On the 33rd day of the Middle East war, Donald Trump once again says that the end of the conflict is near and that the USA could end the operation in two to three weeks. Marco Rubio has followed the same direction: military objectives are being achieved faster than planned, that „the finish line is visible,” and that there are exchanges of messages with Iran. In this context, the announcement that Trump will give a speech about Iran tonight should be interpreted.
However, in reality, things look different.
The hits of the day:
– A tanker was hit by a rocket near Qatar. The ship belongs to the state company QatarEnergy, the world’s largest producer of liquefied natural gas.
– Fuel depots at Kuwait airport were hit, causing a strong fire.
– Another fire broke out in Bahrain after an attack attributed to Iran.
– Israel announces new strikes in Beirut, including against a Hezbollah commander.
– An Israeli attack reportedly killed a senior officer of the Quds Force (the elite unit of the Revolutionary Guards, which coordinates military and intelligence operations in other countries), involved in underground military projects.
In other words, talk of the end is increasing, but the war continues to hit exactly the most sensitive points in the region.
On the diplomatic front, China and Pakistan have come up with a five-point peace plan that links the ceasefire to the resumption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The markets reacted immediately: oil fell after signals of a possible easing of tensions, but remains at very high levels after a month of historic increases. This means that any message about negotiations can move the markets, but any new attack on a port, airport, or tanker can immediately reverse the direction.
[Read more on Spotmedia.ro](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/eveniment/live-petrolier-urias-lovit-pericol-de-poluare-in-dubai-trump-cere-bani-statelor-arabe-iranul-pune-taxe-pe-ormuz-consiliul-de-securitate-se-reuneste-de-urgenta)
**Spotmedia.ro keeps you informed, even on day 33, with the most important information about the war in the Middle East:**
– **Oil prices have dropped but remain under tension** – Oil prices dropped after Trump spoke about the end of the conflict. The Brent crude price, the European oil, fell below $100 per barrel in the morning of the first trading day of April. It then stabilized at $101.8 per barrel. WTI, American oil, also decreased by 2.5% to $98.8 per barrel.
– **Houthi attacks** – Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed a new rocket attack on southern Israel, stating that the operation was carried out in coordination with Iran and Hezbollah. The group claims to have launched several ballistic missiles at „sensitive Israeli targets,” marking the third such attack in the current conflict. However, the Israeli army announced that the rocket was intercepted and no casualties were reported.
– **Tanker hit near Qatar** – The state company QatarEnergy, the world’s largest producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), confirmed that one of its tankers was hit by a rocket this morning off the coast of Qatar. According to British maritime authorities, the ship was attacked with two projectiles, one causing a fire that was later extinguished, and the other remaining unexploded in the engine room. There were no reported casualties or environmental impact, and the incident occurred approximately 31 kilometers from the Ras Laffan industrial center.
– **Israel kills the „Quds engineer”** – The Israeli army announced that an airstrike in central Iran killed Mahdi Vafaei, described as a senior officer responsible for engineering within the Quds Force (the elite unit of the Revolutionary Guards, which coordinates military and intelligence operations in other countries). According to Israel, he had been coordinating underground projects in Lebanon and Syria for over two decades, including infrastructures used for storing advanced weaponry. Iran has not yet commented on the information, as reported by [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/world/middle-east-live/live/2026/apr/01/iran-live-updates-trump-claims-war-will-end-rubio-nato-relationship).
– **Fire at Kuwait airport** – Fuel depots at Kuwait International Airport were hit in a drone attack attributed to Iran, and authorities reported a strong fire and significant damage, with no casualties. Kuwait had been previously targeted in recent days, including in the airport infrastructure area.
– **Fire in Bahrain** – Bahrain authorities announced that they are working to extinguish a fire that broke out at a company headquarters after an Iranian attack.
– **Israel strikes again near Beirut** – The Israeli army announced that it had hit, in two separate attacks in the Beirut area, a senior Hezbollah commander and another high-ranking member of the group. According to Lebanese authorities, the strikes resulted in at least seven deaths and 24 injuries.
– **Blue helmets’ deaths strain the Lebanese front** – Three Indonesian soldiers from UNIFIL were killed in southern Lebanon in two separate incidents. The UN reported that one soldier died in an explosion caused by a projectile, and two others in a roadside blast. Israel denies planting explosives in the area and claims to be investigating what happened. The case has already led to calls for an independent investigation and has increased international pressure on the safety of the UN force in Lebanon.
– **Trump sees the end in two to three weeks** – Donald Trump said that the USA could end the war with Iran in „two weeks, maybe three,” adding that Tehran does not necessarily have to reach an agreement with Washington for the operation to stop. At the same time, the White House leader insisted that the goal is the complete destruction of Iranian capabilities related to nuclear weapons and force projection. This statement is the clearest so far regarding a possible timeline for exiting the conflict.
– **Trump passes the issue of the Strait of Hormuz to others** – In the same statement, Trump reiterated that securing and reopening the Strait of Hormuz should be the responsibility of the states directly dependent on that energy corridor, not Washington.
– **Rubio: The finish line is visible** – Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the USA is „on or ahead of schedule” in achieving military objectives and that „the finish line can be seen,” even if the end is not „today or tomorrow.” He said that the Iranian navy and air force have been largely destroyed, and Washington continues to target missile launchers and drone and missile factories. Rubio also confirmed that messages are being exchanged with Iran and that there could even be a direct meeting at some point.
– **Trump will address the nation** – The White House announced that Donald Trump will address the nation Wednesday evening at 9:00 local time in Washington, which is Thursday at 4:00 in Romania. The message is presented as one with „important new information about Iran.”
– **China and Pakistan have a peace plan** – China and Pakistan have launched a joint five-point initiative to stop the war, which includes: immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid, swift negotiations, cessation of attacks on critical infrastructure, and resumption of normal traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Reuters and Axios, the plan was agreed upon in Beijing, and Trump avoided direct criticism, limiting himself to saying that diplomatic discussions are „going well.”
– **CENTCOM releases images from operations** – The US Central Command has released video footage of strikes on underground military targets in Iran, described as precision ammunition operations aimed at further reducing the Tehran regime’s ability to project force beyond its borders. The release of the images seems to be part of Washington’s effort to show that the offensive continues and that objectives are being systematically pursued, in parallel with signals of a possible imminent conclusion.