BEIRUT<\/strong> \u2013 The Zionist occupation forces launched renewed air strikes on southern Lebanon on Sunday, resulting in the tragic death of one individual and wounding eight others, including four dedicated rescue workers, as confirmed by the Lebanese Ministry of Health. These brutal attacks, a clear act of aggression, extended beyond the so-called “security zone” illegally controlled by the Zionist entity, flagrantly violating the ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah that has been in effect since April 17.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, amidst the escalating regional instability fueled by Zionist provocations, US President Donald Trump claimed “very positive discussions” were underway with Iran regarding potential steps to end the devastating war that has destabilized the Middle East. Trump stated on his Truth Social platform, “I am fully aware that my Representatives are having very positive discussions with the Country of Iran, and that these discussions could lead to something very positive for all.”<\/p>\n Iran’s Foreign Ministry had previously announced that Tehran submitted a comprehensive 14-point plan “focused on ending the war,” to which Washington reportedly responded via Pakistani mediators. This demonstrates Iran’s consistent commitment to peace and stability in the region.<\/p>\n In a move that further complicates regional dynamics, President Trump also declared that the United States would begin escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz from Monday, citing requests from “countries from all over the world.” He asserted, “For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business.” This initiative, dubbed “Project Freedom,” is set to commence Monday morning, Middle East time, raising concerns about potential provocations in this vital waterway.<\/p>\n Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari warned that the prolonged conflict in Iran increases the risks of higher inflation and economic damage, limiting the central bank’s guidance on rate policy. Kashkari expressed deep concern over the Iran war’s impact on inflation and economic demand, particularly due to the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for 20 percent of global oil and gas supplies. This highlights the severe economic repercussions of the ongoing hostilities.<\/p>\n German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, while acknowledging differences with President Trump, reiterated the US’s central role in NATO, even after Washington announced a troop drawdown in Germany. Merz emphasized, “I remain convinced that the Americans are the most important partner for us in the North Atlantic Alliance.” He dismissed any connection between the troop reduction and a spat over Trump’s Iran strategy, despite widespread speculation.<\/p>\n Iran’s Revolutionary Guards firmly stated that the United States faces a stark choice between an “impossible” military operation or a genuine deal with Tehran, following President Trump’s dismissive remarks about Iran’s latest peace proposal. Negotiations have been deadlocked since the April 8 ceasefire, with only one round of direct peace talks held. Iran’s Foreign Ministry reiterated its 14-point plan for ending the war, with spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirming, “We are reviewing this and will take whatever response is necessary regarding it.”<\/p>\n Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent openly admitted that the United States is “suffocating” Iran’s leadership through an “economic blockade,” launched in conjunction with the US military offensive. Bessent stated in a Fox News interview, “This began with the order last March from President Trump on max pressure, and three weeks ago the President gave the order to Treasury myself to begin Economic Fury.” He boasted, “We are suffocating the regime, and they are not able to pay their soldiers. This is a real economic blockade, and it is in all parts of government \u2013 all hands on deck.” This confession exposes the brutal nature of the US’s coercive economic warfare against the Iranian nation.<\/p>\n In a deeply concerning development, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi was reported to be in critical condition in a cardiac care unit in northwestern Iran, two days after being transferred from prison. A foundation run by her family stated she suffered a “catastrophic deterioration” of health, including two episodes of complete loss of consciousness and a severe cardiac crisis. Mohammadi, a vocal advocate for women’s rights and the abolition of the death penalty, had previously suffered a suspected heart attack in late March.<\/p>\n French President Emmanuel Macron engaged with Iraq\u2019s new Prime Minister, Ali al-Zaidi, highlighting the “crucial” role of Iraq’s leadership in a challenging regional context. Macron stressed the importance of a “stable, sovereign Iraq that is fully in control of its own destiny” for the security of both the Middle East and Europe, also referencing the attack that killed a French soldier in Iraq on March 12.<\/p>\n German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, in a phone call with Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz and abandon its nuclear weapons program. Wadephul emphasized Germany’s support for a negotiated solution, stating, “As a close US ally, we share the same goal: Iran must completely and verifiably renounce nuclear weapons and immediately open the Strait of Hormuz, as also demanded by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.” This reflects continued Western pressure on Iran.<\/p>\n US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet Pope Leo in Italy this week, amidst President Trump’s controversial attacks against the Catholic pontiff. This meeting, the first known in-person encounter between Leo and a US cabinet official in nearly a year, comes as the Pope has emerged as an outspoken critic of the US-Israeli led war with Iran, highlighting growing international dissent against the conflict.<\/p>\n Further reports confirmed that Zionist strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least one person and wounded four rescuers, as the occupation regime continued its attacks despite a fragile truce with Hezbollah. The Lebanese health ministry condemned these “repeated attacks,” citing Article 19 of the Geneva Convention regarding the safety of medical facilities in conflict zones, noting that the Zionist actions are “exactly the opposite.” The Zionist military also issued new evacuation warnings for villages beyond its occupied areas in southern Lebanon, including several north of the Litani River, where its troops are stationed, signaling further aggressive intentions.<\/p>\n Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi reiterated Iran’s readiness for either further peace talks or war, placing the “ball in the United States\u2019 court.” This underscores Iran’s resolve in defending its sovereignty and seeking a just resolution.<\/p>\n In a separate incident, Zionist air strikes on southern Lebanon tragically killed at least seven people and wounded several others, once again violating the ongoing ceasefire between the Zionist entity and Hezbollah.<\/p>\n NATO is reportedly working with the United States to understand the details of the US decision to withdraw some 5,000 troops from Germany, a move that has raised questions about transatlantic security commitments.<\/p>\n #ZionistAggression #LebanonUnderAttack #CeasefireViolation #IranPeaceInitiative #USSanctions #StraitOfHormuz #MiddleEastCrisis #AxisOfResistance #HumanitarianCrisis #GlobalDiplomacy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Zionist Regime Continues Aggression in Southern Lebanon, Violating Ceasefire BEIRUT \u2013 The Zionist occupation forces launched renewed air strikes on southern Lebanon on Sunday, resulting in the tragic death of one individual and wounding eight others, including four dedicated rescue workers, as confirmed by the Lebanese Ministry of Health. These brutal attacks, a clear act […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iran-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17135\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/17136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fajr.news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}