Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza, minister says no deal to halt attacks
Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza for a second straight day, killing at least 18 Palestinians, medics said, despite US President Donald Trump's announcement of a breakthrough in efforts to implement last year's ceasefire agreement.
From dawn, Israeli warplanes hit Gaza City in the north, the central city of Deir al-Balah and the southern area of Khan Younis, causing the biggest daily death toll in weeks, according to Palestinian health officials.
Crew of Iranian ship hit in Ukrainian attack returns home, news agency says
The crew of an Iranian commercial ship that was hit in a Ukrainian attack and the body of a sailor killed in the incident have returned to Iran, according to Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency in a report on Sunday.
Iran foreign ministry says close to deal with Oman on Hormuz route
Iran on Sunday said it was nearing a deal with Oman over a new route through the Strait of Hormuz, hours after the US called off major strikes to allow for diplomacy.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that his country and Israel had agreed to hold off on new strikes on Iran, saying the "perimeters" of a deal were there.
Gulf leaders warn renewed strikes [on Iran] would accomplish very little, says expert
"Throughout this conflict, the impact that the Gulf has faced has been one of the major components of this story," said Jennifer Gavito, former US State Department official and senior advisor at The Cohen Group. Gulf leaders are probably echoing what many of Trump's military advisors are telling him, that renewed strikes [on Iran] would accomplish very little and create more economic cost, she added.
Negotiations between Iran and Oman over Hormuz in final stages, Tehran says
Negotiations between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz are in their final stages, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday, according to official news agency IRNA, after the US said it had called of an attack on Iran to give room for diplomacy.
Efforts underway to revive June US-Iran deal, Iranian MP says
An Iranian lawmaker said that mediators were seeking to revive a deal that briefly halted the war between Iran and the United States in June.
Hassan Ghashghavi, spokesman for parliament's national security commission, said in a video interview that "there is an effort underway to revive the 14-point Islamabad agreement, particularly by the mediators".
"They know that the main issue and, in fact, the key to the matter right now is the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, so yes, there is an exchange of views," he said.
Iran new Ambassador to Andorra Hassan Ghashghavi leaves the Elysee Palace in Paris on April 12, 2019, after a ceremony to present his letter of credence. © Ludovic Marin, AFP
Israeli strikes kill at least 13 in Gaza
Israeli strikes on Gaza hit multiple residential buildings and killed at least 13 people, authorities said, despite Hamas saying it agreed to the latest stage of a deal to end the war.
Hamas said Friday it had agreed to a plan championed by US President Donald Trump that includes provisions for handing over its weapons and the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
Israel has yet to officially comment on the agreement, but a political source has told AFP "that there will be no withdrawal whatsoever" without Hamas's "genuine disarmament".
Israel says it has serious concerns with Hamas disarmament deal
Israel has shared “serious security concerns” with the White House regarding the proposed disarmament deal with Hamas, an Israeli official told The Associated Press in some of the first public comments since US President Donald Trump announced the agreement earlier this week.
Doron Spielman, spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister's office, told the AP that Israel's intelligence assessment is that Hamas remains committed to rebuilding its military rather than genuinely demilitarizing. He said the Israeli military would not withdraw from Gaza — where it controls more than 60% of the territory — before Hamas disarms.
Iran media calls Trump claim that Tehran asked US not to strike a 'new lie'
Iran's Mehr news agency denied US President Donald Trump's claim that the Islamic republic asked the United States to refrain from conducting new strikes.
Citing military officials, the agency said the allegation "was nothing but a new lie" and that the Iranian armed forces were "on high alert and ready for any eventuality".
Iran sees every threat from adversaries as 'real and credible', acting defence minister says
Tehran views every threat from its adversaries as "real and credible" even if made as part of psychological warfare, Iran's acting defence minister, Majid Ibn al-Reza, said on Sunday according to state media.
"We will neither be caught off guard nor remain passive," he said, adding that Iran would use threats as a basis to increase its military readiness, strengthen deterrence and enhance its military capabilities.
Saudi crown prince tells Trump dialogue needed to de-escalate Middle East tensions
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stressed in a phone call with US President Donald Trump the
"necessity of prioritising dialogue to de-escalate tensions" in the Middle East, according to Saudi Arabia's state news agency.
- Trump says US, Israel to hold off on Iran strikes
- Saudi crown prince urged Trump not to escalate Iran war
- Israel says it has serious concerns with Hamas disarmament deal
- Israeli strikes kill 18 in Gaza, minister says no deal to halt attacks
Saudi crown prince urged Trump not to escalate Iran war
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, in a phone call with President Donald Trump on Saturday raised concerns about the US potentially escalating the conflict with Iran, according to a person familiar with the leaders’ discussion.
The Saudis, according to the person briefed on the substance of the call but not authorized to comment publicly, are concerned that if the US targets Iran’s energy infrastructure or carries out massive strikes on other key infrastructure that Tehran could respond by carrying out attacks on the kingdom’s and other Gulf countries’ energy infrastructure.
Trump's announcement on social media
The emerging deal “would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat,” Trump wrote in a Saturday evening social media post.
“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,” Trump said.
Israel agreed to join the U.S. in the commitment to try to complete the agreement with Iran that would bring about an end to the war, he added. Iran did not offer any immediate public reaction to the announcement.
Trump says US, Israel to hold off on Iran strikes
President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States and Israel had agreed to hold off on new strikes on Iran - provided a deal to end the months-long conflict is "rapidly" reached.
Yesterday's key developments:
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The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said Saturday it had received reports of two maritime incidents off Oman, including one in which a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile.
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Kuwait's army it had detected and destroyed hostile drones in the country's airspace and that what it described as an Iranian attack had targeted several vital facilities.
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US embassies in capitals across the Middle East on Saturday warned their citizens to beware of "unforeseen escalation" in the regional conflict and urged them to be ready to leave.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP, Reuters)
