US President Donald Trump stated there is “no time frame” for the conflict with Iran, dismissing suggestions that political considerations are influencing his approach. Trump also expressed satisfaction with the ongoing economic pressure campaign against Tehran and has not set a “firm deadline” for Iran to respond to peace proposals. While extending the ceasefire, the US blockade on Iranian ports is set to continue.
Meanwhile, a Lebanese journalist, Amal Khalil of Al Akhbar newspaper, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, with another seriously wounded. Lebanese authorities reported that the strike occurred on the eve of fresh Lebanon-Israel talks. Israel’s military acknowledged reports of injured journalists and stated its forces targeted a “military structure” used by Hezbollah. The incident has drawn international condemnation.
In related developments, US Central Command announced it has redirected 31 vessels as part of the blockade against Iran, mostly oil tankers. US Navy Secretary John Phelan was ousted from his position amidst the ongoing blockade. Pentagon officials briefed lawmakers on an intelligence assessment suggesting it could take up to six months to clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines after the war, a timeframe Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell called “unacceptable.”
The US Senate, for the fifth time this year, rejected a measure aimed at restricting Trump’s war powers by requiring congressional approval for any future military action in Iran. Separately, Iran has begun documenting alleged US-Israeli attacks on its scientific centers and is compiling a legal case to pursue in international forums, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf have cited US “breach of commitments, blockade and threats” as main obstacles to genuine negotiations. The US Embassy in Beirut has urged Americans to leave Lebanon.
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