Iran war day 88: US attack near the Strait of Hormuz; negotiations are underway in Qatar | The US-Israel War on Iran News

The US military has carried out several attacks in the south of the country while the Iranian delegation is holding talks in Qatar.

The United States military said they did violence In southern Iran, describing the attacks as “self-defense operations” as Iranian officials traveled to Qatar for talks.

Earlier, Iranian media reported an explosion in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, an industrial complex near the Strait of Hormuz, a global bottleneck through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas flows.

Tehran warned against the prospect of a swift move, with a spokesman for Iran’s Finance Ministry on Monday saying progress had been made in talks, but stressed that it did not mean a deal was “closer”.

Here’s what we know:

In Iran

• Nationwide power outages have ended: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has ordered the restoration of the Internet after a nationwide shutdown that lasted more than 87 days, according to state media. Government officials have suspended military equipment during the war, citing security and cyber threats.
• US attacks southern Iran: An explosion was reported in the southern city of Bandar Abbas before US media reported that the US military acted in “self-defence” against a missile launch site and minesweepers in southern Iran, according to US officials. Iranian media later said that the situation in the port city is improving despite the incident.
• Tehran is repairing war damage: Tehran city officials say 97 percent of buildings partially damaged during the US-Israeli invasion of Iran have now been repaired, with officials expecting the remainder to be completed next week.
• The US may be gathering intelligence in Hormuz: Former US ambassador Adam Clements told Al Jazeera that the US attack on Bandar Abbas may have been aimed at monitoring Iran’s maritime activities near the Strait of Hormuz, and said the attack could not derail ongoing talks with Tehran. He added that any attempt by Iran to mine the waterway would trigger a “severe response” from Washington.

Discussions of war

• Qatar talks continue: Top Iranian leaders he went to Qatar to resolve major disputes in a deal that could end the Iran conflict. Media reports said on Monday that Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati are among the delegations heading to Doha.
• Earlier, Iran’s Finance Ministry Spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said progress had been made in the talks, but warned that significant differences remained and a deal was not “near”.
• Doha denies payment rumours: Qatar has denied reports that Iran is being “paid” to end the conflict, with Finance Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari saying the claims were aimed at “disrupting” negotiations and undermining efforts to de-escalate the conflict.
• Major obstacles remain in the US-Iran talks: Although President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed hope that an agreement is close and said there is a “good chance” of an agreement, officials and experts say that major disputes remain unresolved. Reports indicate that the deal is “95 percent done”, but the remainder continues to be difficult to finalize.

In the US

• Rubio says Iran talks are continuing: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said talks with Iran in Qatar are continuing despite the US attack, adding that talks on the “special language” of the deal could take “several days”. Rubio also emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz will remain open “one way or another”.

In Israel

• Netanyahu vows to ‘wipe out’ Hezbollah: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will grow his attacks on Hezbollah despite a long-standing cease-fire agreement with Lebanon, he has announced that the Israeli army will “wipe out” as the offensive continues in southern Lebanon.

In Lebanon and Gaza

• A memorial has been noted in the middle of the war: This year’s Independence Day commemoration comes as Lebanon faces heavy Israeli airstrikes linked to the US-Israeli war against Iran. Lebanon’s Ministry of Health says Israeli attacks since early March have killed at least 3,185 people and injured 9,633 others.

• The destruction of Rafah showed: The Palestinian Authority has shared images showing the destruction of Rafah’s Tal as-Sultan neighborhood after Israeli attacks. A refuge for Palestinian refugees, the main southern city of Gaza was later systematically destroyed during the Israeli war, preventing many families from returning to their homes.