Iran latest: Trump says Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to scale back fighting amid negotiations
Tensions in the Middle East remain high as the nominal ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was tested by both sides in recent days. The back-and-forth attacks come as President Donald Trump has yet to say whether he will accept the current peace deal on the table.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed strikes on Iran launched over the weekend, saying that air defenses, a ground control station, and two drones that were threatening ships in the region were attacked. American forces also fired on a Gambia-flagged cargo ship that had tried to break through the U.S. blockade.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, meanwhile, claimed to have launched its own attack, but it did not say where. Kuwait, where U.S. Army Central is stationed, reported that its air defenses responded to incoming drone and missile fire. CENTCOM also stated that U.S. forces shot down two ballistic missiles fired by Iran.
Fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah continued as Israeli forces penetrated further into Lebanon. Iran has wanted its peace deal with the U.S. to include an end to the hostilities there as well. Trump indicated Monday that the two sides had agreed to reduce the number of attacks.
Here’s the latest:
Trump: ‘It’s time, one way or another, for you to make a Deal'
1:49 p.m. ET: President Trump issued his latest warning to Iran amid the peace negotiations.
Trump posted on Truth Social about erroneous reports that talks between the two countries have ceased.
"The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today," Trump said in the post.
"You’ve been doing this for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to go on any longer," he continued.
President Trump via Truth Social
Rubio lays out the demands
10:59 a.m. ET: Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and told lawmakers the top two demands in regard to peace negotiations with Iran, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the disposition of the highly enriched uranium buried in the country.
"They have to announce, very clearly, the straits are now open, we're not charging a toll, we'll help remove the mines that they put in there, and they will not fire on ships," Rubio said.
"In addition to the straits, that's the predicate that opens the door to phase two. Phase two is they have to commit to very specific negotiations on highly enriched--the disposition of highly enriched uranium that still is buried deep in a mountain somewhere," he continued, adding.
Trump rips into Netanyahu, report
7:33 a.m. ET: President Trump unleashed a scathing, expletive-laden tirade against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Monday, according to Axios, citing officials.
The report says the two were speaking over Israel's military operations in Lebanon and Trump "steamrolled" his counterpart in frustration over Israel's actions against Hezbollah, worried that the renewed attacks could hurt negotiations with Iran.
President Donald Trump reportedly "steamrolled" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a heated call Monday over Israel's military operations in Lebanon.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from FOX News and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando.