US-Israel Iran War Live Updates

Esmaeil Baghaei, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, has condemned Trump’s recent threats, describing them as a clear sign of a reckless and irresponsible mindset. According to Baghaei, targeting a nation’s vital infrastructure and energy sector would inevitably put its entire population at risk, a notion he deemed tantamount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In a flurry of phone calls with major US media outlets, former President Trump dropped a bombshell about the ongoing Iran negotiations. During one conversation, he hinted at a drastic approach, suggesting that the US could “blow everything up” and seize Iran’s oil resources. However, he quickly shifted gears, revealing that the US has extended an olive branch to certain Iranian individuals with whom they wish to engage in talks.

Trump elaborated on this dual strategy in a separate interview, naming his trusted advisors Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as the key figures facilitating these high-stakes discussions with Iranian negotiators. While reports have suggested that Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkiye may be serving as intermediaries, a credible source claims that Witkoff and Kushner are directly communicating with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi via text message. Although this claim remains unverified, it aligns with Trump’s assertion that Kushner and Witkoff are playing a pivotal role in the negotiations with Iranian representatives.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officials have asserted that they launched a missile at a ship with ties to Israel in a waterway adjacent to Dubai’s Port of Jebel Ali, resulting in a fire on board. As of now, there is no official confirmation from Emirati authorities. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

In a stark warning, President Trump has seemingly set a precise deadline for Iran to comply with his demand to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway.
According to a recent post on Truth Social, Trump specified that Iran must meet his demands by Tuesday evening at 8:00 P.M. Eastern Time, which translates to 3:30 A.M. local time in Tehran on Wednesday or 12:00 A.M. GMT.
In an earlier statement to the Wall Street Journal, Trump cautioned that if Iran fails to comply by Tuesday evening, the country will face severe consequences, including the destruction of its power plants and infrastructure.

The city of Haifa has been subjected to relentless bombardment from Iranian missile strikes and Hezbollah fire in recent weeks, with today being no exception. Eyewitnesses have witnessed Iranian missiles striking a multi-storey building, causing significant damage and partial collapse. Rescue teams remain on the scene, battling a fire and conducting a thorough search of the building’s safe room to ensure no one is trapped.
Concerns are growing that the entire structure may collapse, while the nature of the building remains unclear. According to Israeli authorities, the country’s air defences were unable to intercept the Iranian ballistic missiles, which are believed to be equipped with large explosive warheads, resulting in extensive damage.
In a separate incident, reports have emerged of a Hezbollah-launched drone crashing into an unidentified building near Acre, located north of Haifa. The constant wailing of sirens has been a persistent feature of life in northern Israel, where approximately 1.4 million residents live, for most of the day.

Anwar Gargash, a presidential adviser from the UAE, has expressed the country’s readiness to collaborate with a US-led international coalition aimed at ensuring safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a media statement, Gargash also posited that Iran’s regional approach would ultimately amplify the influence of both the United States and Israel. According to Gargash, Iran’s strategy will not diminish America’s presence in the area but rather solidify it. Furthermore, he predicted that Israel’s influence in the Gulf will become more pronounced, rather than waning.

A seasoned US diplomat, Mark Pfeifle, who once served as deputy national security adviser, has shed light on Donald Trump’s approach to negotiations with Iran. According to Pfeifle, Trump tends to rely heavily on leveraging any available advantage in pursuit of a deal. Nevertheless, Pfeifle cautioned that the ongoing conflict severely restricts Trump’s capacity to exert pressure on the ground. Furthermore, Pfeifle emphasized that Iran still possesses considerable military capabilities, including the capability to impede maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and deploy large fleets of drones. In Pfeifle’s words, “The Strait of Hormuz remains a potent card in Iran’s hand.”

According to the Israeli military, a residential building in northern Haifa sustained significant damage after being struck by a missile fired from Iran, resulting in a direct impact. This assessment aligns with an earlier confirmation by an official from Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service, who also reported a direct hit on the building.

In a scathing rebuke to Trump, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker, has fired off a pointed message on X, targeting the former US president directly. Ghalibaf accused Trump of recklessly propelling the US into a catastrophic scenario, where every family will suffer, and the entire region will be engulfed in chaos, all because of his alleged subservience to Netanyahu’s directives. The parliament leader unequivocally stated that Trump’s pursuit of war crimes will yield no tangible benefits. Instead, he urged Trump to adopt a more constructive approach by respecting the rights of the Iranian people and abandoning the current volatile standoff.

Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, has indicated that his country’s participation in the upcoming World Cup hangs in the balance unless FIFA relocates the tournament’s matches from the United States to Mexico. The Iranian Football Federation had formally petitioned FIFA to relocate the fixtures, but the governing body has yet to issue a response. According to Donyamali, Iran’s World Cup participation would be secured if FIFA grants their request.