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BREAKING: 29 Palestinians Killed, One Severely Injured In Israel As Violence Escalates

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Israel and Gaza militants have traded heavy fire on Thursday, the third day of the worst escalation of violence in months, which has killed 29 people in the blockaded Palestinian enclave and one in Israel.

Air strikes by the Israeli army since Tuesday have killed fighters as well as civilians, including several children, said officials in the crowded coastal territory.

Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip killed one person in the central Israeli city of Rehovot and injured at least two others, Israeli police said. Three others sustained shrapnel injuries elsewhere in Israel.

Cairo was mediating efforts towards a truce between Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group, while European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for “an immediate comprehensive ceasefire”.

The United States stopped short of a clear call for a truce, but State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the casualties were “tragic and heartbreaking”, while urging that steps be “taken to ensure that violence is reduced”.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said “the bloodletting must end now”, and the UN warned of “a negative impact on an already difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza”.

A source close to Islamic Jihad later disclosed that “a final formula for a ceasefire” was said to be under discussion in Egypt.

The Israeli army, however, said just before midnight (2100 GMT) that it was continuing to strike Islamic Jihad targets.

Gaza militants have fired 620 rockets at Israel since Wednesday, the military said, adding that 179 had been intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defence system.

The army said 25 percent of rockets fired from Gaza fell into the territory itself, killing four people, including three minors. AFP could not immediately obtain confirmation from Islamic Jihad or Hamas.

Shops in Gaza were shuttered and the streets largely abandoned as Israeli military aircraft circled the territory, where several buildings lay in ruins.

Islamic Jihad confirmed it had lost five military leaders in strikes in recent days, including Ahmed Abu Deka — the deputy of Ali Ghali, commander of a rocket launch unit, who was also killed by Israel on Thursday.

AFP

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Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz following two-week cease-fire agreement with Trump

Pakistan, which has mediated between Tehran and Washington, said that an immediate ceasefire between Iran and the US had taken effect.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz would be possible for two weeks in coordination with Iran’s armed forces “and with due consideration of technical limitations.”

The development follows a two-week ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, the Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported early on Wednesday.

Pakistan, which has mediated between Tehran and Washington, said that an immediate ceasefire between Iran and the US had taken effect.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the U.S., along with their allies, had agreed to an “immediate ceasefire everywhere,” including in Lebanon.“

Trump had made reopening the waterway a condition for the ceasefire and had threatened to target Iran’s energy sector and infrastructure, including bridges, if Tehran failed to comply, setting a deadline of 0000 GMT.

The Strait of Hormuz, crucial to global oil and gas trade, has been largely closed since the United States and Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

According to a senior U.S. official, Israel will also adhere to what Trump described as a “double sided CEASEFIRE.”

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Oil Prices Rise, Stocks Fall as Trump’s Iran Deadline Looms

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Oil prices climbed sharply while global stocks wavered and mostly declined on Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s looming deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face escalated U.S. strikes heightened geopolitical tensions and investor anxiety.

Brent crude futures rose about 1% to trade near $111 per barrel, with U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude also pushing higher amid fears that prolonged disruption to the critical waterway through which a significant portion of global oil supplies passes could worsen energy shortages. Oil has surged more than 50% since the conflict intensified.

Meanwhile, major U.S. stock indexes showed mixed but largely cautious trading, with many shares slipping as investors weighed the risk of further military escalation, including potential strikes on Iranian power plants and infrastructure.

European and Asian markets were similarly tentative, reflecting broader concerns over inflation, energy costs, and economic fallout from the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Trump has set a firm deadline of 8 p.m. ET Tuesday (1 a.m. GMT Wednesday) for Iran to reach a deal and reopen the strait, warning of decisive action if unmet. He has threatened to “decimate” Iranian bridges and power plants, stating the country “could be taken out in one night.

”Iran has rejected recent ceasefire proposals, calling instead for a permanent end to hostilities, while markets remain on edge with no clear resolution in sight.

Analysts warn that sustained high oil prices could fuel global inflation and slow economic growth, though some investors still hope for a last-minute diplomatic breakthrough.

The developments come as the International Energy Agency has described the current oil and gas crisis linked to the Hormuz blockade as potentially more severe than previous major shocks combined.

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Trump warns Entire Iran could be ‘taken out’ Tuesday night

” The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be Tuesday night,” he said.

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US President Donald Trump says Iran could be “taken out” in one night as the deadline set for the country to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic approaches.

On Saturday, Trump gave Iran 48 hours to comply or risk facing “hell”.

He later threatened that the US would blow up Iran’s power plants and bridges if Tehran failed to adhere to his warning.

The US president said Iran had until Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (1 am WAT) to make a deal.

In a press conference on Monday, Trump reiterated and intensified his threats.

“The entire country could be taken out in one night, and that night might be Tuesday night,” he said.

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