Paris (France) (AFP) – The latest developments in the Middle East war:
– **French aircraft carrier heads for Gulf**
France’s aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle was on Wednesday heading towards the southern Red Sea to pre‑position for a possible mission to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the presidency said. Its redeployment sends “a signal that not only are we ready to secure the Strait of Hormuz but that we are also capable of doing so,” the presidency added.
– **Iran reviewing US proposal**
Iran foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said a US proposal to end the war is still “under review” by Tehran, local media reported. Tehran will convey its views to key mediator Pakistan after “finalising its views,” Baqaei told the ISNA news agency.
– **Israel vows to ‘dismantle’ Hezbollah**
Israel’s army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir vowed to dismantle Hezbollah and said the military was prepared to launch a new offensive against Iran if needed. “We will seize every opportunity to deepen the dismantling of Hezbollah and continue weakening it,” Zamir said while visiting soldiers near the Lebanese town of Khiam.
– **Iran seeks China’s help**
Tehran is looking forward to China’s support for a “new post-war” regional framework following its conflict with the United States, said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a post to X.
– **Trump threatens worse bombing**
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to resume bombing Iran if it did not agree to a deal to end the war. “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” Trump said in a social media post.
– **Israel resumes Lebanon strikes**
Israel’s army said Wednesday it had begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas of Lebanon. The army had reported “several incidents” during which drones had exploded near Israeli soldiers operating in Lebanon’s south. Earlier, it had issued an evacuation warning for a dozen villages in south Lebanon. Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes before their warning had killed four people in the Bekaa valley.
– **Pakistan PM ‘hopeful’**
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — a key mediator between Iran and the United States and Israel — said Wednesday he was “hopeful” the current momentum on negotiations would lead to peace in the region.
– **China calls for ‘complete’ end to war**
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for an end to the war and for the United States and Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible” in talks with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, his ministry said in a statement.
– **Oil prices slide**
Oil prices fell on Wednesday, with oil benchmark Brent North Sea making a double-digit plunge to under $100 a barrel, before climbing back after Trump’s threat to start bombing Iran again. The main US contract, West Texas Intermediate, dived more than 12 percent to under $90 a barrel before paring losses.
– **French ship targeted**
French shipping company CMA CGM said one of its vessels, the CMA CGM San Antonio, had been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz Tuesday. Some injured crew had been evacuated.
– **Lufthansa warns of risks**
Germany’s Lufthansa joined airlines warning of the risks from the Middle East war to warn Wednesday of rising risks to the firm’s financial performance and potential shortages of jet fuel. Lufthansa said that it has already locked in the price for about 80 percent of its 2026 fuel supplies, but extra kerosene costs would amount to 1.7 billion euros ($2.0 billion) this year.
© 2024 AFP
