The conflict widened Thursday as Israel struck Iranian infrastructure in Isfahan while Iran launched two missile salvos into central Israel, causing damage and injuries. Rockets were also fired from Lebanon, and an Israeli soldier serving in Lebanon, 21-year-old Sergeant Ori Greenberg, was killed.
A source briefed on Israeli operations told NPR that Israel plans intensified strikes inside Iran over the next 48 hours, prioritizing arms factories in case a ceasefire is declared. The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out a ‘wave of extensive strikes in Isfahan, targeting infrastructure.’ Air-raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as the IDF reported rescue crews responding to a strike in central Israel.
Israeli forces say airstrikes continue in southern Lebanon ahead of what officials describe as a planned, ‘prolonged’ ground invasion targeting Hezbollah. The Iran-backed group has kept firing rockets into northern Israel; Israeli officials reported a civilian woman killed by rocket fire earlier this week. Israeli statements said forces aim to seize Lebanese territory up to the Litani River, roughly 10-20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah said it struck Israeli soldiers in that area with a drone.
At a Republican fundraising dinner Wednesday, former President Donald Trump asserted Iran ‘so badly’ wants a deal with the U.S., claiming Iranian leaders fear overthrow or U.S. action and suggesting Iran is negotiating but afraid to admit it. The U.S. proposal reportedly would require Iran to end its nuclear program, halt support for proxy militias, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and limit its missile program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iran rejected the offer; Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran will end the war only on ‘our own terms,’ outlining five conditions: an end to aggression, concrete guarantees against renewed attacks, clear determination, guaranteed payment of war damages and compensation, and a comprehensive end to fighting across all fronts including against resistance groups, plus recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian officials say there are no direct U.S.-Iran negotiations, only messages exchanged through regional intermediaries. Pakistan has emerged as a possible mediator, with an Islamabad official telling NPR that Pakistan’s interior minister held a private meeting with Iran’s ambassador.
The Pentagon is preparing to send up to 3,000 paratroopers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the region as President Trump weighs a possible seizure of Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil-processing facility; analysts warn such an operation would carry high risks for U.S. forces. The U.S. military says it has struck more than 10,000 targets in its air campaign so far.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, speaking in Australia, called the war ‘a catastrophe for the world’s economies’ and criticized the U.S. for having ‘no exit strategy,’ saying European partners have not been consulted and objectives have shifted. He said Germany will not participate militarily but could assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz once a ceasefire is in place.
Iranian media reported lawmakers are preparing to formalize transit fees for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint that carries about one-fifth of global oil shipments. Iran has effectively blocked much traffic since the conflict began. Brent crude hovered around $100 a barrel in Asian trading, and markets in Asia and Europe opened lower.
Alerts also sounded across the Gulf on Thursday. In the United Arab Emirates, two people were killed in Abu Dhabi by falling debris after a missile interception, officials said. Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a drone over its Eastern Province, and Kuwait and Bahrain reported attacks as well. Airlines serving the region continue to be disrupted: Oman Air announced cancellations to several regional destinations and parts of Europe through April 15.