President Donald Trump threatened Monday to bomb Oman if it "gets in the way" of a US deal with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz and called for Tehran to surrender in a war that has become a growing political burden.
Control of the waterway, which Iran has effectively closed since the conflict began on February 28, remains at the heart of the deadlock between Tehran and Washington.
ANKARA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call to pursue talks with Iran to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, and offered Ankara's support for peace efforts, the Turkish presidency said on Tuesday.
Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army and borders Iran, has repeatedly called for an end to the war. It has maintained close contact with the United States, Iran, and mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar, while also acting as an intermediary between the parties.
By Parisa Hafezi and Katharine Jackson
DUBAI/WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Iran will shift to a "fully offensive" military posture because efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the war with the U.S. have stalled, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday, as Washington ruled out extending a temporary ceasefire agreement.
Outward progress towards peace talks and a resumption of oil tanker traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has ground to a halt, threatening to extend the conflict that the U.S. and Israel launched with attacks on Iran on February 28.
US President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it obstructed a deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, as a vessel transiting the strategic waterway reported being struck by a projectile on Tuesday.
Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until the United States meets Tehran's demands, including lifting a naval blockade.
The Palestinian-American owner of a house besieged by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank said on Monday he feared for his safety as he headed back to his property and called for US protection.
Louai Abu Ridi owns one of the three houses in Qusra, near Nablus, which settlers began besieging more than a week ago, trapping residents inside and effectively blocking supplies, generating condemnation around the world.
WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - A meeting on Monday between Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "lengthy, in depth, and very productive," a Board of Peace official said, adding that agreement was reached with Netanyahu on a path forward for the Gaza conflict.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Katharine Jackson)
US President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to bomb Oman, 60 days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding towards a peace deal to end the war between the United States and Iran.
Here are the latest developments in the Middle East conflict:
Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it "gets in the way" of a US deal with Tehran on the Strait of Hormuz and called for Iran to surrender.
The Pentagon announced a $22.9 billion contract with Raytheon on Monday for Tomahawk missiles amid reports of a shortfall due to the war with Iran.
Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the contract will "accelerate Tomahawk missile delivery to our warfighters at unprecedented speed."
"Guaranteeing our naval and joint forces have the lethal firepower they need to deter aggression and protect the homeland is paramount," Cao said in a statement. "The Department is utilizing every available tool to meet the demands of our current operations."
By Parisa Hafezi
DUBAI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Iran will escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and beyond, and launch an attack if the U.S. fails to implement an interim peace deal fully in a matter of weeks, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday.
If the U.S. does not meet that deadline and diplomacy fails, Tehran would conduct a "timely and precise" military attack to break the U.S. naval blockade on the Islamic Republic, the official added.
