The war with Iran has exposed a significant rift between the United States and its European allies, with France reportedly opening quiet diplomatic talks with Tehran to seek safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz while Washington continued to bomb the country into submission. President Donald Trump called Iranian leaders “deranged scumbags,” celebrated their deaths as a personal honor, and promised even harder strikes in the coming days, signaling zero interest in any diplomatic resolution. Italy denied being part of any European negotiating effort with Tehran.
France’s reported back-channel talks with Tehran came as Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz threatened about one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies. France has also lost a soldier in Iraq to a pro-Iranian militia drone strike, giving the country a dual stake in the outcome of the conflict. The divergence between French diplomatic engagement and American military escalation illustrated the deep divisions within the Western alliance over how to handle a war that has spread from Iran to Lebanon, the Gulf states, and beyond.
US and Israeli forces have struck more than 15,000 targets combined since the war began. Israel alone reported over 200 individual strikes in the most recent 24 hours. Trump announced the complete military obliteration of Kharg Island late Friday, calling it one of the most powerful raids in Middle Eastern history, and warned that Iran’s oil infrastructure would be struck next if the Strait of Hormuz remained disrupted. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described Iran’s leadership as desperate, hidden, and wounded, with new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei unable to make any video or audio communication.
The conflict’s human toll continued to mount on all sides. Iran has reported over 1,300 deaths. Lebanon has counted over 600 killed and 800,000 displaced, with eight more dying in Sidon Friday. Israel reports 12 deaths. Thirteen US service members have died, with six killed in a tanker aircraft crash in Iraq. Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel, injuring about 60. Saudi Arabia intercepted close to 50 Iranian drones. Qatar issued Doha evacuation warnings before missile interceptions. Two died in Oman. Dubai’s financial district sustained damage.
Tehran’s residents described a city in ruins, with constant explosions, power cuts, fuel shortages, and rubble-filled streets. A retired professor begged the world to act before the city was completely destroyed. A shopkeeper described counting six explosions in a single hour. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched new coordinated strikes on Israel with Hezbollah as part of al-Quds Day, demonstrating that despite the enormous damage being inflicted, Iran retained the will and capability to continue fighting on multiple fronts simultaneously.