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China offers $200,000 emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran after school attack.
Iran says death toll of US-Israeli strikes reaches 1,230.
Iran's IRGC official says will burn any ship trying to pass through Strait of Horm.
BEIRUT -- Israeli airstrikes hit the Jnah and Bir Hassan areas in Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday evening, the first such strikes near central Beirut since a ceasefire was reached in November 2024, local broadcaster al-Jadeed reported.
The Israeli military said it had targeted a Hezbollah official but provided no further details.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi held separate phone conversations on Monday with his Iranian, Omani and French counterparts, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East and intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation of the situation.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi briefed Wang on the latest developments in the region and said the military action initiated by the United States violated international law and crossed Iran's red line, leaving Iran with no choice but to exercise full self-defense.
Araghchi noted that China has publicly articulated a position of fairness and justice, and he expressed hope that China would continue to play a constructive role in preventing further escalation of regional tensions.
Wang reiterated China's support for Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity, and in defending its legitimate rights and interests.
He voiced confidence that Iran will maintain national and social stability under the current circumstances, take seriously the legitimate concerns of neighboring countries, and ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Iran.
During his phone conversation with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Wang commended Oman for its active mediation in facilitating Iran-US negotiations and its sustained efforts to uphold regional peace.
Wang said that China attaches importance to the legitimate concerns of Gulf countries and supports them in safeguarding their sovereignty and national security. The spillover of the conflict does not serve the fundamental and long-term interests of Gulf states, he said.
Wang expressed hope that Gulf countries will strengthen independence and self-reliance, oppose external interference, foster good-neighborly relations, enhance solidarity and cooperation, and truly hold their future and destiny in their own hands.
Al Busaidi said it is regrettable that the US and Israel abandoned previous negotiation outcomes and launched military strikes, warning that a prolonged conflict would lead to more casualties and property loss.
He noted that China has consistently upheld the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and remains a reliable and positive force. At this sensitive moment, Oman looks forward to China playing an important role, he said, pledging that Oman will ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions on its soil.
During his phone call with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Wang emphasized that the international community should oppose any act that violates international law and must not apply double standards.
Major powers should not attack other countries at will by relying on military superiority, and the world must not be allowed to regress to the law of the jungle, he said.
Wang emphasized that the Iranian nuclear issue should ultimately return to the track of political and diplomatic settlement.
He expressed hope that France will maintain an objective and fair position, remain calm and rational, and work with China to steer the situation toward de-escalation while jointly safeguarding the basic norms governing international relations.
Barrot said the military strikes launched by the US and Israel in Iran were conducted without consultation with, or authorization from, the UN Security Council.
As permanent members of the Security Council, France and China bear special responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, he said, adding that France looks forward to working with China to play a positive role in easing tensions and stabilizing the situation in the Middle East.
The flurry of high-level communications in the past three days, including the one between Wang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, has underscored China's active diplomatic engagement aimed at de-escalating tensions and steering the situation back to the track of political and diplomatic resolution.
Following the US-Israeli attack on Iran, the Security Council, at the request of China and Russia, convened an emergency session on Saturday to discuss the situation.
On Monday, fresh explosions were heard in Iran, Lebanon and across the Middle East, with reports suggesting that the death toll in the current conflict had exceeded 550.
According to China's Foreign Ministry, as of Monday, more than 3,000 Chinese nationals had been evacuated from Iran, while one Chinese citizen was killed in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Ding Long, a professor at Shanghai International Studies University's Middle East Studies Institute, said the killing of Iran's supreme leader "has set a dangerous precedent, undermining the existing international order and reshaping modern warfare in a manner that could produce a far-reaching chilling effect".
WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said Monday that he is not ruling out sending US ground troops into Iran if necessary.
"I don't have the yips with respect to boots on the ground — like every president says, 'There will be no boots on the ground,' I don't say it," Trump told New York Post in an interview.
"I say 'probably don't need them,' (or) 'if they were necessary,'" he said.
Trump claimed that the military campaign launched on Saturday morning was "way ahead of schedule" in terms of killing dozens of senior Iranian officials.
