In recent days, President Trump hinted at a possible end to the conflict, but that has not happened.
In an interview with NBC News, he stated that Iran seems ready to negotiate a ceasefire but added that "the conditions are not satisfactory." Iran, for its part, denied this information.
Trump also indicated that American forces destroyed oil facilities on the Iranian island of Kharg, which is a key export point for oil, but noted that he might attack it again "just for fun."
This weekend, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the war is entering a decisive stage and will continue as long as necessary.
Last night and this morning, Iran continued to bombard Israel with rockets.
- The U.S. and Israel continue their attacks on Iran, striking several targets in the central province of Isfahan, resulting in at least 15 deaths.
- Iran also launched a missile strike on Israel, hitting the city of Holon, and claimed responsibility for attacks on American bases in Iraq and Kuwait.
The head of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expressed dissatisfaction with the work of American broadcasters, accusing them of "distorting reality" in their coverage of the conflict in the Middle East.
Brendan Carr criticized "fake news" in his social media post and threatened to revoke licenses from those who do not rectify the situation.
"Television companies must act in the public interest; otherwise, they risk losing their licenses," Carr emphasized.
A post by Trump on Truth Social, in which he criticized "misleading" information about the conflict, was attached to his post.
In an interview with CBS, a partner of the BBC, Carr noted: "People have come to take licenses for granted, but that is not the case."
"I want to help people understand that there is a public interest, and television is not just a business," he added.
Reactions of countries to Trump's call for securing the Strait of Hormuz
On Saturday, on his Truth Social platform, Trump expressed hope that five countries—China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom—would send military ships to the Strait of Hormuz to eliminate the threat to Iran.
Here’s how some countries reacted to the call:
United Kingdom: "We are discussing various options for ensuring the security of shipping in the region with allies and partners," commented a representative of the UK Ministry of Defense.
China: A representative of the Chinese embassy in Washington told CNN that China calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
He did not specify whether Beijing would respond to Trump's request but added that all parties should ensure stable energy resource supplies, assuring that China would continue to engage with the necessary parties.
Japan: There has been no official response from Tokyo to Trump's call yet, although Japanese officials told NHK that this issue may be discussed during Prime Minister Sanae Takichi's upcoming trip to the U.S., which begins on Wednesday.
The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the country is not in a hurry to send naval vessels solely at Trump's request. "We make our own decisions regarding our response," an official stated.
France: No official response has been received from the French government either.
However, on Saturday, shortly after Trump's post, the official page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X refuted rumors about French military ships heading to the Strait of Hormuz.
"No, the [French] aircraft carrier and its group remain in the eastern Mediterranean. The position remains defensive," the message stated.
Interceptions in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Qatar.
The Saudi Ministry of Defense reports that seven drones were recently intercepted and destroyed in Riyadh and the Eastern Province.
Authorities in Dubai and Qatar also reported interceptions carried out by air defense systems.
The press service of Dubai posted a message on X stating that the sounds heard in the Marina and Al-Sufouh areas were the result of a successful interception.
Kuwait also recorded several instances of drone interceptions.
The Qatari Ministry of Defense reported the interception of four ballistic missiles and several drones launched by Iran on Saturday.
Trump questions the fate of Iran's new Supreme Leader.
In a Saturday interview with NBC, Trump also touched on the topic of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"I am not sure if he is even alive. No one has seen him," Trump noted, referring to Khamenei's first written statement rather than an appearance on camera.
"I heard he is dead, and if he is alive, he should be wise and surrender,” Trump added, calling the rumor of his death "incorrect."
Lebanon reports the death of 12 medical workers as a result of an Israeli strike on a medical center.
An Israeli strike on a medical center in southern Lebanon on Friday claimed the lives of 12 medical workers, including doctors and nurses, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
The head of the World Health Organization condemned the incident. "These events highlight the ongoing assault on Lebanon's healthcare system, vital for the population," noted Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
"WHO condemns this tragic loss of life and reminds that medical workers must be protected," he added.
Israeli military officials acknowledged that they are aware of reports of the strike in the Borj Kalaway area and that the incident is under review.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the U.S. attacked the islands of Kharg and Abu Musa from two points in the UAE—Ras al-Khaimah and near Dubai.
He called this step dangerous and added that Iran "will try to act cautiously and not attack populated areas" in the region.
