Israel hits Shiraz on war day 38 as Trump's Hormuz deadline expires
Last updated: 18:31 UTC, April 06 2026 | Started: 2026-04-06 17:49 | 2 update(s) | Avg confidence: 85/100
The story so far: The 2026 Iran war began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and multiple senior military commanders, following the collapse of indirect nuclear negotiations. Iran retaliated under the name Operation True Promise IV, firing missiles and drones at Israel and US military bases across the Gulf. The war follows a prior Twelve-Day War in June 2025 in which Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military sites, and a history of escalating Iran-Israel exchanges dating to 2024.
Latest Updates
2026-04-06 18:31 — Israel hits Shiraz on war day 38 as Trump's Hormuz deadline expires
Israeli and US strikes hit Shiraz alongside at least a dozen other Iranian cities — including Isfahan, Karaj and Qom — on April 6, the 38th day of the war, according to the Alma Research Center daily report and Al Jazeera.
See full breakdown (URL pending)
2026-04-06 17:49 — Israel strikes Shiraz, Fars on war's Day 38 as Trump sets Hormuz deadline
Israeli and US airstrikes hit Shiraz alongside at least a dozen other Iranian cities on April 6, including Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz, Mahshahr, Isfahan and Karaj, according to Al Jazeera and the Alma Research Center's daily report.
See full breakdown (URL pending)
What We Know
- Israeli and US airstrikes hit Shiraz alongside at least a dozen other Iranian cities on April 6, including Bandar Abbas, Ahvaz, Mahshahr, Isfahan and Karaj, according to Al Jazeera and the Alma Research Center's daily report.
- Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the IDF carried out a 'powerful strike' on Iran's largest petrochemical facility at Asaluyeh, which he said accounts for roughly 50 percent of Iran's petrochemical production; Reuters, citing Iranian sources, reported damage to production units at the site.
- Strikes on April 5–6 killed the head of the IRGC Intelligence Directorate, Majid Khademi, and the commander of Quds Force Unit 840, Yazdan Mir — the clandestine cell responsible for directing attacks against Israelis abroad — according to the Alma Research Center.
- Trump set a specific deadline of 8 p.m. ET (midnight GMT) on Tuesday April 7 for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran does not comply, according to Times of Israel and Al Jazeera.
- Four sources with knowledge of the talks told Axios that the US, Iran and regional mediators are discussing a 45-day ceasefire proposal that could lead to a permanent end to the war, though a White House official said Trump has not signed off on the draft.
- Israeli and US strikes hit Shiraz alongside at least a dozen other Iranian cities — including Isfahan, Karaj and Qom — on April 6, the 38th day of the war, according to the Alma Research Center daily report and Al Jazeera.
- The Marvdasht petrochemical complex in Fars province and the South Pars petrochemical facility in Asaluyeh were struck in the same wave, consistent with Israeli political leadership's stated shift to targeting economic infrastructure, according to the Alma Research Center.
- The head of the IRGC Intelligence Directorate, Major-General Majid Khademi, was confirmed killed during the night of April 5–6, according to an IRGC statement published by Iran's state-run Fars News Agency and confirmed by Al Jazeera.
- On April 6, Trump told a White House press conference that the US could 'take out' all of Iran on Tuesday night, reiterating his ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8 p.m. Tuesday or face strikes on power plants and bridges, according to the Times of Israel and NPR.
- Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish envoys submitted a draft proposal for an immediate 45-day ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US envoy Steve Witkoff on Sunday, according to the Associated Press; a White House official said Trump had not signed off on the proposal.
Still Unclear
- Axios, citing four US, Israeli and regional sources (reported by Haaretz): Ceasefire negotiations involving the US, Iran and regional mediators are actively under way and a draft 45-day proposal is on the table.
UK House of Commons Library briefing, citing Iranian government statements: Iran denies any ceasefire talks are taking place; Tehran publicly insists it has conditions including reparations and control over the Strait of Hormuz before any agreement.
- IRGC statement, carried by Al Jazeera: US-Israeli joint strikes destroyed three C-130 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters during the rescue operation for a downed F-15E crew member in southern Isfahan.
Times of Israel, citing Trump press conference April 6: US forces successfully rescued both crew members; the Pentagon and Trump confirmed the rescue without acknowledging aircraft losses.
- (Unverified — single source | not independently corroborated) The Parchin nuclear facility was targeted in strikes around April 5–6. [Alma Research Center, citing 'several reports']
- (Unverified — single source | anonymous source | not independently corroborated) An 'Israeli ship' was attacked using an Iranian Qader cruise missile in the Jebel Ali port channel in the UAE. [Alma Research Center, citing unverified Iranian reports]
- (Unverified — single source | anonymous source — Qatari Foreign Ministry vigorously denied) Qatar shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers and conducted its own strikes on Iran after Iranian attempts to hit Doha's airport. [Jerusalem Post, citing Western diplomats and Channel 12]
- Alma Research Center; Times of Israel (citing Israeli security sources): The US-Israeli coalition struck Shiraz's Marvdasht petrochemical complex and South Pars gas facilities as part of a deliberate economic targeting campaign.
