WASHINGTON DC: Israel and Iran have continued launching fresh attacks against each other, even as US President Donald Trump claimed that Tehran is keen to reach a deal to end the conflict.
Speaking from the White House, Trump said negotiations to end the war are underway “now,” adding that the parties the US is in contact with “want to make a deal so badly.” His remarks came just a day after Iranian officials rejected any such engagement, dismissing reports of talks as “fake news.”
Meanwhile, cross-border strikes between Israel and Iran have intensified, with the Israeli military also urging residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate amid escalating tensions, BBC reported.
In a further sign of rising stakes, the Pentagon is reportedly preparing to deploy troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, according to US media reports.
On the ground, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict. Iranians speaking to BBC Persian said they are desperate for the violence to end, while the Iranian Red Crescent reported that around 82,000 sites have been damaged since the war began.
Adding to the uncertainty, US and Israeli media outlets, citing unnamed sources, claim that Washington has presented Iran with a 15-point proposal to end the conflict. However, the authenticity of the document has not yet been independently verified.
(Inputs from BBC)
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