Iranian diplomat seeks US rationality as strikes continue in Gaza and Yemen

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that negotiations in Qatar are focused on a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days, provided the United States meets specific conditions. In an interview posted to his Telegram channel, Araghchi stated that Iran hopes Washington will select diplomacy over other paths and that the final outcome depends on answers to questions posed by Iranian negotiators. He noted that Iran is prepared for both defense and diplomacy, contingent on the rationality of the U.S. side.

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday that he had a very good conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two leaders discussed the war in Iran, though Trump provided no further details about the content of their discussion. Netanyahu has not issued a public comment regarding the call. Some Israeli observers have speculated that Netanyahu may be eager to resume attacks on Iran to bolster his political standing after his coalition lost its majority in parliament during last week’s elections.

Israeli military strikes in the Gaza Strip killed eight people over the weekend. According to Nasser Hospital, a strike in the southern city of Khan Younis killed five individuals. Shifa Hospital in Gaza City reported that another strike killed three people, including a four-year-old boy, and seriously wounded a woman. The Israeli military stated it targeted several militants in Khan Younis and one Hamas militant in northern Gaza. A ceasefire established in October 2025 has largely halted major fighting, but near-daily strikes have continued. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 1,570 Palestinians have died since the truce began, bringing the total war death toll to over 74,500.

In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels reported that two airstrikes hit the medical school at the University of Hodeida. Al-Masirah TV, a Houthi-run channel, said the strikes were carried out by Saudi Arabia, which the rebels blamed for the attack. The Saudi-led coalition confirmed it conducted a precision operation but did not immediately provide a casualty count. The port city of Hodeida has faced repeated attacks since fighting reignited between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces, restarting the region’s civil war.

Qatar’s liquefied natural gas shipping company Nakilat announced that its vessel Al Mayeda was struck by unidentified objects in the Persian Gulf on Friday night. The company, officially known as Qatar Gas Transport Co., said the ship sustained damage but remained operational. No crew members were injured, and the company reported no environmental impact. The statement did not identify who fired the objects, although Iran has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz without permission. Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the incident and said authorities are investigating the damage to the vessel and the marine environment.

The United Nations has requested an investigation into the death of a staffer from its human rights office who died in the custody of Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The employee, Mohammad el Shami, had been held since June 2024. U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stated that the Houthis did not provide information on Shami’s well-being or proof of life despite repeated requests. He became the second U.N. employee to die in Houthi custody, following a World Food Program worker who died in February 2025.

Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA reported that the Iranian Foreign Ministry designated the British navy and air force as terrorist organizations. The ministry also declared the MI6 foreign intelligence service a hostile entity. Iranian officials accused the United Kingdom of participating in U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran by providing military bases and logistical support. The designation allows Iranian law to prosecute individuals accused of working with MI6 and increases the risk of military confrontation between the two nations.