Israel hits Shiraz on war day 38 as Trump's Hormuz deadline expires
Confidence: HIGH (82/100) | April 06, 2026 | Shiraz, Fars, Iran
aljazeera.com
In one sentence: Israeli and US strikes hit Shiraz and at least a dozen other Iranian cities on April 6 as Trump threatened to bomb Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
Why it matters: Today marks the expiry of Trump's Tuesday ultimatum threatening strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz — through which 20 percent of global oil and gas passes — is not reopened. The strikes on Shiraz and petrochemical facilities signal a deliberate Israeli shift toward economic targets designed to break Iran financially. A 45-day ceasefire proposal submitted by Egyptian, Pakistani and Turkish envoys to both sides represents the most concrete diplomatic off-ramp yet, but both Washington and Tehran have not formally endorsed it.
What Happened Today
- 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.
Contested Claims
- 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
- (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']
- (Unverified — single source | state media only | 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']
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 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 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.
Background
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.
Sources
- aljazeera.com — aljazeera.com (unknown date)
- israel-alma.org — israel-alma.org (unknown date)
- timesofisrael.com — timesofisrael.com (unknown date)
- npr.org — npr.org (unknown date)
- haaretz.com — haaretz.com (unknown date)
- commonslibrary.parliament.uk — commonslibrary.parliament.uk (unknown date)
- en.wikipedia.org — en.wikipedia.org (unknown date)
- iran.liveuamap.com — iran.liveuamap.com (unknown date)