Iran has formally submitted its response to the latest US proposal aimed at ending the war in West Asia. Iranian State Media confirmed that the response has been handed over, stating that negotiations at this stage will focus on ending the conflict in the region. The development comes as US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Qatar’s Prime Minister to discuss the ongoing war, highlighting intensified diplomatic efforts as the conflict enters its third month.
Meanwhile, Lebanese health authorities said, 22 people were killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon. The Israeli military said it had killed 10 Hezbollah fighters and targeted the group’s infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah, in response, carried out three attacks on Israeli forces, even as a US-brokered ceasefire remains nominally in place.
The Strait of Hormuz has become the sharpest flashpoint in the standoff between Iran and the United States. An Iranian military official warned on Sunday that countries complying with US sanctions against Tehran will face difficulties when their ships use the waterway. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard went further warning that any attack on Iranian commercial vessels would trigger strikes on US targets across the region, with missiles already locked onto their marks.
The threats came as a bulk carrier was struck roughly 23 nautical miles northeast of Doha, Qatar, causing a small fire that was subsequently contained.
Kuwait said hostile drones had entered its airspace and were dealt with by its military. Hours later, the UAE reported intercepting two drones originating from Iran. Meanwhile britain announced it is deploying the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon to the region to join an international mission aimed at keeping the strait open.
