As Israel and Iran traded intense airstrikes, President Trump is considering US military involvement. Talks in Geneva offer a slim hope of de-escalation amid rising regional threats. ‘Opportunity ’ in site as EU leaders meet Iranian diplomat
A plume of smoke rises in Jabalia in the Gaza Strip during an Israel strike on Thursday. Pics/AFP
Israel and Iran exchanged more strikes on Friday as President Donald Trump weighed US military involvement and new diplomatic efforts appeared to be underway.
Trump has been weighing whether to attack Iran by striking its well-defended Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried under a mountain and widely considered to be out of reach of all but America’s “bunker-buster” bombs. He said he’ll decide within two weeks whether the US military will get directly involved in the war.
Talks in Geneva
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared to be en route to Geneva for meetings with the European Union’s top diplomat and counterparts from the United Kingdom, France and Germany. A plane with his usual call sign took off from the Turkish city of Van, near the Iranian border, flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed.
Britain’s foreign secretary said he met at the White House with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss the potential for a deal that could cool the conflict.
A building of the Soroka Hospital complex after it was hit by an Iranian missile on Thursday
‘Not seeking deal’
Before his flight, Araghchi said Iran was “not seeking negotiations with anyone” so long as Israel’s attacks continued, underscoring the diplomatic challenges ahead. He also accused the US of being “companions and collaborators” with Israel, noting that Trump used “we” when referring to attacks on Iran.
‘More targets hit’
Israel meanwhile, said it conducted airstrikes into Friday morning in Iran with more than 60 aircraft hitting what it said were industrial sites to manufacture missiles. It also said it hit the headquarters of Iran’s Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research, known by its acronym in Farsi, SPND.
Israeli airstrikes reached into the city of Rasht on the Caspian Sea early on Friday. The Israeli military had warned the public to flee the area around Rasht’s Industrial City.
Damage in southern Israel
Officials said missiles struck a residential area in southern Israel causing damage to buildings, including one six-story building. This comes a day after at least 80 patients and medical workers were injured in a strike on hospital in southern Israel.
Iraqi militia warns US
Iran-backed Shia militia Kataib Hezbollah threatened to strike US military bases across West Asia if the Us joins the ongoing conflict. The group’s further threatened to shut down key maritime routes — the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab-el-Mandeb waterway — and warned that oil ports along the Red Sea would cease operations. It also hinted at potential attacks on US aircraft.
657
No. of people killed by Israeli attacks in Iran
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