. George’s removal follows Trump’s second-term military shake-up amid the war with Iran, with reasons for retirement unclear.

Hegseth asked US Army chief of staff to step down: official

UNITED STATES: NASA gave the four Artemis astronauts circling Earth the green light on Thursday to head for the Moon and carry out the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years.&nbsp;NASA Flight Director Jeff Radigan told the astronauts the mission management team had approved firing up the engine of their Orion capsule to send the spacecraft on a trajectory towards the Moon.&nbsp;The 5min and 49sec burn is scheduled to take place at 7:49 pm Eastern Time (2349 GMT) and send the astronauts out of Earth orbit to begin the three-day voyage toward the Moon, the first since 1972.&nbsp;&quot;Flight controllers will closely monitor engine performance, guidance, and navigation data throughout the maneuver to ensure Orion remains precisely aligned for the outbound journey,&quot; NASA said.&nbsp;The enormous orange-and-white Space Launch System (SLS) rocket carrying the Orion capsule blasted off flawlessly from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday for the long-anticipated journey around the Moon.&nbsp;The astronauts -- Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen -- spent their first hours in space performing checks and troubleshooting minor problems -- including a communications issue and a malfunctioning toilet.&nbsp;Before getting a few hours of sleep, they ignited the spacecraft&#39;s main engine to place it in a high Earth orbit, the US space agency said.&nbsp;&quot;Artemis II astronauts are doing great,&quot; NASA chief Jared Isaacman said in a post on X. &quot;The Orion spacecraft is performing well in an impressive elliptical orbit.&quot;&nbsp;Orion is to loop around the Moon as part of the 10-day Artemis 2 mission aimed at paving the way for a Moon landing in 2028.

Artificial Intelligence

NASA approves the Artemis II astronauts to travel toward the Moon, marking the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years, as their spacecraft begins the journey.

NASA gives Artemis crew green light to head towards Moon

Muhammad Usman Amin

PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has placed upper districts of Pakistan&rsquo;s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on high alert after a deadly spell of extreme weather, warning of potential glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and flash flooding.&nbsp;The move comes as the province reels from fatalities and widespread damage caused by severe storms and structural collapses since March 25.&nbsp;Glacial lake outburst floods occur when natural dams holding back glacial lakes suddenly fail, releasing massive volumes of water and debris.&nbsp;These events can trigger catastrophic flash floods and landslides, threatening downstream communities.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, PDMA Spokesperson Anwar Shehzad warned that the Malakand and Hazara regions face heightened risks.&nbsp;&ldquo;In Hazara we see a lot of landslides and in Malakand Division, there are glaciers in Swat, Kohistan, Upper Dir, Upper Chitral, and Lower Chitral. The risk of glacial outbursts is high here,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Heavy rains cause water levels in streams to rise, and the connected tributaries/nullahs then overflow. This water moves toward populated areas, increasing the flash flood risk.&rdquo;&nbsp;Shehzad described current weather patterns as &ldquo;atypical,&rdquo; noting that unusually early seasonal rains in March and April have intensified risks across the mountainous terrain.&nbsp;Authorities have directed district administrations to shift into emergency mode, with continuous monitoring of vulnerable glacial sites and activation of early warning systems. Emergency personnel from Rescue 1122 and Civil Defense, along with heavy machinery, have been deployed at key locations to reduce response times.&nbsp;While flood &ldquo;thresholds&rdquo; have not yet been breached, Shehzad said, &ldquo;the Provincial Emergency Operations Center (PEOC) is operating 24/7 to monitor river levels in real-time.&rdquo;&nbsp;The alert follows mounting human and infrastructural losses.&nbsp;According to PDMA data, at least 25 people have died and 77 others injured since March 25. A total of 88 houses have been partially or completely destroyed, along with one school.&nbsp;Many casualties occurred in rural areas, where heavy rains caused roofs and walls to collapse, with children among the victims.&nbsp;With the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasting further intense rainfall through early April, authorities have issued a strict travel advisory. Tourist and patrolling police have been deployed to restrict movement դեպի vulnerable northern areas.&nbsp;Residents have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel near riverbanks and streams, where fast-flowing water can quickly sweep away vehicles.&nbsp;The PDMA has called on citizens to stay updated through official channels and report emergencies via its toll-free helpline, 1700.

Climate & Environment

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority has warned of floods and glacial lake outburst floods, placing Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on high alert as more rain is expected, with authorities closely monitoring glaciers and preparing emergency response teams.