On Sunday, Trump told The New York Times that he estimated the war would last four to five weeks.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted Saturday and Sunday found that some 43 percent of US citizens disapproved of the strikes and just 27 percent approved. Another 29 percent said they were not sure.
"I think that the polling is very good, but I don't care about polling," Trump said in the interview.
On Monday, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani said the country is prepared for a long war.
"Iran, unlike the United States, has prepared itself for a long war," Larijani said in a post on social media platform X.
"As in the past 300 years, Iran did not start this war, and our brave Armed Forces have not engaged in any attacks except in defense. We will fiercely defend ourselves and our six thousand years old civilization regardless of the costs and will make the enemies sorry for their miscalculation," he said.
TEHRAN -- At least 555 people have been killed in US and Israeli strikes against Iran since Saturday morning, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) said on Monday.
In a statement published on its official website, the IRCS noted that 131 Iranian counties were targeted in the strikes.
More than 100,000 rescuers are on full alert across the country, and relief and rescue operations, as well as the transfer of the wounded to medical centers, are underway, the statement said.
Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities on Saturday morning, killing the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as well as some of the leader's family members, top military commanders and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases in the West Asia region.
On Saturday, a girls' school in Iran's southern province of Hormozgan was targeted in the Israeli and US attacks, leaving at least 165 people killed and 95 others wounded, the official news agency IRNA reported.
In addition, a hospital in northern Tehran, in particular its neonatal ward, was damaged in a US-Israeli strike on Sunday night.
BERLIN -- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Monday clarified that Germany has no intention of participating in military operations against Iran.
In an interview with German radio station Deutschlandfunk, Wadephul expressed concerns over the escalation in the Middle East.
France, Britain, and Germany on Sunday issued a joint statement saying they would "take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region."
Wadephul emphasized that the interpretation of this statement varies by country.
"For us, it means nothing more than that our Bundeswehr soldiers would defend themselves if they were attacked," he added.
He noted that while Britain has decided to provide bases for U.S. use, Germany has neither the military assets in the area nor the intention to join such actions.
NICOSIA -- Two drones flying toward Cyprus, possibly targeting the RAF (Royal Air Force) base at Akrotiri in the southern part of Cyprus island, were intercepted on Monday, the Cypriot government said.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said that three British aircraft scrambled from the base at noon and "dealt with" the incoming drones in a timely manner. The incident marked a second attack within hours, after a drone struck the runway shortly after midnight, causing minor damage but no casualties.
Sirens sounded before the latest interception, indicating that incoming objects had been detected by radar. Base authorities ordered non-essential personnel to leave and instructed residents of the nearby Akrotiri village on the southern coast of the island to evacuate.
Local media reported that Paphos International Airport, situated on the western part of Cyprus island, about 70 km northwest of Akrotiri, was temporarily evacuated after radar detected a suspicious object heading toward the facility, which also serves military purposes. Airport operations later resumed. About 60 flights to Cyprus, mostly from European countries, were canceled on Monday.
British authorities are investigating the overnight strike. Some reports suggested that multiple drones may have been launched from Lebanon, about 150 km to the east, though officials declined to confirm their origin.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said that Cyprus is not and will not become involved in military operations against Iran. He discussed the incident with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who described it as a matter of serious concern for European security and reaffirmed the EU's support for its member states.
Cyprus, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, postponed an informal EU foreign ministers' meeting that had been scheduled for Monday.
BEIJING -- China hopes that France will work with China to promote de-escalation of tensions in the Middle East and jointly uphold the basic norms of international relations, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.
In a phone conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged France to uphold an objective and fair position and maintain a calm and rational approach on the current situation.
During their talks, Barrot elaborated on France's position on the current situation in the Middle East, stressing that France and China, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, bear special responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security.
He noted that the military action by the United States and Israel against Iran neither sought the opinions of the Security Council nor obtained its authorization, stressing that all parties should now work together to promote de-escalation and resolve the Iran nuclear issue and other issues through negotiations.
