Iran-Israel Conflict: Strikes Escalate as Trump Signals Talks & Oil Prices Rise
Israel conducted widespread airstrikes across Iran Tuesday, while Iranian media reported a retaliatory “direct hit” on a building in Tel Aviv, as the three-week conflict showed no signs of abating despite signals of potential negotiations from the United States. The exchange of attacks came hours after President Donald Trump indicated a shift in strategy, stepping back from a threat to target Iranian energy sites.
AFP images from Tel Aviv depicted rubble-strewn streets and significant damage to a three-story building, with first responders treating at least four people for minor injuries at separate locations. Israeli media outlets reported that police suspect a cluster munition missile, containing three to four warheads each with approximately 100 kilograms of explosives, caused the damage.
Earlier, Iranian state media reported strikes by US-Israeli warplanes on two gas facilities and a pipeline. This occurred after Trump announced he was pausing threats against energy sites, citing ongoing discussions to complete the war. Trump stated his administration was in contact with a “top person” in Iran, warning that if negotiations failed within five days, the US would continue its military actions.
Tehran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, reportedly dismissed claims of active negotiations, accusing Trump of attempting to manipulate financial and oil markets. This skepticism followed a period of market volatility, with stock markets initially soaring and oil prices briefly declining after Trump’s comments before rebounding to over $100 a barrel.
Reports suggest potential talks may be mediated by Pakistan, with US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner possibly meeting an Iranian delegation there as soon as this week. Vice President JD Vance could also participate, according to US media outlet Axios. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt neither confirmed nor denied these reports, stating that any meetings would be formally announced by the White House.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated Monday that he had spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, offering Islamabad’s assistance in achieving peace in the region. Michael Kugelman of the Atlantic Council noted Pakistan’s unique position, stating, “Pakistan is one of the few countries with warm ties with both Tehran and Washington,” and highlighted its consistent engagement with both capitals over the past year.
Fighting also intensified in Lebanon, where Israel continued to bombard Beirut’s southern suburbs. A strike on Bshamoun, south of the capital, killed two people Tuesday, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Residents described widespread destruction, with one resident, Abbas Qassem, lamenting the loss of his home, and livelihood.
Strikes in Lebanon also targeted service stations linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah, which Israel has vowed to dismantle. Lebanon’s health ministry reports over 1,000 deaths from Israeli attacks, with more than a million people displaced. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports at least 3,230 Iranian deaths, including 1,406 civilians, though these figures remain unverified by independent sources.
The conflict’s impact extended to Iraq’s Kurdistan region, where authorities accused Iran of killing six of its fighters in the first deadly attack on the regional security forces since hostilities began. Qatar expressed support for diplomatic efforts to end the war, while also noting the “breakdown of the security system in the Gulf region.”
The initial relief felt by Iran’s neighbors following Trump’s decision to refrain from targeting Iran’s power infrastructure remains tentative. Tehran had previously threatened to deploy naval mines and strike energy and water infrastructure across the region in retaliation. International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned that a prolonged conflict could trigger an energy crisis exceeding the combined impact of the 1970s oil shocks and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Garret Martin, a professor of international relations at American University in Washington, observed, “Trump has been a master of sudden pivots and switches. So it’s sometimes hard to realize if there is a strategy or if it’s just always improvisation.” Since the war began, Iran has disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and targeted Gulf energy sites and US embassies, alongside attacks within Israel.