Deadly rains put Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on high alert

WASHINGTON: The USS Gerald R. Ford has departed Croatia after a five-day port visit, the US Navy said Thursday without specifying where the world&#39;s largest aircraft carrier is headed next.&nbsp;The carrier &quot;remains poised for full mission tasking in support of national objectives in any area of operation,&quot; according to the Navy, which said the ship &quot;completed scheduled repairs and received supplies to sustain operations.&quot;&nbsp;The carrier played a major role in the US-Israeli air campaign against Iran but sailed to Crete and then Croatia after a laundry fire broke out on March 12.&nbsp;The blaze injured two sailors and caused major damage to some 100 beds, according to the US military. The Navy said Thursday that the &quot;routine investigation into the ship&#39;s laundry and berthing fire is ongoing.&quot;&nbsp;The Ford&#39;s exit from Iran operations left a gap in US forces in the region, taking the number of carriers deployed there from two to one.&nbsp;But the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier and its accompanying warships left port for what the military described as a &quot;regularly scheduled deployment&quot; on Tuesday, and it is reportedly bound for the Middle East.&nbsp;The Ford has been at sea for more than nine months -- a deployment that has already seen it take part in US operations in the Caribbean, where Washington&#39;s forces have carried out strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats, interdicted sanctioned tankers and seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

The USS Gerald R. Ford left Croatia after repairs following a fire, remains mission-ready, and its destination is undisclosed. It supported operations against Iran, while another US carrier deploys to maintain regional military presence.

USS Gerald R. Ford carrier departs Croatia

UNITED NATIONS: The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) called Thursday for the UN Security Council to authorize the use of force to protect the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks. Iran has placed a stranglehold on the key shipping lane -- threatening fuel supplies and buckling the global economy -- in retaliation to US-Israeli strikes that triggered the month-old Middle East war. &quot;Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, prevented commercial vessels and oil tankers from transiting, and imposed conditions on some to pass through the Strait,&quot; said Jassem al-Budaiwi, head of the GCC. He spoke in New York at the first Security Council meeting on cooperation with the GCC, which comprises Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. &quot;We call upon the Security Council to assume its full responsibility and take all necessary measures to protect maritime routes and ensure the safe continuation of international navigation,&quot; al-Budaiwi said. Bahrain has proposed a draft resolution that would greenlight states to use &quot;all necessary measures&quot; to assure free transit through the Strait of Hormuz. However, the measure has divided the 15-member Security Council. According to diplomatic sources, Russia, China and France -- who each hold veto privileges -- have voiced strong objections despite several modifications to the text. &quot;We want a Security Council decision that addresses the situation comprehensively with the root causes, and not one-sided and unbalanced,&quot; Anna Evstigneeva, deputy representative of Iran-allied Russia, said Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron has said that a military operation to free the Strait is &quot;unrealistic.&quot; A fifth version of the draft text was distributed to member states on Thursday. Around a fifth of the world&#39;s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the Strait of Hormuz in peacetime. Its near-total closure is impacting global supplies of important commodities, including oil, liquid natural gas, and fertilizer. That has led to a sharp rise in energy prices.

The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) called for the UN Security Council to authorize the use of force to protect the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian attacks

Gulf states seek UN mandate for force to protect Hormuz

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday warned India that any aggression would be met with a &ldquo;swift, calibrated, and decisive&rdquo; response, after his Indian counterpart, Rajnath Singh, issued fresh warnings amid rising regional tensions.&nbsp;The exchange underscores renewed friction between the nuclear-armed neighbors months after a brief but intense conflict in May 2025, raising concerns for international observers about escalation risks in South Asia, at a time when the world is already grappling with heightened instability in the Middle East following the ongoing Iran crisis and widening regional tensions.&nbsp;Addressing a Sainik Sammelan in Indian state of Kerala, Singh said India remained alert to the possibility of &ldquo;hostile actions from across the border&rdquo; and cautioned that any such move would be met with a &ldquo;firm and decisive response,&rdquo; according to Indian media reports.&nbsp;Referring to India&rsquo;s &ldquo;Operation Sindoor,&rdquo; Singh claimed Indian forces had brought Pakistan &ldquo;to its knees&rdquo; within 22 minutes and warned that further provocation could trigger &ldquo;unprecedented action.&rdquo;&nbsp;Responding sharply, Asif dismissed the remarks as part of a &ldquo;predictable pattern,&rdquo; accusing New Delhi of &ldquo;externalising internal fragility&rdquo; and attempting to &ldquo;provoke escalation&rdquo; under the guise of &ldquo;unsubstantiated allegations&rdquo; for political purposes.&nbsp;&ldquo;Such threat-mongering from India is not new,&rdquo; Asif said, adding that the rhetoric reflected &ldquo;not strength, but visible strategic anxiety.&rdquo;&nbsp;He warned that &ldquo;miscalculation has consequences,&rdquo; saying recent history remained &ldquo;fresh in our minds,&rdquo; and cautioned that any future confrontation would draw an even more &ldquo;forceful and decisive&rdquo; response.&nbsp;Reiterating Pakistan&rsquo;s official position, Asif said the country remained committed to peace and regional stability but its &ldquo;resolve to defend sovereignty is absolute.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Our preparedness is complete, and our response will be swift, calibrated, and decisive,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He further cautioned that the notion of conventional conflict between two nuclear-armed states was &ldquo;inconceivable&rdquo; and would carry &ldquo;drastic consequences.&rdquo;&nbsp;The latest war of words follows a four-day conflict in May 2025, triggered by a militant attack on civilians in Indian-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack, a charge Pakistan firmly rejected. The fighting, involving missile, drone and artillery strikes, marked the deadliest cross-border escalation since 2019 and ended only after a US-brokered ceasefire.

