U.S. President Donald Trump posted an ominous message on his social media site Monday calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran but later denied reports he had rushed back to Washington to work on a ceasefire.
Israel’s air campaign on the Iranian capital appeared to broaden on the fourth day of an intensifying conflict after it issued warnings on Monday for about 300,000 people in Tehran to evacuate ahead of airstrikes.
People were seen leaving the city Tuesday morning as shops and the historic Grand Bazaar were closed. Iranian authorities insist everything is under control and no guidance has been issued.
Here’s the latest:
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More than 40 Palestinians killed while waiting for aid in Gaza
At least 45 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip while waiting for U.N. and commercial trucks to enter the territory with desperately needed food, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and a local hospital.
The circumstances of the killings were not immediately clear.
Palestinians say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds trying to reach food distribution points run by a separate U.S. and Israeli-backed aid group since the centers opened last month.
Local health officials say scores have been killed and hundreds wounded.
In those instances, the Israeli military has acknowledged firing warning shots at people it said had approached its forces in a suspicious manner.
Egypt, Jordan and others call for a halt to the conflict
Twenty countries denounced in a joint statement the escalating tensions in the Middle East caused by what they term Israel’s aggression against Iran and called for diplomacy and dialogue to restore stability in the region.
“There’s an imperative need to halt Israeli hostilities against Iran, which come during a time of increasing tension in the Middle East, and to work towards de-escalation, to achieve a comprehensive ceasefire and restoration of calm,” read the statement.
Foreign ministers of Algeria, Bahrain, Brunei, Chad, the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, and Mauritania rejected finding resolution through military campaigns. Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates also condemned the escalation.
They also highlighted the importance of clearing the region of nuclear and mass destruction weapons and called for refraining from targeting nuclear facilities and protecting maritime navigation in international waters.
India evacuates its citizens
India has evacuated an unspecified number of students from Tehran amid rising tension in the region, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Some Indian nationals have also received assistance to leave Iran through the borders with Armenia, it added.
Those who can afford transport on their own have been advised to evacuate as soon as possible.
Israel says it killed high-ranking Iranian general
Israel claimed Tuesday it killed another high-ranking Iranian general after decimating its military command.
The Israeli military said it killed Gen. Ali Shadmani, who had just been named as the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters.
Iran did not immediately acknowledge Shadmani’s death.
Shadmani was a general in Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Trump says return to Washington not tied to ceasefire
President Trump denied reports that he had rushed back to Washington from the G7 summit to work on a ceasefire, saying on his social media platform that “it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.”
Trump earlier issued an ominous warning on Truth Social, saying “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” and adding “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
People seen leaving Tehran
As the sun rose Tuesday on Iran, the downtown area of Tehran, the country’s capital, appeared to be beginning to empty out.
Many shops in the capital stood closed. The city’s ancient Grand Bazaar was closed, something that’s rarely done, like during demonstrations or during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
On the roads out of Tehran to the west, traffic stood bumper to bumper. Many appeared to be heading to the Caspian Sea area, with local reports suggesting there were some diversions.
Long lines also could be seen at gas stations operating in Tehran.
Iran’s capital, Tehran, is home to some 10 million people. That’s roughly the same population for the entirety of Israel.
It remained unclear how the city could be evacuated.
Authorities within Iran’s government continued to insist everything was under control and did not offer any guidance for the public on what to do.
G7 leaders call for de-escalation but insist Iran must not get nukes
Leaders of the Group of Seven countries meeting in Canada signed a joint statement calling for de-escalation of fighting between Israel and Iran while reaffirming that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear bomb.
The statement reads:
“We, the leaders of the G7, reiterate our commitment to peace and stability in the Middle East.
“In this context, we affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself. We reiterate our support for the security of Israel.
“We also affirm the importance of the protection of civilians.
“Iran is the principal source of regional instability and terror.
“We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.
“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We will remain vigilant to the implications for international energy markets and stand ready to coordinate, including with like-minded partners, to safeguard market stability.”
