Iran Diplomat Seeks US Rationality as Gaza Strikes Kill Eight

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Saturday that diplomatic consultations are ongoing to prevent a return to full-scale war, with the outcome resting on Washington’s response to specific Iranian inquiries. Araghchi said he hoped the United States would choose diplomacy over other paths, noting that Tehran is prepared for both defense and negotiation depending on American rationality.

Araghchi confirmed that Iranian negotiators are currently in Qatar discussing a proposal that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days if the U.S. meets several conditions. He clarified that no direct talks are being held with the United States, though mediators remain active in the process.

In Gaza, eight people were killed in separate Israeli strikes on Sunday. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received five bodies from a strike in the southern city, while Shifa Hospital in Gaza City received three victims, including a four-year-old boy, from an attack in the northern area. A woman was also seriously wounded in the Gaza City strike.

The Israeli military announced it targeted several militants in Khan Younis and one Hamas fighter in northern Gaza. Although a ceasefire reached in October 2025 has largely halted major fighting, near-daily strikes have continued. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported more than 1,570 Palestinians have died since the truce began, raising the total war death toll to over 74,500.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its counts. Israel maintains its strikes target military assets and accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields. The data provides a stark count of casualties in the region’s ongoing conflict.

In the Persian Gulf, Qatar Gas Transport Co., known as Nakilat, reported that its vessel Al Mayeda was struck by unidentified objects on Friday night. The company stated the ship sustained damage but remained operational, with no crew members injured and no environmental impact. Nakilat did not identify who fired the objects, though Iran has previously claimed attacks on ships and warned against transiting the Strait of Hormuz without permission.

Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the incident and said authorities are investigating. The ministry warned that such attacks risk damaging the environment and marine life. Meanwhile, Iran designated the British navy and air force as terrorist organizations and declared the MI6 service a hostile entity, according to state-run news agency IRNA. The Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the UK of supporting U.S.-Israeli attacks by providing military bases and logistical support.

The designation could expose individuals accused of working with MI6 to prosecution under Iranian law. In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels blamed Saudi Arabia for two airstrikes on the University of Hodeida's medical school. The Saudi-led coalition described the action as a precision operation, with no immediate casualty reports. The United Nations also called for an investigation into the death of a human rights staffer held by the Houthis since June 2024.