Iran's chief negotiator says it's up to the United States to prevent renewed war after what he described as a "firm and rational response" to Washington. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf did not elaborate. His comments came after the U.S. conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, India says an attack on a commercial vessel off Oman killed an Indian national while 13 others were rescued.
Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Tuesday. Read our full coverage here.
Iranian parliament speaker says the ball is in the US court to prevent renewed war
Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker says it's up to the United States to prevent new fighting after Tehran delivered what he called a “firm and rational response” to the U.S., state TV reported.
In an address to parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Iran remained ready "for battle with its finger on the trigger."
He did not elaborate and it was unclear what “response” he referred to. His comment came after a U.S. official said the military conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the official, the strikes targeted Iranians using surface-to-air missiles. The official wasn’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Iranian state television reported that explosions were heard on Qeshm Island.
Qalibaf said: “If Washington makes another strategic miscalculation, it should know that this time it will face a new battlefield and will find itself even more desperate than it is today, searching for a way out.”
— By Michelle L. Price
An Indian national is killed in an attack on a vessel off Oman
A commercial vessel was attacked near Limah, Oman, India's foreign ministry said, killing one Indian national while 13 were rescued in the aftermath.
Indian Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the Indian-flagged vessel MSV AL JUSUFI was hit by an unidentified aerial object off the coast of Oman on Monday.
India’s foreign ministry said the Indian Embassy in Oman was working with local authorities to arrange the return of the rescued nationals and the body of the deceased.
There was no claim of responsibility, but Iran previously has claimed attacks on vessels it says took unauthorized routes through the strait. It also has claimed some vessels have struck mines laid in the early days of the war.
Iran plans to train 1 million paramilitary volunteers
Iran opened its third military training center in Tehran as authorities announced plans to train 1 million paramilitary volunteers nationwide, amid fears of renewed conflict with the United States and Israel.
Members of the Basij, a paramilitary force affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, attended the inauguration, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported. Two similar centers previously opened in Tehran in August and September.
Iran's “Janfada,” or “sacrificials,” campaign began registering volunteers in March and includes military training, emergency relief and logistical support. Courses cover urban defense, weapons handling, air defense, rescue operations, firefighting and navigation.
UN says displaced Yemeni women and children are losing services
Women and children displaced by the fighting in Yemen are losing access to essential services, including maternity care and protection from violence, the U.N. said.
Renewed fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed government forces has displaced some 300,000 people over the past few months. The conflict, which is mainly concentrated on the west coast and in the southern province of Taiz, broke a four-year truce and exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation in one of the Arab world’s poorest countries.
Francesco Galtieri, the U.N. Population Fund's representative in Aden, said fighting has led to limited access to services, leaving women and girls increasingly vulnerable to gender-based violence, sexual violence and exploitation.
In the besieged city of Taiz, Galtieri warned of a “rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation,” with life-saving services increasingly out of reach for more than 147,000 women and girls of reproductive age. Of the city’s 27 emergency maternal and neonatal hospitals, only five remain operational.
Israeli opposition parties meet for first time since election
The leaders of Israel’s political parties opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for the first time since last week’s election, as the country is mired in political deadlock from results that do not show either side with a conclusive win.
The opposition parties agreed to recommend former general Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, to form the first coalition. Israel’s president, who holds a largely ceremonial position, chooses which party will have the first attempt to build a majority coalition of 61 seats after the election.
Results released by election officials early Friday showed Netanyahu’s bloc winning 53 seats in the 120-member assembly, well below the 68 seats it had controlled at its peak in the previous parliament. His main opposition won 48 seats and Arab-led parties secured the other 19.
Plane from Israel makes emergency landing in Bulgaria following bomb threat
A plane from Israel made an emergency landing in Bulgaria following a bomb threat, officials said.
The threat was made by email, according to Lyubomir Nikolov, the acting chief secretary of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior. The plane landed safely at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport and is being searched by special counter-terrorism units. Security measures were stepped up.
The incident comes as several planes in Europe have been grounded by bomb threats over the past few days.
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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.