The ongoing war between Israel and Iran intensified on Thursday as Israel launched large-scale airstrikes across Iranian territory, targeting key infrastructure, including sites in the central city of Isfahan.
The strikes came just hours after US President Donald Trump claimed that Iran was willing to negotiate an end to the nearly four-week conflict, despite Tehran’s official denial of any talks with Washington.
In response to the Israeli attacks, Iran fired missiles toward Israel, triggering air raid sirens in major cities such as Tel Aviv and parts of Jerusalem. According to Israeli officials, this marked the first missile launch from Iran in over 14 hours.
The conflict, which began on February 28 following a joint US-Israeli military operation, has expanded across the Middle East. It has disrupted global energy markets and raised concerns about a broader economic impact worldwide.
President Trump stated that negotiations were secretly underway, suggesting Iranian leaders were hesitant to admit it publicly due to internal and external pressures.
However, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected these claims, stating that Iran seeks to end the war only on its own terms and has no intention of negotiating under current conditions.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has reportedly conveyed a 15-point peace proposal from the United States to Tehran. Despite this, Iranian state media indicated that the proposal had been rejected.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that the US is prepared to take strong action if a deal is not reached.
China has also weighed in, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressing cautious optimism, describing potential openness to dialogue as a “glimmer of hope” for peace.
The situation remains tense, with ongoing military actions and uncertain diplomatic prospects