China maintains good relations with both Iran and countries in the Gulf region, Barrot said, voicing his hope to work together with China to play a positive role in easing tensions in the region.
For his part, Wang reiterated China's principled position, stressing that the international community should resist any acts that violate international law and must not apply double standards.
Major countries must not use their military advantage to launch arbitrary attacks against other nations, and the world should not revert to the law of the jungle, said Wang.
The Iran nuclear issue should ultimately return to the track of political and diplomatic resolution, he said.
BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday said that China values the traditional friendship between China and Iran and supports Iran in safeguarding its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity and national dignity.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when holding a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi at the latter's request.
Araghchi briefed on the latest regional situation, stating that the United States has launched a war against Iran for the second time during the Iran-US negotiations.
Noting that positive progress has been made in this round of negotiations between the two sides, he said the actions of the US side violated all international laws and have trampled on Iran's red line.
Iran has no choice but to defend itself with all its might, said Araghchi.
He said that China has publicly expressed its fair and just position and hopes to continue to play a positive role in preventing an escalation of tensions in the region.
Wang reiterated China's principled position on the current situation in Iran, expressing support for Iran in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests.
He said China has urged the United States and Israel to immediately cease military operations, avoid further escalation of tensions, and prevent the conflict from spreading across the Middle East region.
China believes that under the current severe and complex situation, Iran can maintain national and social stability, pay attention to reasonable concerns of its neighboring countries, and ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Iran, said Wang.
Araghchi said Iran will make every effort to guarantee the safety of Chinese personnel and institutions.
BEIJING -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that the urgent priority concerning the current situation in the Middle East is to immediately halt military operations and prevent the conflict from further spilling over.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in phone talks with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi.
During the phone call, Al Busaidi said that, with Oman's mediation, Iran-US negotiations had achieved unprecedented progress. However, he added, it was regrettable that the United States and Israel abandoned the existing outcomes of the talks and launched a war.
If the war continues, it will lead to further casualties and property losses, he said, urging all parties to work together for an early ceasefire.
As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has consistently followed the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and is a reliable positive force, Al Busaidi said.
At this sensitive moment and under complex circumstances, Oman expects China to play an important role, Al Busaidi said, adding that the Omani side will make every effort to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Oman.
Wang said that Oman has actively mediated the Iran-US negotiations and made great efforts to safeguard regional peace, which China appreciates.
Despite progress in the talks, the United States and Israel deliberately provoked a war against Iran, clearly violating the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Wang said.
Calling for keeping the situation from reaching a point of no return, Wang said that China urges all parties to make joint efforts to this end and supports Oman in continuing its mediation work, Wang said, adding that China is also willing to play a constructive role, including upholding fairness and justice at the UN Security Council, striving for peace and stopping the war.
Wang said China attaches importance to the legitimate concerns of Gulf countries and supports them in safeguarding their sovereignty and national security. The spillover of war does not serve the fundamental and long-term interests of Gulf countries, he added.
China expects Gulf countries to strengthen independence, oppose external interference, develop good-neighborly relations, enhance solidarity and cooperation, and take their future into their own hands, Wang said.
CAIRO-- The US Central Command said on Monday that four US troops were killed during Iran's retaliatory strikes.
It said in a statement on social media platform X that the fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Iran's initial attacks, eventually succumbed to injuries.
KUWAIT CITY/TEHRAN -- The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday that three US F-15 Eagle Strike fighter jets crashed over Kuwait after being hit by "friendly fire," while Iran's armed forces said it shot down one.
Iran's armed forces said in a statement that it shot down a US F-15 Eagle Strike fighter jet in Kuwait.
It added that the US fighter jet, "which sought to attack Iran," was brought down by the Iranian air defense forces, noting that the warplane crashed in Kuwait's territory.
In a statement posted on its official account, CENTCOM said that during active combat involving Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones, the US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defense systems.
All six crew members safely ejected by parachute and were successfully recovered in stable condition, the statement said.
