European leaders push for de-escalation

Paris | French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday night and then in the ensuing hours with the Iranian, British and German foreign ministers about the situation in the Mideast.

The French, British and German ministers passed on joint messages to the Iranian foreign minister about the need for a de-escalation and a return to diplomacy, according to a French diplomatic official.

They urged Iran to return to negotiations as soon as possible, without conditions, the official said.

They urged Iran to avoid any threats to Western interests, any extension of hostilities elsewhere in the region and any nuclear escalation including leaving the Non-Proliferation Treaty, stopping cooperation with the IAEA or pursuing further enrichment, the official said.

The ministers also passed along messages to Israel on the need to not target Iranian authorities, infrastructure and the civilian population, the official said.

The official was not authorised to be publicly named in accordance with Foreign Ministry policy.

Italy's Meloni reiterates negotiations with Iran

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni reaffirmed “the opportunity to reopen the road of negotiations” with Iran during a bilateral meeting with President Trump on the sidelines of the G-7 meeting in Canada, her office said in a statement Tuesday.

She also underlined “the necessity in this moment” of reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.

More than 40 Palestinians killed while waiting for aid in Gaza

At least 45 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip while waiting for UN 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 US and Israeli-backed aid group since the centres 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.

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!”