US Strikes Iran After Ceasefire, Peace Talks Go On

The United States conducted new military strikes against Iranian targets on May 26, prompting Tehran to accuse Washington of breaching a ceasefire that began on April 8 and warning it was prepared to retaliate. The attacks targeted Iranian missile sites and mine-laying boats near the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed they had also downed a US drone entering Iranian airspace and fired at an F-35 fighter jet. The strikes caused oil prices to surge by more than three percent on the Brent benchmark. Despite the escalation, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that a peace deal remained within reach, with negotiations ongoing between Washington and Tehran. Iranian state media reported that a top delegation had returned from Qatar on May 26 and that Tehran was finalizing a 14-point framework for ending the war. According to Tasnim news agency, Iran is seeking the release of approximately $24 billion in frozen assets during the negotiations. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Qatar's ruler that Iran was "ready to reach a respectful framework to end the war." Separately, Israel carried out strikes in south Lebanon on May 26 that killed 31 people, including at least four children, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Since March 2, the ministry reports 3,213 people have been killed and 9,737 injured in Israeli attacks. Iran's Foreign Ministry indicated that Tehran would not leave "any evil unanswered" and demanded that any peace accord between Washington and Tehran apply to Lebanon as well. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to "crush" Hezbollah, and Israeli military officials confirmed that ground operations in Lebanon are expanding. Additionally, internet connectivity in Iran saw partial restoration on May 26 after nearly three months of blackout, described by monitor NetBlocks as the longest nationwide internet shutdown in modern history.