Trump rejected Iran's proposal for a seven-day truce. According to the WSJ, the US president has told his collaborators of his intention to resume bombing Iran after the mid-term elections. The Iranian proposal would have led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of nuclear negotiations, in exchange for the lifting of the American blockade. Iran, however, Tehran specified, has not yet received a definitive response from Washington through the mediators.
"Our conditions are clear. Any steps towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz are subject to compliance with these conditions," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the official IRNA news agency. Meanwhile, the Pasdaran are "ready to hit US ships even in the Indian Ocean in the face of new attacks". Some sources report hearing explosions near the island of Qeshm, in the Strait of Hormuz, southern Iran. In Riyadh, schools closed for a week and students in Dad.
Insights:
Strait of Hormuz, from transit to mine clearance: what the Iran-Oman agreement provides
What does the new Israel-Lebanon agreement that Hezbollah rejects provide?
Iran, how mines work in the Strait of Hormuz and why it is difficult to remove them
War in Iran, how much have the US and Israel spent so far?
War in Iran and inflation, who risks being most affected by the increase in prices
Pasdaran, who are the Guardians of the Iranian Revolution
War in Iran, the history of crises and conflicts in the Gulf from 1979 to today
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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Washington's economic pressure on Iran is "producing results", citing restrictions on flights and financial transactions with Tehran. “Following the launch of Operation Economic Outcast, the US Treasury imposed targeted financial measures against banks and aviation service providers,” Bessent wrote on According to Bessent, “Turkey and Oman have announced the cessation of Mahan Air flights to their countries.” Furthermore, “the UAE has suspended all flights of Iranian airlines, and major commercial banks in the Emirates and Turkey have stopped transacting with Iran.” “The Iranian leadership also recognized the economic burden of the war, while the value of the rial fell to historic lows,” the Treasury secretary added. Bessent thanked "the governments of the United Kingdom, Turkey, Oman and the United Arab Emirates" and concluded: "We will continue to work together, because there is still much to do to stop Tehran from carrying out its terrorist agenda."
According to AFP, parents across Riyadh have received emails from schools announcing a last-minute plan to switch to remote learning for a week. "The Saudi authorities have just informed us that schools will have to remain closed for the whole week," read two separate messages seen by AFP. No official reason was given, but the decision comes against a backdrop of rising tensions in the Gulf and near-daily attacks on Saudi Arabia by Iran-backed Houthi fighters in Yemen. "When a decision affects an entire school community for an entire week, families deserve clear communication and transparency about the reasons behind it," one parent told AFP. "It's a last minute decision. We have no idea what's going on," added a Lebanese resident of Riyadh. The announcement comes a day after the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen said it had intercepted drones and ballistic missiles aimed at the kingdom. The attacks represent the latest episode in a series of Houthi aggressions that have escalated since July, when the resumption of hostilities shattered a multi-year truce and embroiled Yemen in the broader war in the Middle East.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for Israel's annexation of the Palestinian territories of the Gaza Strip still under the control of the Israeli army and a part of southern Lebanon, up to the Litani River. The Times of Israel reports it. Speaking on a Ynet podcast, Smotrich, leader of the radical right-wing party Religious Zionism, said he wanted to "at least" annex the territory from Gaza up to the so-called Yellow Line and Lebanon up to the Litani, arguing that in this way Israel's enemies would "pay a price" for the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 and the multi-front war that followed. The Yellow Line, envisaged in last year's ceasefire agreement, divides the Strip between areas controlled by Israel and those under the control of Hamas. According to the Times of Israel, Israel maintains control of more than 60% of the territory. In Lebanon, however, the Israeli army maintains a buffer zone in the south of the country. “Not only because of the settlements in the Land of Israel, but also because, if a war ends on the borders where it started, what is to stop the enemy from returning to war?” Smotrich said.