Kuwaiti Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Staff Saud Al-Atwan said that relevant authorities are continuing investigations to determine the cause of the crash.
Earlier, several videos circulated on social media appeared to show two burning warplanes descending in spirals before crashing in a remote area. Other footage showed a pilot being placed into a vehicle, apparently for transport to the hospital.
Since early Monday morning, air raid sirens have sounded across Kuwait, accompanied by explosions, after which the Kuwaiti military announced intercepting several hostile aerial targets, with no casualties reported.
On Saturday morning, joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians.
Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases across the Middle East.
The United States and Israel launched strikes on hundreds of targets across Iran on Monday, and Israel expanded its bombing campaign to Lebanon as defiant Iranian forces continued firing missiles and drones across the Middle East in retaliation for the deaths of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and as many as 40 senior officials.
Iran's surviving leaders said the counterattacks were justified as self-defense. Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's National Security Council, flatly refuted on Monday media claims that he had made a fresh push to resume nuclear talks with Washington, stressing Tehran's refusal to engage in any negotiations amid the ongoing hostilities.
The Israeli military said it is striking at the heart of Tehran and has launched attacks on Lebanon after Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets at northern Israel. Lebanon's Health Ministry said more than 30 people have been killed and 150 wounded in the Israeli attacks.
Fresh explosions were heard across the Gulf on Monday, including in the cities of Dubai, Doha and Manama. Civilian infrastructure has been targeted, ranging from airports and seaports to residential buildings and hotels.
"The Gulf countries right now are really on the front lines of this war. As always, the Gulf states want to support de-escalation and diplomacy ... But this commitment and these principles are being put to the test right now," Anna Jacobs, a security analyst, said.
Nasdaq Dubai will be temporarily closed for two days, market regulator Dubai Financial Services Authority said on Monday.
Trump, speaking to The New York Times, said the US and Israel could keep up the level of attacks for four to five weeks.
"It won't be difficult. We have tremendous amounts of ammunition," he said, adding he had a shortlist of three unnamed people he favored to lead post-war Iran.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that he would let the US use UK bases for "defensive" strikes but that his country -- a steadfast partner in the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- "will not join offensive action now". Earlier, the British airbase in Cyprus was targeted by Iranian drones, causing "limited" damage.
The Pentagon said three US service members were killed in the operation "Epic Fury".
Trump, who campaigned on a platform of denouncing foreign interventions, has done little to explain the case for war to the US public.
Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said the soldiers' deaths were the result of a "reckless decision" and that there was no threat to "justify this type of preemptive military strikes".
Three ships were also attacked in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday after Iran declared the closure of the strategic waterway, sending global oil prices spiking. Container shipping company Maersk said it was halting passage through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz for "safety" reasons.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have struck the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four missiles, but the Pentagon said the "missiles didn't even come close".
On Sunday, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned Iranian attacks on their territories. In a joint statement, foreign ministers and senior officials from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman stressed their "legal right to respond ... the right of self-defence, individually and collectively, in the event of aggression".
The UAE said on Sunday it was closing its embassy in Tehran and recalling the ambassador, marking the strongest condemnation yet by a Gulf state in the ongoing conflict.
Since Saturday, the UAE has detected 165 ballistic missiles, destroying 152, and intercepted two cruise missiles, the military said, adding that 506 of 541 Iranian drones were shot down.
Tehran also appeared to target a building complex on Sunday in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi that houses the Israeli embassy.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday that China is deeply concerned about the spillover effects of the air strikes against Iran — which has affected Iran's neighboring countries — and believes that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf countries should be fully respected.
Since the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Saturday, US military targets in member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council and in Jordan have come under attack. The countries concerned have issued statements condemning the attacks.
The US and Israel carried out military strikes against Iran without authorization from the UN Security Council, in violation of international law, Mao said at a daily news briefing.
"We urge all parties to cease military actions, prevent further spread of the fighting, and avoid further escalation," Mao said.
China appreciates the emphasis placed on dialogue and diplomacy by the GCC extraordinary foreign ministers' meeting as the only viable way to overcome the current crisis and safeguard regional security, she said.
