Israel’s military said Thursday its forces had carried out a wave of strikes across Iran, as Tehran continues to insist that it will not negotiate on a peace deal. US President Donald Trump has warned he is ready to “unleash hell” if Iran does not accept a deal to end the nearly four-week Middle East war. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
G7 allies to discuss Iran at meetings this week in France
Foreign ministers from the world’s leading Western democracies are meeting in France this week against the backdrop of wars in Iran and Ukraine, economic uncertainty, and mounting unease over an increasingly unpredictable US foreign policy.
A top priority for Washington’s partners will be a debriefing from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will attend the meeting’s second day on Friday.
Officials said allies are hoping to get greater clarity on US and Israeli military operations against Iran and on whether any meaningful diplomatic channel exists to end the conflict.
Talks will also focus on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed, choking about a fifth of global oil supplies.
Activists use Starlink to bypass Iran internet blackout amid war
With the war in Iran leading to a near-total internet blackout in the country, activists around the world – especially in the United States – are mobilising to help Iranians stay connected via Starlink.
Despite being banned, billionaire Elon Musk’s satellite internet system has gained ground in Iran thanks to a network of international activists, multiple people involved in these efforts told AFP.
“As of this year, we have more than 300 devices that we have delivered to the country,” said Emilia James of the US-based organisation NetFreedom Pioneers. She declined to go into further detail to protect the operation and the users.
Oil rises, equities mixed as Middle East war uncertainty persists
Oil prices rose and equities were mixed on Thursday as investors tracked developments in the Middle East war after Iranian officials were said to have replied to US demands to end a conflict that has sparked warnings of an unprecedented energy crisis.
Markets have been buoyed since late Monday after US President Donald Trump backed down on a threat to destroy the Islamic republic’s energy infrastructure and said the two sides were in peace talks.
But while crude prices are down from last week and the mood on trading floors has been less dour than most of March, uncertainty and the virtual closure of the Strait of Hormuz – through which around 20 per cent of oil and gas passes – continues to cast a dark shadow.
Israel carries out wave of strikes across Iran, including Isfahan
Israel’s military said Thursday its forces had carried out a wave of strikes across Iran, including in the central city of Isfahan.
A brief military statement said Israeli forces “completed a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in several areas across Iran”.
Yesterday’s key developments:
Iran rejected a 15-point US peace plan to end the Middle East war, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying, “We do not intend to negotiate.”
US President Donald Trump is ready to “unleash hell” if Iran does not accept a deal to end the nearly four-week Middle East war, the White House warned Wednesday.
The United States claimed that it has hit two-thirds of Iran’s production facilities for missiles and drones, and a similar proportion of its naval production.
