Israel strikes Shiraz, Fars on war's Day 38 as Trump sets Hormuz deadline
Confidence: HIGH (88/100) | April 06, 2026 | Shiraz, Fars, Iran
aljazeera.com
In one sentence: Israel and the US struck Shiraz and at least a dozen other Iranian cities on April 6 as Trump gave Tehran until Tuesday night to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on power plants and bridges.
Why it matters: The Strait of Hormuz remains under de facto Iranian blockade, halting nearly all commercial shipping through a waterway that carries roughly 20 percent of global oil and gas — driving up energy prices worldwide. Trump's April 7 deadline for Iran to reopen the strait, paired with threats to target civilian power infrastructure, signals the war is entering its most escalatory phase yet. Ceasefire talks are reported to be under way but have not yet produced an agreement, and an Israeli political source told Haaretz those negotiations are likely to fail.
What Happened Today
- 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.
Contested Claims
- 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
- (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]
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 |
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.
Background
The 2026 Iran war began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes across Iran — codenamed Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury — killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and multiple senior military commanders. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel and US bases across the Gulf, and closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global energy markets. The conflict escalated from years of Israeli strikes on Iranian proxies, a 12-day US-Israeli strike campaign in June 2025, and the collapse of US-Iran nuclear talks in February 2026.
Sources
- aljazeera.com — aljazeera.com (unknown date)
- israel-alma.org — israel-alma.org (unknown date)
- timesofisrael.com — timesofisrael.com (unknown date)
- haaretz.com — haaretz.com (unknown date)
- albawaba.com — albawaba.com (unknown date)
- commonslibrary.parliament.uk — commonslibrary.parliament.uk (unknown date)
- en.wikipedia.org — en.wikipedia.org (unknown date)
- news.un.org — news.un.org (unknown date)