The United States and Israel are widening their attacks on Iran, hitting infrastructure in and around the capital, as Washington ramps up pressure on Tehran and the conflict spreads across the region.

Iranian state media said a US fighter jet was shot down on Friday over central Iran, and the US military launched a search and rescue operation in the area.

Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly fired the US Army’s top general and two other senior officers, prompting speculation of a wartime leadership shake-up.

Here is what we know about Friday’s developments:

In Iran

Downed US fighter jet: Two unnamed US officials speaking to the Reuters news agency confirmed Iranian state media reports about the downing of the US fighter jet. US media reported one of its crew members was recovered in a US search and rescue operation but the fate of the second was not known.
Intensifying strikes: The US and Israel expanded their attacks on Iran, hitting a century-old medical research centre in Tehran, the Pasteur Institute; steel plants; and a bridge near the capital in some of the latest strikes on Iranian infrastructure. A drone strike also hit a Red Crescent aid warehouse in Iran’s Bushehr province.
Bridge strike justification: US officials said the bridge bombed in Iran was used to transport material for Iranian military drones, Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan reported from Washington, DC. But Iran insisted the bridge was civilian infrastructure, which, if true, would make the attack a violation of international law.
Casualties and damage: The human toll continues to rise with at least 2,076 people killed and 26,500 wounded in Iran since the start of the war on February 28. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said more than 600 schools and education centres have been hit.
Iran’s response: Iran’s military said the war will continue until its enemies face “humiliation” and “surrender”, specifically cautioning the US against a ground invasion.

War diplomacy

In the Gulf

United Arab Emirates: Falling shrapnel killed a Bangladeshi farmworker.

Bahrain: Warning sirens sounded multiple times, and residents were told to seek shelter while highway traffic near Saar was diverted due to falling debris. The government called on motorists to take alternative routes and follow instructions until traffic returns to normal.

Saudi Arabia: The Ministry of Defence said it intercepted and destroyed an incoming drone.

Kuwait: A fire at Kuwait International Airport caused by a drone attack on Wednesday is now extinguished. The Kuwait News Agency said strikes hit the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery and a power and desalination plant. The extent of the damage was unclear.

United Kingdom military deployment: The UK is deploying RapidRanger short-range drone defence systems to the Gulf.

Italian PM visits Gulf: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni began a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia as part of a Gulf tour to boost “national energy security”, a government source said.

Easter Mass cancelled: All Masses in Dubai have been cancelled because of the war, two Catholic churches in the UAE posted on their websites.

In the US

Military leadership shake-up: Hegseth abruptly fired Army Chief of Staff Randy George, effective immediately. Reports said two other senior officers, General David Hodne and Major General William Green Jr, were also dismissed, prompting speculation the administration is reshaping the military’s leadership to align more closely with Trump’s agenda.

President steps up threats: Trump intensified his rhetoric against Tehran, threatening to bomb Iran back to the “stone ages” and warning that the US military “hasn’t even started” targeting key infrastructure. He said bridges, power plants and energy facilities could be next unless Tehran accepts US terms to end the war.

US casualties: The US has lost 13 service members in combat and two to noncombat causes. More than 200 soldiers have been injured.

US carrier departs Croatia: The USS Gerald R Ford, an aircraft carrier that had been deployed to the Arabian Sea, left Croatia after five days in port for repairs after a fire on board, the US Navy said. It did not reveal its next destination as US forces reposition in the Middle East.

Most Iranian Americans oppose the war: A poll suggested a majority of Iranian Americans reject the US-Israeli war on their homeland. More than 66 percent of respondents to the survey, commissioned by the National Iranian American Council, said they oppose the war while 32.7 percent said they support it.

In Israel

Sirens have become “part of life”: Israelis are repeatedly heading to shelters, especially in the Tel Aviv area, where millions of people live, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh reported from near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Sirens also sounded in Ashdod and Ashkelon. Schools have moved online, and Ben Gurion Airport is operating at reduced capacity as Israel prepares for a prolonged war and expands its strikes on strategic Iranian industries.

Northern front: Fighting with Hezbollah remained intense as the Lebanese group said it carried out 60 military operations against Israel in 24 hours, including rocket fire targeting Israeli soldiers in Malkia and Dishon, an explosive device attack in Biyyada and attacks that it said disabled four Israeli tanks.

More than 3,500 hits: The Israeli military said it has struck more than 3,500 targets across Lebanon since a resurgence in fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah started on March 2.

In Lebanon, Iraq and Syria

US bases in Iraq targeted: The Iraqi armed group Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed responsibility for six attacks on US military facilities within 24 hours in a statement released on its Telegram channel.

Syria: Israel expanded its raids across southern Syria while the Syrian government said it uncovered and blocked two tunnels used to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah. Meanwhile, Hamas’s armed wing praised protests in Syria against a new Israeli law imposing the death penalty on certain Palestinian prisoners.

“Alarming” displacement risk: The head of the International Organization for Migration warned of “very alarming” prospects for prolonged mass displacement in Lebanon due to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. “There are parts of the south that are being completely flattened,” Amy Pope told the AFP news agency, warning that even if the war ended now, the destruction would leave many unable to return home.