Al Jazeera, citing Iranian state media and Iran's Ministry of Science: Iran says attacks on energy and petrochemical infrastructure, including Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone, killed civilians and constitute unlawful aggression against civilian objects.
- US Defense Minister Israel Katz statement, Times of Israel; Trump administration officials: The US and Israel launched the February 28 war because Iran was advancing toward a nuclear weapon and to pre-empt Iranian attacks on US assets.
IAEA statement; Omani FM Badr Al-Busaidi, reported by Al Jazeera: Iran and the IAEA said there was no evidence of an active nuclear weapons program when the war began; the Omani foreign minister said a breakthrough deal had been reached just hours before strikes commenced.
- (Unverified — single source | aggregator | not independently corroborated) Three explosions were heard near Shiraz industries late on April 1, with one reportedly near the Shiraz industrial zone. [LiveUAMap (aggregator citing unnamed social media reports)]
- (Unverified — single source | not independently corroborated) The Parchin nuclear facility was also targeted on April 6. [Alma Research Center citing 'several reports']
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Preliminary confirmed deaths in Iran since February 28 | At least 1,937 killed | Al Jazeera death toll tracker (preliminary figures) |
| Confirmed Israeli civilian and military deaths | At least 24 killed in Israel | Al Jazeera death toll tracker |
| US military fatalities across the region | 13 soldiers killed | Al Jazeera death toll tracker / US military confirmation |
| Total Iranian attack waves against Israel since Feb 28 | 455 waves | Alma Research Center daily report, April 6, 2026 |
| Share of global oil and gas transiting the Strait of Hormuz | ~20 percent | Al Jazeera |
| War day count (as of April 6) | Day 38 | Al Jazeera day-38 live blog |
| IDF-claimed Iranian missile launchers destroyed | Up to 75 percent eliminated | Jewish Institute for National Security of America analysis, via Wikipedia |
| Days of active US-Israeli strikes on Iran | 38 days (as of April 6, 2026) | Al Jazeera; Times of Israel |
| Iranian civilian and military dead in Iran since February 28 | 2,000+ killed in Iran | Al Jazeera, citing cumulative reporting as of April 2 |
| Israeli civilian dead since February 28 | At least 24 | Al Jazeera |
| US soldiers killed in the region since February 28 | 13 | Al Jazeera |
| Share of global oil and gas transiting Strait of Hormuz (now under de facto Iranian blockade) | 20 percent | Al Jazeera |
| Ships stranded in Gulf waters due to Hormuz closure | More than 800 | LiveUAMap citing PAK English Gulf report |
| Iranian attack waves against Israel since February 28 | 455 total waves | Alma Research Center, April 6 daily report |
| US military targets struck in Iran since February 28 | More than 11,000 | US Central Command, cited in Wikipedia's 2026 Israeli–United States strikes on Iran article |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Israel striking Shiraz specifically?
Shiraz, capital of Fars province, hosts major IRGC air force bases and military infrastructure. The Iranian Air Force base in Shiraz was struck as early as March 4, and subsequent attacks have targeted IRGC Basij units, military compounds and, most recently, the Marvdasht petrochemical complex nearby. It is a persistent target in Israel's campaign to degrade Iran's military capacity.
What is the Strait of Hormuz and why does Trump's deadline matter?
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman through which roughly 20 percent of the world's oil and gas flows. Iran closed it in response to US-Israeli attacks, halting most commercial shipping and pushing up global energy prices. Trump has set a deadline of Tuesday April 7 for Iran to reopen it or face strikes on power plants and bridges.
Is a ceasefire possible and what would it involve?
Four sources told Axios that negotiators are discussing a draft 45-day ceasefire that would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with talks to follow on a permanent end to the war. However, a White House official said Trump has not endorsed the proposal, Israel believes the talks will fail, and Iran publicly denies any negotiations are under way.
Why did Israel and the US attack Shiraz in the 2026 Iran war?
Shiraz and its surrounding Fars province host IRGC military infrastructure and major petrochemical facilities. Israeli political leadership formally shifted to targeting economic infrastructure in late March 2026 to maximize financial pressure on Tehran, according to the Times of Israel. The IDF had previously warned Iranian civilians to evacuate areas around Shiraz weapons factories.
What is the Strait of Hormuz and why is Trump threatening Iran over it?
The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil chokepoint, through which 20 percent of global oil and gas passes. Iran imposed a de facto blockade after the US-Israeli strikes began on February 28. Trump set a Tuesday, April 8 deadline threatening strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges unless Iran reopens the waterway, according to NPR and the Times of Israel.
Is there a ceasefire deal being negotiated in the 2026 Iran war?
Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish envoys submitted a draft proposal for an immediate 45-day ceasefire and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to both sides on April 6, per the Associated Press. A White House official said Trump had not endorsed the plan. Iran's Foreign Ministry said its response to ceasefire proposals had been formulated but rejected direct talks while attacks continue.
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