Day 35: Trump Destroys Iran's Largest Bridge, Threatens Power Plants — Kuwait Refinery Burns, Brent Crude Surges 7.8%

The Bridge Strike: B1 Tehran-Karaj Destroyed, 8 Killed

Overnight on April 2–3, US forces destroyed the B1 bridge west of Tehran — the country's largest bridge, linking the capital to the city of Karaj. Iranian state media confirmed eight people were killed in the attack. The structure was reportedly still under construction at the time of the strike. Photographs from Anadolu agency showed significant sections of the bridge destroyed. (Source: CNBC, April 3, 2026; KPBS, April 3, 2026.)

Trump posted on Truth Social after the bridge was destroyed: "Our military… hasn't even started destroying what's left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!" He added: "New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!" (Source: Reuters, April 3, 2026.)

The Trump administration had not officially confirmed the B1 bridge strike specifically by publication time; the confirmation came from Iranian officials and state media. Iran's IRGC separately threatened to retaliate by hitting major bridges in Gulf countries. (Source: KPBS, April 3, 2026.)

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on X: "Striking civilian infrastructure will not compel Iranians to surrender." Opposition figure Reza Pahlavi — son of the former Shah and a regime critic — condemned Trump's threats to the Iranian people's civilian infrastructure, saying that if the goal is to separate the Iranian people from their government, attacking their power and water is counterproductive. (Source: KPBS, April 3, 2026; Reuters, April 3, 2026.)

Legal Warning: 100+ Law Scholars Say Power Plant Strikes Would Be War Crimes

Trump's bridge strike and threats to power plants occurred the same day a letter signed by over 100 US international law experts was released warning that strikes on Iran's civilian power and water infrastructure would violate international humanitarian law. The 1949 Geneva Conventions prohibit attacks on "objects indispensable to the survival of civilians," which courts and international legal authorities have consistently held includes power plants supplying civilian populations. The letter was signed by former JAG officers, former State Department legal advisers, and professors from Harvard Law, Yale Law, and other leading institutions. (Source: Reuters, April 3, 2026; CNBC, April 3, 2026.)

This echoes an earlier letter from the same legal community objecting to Trump's threat to strike Iranian desalination plants — a threat Trump raised in March and which drew similar condemnation from legal scholars and US Gulf allies. The Geneva Conventions' Additional Protocol I Article 54 explicitly protects civilian water and food infrastructure. (Source: Reuters, April 3, 2026.)

Iran's Gulf Retaliation: Kuwait Refinery Set on Fire

Iran responded to the bridge strike with a sustained wave of missile and drone attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure throughout the morning of April 3.

Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery, Kuwait

Kuwait Petroleum Corporation confirmed that Iranian drones struck its Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery in the early hours of April 3, setting "several operational units" ablaze. Emergency crews contained the fires. No injuries were reported. The Kuwait National Guard separately rejected reports of any radioactive leak at the site, saying specialist teams were monitoring continuously. (Source: The National, April 3, 2026; CNBC, April 3, 2026.)

Mina Al-Ahmadi is Kuwait's largest and most strategically significant refinery. Located approximately 40 kilometers south of Kuwait City, it has a refining capacity of roughly 450,000 to 466,000 barrels per day — one of the largest refinery operations in the Gulf — and produces diesel, petrol, and jet fuel for domestic use and international export. The refinery is integrated with storage, petrochemical units, and export terminals. (Source: The National, April 3, 2026.)

This is not the first time Mina Al-Ahmadi has been targeted. Iranian drones have struck the refinery repeatedly since the war began on February 28, though prior strikes caused smaller fires that were quickly contained. Friday's attack appears to have been more extensive. (Source: The National, April 3, 2026.)

