Israel says strikes expand air force freedom over Iran

The United States bears direct responsibility for any violations of the April 8 ceasefire understanding, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Monday, arguing that Israeli actions cannot be separated from US policy.

“No one believes the Zionist regime acts without coordination with the United States,” Baghaei said, adding that US Central Command supports Israel in both offensive and defensive operations and that Washington would be responsible for the consequences of any escalation in the region.

Baghaei also said Iran’s exchanges of messages with the United States had so far taken place in an atmosphere of mistrust, adding that developments over the past 24 hours would further deepen that distrust.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that freedom of navigation sanctions would be applied on Iran for the first time, as she warned against renewed escalation in the region.

“It will be the first time where the freedom of navigation sanctions will be applied on Iran,” Kallas said ahead of an informal meeting of EU defense ministers.

She said the region did not need escalation and that the parties should sit down for negotiations.

Kallas said ministers would also discuss what more could be done through the EU’s Operation ASPIDES in the region.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis said on Monday they had fired a salvo of missiles at Israel.

The Houthis also said they would ban Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea.

The group’s military spokesperson said the missiles had achieved their targets.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed mediation efforts between Iran and the United States in a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday, Qatar News Agency reported.

The two also reviewed the latest developments in Lebanon, the report said.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Monday that its aerospace forces had launched an operation, targeting Israel’s Nevatim and Tel Nof air bases.

The IRGC said the operation was carried out in response to what it called Israeli missile attacks on several radar sites in three locations inside Iran.

The Guards said they were fully prepared for wider operations across all fronts.