Noting that the regional situation remains complex and sensitive, Mao said China supports the countries in the region in strengthening communication and coordination in the spirit of good-neighborliness and friendship, and jointly working to maintain regional peace and stability.
BEIJING -- One Chinese national died in Tehran in the military conflict, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday at a regular press briefing.
"We mourn for the life lost and extend sincere sympathies to the bereaved," the spokesperson said.
MEXICO CITY -- The Mexican government will always advocate for world peace, the country's President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Sunday, referring to the recent military attacks launched by the United States and Israel against Iran.
"Mexico will always advocate for world peace, which is very necessary at this time," Sheinbaum emphasized at an event in the western state of Baja California Sur.
She pointed out that the country's constitution establishes that Mexico's foreign policy principles should be guided by the self-determination of peoples, non-intervention and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
The United States and Israel began large-scale airstrikes against Iran on Saturday morning, prompting Tehran to retaliate with waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military bases in the Gulf region.
US fighter jet crashes in Kuwait: local media
Smoke seen rising from US embassy in Kuwait: media
Iran's security chief says Iran will not negotiate with US: media
WASHINGTON — Multiple US Democratic lawmakers slammed the administration on Saturday for launching massive military strikes against Iran without Congress' war power authorization, saying the operation raises "serious legal and constitutional concerns".
"By the president's own words,'American heroes may be lost,'" said Senator Mark Warner, vice-chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
"That alone should have demanded the highest level of scrutiny, deliberation and accountability, yet the president moved forward without seeking congressional authorization," Warner said.
"The Constitution is clear: The decision to take this nation to war rests with Congress, and launching large-scale military operations — particularly in the absence of an imminent threat to the United States — raises serious legal and constitutional concerns."
Veteran Senator Tim Kaine called the strikes "a colossal mistake", urging his colleagues to "immediately return" to the Capitol and vote on whether to authorize or limit US strikes against Iran.
"For months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want lower prices, not more war — especially wars that aren't authorized by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and don't have a clear objective," Kaine said.
Senator Ruben Gallego said on social media on Saturday that people should not have to "pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn't been explained or justified to the American people".
Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House of Representatives, said the administration "failed to seek Congressional authorization prior to striking Iran".
Any US president, excluding under the "exigent circumstances","must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war", Jeffries said in a statement.
The ongoing operation "has left American troops vulnerable to Iran's retaliatory actions", he said.
Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said, "Everything I have heard from the administration before and after these strikes on Iran confirms this is a war of choice with no strategic endgame."
Himes said he had told Secretary of State Marco Rubio directly that military action in the Middle East "almost never ends well for the United States".
"It does not appear that (President) Donald Trump has learned the lessons of history," he said.
Ahead of the strikes, Rubio reached out personally to top lawmakers at the Capitol, The Associated Press reported, citing a person familiar with the notifications who requested anonymity to discuss them.
The notifications mentioned ballistic missiles, but did not indicate the strikes would be so expansive or the goals so broad, the report added.
However, a spokesman from the office of Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, confirmed on Saturday morning that the senator had not been notified.
Reed said in a statement dated Friday that the administration did not provide Congress with any "real briefings or intelligence" on the ongoing massive military operations against Iran.
Xinhua - Agencies
JERUSALEM -- Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said on Monday the army has "launched an offensive campaign against Hezbollah," warning the operation would last "many days" as the conflict escalates sharply along the country's northern border.
"We must prepare for many days of combat ahead," Zamir said during a situational assessment at the military's headquarters in Tel Aviv.
"This requires strong defensive readiness and sustained offensive readiness, operating in continuous waves while constantly utilizing opportunities," he said.
The announcement came after Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned Lebanese group, joined the conflict by launching overnight missile and drone attacks toward Israel. No injuries or damage were reported, but the incident marked the first such attack since the November 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon that formally ended the conflict with Hezbollah, Israel's public broadcaster reported.
The move came two days after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The Israeli military has mobilized 100,000 reservists to prepare for what it described as a "multi-arena" conflict.
