Iran hits energy sites in Kuwait as US says downed pilot rescued (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

Two US transport aircraft used in the rescue of a crew member from a downed F-15E fighter jet inside Iran were destroyed on the ground to prevent sensitive equipment from falling into Iranian hands,  The New York Times reported.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it had carried out 19 drone attacks over the past 24 hours targeting what it described as enemy bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the region, without providing details on the locations hit or any damage caused. There was no immediate confirmation from US or allied officials.

Donald Trump said American forces had rescued two airmen shot down over Iran, describing the recovery of a navigator as “one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History,” in a statement on his Truth Social platform. He said the crew member, a colonel, had been located “behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran” and was now “SAFE and SOUND!” after sustaining injuries, adding: “He will be just fine.”

Trump said the operation involved “dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World,” and confirmed that a second pilot from an F-15E Strike Eagle had been rescued a day earlier in a mission not previously disclosed.

“This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory,” he said, adding that both missions were carried out “without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded,” which he said demonstrated “overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies.”

The Israel Defense Forces said on Saturday it had struck more than 200 targets linked to Iranian military infrastructure across Iran and over 140 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon, including weapons storage facilities, missile production and development locations, and air defense systems.

In a post on X, the IDF said the Iranian targets included a central site associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps where various weapons were stored, while in Lebanon the strikes hit training facilities, weapons depots, launch sites and headquarters belonging to Hezbollah’s Radwan Force.

More than 70% of tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks have been Iranian or linked to Iran, according to ship-tracking data, underscoring Tehran’s dominant presence in the strategic waterway during the ongoing conflict.

TankerTrackers.com said that of 108 tankers recorded passing through the strait over the past 36 days, 78 were either Iranian-owned or affiliated, as overall traffic remains sharply reduced since late February.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted US military assets including Patriot air defense systems and HIMARS rocket launchers in the latest wave of retaliatory strikes, according to Iranian state media.

In a statement carried by Press TV on Saturday, the IRGC said the strikes were part of its latest operation, adding that US HIMARS batteries in Kuwait and a Patriot system in Bahrain were among the targets hit, along with other facilities across the region.

There was no immediate confirmation from US officials.

Two daughters of late Iranian general Qassem Soleimani have denied that two Iranian women detained in the United States are related to their family, contradicting a claim by the US State Department.

In remarks carried by Fars News Agency, Soleimani’s daughter Zeinab said: “The US State Department’s claim is a lie: the people arrested in the United States have no connection to the family.” 

Another daughter, Narjes, told Iranian state media: “To this day, no member of the family nor any relative of Martyr Soleimani has resided in the United States.” 

Earlier, the State Department said a woman identified as Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, described as Soleimani’s niece, and her daughter were taken into custody after their green cards were revoked, alleging she had supported Iran’s government and “celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East.”

Iran’s central military command has rejected a 48-hour ultimatum by US President Donald Trump, who threatened to destroy the country’s vital infrastructure if Tehran does not accept a peace deal.

In a statement, General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters described Trump’s warning as “a helpless, nervous, unbalanced and stupid action,” adding: “If the American–Zionist enemy carries out any aggression, we will, without limitation, subject all the infrastructures used by the US terrorist army, as well as the infrastructures of the Zionist regime, to continuous and devastating attacks.”

Trump earlier wrote on Truth Social: “Time is running out – 48 hours before all hell will reign down on them.” Aliabadi said: “The simple meaning of this message is that the gates of hell will open for you.”

Satellite imaging firm Planet Labs said it will indefinitely withhold imagery of Iran and other Middle East conflict zones following a request from the US government, according to an email sent to customers.

The California-based company said the move expands a previously imposed 14-day delay and will apply to imagery dating back to March 9, remaining in place until the conflict ends, as authorities seek to prevent adversaries from using commercial satellite data for military purposes such as targeting and missile guidance.

Planet Labs added it will shift to a “managed distribution” model, releasing images selectively for mission-critical or public-interest use,

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued an evacuation warning late on Saturday for residents of Kfar Hatta, a village in southern Lebanon, ahead of planned airstrikes against Hezbollah.

“Hezbollah’s activities are forcing the IDF to act against it with force. The IDF does not intend to harm you. For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move at least 1,000 meters away from the village,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said.

The military noted the village lies north of the Zahrani River and had not been covered by its earlier blanket evacuation warning for southern Lebanon.