Iran-Israel war: latest developments

Jerusalem: Israel and Iran exchanged fire again on Thursday, the seventh day of the war between the longtime enemies.

Here are the latest developments:

– Trump waiting to decide –

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he will decide whether to join Israel’s strikes on Iran within the next two weeks as there is still a “substantial” chance of negotiations to end the conflict.

“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,“ Trump said in the statement.

Iran and European diplomats said nuclear talks will be held in Geneva on Friday, bringing together top diplomats from Britain, France, Germany and the European Union as well as Tehran’s Abbas Araghchi.

The Wall Street Journal reported Trump has told aides he has approved attack plans but is holding off to see if Iran will give up its nuclear programme.

Tehran ally Moscow said any US military action “would be an extremely dangerous step”, while pro-Iran groups in Iraq threatened retaliatory attacks.

– Hospital strike –

A hospital in southern Israel was hit as Iran fired “dozens” of missiles at the country, officials said.

The Soroka Hospital in Beersheba was left in flames, and its director Shlomi Codish said 40 people had sustained injuries.

Iran said the main target of its missile attack was not the hospital but a nearby military and intelligence base.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said “hospitals must be respected and protected”, citing international law.

UN rights chief Volker Turk urged restraint from both Iran and Israel, saying it is “appalling to see how civilians are treated as collateral damage in the conduct of hostilities”.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tehran would pay a “heavy price”.

– Nuclear sites, missile launchers –

The Israeli military said it struck an “inactive nuclear reactor” in Arak in overnight raids on Iran that also saw the uranium enrichment facility in Natanz targeted again.

It said the strike on the Arak site was carried out “to prevent the reactor from being restored”.

Iranian atomic energy chief Mohammed Eslami condemned the “barbaric and unlawful attack” on Arak, asking the UN nuclear watchdog to intervene.

Netanyahu told Israeli public broadcaster Kan that Israel had destroyed “more than half” of Iran’s missile launchers since Friday.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said more than 100 “combat and suicide” drones were launched at Israel on Thursday, while Iranian media reported blasts in Tehran.

– Death toll –

The body of a Ukrainian woman was recovered on Thursday from a building struck by an Iranian missile four days earlier, Israeli officials said.

Maria Peshkarova, 31, is the ninth victim of the Sunday hit in the city of Bat Yam, taking the overall death toll in Israel to 25 since the war began, according to authorities.

Iran said Sunday that Israeli strikes had killed at least 224 people, including military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians. Authorities have not issued an updated toll since.

– Arrests –

Iranian police announced the arrest on Thursday of 24 people accused of spying for Israel and “trying to disturb public opinion and to tarnish and destroy the image of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, according to a statement carried by Tasnim news agency.

Authorities in both Israel and Iran have announced arrests for espionage and other charges since the war began on Friday.

Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said at least 223 people have been arrested nationwide on charges related to collaboration with Israel, cautioning that the actual figure was likely higher.