Iran continues retaliatory strikes as IDF kills journalists in Lebanon: As it happened on March 28

The Israeli military says on X it has carried out a third wave of large-scale strikes across Tehran, targeting dozens of what it described as Iranian “terror infrastructure” sites.

Burnt-out cars at a repair workshop damaged in US-Israeli strikes in Tehran, March 28, 2026. © Getty Images

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said Iran has agreed to allow 20 additional Pakistani-flagged ships to transit the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a “constructive” step toward regional stability.

The move comes as Islamabad steps up mediation efforts in the US-Iran conflict, including facilitating backchannel contacts. On Sunday, Pakistan is also expected to host talks with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Türkiye about the war.

The IRGC has condemned a drone attack on the residence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Duhok, a city in northern Iraq near the Turkish border.

In a statement cited by Iranian media, the IRGC described the strike as a violation of international law and regional security, and called on the UN Security Council to respond to what it described as ongoing destabilizing actions in the region.

The attack was confirmed by Iraqi authorities, with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani ordering an investigation and forming a joint Iraqi-Kurdish team to identify those responsible. No group has claimed responsibility so far.

The Iraqi government also earlier condemned the incident.

Iraq’s Interior Ministry has said an airstrike in Mosul killed two police officers on Saturday, blaming the US and Israel for the attack.

Earlier, Reuters, citing security sources, also reported a strike in the northern Iraqi city that hit a site near a police facility linked to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a state-backed paramilitary network. There has been no independent confirmation of responsibility.

According to local media, the strike targeted a police emergency unit near the city’s Third Bridge, killing two officers and wounding several others. A second strike reportedly hit as personnel were evacuating the injured.

Hundreds of people have gathered in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, to decry the killing of three journalists by an Israeli airstrike in the south of the country on Saturday. “The atmosphere here is a very emotional one,” RT correspondent Steve Sweeney reported from the ground, adding that what appeared to be an Israeli drone was buzzing overhead, observing the rally and “attempting to intimidate the people.”

The demonstrators were holding photos of the slain journalists and chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel!”

“The message here on the ground is very clear, but it’s also very defiant – we will not be silenced and we will continue to raise our microphones and raise our voices,” Sweeney reported.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the “targeted” Israeli attack on a civilian car in southern Lebanon that claimed the lives of the three Lebanese journalists. The slain reporters were wearing clearly distinguishable ‘press’ insignia at the time of the attack, it noted in a statement.

According to the ministry, by merely alleging that one of the reporters was a militant, the Israeli military appears to have given its forces carte blanche to commit what is considered a “grave crime” under international law.

Russian diplomats pointed out that an RT crew similarly came under IDF attack in southern Lebanon last week, where Israeli forces have been carrying out an offensive against Hezbollah militants since the start of the month.

The Israeli attacks on reporters must be properly investigated, with those responsible brought to account, the ministry stressed.

The US Central Command has announced on X that the USS Tripoli, along with the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group/31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, has arrived in its “area of responsibility.” The deployment includes around 3,500 US sailors and Marines.

The amphibious assault ship serves as the group’s flagship and is equipped with transport and strike aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and other tactical assets, according to the statement.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps air defenses have shot down a US MQ-9 Reaper multi-purpose drone over the city of Shiraz, according to Iranian media.

The Kuwaiti Defense Ministry has confirmed that multiple Iranian drones struck in the vicinity of Kuwait International Airport, “leading to significant damage to the radar system, with no human casualties.”

In a separate post on X on Saturday, the Kuwaiti military reported that several fuel tanks caught fire as a result of the attack.

The IDF has claimed to have struck Iran’s Maritime Industries Organization – a defense industry complex – in Tehran overnight. Additionally, Israeli warplanes targeted several other Iranian weapons production facilities, according to the statement.