Kuwait Power and Desalination Plant

Iranian missiles also struck a key Kuwaiti power and desalination plant, causing "material damage," according to Kuwait's official news agency KUNA. Technical and emergency teams immediately moved to deal with the aftermath and ensure continued operations. The Kuwaiti ministry of electricity, water, and renewable energy confirmed the attack. (Source: Al Jazeera, April 3, 2026; The National, April 3, 2026.)

UAE: Habshan Gas Facility Operations Suspended

Abu Dhabi's Habshan gas facility — a key gas processing complex in the UAE interior — suspended operations on April 3 after falling debris from Iranian missiles intercepted by UAE air defense systems sparked a fire at the site. The Abu Dhabi government media office confirmed: "Operations have been suspended while authorities respond to a fire. No injuries have been reported." UAE air defense systems intercepted multiple ballistic missiles on Friday, with four missile alerts sent to Abu Dhabi residents instructing them to remain indoors. (Source: CNBC, April 3, 2026; Financial Express, April 3, 2026; The National, April 3, 2026.)

According to data cited by The National, Iran has launched 6,293 total attacks on the Gulf region between February 28 and April 2. The UAE absorbed approximately 40% of those — some 2,514 attacks — followed by Kuwait (973), Saudi Arabia (870), Bahrain (617), Qatar (303), and Oman (28).

Saudi Arabia: ~12 Drones Intercepted

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense said it intercepted and destroyed approximately a dozen drones early on Friday, without providing specific details on origin or target. (Source: The National, April 3, 2026; KPBS, April 3, 2026.)

Israel

Iran also continued missile attacks on Israel. Israel's health ministry reported treating 148 people in the 24 hours ending April 3, with the majority suffering minor injuries. A total of 6,594 Israelis had received medical treatment since the war began. (Source: KPBS, April 3, 2026.)

The F-35 Dispute: Iran Claims Shootdown, CENTCOM Denies

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency and IRGC-linked channels posted images on April 3 claiming to show debris from a downed US F-35 fighter jet over central Iran. Separately, Iranian media circulated images claimed to be wreckage of a US F-15E over the Strait of Hormuz. The Aviationist, a specialist aviation publication, noted that the alleged F-35 debris in the photos might actually be consistent with an F-15E, raising the possibility both Iranian claims refer to the same incident at a misreported location. (Source: NDTV, April 3, 2026; The Aviationist, April 3, 2026.)

CENTCOM posted that "All US fighter aircraft are accounted for" in response to the F-35 claim. A separate earlier CENTCOM statement had acknowledged that an aircraft made an emergency landing at a US base in the region, with the pilot suffering shrapnel wounds — a partial confirmation that at least one US plane experienced serious damage during the conflict, though CENTCOM stated the aircraft "landed safely." (Source: NDTV, April 3, 2026; Wikipedia aviation incidents list, April 3, 2026.)

Per Ranked's anti-hallucination policy: the loss of a US F-35 in combat in Iran is unconfirmed. Iran's claims are disputed by CENTCOM. The emergency landing incident is confirmed. Readers should treat Iranian casualty and shootdown claims with skepticism absent CENTCOM confirmation.

Markets: Brent Crude Surges 7.8% to $109

Brent crude oil prices surged 7.8% on Friday, trading at $109.03 per barrel, according to KPBS/AP data. The jump was driven by the combination of Trump's infrastructure threats, Iran's refinery strikes, and the ongoing Hormuz closure, which has reduced traffic through the strait from approximately 150 vessels per day to 10–20 ships per day, according to UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. (Source: KPBS, April 3, 2026; Reuters, April 3, 2026.)

Trump had previously threatened to hit Iran's energy and oil infrastructure if Iran did not reopen Hormuz. Trump's Wednesday night address threatened to hit Iran "extremely hard" for "the next two to three weeks" and referenced "Stone Age" language. His Thursday Truth Social post escalated to explicitly threatening bridges, then power plants. Market analysts widely read these threats as further delaying any ceasefire and increasing the risk of extended energy disruption. (Source: CNBC, April 3, 2026.)

