Conflict deepens as diplomacy struggles to gain ground
WASHINGTON, April 28: The Trump administration has indicated it is unlikely to accept Iran’s proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the lifting of US restrictions.
The Iranian offer, delivered through Pakistan, suggested postponing negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected the idea of delaying nuclear discussions, stressing that any agreement must firmly prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons capability.
The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump’s national security team has reviewed the proposal, and Trump is expected to respond later.
The proposal emerged as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Russia, a key ally of Tehran, though Moscow’s potential role in mediating or supporting the initiative remains unclear.
The wider conflict continues to escalate, with heavy casualties reported across multiple countries. At least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran, while 2,521 have died in Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group resumed shortly after the war began.
Additional casualties include 23 deaths in Israel, more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states, 16 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, 13 US service members in the region, and six UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.
International concern over the conflict has grown. United Nations General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock called for urgent ceasefire efforts during a visit to New Delhi.
She warned that the war is disrupting global supply chains, particularly through instability in the Strait of Hormuz, which is driving up oil and fertilizer prices worldwide.
She also emphasized that the escalation is overshadowing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which she described as “heartbreaking.”
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has drawn strong criticism from aid organizations. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) accused Israel of systematically destroying water infrastructure in the territory, claiming that around 90 percent of Gaza’s water and sanitation systems have been damaged or destroyed.
The group reported attacks on desalination plants, pipelines, boreholes, and water trucks, alleging this has severely limited access to clean water for Gaza’s 2.1 million residents.
MSF described these actions as a form of collective punishment. Israel’s military coordination agency, COGAT, rejected the accusations, stating that water supply levels in Gaza exceed humanitarian requirements.
Meanwhile, violence continues in Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes reportedly hit several southern villages, including Chakra, Tebnine, and Kafra, while a drone strike targeted a motorcycle in Mansouri. No immediate casualty reports were available.
The strikes followed Israeli warnings for residents of multiple villages to evacuate, citing Hezbollah’s use of civilian areas to launch attacks on Israeli forces.
In Bahrain, authorities sentenced 30 individuals over alleged Iran-linked activities. Five people, including two Afghan nationals, received life sentences for spying for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, while 25 others were given 10-year prison terms for supporting Iranian operations.
Human rights organizations have criticized Bahrain’s judicial process, particularly regarding closed trials and limited defense rights.
The conflict’s human toll in Gaza continues to mount. A 9-year-old boy, Adel al-Najjar, was killed by Israeli fire while collecting firewood in Khan Younis near a militarized zone.
The Israeli military has not commented on the incident. Gaza health officials report that since a ceasefire in October, at least 818 Palestinians have been killed in similar incidents near military-held areas, including hundreds of women and children.
On the diplomatic front, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held talks with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, focusing on efforts to de-escalate tensions.
Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach to both the United States and Iran, while Luxon expressed support for these initiatives. Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to dialogue and regional stability amid ongoing hostilities.
Overall, the situation remains highly volatile, with continued military escalation, significant civilian casualties, worsening humanitarian conditions, and limited progress toward a diplomatic resolution. (AP)
