Passage of Vessels Through Hormuz: Iran on Saturday allowed the passage of ships with essential and humanitarian goods through the Strait of Hormuz, the Iran International reported citing an IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency report. Meanwhile, Tehran said a projectile struck close to the premises of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the morning. Later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran has informed the body about the hit. The IAEA also called for maximum military restraint to avoid risk of a nuclear accident

Where the war stands: As the war enters its fifth week, the conflict has reached a critical inflection point with the first confirmed shoot-downs of American military aircraft by enemy fire in over two decades. Tensions are peaking this Saturday as high-stakes search-and-rescue missions unfold across the region, while the global economy remains tethered to the volatile status of the world’s most vital energy chokepoint.

Also Read | Dubai Iran War News Live Updates

The latest developments

• Air Assets Targeted: In a major escalation, Iranian state media (Press TV) released unverified images purportedly showing the wreckage of a US Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter in Kuwait. Reports suggest the heavy-lift aircraft was damaged during a drone strike on Camp Buehring. This follows the confirmed downing of a US F-15E Strike Eagle over Iranian territory on Friday.
• Search for Aircrew: One crew member from the F-15E has been successfully rescued and is in US custody, but the fate of the second remains unknown. The rescue mission itself has come under fire; a US Black Hawk helicopter was hit by Iranian projectiles during the operation but managed to remain airborne.
• Hormuz Chokehold: Despite President Donald Trump’s assertions on Truth Social that the US can “easily open” the Strait of Hormuz and “take the oil,” the waterway remains effectively closed. However, a French-operated container ship and a Japanese LNG tanker successfully transited the strait—the first such Western-linked movements since the blockade began.
• Diplomatic Deadlock: A pivotal UN Security Council vote on a Bahrain-led resolution to authorize “defensive measures” in the Strait has been postponed. Diplomats suggest opposition from Russia and China forced the delay, even after language was softened to exclude the phrase “all necessary means.”

Military and strategic snapshot

The “Energy War” of 2026 has seen a dramatic shift in narrative. While the White House previously claimed Iranian capabilities were “decimated,” the loss of multiple air assets suggests a resilient and lethal defence.

Stay with The Indian Express Global Desk for real-time updates, geolocated footage of the crash sites, and live reactions from the Pentagon and Tehran.