United News of Bangladesh

Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, announced that an Iranian delegation will travel to Islamabad tonight to hold discussions based on Tehran’s 10-point peace plan. In a post on X, Moghadam noted that the trip is proceeding despite some “scepticism” among Iranians regarding Israeli government efforts to “sabotage the diplomatic initiative.”

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has called for the ongoing US-Iran ceasefire to extend to Lebanon, where Israeli attacks have continued. Speaking to Reuters, Cooper also stressed that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz should remain free of tolls, countering reports that Iran may impose transit fees on vessels passing through the strategic waterway.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said three key clauses of Iran’s proposed ceasefire framework have been “openly and clearly violated,” arguing that under such conditions a “bilateral ceasefire or negotiations” would be “unreasonable”. In a post on X, Ghalibaf said the proposal included provisions related to Lebanon, which he noted had been rejected by the White House. He also referred to a reported drone entering Iran’s southern Fars province. The Israel Defense Forces told the BBC they were “not aware” of such an incident. As a third point, Ghalibaf said Iran’s right to uranium enrichment was part of the proposal, a position also reflected in a statement from the Supreme National Security Council that was read on state television. The conflict involving the United States and Israel in Iran began on Feb 28, two days after the latest round of negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Unconfirmed reports have suggested that the administration of US President Donald Trump had been considering Ghalibaf as a potential negotiating partner and possibly even a future leader of Iran.

Israeli authorities have announced that major holy sites in Jerusalem will reopen to visitors and worshippers following a temporary ceasefire in the Middle East conflict. Police said the reopening will take effect from Thursday morning, with hundreds of additional officers deployed to maintain security and manage crowds. The sites include the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, all located within the Old City and regarded as among the holiest places in Islam, Judaism and Christianity. These locations had remained largely closed for weeks due to the conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran, with access restricted to a limited number of clergy during major religious observances, including Easter and parts of Passover. The usually crowded Old City had seen a sharp decline in activity, with many shops and market stalls remaining shut and fewer residents, tourists and worshippers present. Police have urged visitors to remain patient in case of congestion as normal access resumes.  #By BBC News

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Wednesday that a ceasefire and negotiations with the U.S. on ending the war is “unreasonable” as he accused the U.S. violating three of Tehran’s 10 conditions for an end to the fighting. It comes as the not yet day-old ceasefire appears at risk of fraying over significant disagreements between the parties. Israel has pushed forward its war against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, striking dense commercial and residential areas of Beirut without warning, killing at least 112 people and wounding hundreds of others. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Wednesday that the ceasefire deal doesn’t cover fighting against Hezbollah, contradicting what Pakistan, the deal’s broker, and other nations had said. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon, and the U.S. demanded that Iran immediately reopen it. Meanwhile, oil prices fell back toward $95 per barrel, and global stock markets rallied after President Donald Trump stepped back from earlier threats of severe escalation in the conflict.

Israeli air strikes across Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, have killed at least 112 people and wounded more than 837, authorities said, in one of the deadliest escalations in recent months. Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed the updated toll, saying the number of casualties has risen as rescue operations continue in affected areas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier stated that Lebanon would not be included in any ceasefire arrangement, signaling continued military operations despite regional efforts to halt the violence. Israel launches massive strikes across Lebanon while ceasefire covers other regions The widespread attacks targeted multiple locations across the country, causing heavy casualties and destruction. Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) strongly condemned what it described as a “brutal massacre in Beirut,” according to a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The IRGC warned that if Israeli attacks on Lebanon do not stop immediately, it would deliver a “regretful response” against what it called aggressors in the region. The latest escalation has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict, as tensions continue to rise following ongoing hostilities involving Israel and its regional adversaries.

Israel carried out one of its largest attacks on Lebanon, launching widespread air strikes that caused hundreds of casualties, including deaths and injuries, despite expectations of a ceasefire linked to US-Iran developments. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier made clear that Lebanon would not be included in any ceasefire arrangement. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that an Israeli strike on the coastal town of Adloun killed three girls. Dozens of near-simultaneous attacks were carried out across the country, leaving hundreds dead and wounded. Iranian drones hit Kuwait oil, power facilities despite ceasefire In the Bekaa Valley village of Shmestar, Israeli air strikes hit a cemetery during a funeral, killing at least 10 people and injuring four others, according to the agency. Rescue teams and medics were still working at the scene. The Lebanese Red Cross said 100 ambulances were deployed to transport the injured from affected areas. Although a ceasefire announcement overnight had raised hopes among residents, it soon became evident that Lebanon was excluded. The Israeli military issued multiple warnings before launching a large-scale, nationwide assault. Targets included the al-Abbassieh neighbourhood and several areas on the outskirts of cities. Two missiles also struck central Tyre on a peninsula extending into the Mediterranean. Residents who had begun returning to southern areas after the ceasefire announcement were forced to turn back, as it became clear that no truce was in effect. Source: Al Jazeera

Kuwait’s air defence systems intercepted 28 Iranian drones starting from 05:00 GMT, Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Saud Abdulaziz al-Otaibi said. He described the incident as “an intense wave of hostile Iranian criminal attacks,” noting that a large number of the drones were shot down. According to him, some drones targeted vital oil facilities and power stations in the southern part of the country, causing significant material damage to oil infrastructure, electricity facilities and water desalination plants. Israel strikes Lebanon despite ceasefire deal Following a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran that brought an end to 40 days of US-Israeli attacks on Iran, Iranian drones struck Kuwait’s oil and power facilities at that time. On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire agreement does not cover Lebanon. Since the deal took effect, Israel has carried out numerous attacks on multiple locations across southern Lebanon. Source: Al Jazeera

The Israeli military carried out airstrikes on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre after issuing forced evacuation orders to residents, raising fears of an escalating conflict in Lebanon. Earlier, Israeli forces issued similar displacement notices to residents in Beirut’s Haret Hreik, Ghobeiry Laylaki, Hadath, Burj al-Barajneh, Tawhidat al-Ghadir, and Shiyah neighbourhoods, reports Al Jazeera. The attacks and expanding military operations have displaced at least 1.2 million people across Lebanon, local sources said. In a separate strike, at least eight people were killed in the coastal city of Sidon. The attack came shortly before Pakistan announced that a ceasefire between the United States and Iran had taken effect. Israel, however, stated that the ceasefire does not apply to Lebanon. Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri urged Pakistan’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Salman Athar, to raise concerns over Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire and ongoing attacks in southern Lebanon. He praised Islamabad’s role in facilitating regional calm and asked the ambassador to formally report the situation to Pakistani officials. The incidents underscore mounting regional tensions as the Middle East conflict continues to escalate, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has called on the nation to remain united until the details of its victory in the ongoing conflict are finalised, according to the IRNA news agency. “We congratulate all the people of Iran on this victory and emphasise that until the details of this victory are finalised, there is still a need for perseverance and prudence on the part of the authorities and for maintaining the unity and solidarity of the Iranian people,” the council said in a statement, reported by IRNA. The council added that Iran, together with its “axis of resistance” in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and occupied Palestine, has “dealt blows to the enemy in the past 40 days that the historical memory of the world will never forget.” Source: Al Jazeera