The U.S. Central Command declined to comment on Araghchi's statement, according to Associated Press information.
At the same time, the diplomatic advisor to the UAE president stated on social media that the country has the right to self-defense but "maintains reason and restraint."
In the last two weeks, Iran has launched numerous missiles and drones at neighboring countries in the Persian Gulf during the war, claiming that the targets were American facilities, although there have also been reports of hits on civilian sites such as airports and oil fields.
Brief news overview:
- Throughout the night, air raid sirens sounded in Israel amid rocket attacks from Iran and Hezbollah, with falling debris causing a fire in Holon.
- According to Al Jazeera, a missile strike on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad on Saturday morning damaged part of the air defense system.
- Iran claimed responsibility for attacks on American bases in Iraq and Kuwait, while the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia also reported interceptions of missiles and drones.
- Trump told NBC News that the Iranians had approached him with a proposal for a deal, but the conditions are currently "not satisfactory."
- France denied rumors that its military ships are heading to the Middle East following Trump's call to allies and China about the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
- As a result of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, at least 14 people have died.
Iran claimed responsibility for attacks on Israel and American bases in Iraq and Kuwait.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran reported conducting attacks on Israel and three American bases in Iraq and Kuwait.
"The continuous sound of ambulance sirens" in Israel and the Israeli authorities' acknowledgments of "increasing numbers of dead and wounded" confirm "the serious consequences of the IRGC's heavy rockets" for industrial areas in Tel Aviv," the statement said.
The message also claims that the Harir airbase in Erbil and the Ali Salem and Arifjan bases, where American troops are stationed in Kuwait, were "destroyed by powerful Iranian missiles and drones."
A group from Iraq reported five attacks on American bases on Saturday.
The group "Saraya Awliya al-Dam" stated that it carried out attacks in response to the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by the United States and Israel, as well as the deaths of its militants.
The attacks targeted an American facility in Erbil and the Victoria base at Baghdad airport, according to their statement.
Tucker Carlson claims the CIA is checking his activities.
The journalist stated on his YouTube channel that the reason was his contacts with Iranian representatives before the conflict began and his criticism of Israel.
Earlier, he called Israel "one of the ugliest countries in the world" and claimed that Tel Aviv's actions are destroying "the beautiful Middle East."
Iran threatens to consider all of Ukraine as a legitimate target for attacks.
The head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian parliament, Ibrahim Azizi, stated that Ukraine has become a participant in the conflict on the side of Tehran's opponents and can be regarded as a legitimate military target.
"By supporting the Israeli regime with drones, Ukraine has effectively engaged in the war and turned its entire territory into a legitimate target for Iran," Azizi noted on X.
Israel is experiencing a shortage of interceptor missiles—its stocks have reached critically low levels, according to Semafor.
The majority of the arsenal was expended in last summer's conflict with Iran, the publication reports.
The war deepens the rift in the transatlantic alliance regarding Russia.
"Europeans are not ready to acknowledge that transatlantic relations no longer hold the same significance, but they should realize this," believes Ivan Krastev, a fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna.
The U.S. and its allies in the Middle East are depleting ammunition stocks in the war with Iran, while European governments fear they will find themselves at the end of the line for new supplies.
Western officials also express concerns that the conflict may increase the risk of terrorist attacks from Iran and associated groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as provoke a new wave of refugees.
According to analyst Mujtaba Rahman from Eurasia Group, the European Union has failed the "Iranian test." The EU "has not been able to provide a decisive response, protect its interests, and has not played a role in diplomacy before the war began, nor in military actions," he noted. American naval forces are also overstretched in the Persian Gulf, and Washington may need Europe's help, for example, in demining, air defense, and maritime route protection. Europe's response may be negative.
Even the staunchest critics of the war, such as Spain, quickly responded to NATO's call for military resources—such as ships to protect allies affected by Iranian missile strikes, including Turkey and Cyprus.
Slawomir Dembski, a strategy lecturer at the College of Europe, believes that the American-Israeli campaign against Iran could enter textbooks as an example of strategic miscalculations.
The error becomes more likely when Washington refuses to consult with allies.
"America has accumulated impressive strategic experience over 250 years, but it could be even more effective if it viewed Europe not just as a source of symbolic support but as a center of serious strategic knowledge," Dembski concluded.
The post The Iranian war continues into its third week. What happened and what’s next? first appeared on K-News.