Foreign Affairs

Security

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif says Pakistan will respond swiftly, decisively to India’s warnings, calling its rhetoric a sign of “strategic anxiety” as tensions rise months after the May 2025 conflict.

Pakistan issues tit-for-tat warning after Indian defense minister remarks

ISLAMABAD: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has triggered a severe disruption to global energy supplies, with Asia expected to suffer &ldquo;the most,&rdquo; global maritime analytics firm Kpler told AFP. The strait, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which nearly a fifth of the world&rsquo;s crude oil and significant volumes of gas flow, has been effectively shut to commercial shipping since US-Israeli strikes on Iran escalated into a broader regional conflict. The crisis has rapidly evolved into a global energy shock, with International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol describing it as &ldquo;the greatest global energy security threat in history.&rdquo; At the same time, the standoff between Tehran and Washington continues to deepen. US President Donald Trump has warned that reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains a key condition for any ceasefire, while Iran has signaled it will maintain pressure over the strategic route. Asia takes the brunt&ldquo;We think Asia will, for now, be the ones suffering the most,&rdquo; said Kpler president Jean Maynier. &ldquo;There is almost no crude oil arriving&hellip; and inventories are being depleted,&rdquo; he added. Around 84% of oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz is destined for Asia, leaving major economies such as China, India, Japan and South Korea particularly exposed. China alone imported 5.4 million barrels per day through the strait in the first quarter, while India relied on roughly 2.1 million barrels per day, underscoring the scale of dependence on Gulf energy flows. Experts say that while short-term buffers exist, including elevated global inventories, spare OPEC capacity and US shale output, a prolonged closure would still significantly disrupt supply access. &ldquo;A full closure&hellip; would still impact the accessibility of a major part of this spare production capacity,&rdquo; analysts noted. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have limited infrastructure to bypass the strait, but their combined capacity, around 2.6 million barrels per day, falls far short of offsetting the disruption. Europe, US less exposedWhile global prices have surged, Europe and the United States are comparatively less vulnerable. However, secondary effects are emerging. LNG shipments are being redirected toward Asia, raising concerns over shortages in Europe, while energy prices are expected to remain elevated. Even so, analysts warn that no region is fully insulated from the shock. Leaders under pressureThe crisis is placing growing pressure on global leaders as markets react to prolonged uncertainty. President Trump has alternated between threats and diplomacy, warning of potential strikes on Iran&rsquo;s energy infrastructure while also signaling openness to negotiations. Iran, meanwhile, has denied direct talks while continuing to assert control over Hormuz. G7 ministers have pledged to take &ldquo;any necessary measures&rdquo; to stabilize markets, while emergency oil stock releases are being considered to ease supply constraints. Analysts say the duration of the disruption has caught markets off guard. &ldquo;What is surprising is the length of this event&hellip; especially in Asia, the crisis that we have now with energy,&rdquo; Maynier said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really bad for Asia and we are not optimistic if the event continues.&rdquo; The closure of Hormuz highlights how the conflict has moved beyond military confrontation, turning critical trade routes into strategic pressure points &mdash; with Asia now at the center of the global economic fallout.

Asia

Hormuz closure disrupts global energy flows, with Asia hardest hit as supplies drop sharply, while Trump and Tehran harden positions, deepening uncertainty and driving price volatility across markets already strained by prolonged regional conflict.

Trump says US forces yet to start 'destroying what's left' in Iran

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Pakistan digital economy seen reaching 7% GDP by 2030: Report

Trump says US forces yet to start 'destroying what's left' in Iran

Four dead in central Mexico plane crash

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NASA gives Artemis crew green light to head towards Moon