Tehran justifies assaults on Gulf countries while Israel launches drone strikes on Lebanon after agreeing to extend the ceasefire.
After tensions between Washington and Tehran increased, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that although negotiations with the United States have not advanced, lines of communication are still open.
Araghchi warned that additional sanctions or military action would not compel Tehran to alter its course while defending Iran’s attacks on US allies in the Gulf as self-defence.
Kuwait reported that Iranian drone and missile attacks on Wednesday resulted in one fatality and over sixty injuries.
What we know is as follows:
Iran
According to Iranian sources, Tehran launched retaliation attacks on US-affiliated targets in Bahrain and Kuwait on Wednesday after US forces attacked an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and a communications center on Qeshm Island late on Tuesday. Iran declared that attacks on its interests and territory would be met with retaliation.
Iran is experiencing a discrepancy between energy supply and consumption as summertime demand rises. At the same time, the government has less alternatives to deal with the issue due to the war’s economic effects. Electricity rates have skyrocketed, according to residents and business owners, with some blaming the conflict’s financial impact.
Diplomacy during a war
According to the US, following negotiations in Washington, Israel and Lebanon have decided to implement a ceasefire. The agreement calls for the cessation of Hezbollah fire, the evacuation of Hezbollah members from the area south of the Litani River, and the creation of security zones under the sole authority of Lebanese forces. Later this month, it is anticipated that both parties will restart talks.
Before completely committing to the agreement, observers predict Hezbollah would demand assurances that Israeli forces will leave southern Lebanon and that attacks will cease. Both sides have accused one another of violating previous ceasefires, making them difficult to maintain.
Iranian drone and missile strikes, according to Gulf Kuwaiti authorities, struck a terminal of the nation’s international airport on Wednesday, resulting in one fatality, over sixty injuries, and “significant material damage.”
The United States
A agreement to end the dispute “could happen over the weekend,” according to US President Donald Trump, who stated that talks with Iran are “very well.” But he went on, “Who knows?”
Four Republicans joined Democrats in the House of Representatives’ 215-208 vote to mandate that Trump obtain congressional permission before taking military action against Iran. The bill is a protest of Trump’s decision to join Israel’s attacks on Iran without legislative approval and represents the first successful House vote this year to limit Trump’s war powers, though it is unlikely to become law.
The Block the Bombs Act, which aims to limit the sale of offensive weapons to Israel, has garnered the support of US Representative Thomas Massie. Tens of thousands of people have been killed by Israel using US-supplied weapons, according to Massie, who contended that Washington had a moral duty to stop supporting the devastation in Gaza.
Gaza and Lebanon
According to the National News Agency, an Israeli drone attack on a car on the Zefta-Kfarwa Road in southern Lebanon resulted in multiple injuries. Following several discussions in Washington, DC, mediated by US officials, Israel and Lebanon decided to end the war, which prompted the strike.
Israeli airstrikes on residential buildings during the night claimed the lives of at least nine Palestinians. Families were reportedly asleep when the attacks started, according to witnesses, while rescue personnel battled through debris and fires to get to those who were trapped inside.
Satellite imagery analysed by Al Jazeera shows Israeli forces have continued expanding their footprint in Gaza despite the October ceasefire. The investigation identified 40 military outposts across the territory, including eight built after the truce took effect.
