One crew member has been recued after an American aircraft was shot down in Iran. That’s according to one U.S. and one Israeli official, who both spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive ongoing military operations. The rescue occurred as the U.S. military was conducting a search and rescue operation, according to three people familiar who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitivity of the situation. Israel is helping the United States with the operation. The number of crew on board wasn’t immediately known. It would be the first time the U.S. has lost aircraft in Iranian territory during the five-week war.

Russian strikes on Ukraine have killed at least eight people across the country. The attacks on Friday include a “massive” missile and drone strike near the capital, regional authorities reported. Ukrainian officials claimed the Kremlin is changing its tactics to increase civilian suffering. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled Kyiv’s openness to a potential Easter truce. The holiday is celebrated on April 12 in both Ukraine and Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier this week that Moscow is not interested in a temporary ceasefire.

The U.S. Army’s top uniformed officer has been asked to step down by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Pentagon officials have not given a reason for Gen. Randy George's departure during the Iran war. George is the latest of more than a dozen firings of top U.S. generals and admirals. Iran has fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states. An Iranian military spokesperson said Thursday that Tehran maintains hidden stockpiles of arms, munitions and production facilities. Israel has launched a ground invasion in Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Lebanon's Health Ministry says Israeli strikes have killed 27 people in a single day.

There has been little sign Friday of the war in the Mideast winding down as Israel says it faced incoming fire from Iran, and Kuwait and Bahrain also reported being under attack. In Iran, eight people were killed while celebrating the close of Persian new year near a major bridge hit by a U.S. strike. Tehran continued to demonstrate its ability to strike its neighbors even as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the threat from the country was nearly eliminated. Iran’s strikes on its neighbors along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world’s energy supplies far beyond the Middle East.

President Donald Trump has used his first major address since launching his war in Iran to assure Americans all his military objectives will be completed “shortly” and urge a skeptical electorate to give him more time. Trump in his Wednesday address dialed back the bluster that’s dominated his rhetoric in recent days as world markets convulse and a badly battered Iran still lands some effective blows on Gulf neighbors' infrastructure and U.S. bases. But the Republican president's promise to “finish the job” hardly built confidence with a jittery market as oil prices surged and Asian stocks fell on his vow to continue hitting Iran very hard. Democrats say Trump's war is "destabilizing the world.”

Britain has accused Iran of holding the global economy hostage as diplomats from over 40 countries discuss ways to press Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. was absent from the virtual meeting following President Donald Trump's stance that securing the waterway is not America's responsibility. U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper highlighted the impact of Iran's actions on global oil and food prices. Shipping has slowed significantly due to Iranian attacks on vessels in he strait. French President Macron says reopening the strait by force is unrealistic. The 41 countries attending Thursday's meeting are demanding Iran stop blocking the strait and have pledged to work to ensure safe passage.

Marine archaeologists have found the wreck of a Danish warship that sank in the 1801 Battle of Copenhagen. Denmark’s Viking Ship Museum has said divers are racing to excavate it before construction starts nearby. The wreck of the Danish flagship Dannebroge lies 15 meters down in thick sediment with near zero visibility. The ship took heavy fire from British Adm. Horatio Nelson’s fleet and later exploded. Divers have recovered cannons and personal items like uniforms, shoes and bottles. They also found part of a sailor’s jaw. Researchers hope the wreck will reveal what sailors endured.

Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine have killed two people and injured at least three others, officials said. The strikes hit at least four regions of Ukraine, with the country's defense systems intercepting 147 of 172 drones. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered a ceasefire for Easter, but the Kremlin is demanding a lasting peace settlement. Russia and Ukraine are working on prisoner exchanges for Easter, according to Russian human rights ombudswoman, Tatyana Moskalkova. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, expressed hope for a major exchange. Orthodox Easter falls on April 12.