Iran, Israel Trade Strikes Tehran Declines Nuclear Talks

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran and Israel exchanged fresh strikes early on Saturday, as Tehran declared it would not engage in nuclear negotiations while under threat, according to media reports.

Shortly after 2:30 a.m. local time, the Israeli military reported an incoming missile barrage from Iran, prompting air raid sirens across central Israel-including Tel Aviv-and in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Explosions echoed through Tel Aviv as Israel's air defense systems intercepted multiple projectiles, Reuters reported.

Simultaneously, Israel launched a new wave of attacks targeting missile storage and launch infrastructure sites in Iran, the Israeli military announced.

Sirens also sounded in southern Israel. According to Magen David Adom, the national emergency service, Iran fired five ballistic missiles, though there were no immediate reports of direct hits or casualties.

Israel began attacking Iran last Friday, citing concerns that Iran was nearing the development of nuclear weapons. Iran, maintaining that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, retaliated with missile and drone strikes on Israeli territory.

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, Israeli airstrikes have killed 639 people in Iran, including senior military officials and nuclear scientists.

Iranian missile attacks have killed 24 civilians in Israel, according to Israeli authorities.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that there would be no negotiations with the United States“until Israeli aggression stops.” However, he arrived in Geneva on Friday for talks with European foreign ministers, who are seeking a path back to diplomacy.

US President Donald Trump, speaking on Friday, said he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side-enough time, he added,“to see whether or not people come to their senses.”

Trump indicated he was unlikely to pressure Israel to scale back its offensive to allow for diplomatic negotiations.

“I think it's very hard to make that request right now. If somebody is winning, it's a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing,” he said.“But we're ready, willing, and able, and we've been speaking to Iran. We'll see what happens.”

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