The GCC — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — formally called on the UN Security Council Thursday to take "all necessary measures to ensure the immediate cessation of Iranian aggressions against the Council states." GCC Secretary-General Jassim Albudaiwi said Iran had "exceeded all red lines." (Source: CNBC, April 3, 2026.)

Diplomacy: UN Vote Postponed, 40-Country Meeting Produces No Agreement

The UN Security Council postponed a vote scheduled for April 3 on authorizing the use of "defensive" force to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Bahrain, as the current rotating Security Council president, had been leading the effort to pass the resolution. The vote was delayed after Russia, China, and France objected to language authorizing military action against Iran. All three are veto-wielding permanent members. (Source: France24/AFP, April 3, 2026; CNBC, April 3, 2026; Reuters, April 3, 2026.)

The revised resolution draft would have authorized countries to "use all defensive means necessary and commensurate with the circumstances in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters to secure passage." A Security Council resolution requires nine votes in favor and no veto from any of the five permanent members (US, UK, China, France, Russia). A previous Bahrain-led effort at a resolution collapsed entirely in early April. (Source: DW, April 3, 2026; Reuters, April 3, 2026.)

Separately, the UK hosted a 40-country virtual meeting Thursday organized by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. The gathering excluded the US and Israel. Cooper said Iran was "hijacking a global shipping route" and "holding the global economy hostage." She said the blocked strait was cutting off "liquid natural gas for Asia, fertilizer for Africa and jet fuel for the world." The meeting discussed diplomatic pressure and economic sanctions against Iran but reached no specific agreement on action. (Source: KPBS, April 3, 2026.)

Moneycontrol reported UK plans to send a Rapid Sentry air defense system to Kuwait. A French naval vessel reportedly crossed the Hormuz corridor, though details were sparse at publication time. (Source: Moneycontrol, April 3, 2026.)

Scale of the War: By the Numbers at Day 35

The war entered its 35th day on April 3. Key figures from official and verified sources:

• Iran bridge destroyed: B1 Tehran-Karaj — Iran's largest bridge — demolished in overnight US strikes. Eight people killed. (Source: CNBC, KPBS.)
• Brent crude: $109.03/barrel, up 7.8% Friday. March 2026 posted oil's largest monthly surge since 1990. (Source: KPBS/AP, Reuters.)
• Hormuz traffic: Down from 150 vessels/day to 10–20 per day. (Source: UK Foreign Secretary Cooper, KPBS.)
• Total Gulf attacks since Feb. 28: 6,293 Iranian strikes on GCC states recorded through April 2. (Source: The National.)
• Israelis treated for war-related injuries: 6,594. (Source: Israel Health Ministry via KPBS.)
• Mina Al-Ahmadi capacity hit: ~450,000–466,000 barrels/day refinery disrupted. (Source: The National.)
• 100+ US legal scholars: Warned threatened power plant strikes would constitute war crimes under Geneva Conventions. (Source: Reuters.)

What's Unverified

Several claims circulating April 3 that Ranked cannot independently confirm:

• F-35 / F-15E shootdown: CENTCOM denies. Iran claims unverified. One US aircraft emergency landing is confirmed with pilot wounded.
• Radioactive leak at Kuwait refinery: Explicitly denied by Kuwait National Guard.
• Iranian claims of "destroying" US regional assets: IRGC language not verified with independent assessment.
• Specific ceasefire negotiation timelines: Both sides continue to issue contradictory public statements about whether talks are happening.

Context

The war began February 28 when the US and Israel struck Iran. Since then, Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to Western shipping, triggering the worst energy crisis since the 1970s oil shocks by most measures cited by the IEA, which warned in early April that April disruptions would be worse than March. Trump's address Wednesday night signaled a continued 2–3 week timeline but offered no exit conditions. Thursday's bridge destruction and Friday's refinery fires represent the sharpest single-day exchange of infrastructure attacks in the war's 35-day history.