Iran and Israel trade strikes amid mixed signals on ceasefire talks – nationally
Airstrikes hit Iran and Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel’s Tel Aviv and areas across the Mideast on Tuesday, even as President Donald Trump said the United States was in talks with the Islamic Republic to end the war.
With thousands of US troops on their way to the Gulf, both sides firing at each other and Iran denying any talks are taking place, the war situation remained high a day after Trump delayed a self-imposed deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran’s hold on that vital waterway has raised international tensions, sent oil prices soaring, and threatened the global economy.
Pakistan promised to hold diplomatic talks, according to officials there and the two other countries, but Iran remained defiant, vowing to fight “until complete victory.”
Any negotiations between the US and Iran will face significant challenges. Washington’s ever-changing list of objectives – particularly regarding Iran’s missile and nuclear weapons programs – remains difficult to achieve. Meanwhile, it is not clear who in the Iranian government would have the authority to negotiate – or be willing, as Israel has vowed to continue removing leaders after killing several.
Iran remains highly suspicious of the United States, which has attacked twice under the Trump administration during high-level talks, including the February 28 strikes that started the current war.
Pakistan says ‘peaceful talks’ continue
The US has agreed “in principle” to join talks in Pakistan, according to three Pakistani officials, one Egyptian official and a Gulf diplomat, while mediators are still working to convince Iran. Pakistani officials said that “peaceful talks” had grown more difficult since its leaks.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to provide information to the media. Requests for comment were sent to the US Embassy in Islamabad and the White House.
The office of Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he had been discussing the war this week with his counterparts in many countries. But Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf has called the idea of ​​talks “fake news” – and a spokesman for Iran’s top military has issued a defiant new statement.
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“The powerful forces of Iran are proud, victorious and steadfast in protecting the integrity of Iran, and this path will continue until complete victory,” Iranian state television quoted Maj. General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi said on Tuesday.
Aliabadi did not say what a victory would look like, but Iran’s military may try to warn of concessions in any potential negotiations.
The Egyptian official said efforts are focused on “building trust” between the US and Iran, with the aim of ending hostilities. Israel is not involved.
The official, who participated in the efforts, said that the priority is to prevent attacks on the energy infrastructure of Iran and the Gulf Arab countries and that they are working on a “way” for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Talk of talks briefly sent oil prices higher and stocks higher. But that respite was short-lived, with the price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, retreating above $100 a barrel on Tuesday, up nearly 40 percent since the war began.
Iran attacks Israel and its Gulf neighbors while Israel attacks Beirut
Israel said it had carried out a wide range of strikes on Iranian “production facilities” without providing further details. In Tehran, large explosions were heard in the northern and central areas of the city.
Iran also fired several waves of missiles at Israel.
In Tel Aviv, a missile with a 100-kilogram (220-pound) warhead hit a downtown street, blowing out windows of an apartment building and sending smoke billowing out. Four people received minor injuries, rescue worker Yoel Moshe said.
“It feels like you’re a (sitting) duck, waiting for arrows to hit you, or someone next to you,” said Amir Hasid, coming out of the shelter.
In Kuwait, power lines were hit by pieces of air defense, causing a power outage for several hours. Bahrain said it was attacked with missiles and drones, the United Arab Emirates said its air defense systems responded to the same attack, and Saudi Arabia said it destroyed Iranian planes heading for the Eastern Province.
Israel attacked areas south of Beirut saying it was targeting infrastructure used by the Iran-linked terrorist group Hezbollah.
A strike in an apartment building southeast of the Lebanese capital killed at least three people, including a three-year-old girl, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. Another five people were killed in the south.
Meanwhile, Lebanon announced that Iran’s ambassador was persona non grata and ordered him to leave on Sunday.
This dramatic move provides the latest evidence of the deterioration of relations between Lebanon and Iran. Iranian planes are banned from landing in Lebanon, out of fear that they will carry weapons or finance Hezbollah, and some Lebanese government officials have criticized Tehran’s role in the country, accusing it of dragging Lebanon into another war with Israel.
Authorities say Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon and displaced more than a million.
The death toll in Iran has exceeded 1,500, the Ministry of Health said. In Israel, 15 people have been killed. At least 13 members of the American military were killed, along with more than a dozen civilians in West Bank and Gulf Arab states.
Marines are on their way to the Persian Gulf
Trump’s announcement came as thousands of naval forces headed to the region, fueling speculation that the US might try to seize Kharg Island, which is crucial to Iran’s oil system. The US bombed the Persian Gulf island more than a week ago, attacking its defenses but saying it left its oil infrastructure intact.
Iran has threatened to mine the Gulf if the US appears to be on the brink of a military deployment.
Trump said he would drop the threat to blow up Iran’s power stations during the talks – a delay that may have been aimed at buying time for the arrival of the navy, the New York think tank Soufan Center said.
However, the agency also noted that “Trump may be looking for an offramp.”
Trump has said he has no plans to send ground troops to Iran but has not ruled it out. Israel has suggested that its underground forces may take part in the war.
