War: latest news. The death toll among Palestinians in the war in Gaza has risen to over 74,000

The Iranian Authority for the Strait of the Persian Gulf (PGSA) has issued a warning on X to shipowners regarding vessels navigating through “unauthorised routes” in the Strait of Hormuz. “Reports received by the PGSA indicate that some charterers are forcing vessels to use unauthorised routes. Such an initiative not only increases the risk of financial losses and possible damage to vessels, but also severely restricts the future passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz,” the authority stated. “Charterers responsible for such violations will be placed on the non-compliance list (NCL) and the passage of all vessels associated with them through the waterway will be subject to restrictions,” it added, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.

(The Israeli army has carried out strikes against Hezbollah targets in various areas of southern Lebanon, including sites used by the movement to launch explosive drones and anti-tank missiles at Israeli soldiers. This was reported by the IDF in a post on X. According to the Israeli army, the attacks took place after Hezbollah had launched an explosive drone overnight against IDF soldiers operating in the ‘Security Zone’.

“Iran’s plan for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz is clear, and the country remains firm on its conditions. The plan calls for an end to tensions in the region, including in Lebanon, and a commitment from the US to honour the memorandum of understanding with Islamabad,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters early on Sunday morning, after President Donald Trump had rejected the conditions set by Iran. “We will not back down on our conditions, but we never close the door on diplomacy,” Araghchi emphasised. According to the IRNA news agency, the minister added: “We have seen the US President’s initial reaction, but the mediators have not yet communicated anything to us. We are waiting for the mediators to convey the US’s final positions to Tehran, and then we will make a decision based on those positions.”

According to an updated tally compiled by the Gaza Ministry of Health, the Palestinian death toll in the war between Israel and Hamas has exceeded 74,000. The conflict began almost three years ago. The ceasefire that came into force last October has largely brought the fighting to a halt, but Israeli attacks have continued in response to threats or attacks. The Gaza Ministry of Health states that 1,145 people have been killed since the ceasefire came into force. The war began when militants led by Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Other aspects of the ceasefire, including the Israeli withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas and reconstruction, remain at a standstill.

The head of Hamas’s political bureau, Khalil al-Hayya, has called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to hold a face-to-face meeting to lay the foundations for a national programme and achieve national unity, emphasising the movement’s willingness to implement the roadmap for the Gaza Strip as a comprehensive package and calling for an international commitment to compel Israel to implement it. Al-Hayya made these remarks during an interview with the Qatari broadcaster Al-Araby. Regarding the Palestinian elections, Al-Hayya stated that the movement had agreed to take part and that talks with national factions and figures had led to an electoral alliance, the lists for which are currently being drawn up and which remains open to other Palestinian groups. Regarding the Gaza agreement and the next steps, Al-Hayya stated that Hamas demands the implementation of what was agreed in the roadmap and insists that the Israeli occupation comply with it. He explained that, following months of dialogue, the movement had accepted the roadmap presented by Nikolay Mladenov and the mediators, and was ready to go into the details of its implementation and to establish a timetable. According to him, the roadmap begins with the completion of the first phase, agreed in Sharm el-Sheikh last October, and concludes with the realisation of the Palestinians’ right to statehood and self-determination. Interim issues include weapons, the Palestinian government, international forces, the Israeli withdrawal and civil peace. He emphasised that the agreement constitutes an integrated package and that no party can take just one part of it and leave out the others. Al-Hayya also revealed that he had met with US officials more than four times over the past two years and that the movement had offered to mediate between the conflicting parties in Yemen, in the hope that the initiative would be accepted.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it is ready to attack US warships, including those in the Indian Ocean, should Washington launch a new war against Iran. Al-Jazeera reports this, citing statements made by Ali Mohammadi, deputy head of political affairs for the Revolutionary Guards’ Navy. “If Trump considers the Strait of Hormuz to be his property, why aren’t his ships and vessels here?”, Mohammadi is reported to have said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency. The Pasdaran officer added: “If another war were to break out, we would undoubtedly attack and strike their ships and destroyers, even in the Indian Ocean.”

Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured in the American bombing of the building housing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and when news of his injury broke, three hospitals in Tehran were bombed, one of which was where Iran’s future leader had been before being pulled from the rubble. This was recounted to the Qatari broadcaster Al-Araby by Mohsen al-Haidari, a member of the Iranian Assembly of Experts. The cleric also revealed details about the session in which Mojtaba Khamenei was elected, discussing the security arrangements surrounding the process, the procedure followed by the Assembly of Experts, and the role of a secret committee tasked with assessing suitable candidates for the office of Supreme Leader.

He stated that Mojtaba’s name had been put forward for the first time in the Assembly, in order to defy the US President’s warning against the election of Ali Khamenei’s son, adding: “Given the enemy’s stance, we shall neither choose nor elect any leader other than Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei”, who received broad support from the majority of members of the Assembly of Experts. Al-Haidari stated that Mojtaba Khamenei was not informed of the selection other than through the Assembly of Experts’ statement broadcast on the radio, as the Supreme Leader is not required to be consulted if he has been chosen by the Assembly of Experts, but he must, “legally and religiously”, accept the responsibility. The vote was held by secret ballot, and Mojtaba Khamenei received 50 out of 59 votes, compared with eight votes for Sheikh Al-A’rafi, whilst one member abstained. Al-Haidari denied that the Assembly of Experts had consulted the Revolutionary Guards or any other body before electing the new Supreme Leader.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says that Washington’s economic pressure on Iran “is yielding results”, citing restrictions on flights and financial transactions with Tehran. “Following the launch of Operation Economic Outcast, the US Treasury has imposed targeted financial measures against banks and aviation service providers,” Bessent wrote on X. “On my instructions, teams have been sent around the world to engage with countries and ask them to take action against the Iranian regime.” According to Bessent, “Turkey and Oman have announced the suspension of Mahan Air flights to their countries”. Furthermore, “the United Arab Emirates has suspended all flights by Iranian airlines, and the major commercial banks in the Emirates and Turkey have ceased conducting transactions with Iran”. “The Iranian leadership has also recognised the economic toll of the war, whilst the value of the rial has fallen to an all-time low,” added the Treasury Secretary. Bessent thanked “the governments of the United Kingdom, Turkey, Oman and the United Arab Emirates” and concluded: “We will continue to work together, because there is still much to be done to prevent Tehran from pursuing its terrorist agenda”.