(TNND) — Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Iran on Friday and warned attacks “will escalate and expand,” even as President Donald Trump said Tehran is seeking negotiations and extended his deadline for action in the Strait of Hormuz.
“They are begging to work out a deal. I don’t know if we’ll be able to do that,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday.
Iran, however, rejected a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal earlier this week, saying any end to the war would come on its own terms.
As Trump’s deadline for Iran to open the strait approached, he pushed it back to April 6, saying talks on ending the war were going “very well.”
Israel appeared to diverge from Washington’s tone. Defense Minister Israel Katz said Iran “will pay heavy, increasing prices for this war crime.”
Despite the warnings, the firing continues,” Katz said. “And therefore attacks in Iran will escalate and expand to additional targets and areas that assist the regime in building and operating weapons against Israeli citizens.
Israel’s military said Friday’s strikes targeted sites “in the heart of Tehran” used to produce ballistic missiles and other weapons, as well as launchers and storage facilities in western Iran.
Iran, meanwhile, continued firing missiles and drones at Gulf Arab neighbors, with sirens warning of attacks in Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
As diplomatic efforts continued, a group of U.S. ships carrying about 2,500 Marines moved closer to the region. At least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne — trained to land in hostile territory and secure key airfields — have also been deployed to the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his G7 counterparts in France after Trump repeatedly insulted U.S. allies. During the Cabinet meeting, Rubio said the U.S. would defend NATO, but argued allies had not reciprocated during the Iran conflict.
As diplomats gathered, France’s Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said the war “is not ours,” emphasizing that France’s position is strictly defensive.
“The aim is truly this diplomatic approach, which is the only one that can guarantee a return to peace,” she said on Europe 1 and CNews. “Many countries are concerned, and it is absolutely essential that we find a solution.”
Rubio defended the president, saying critics should be grateful.
“Frankly, I think countries around the world — even those that are out there complaining a little bit — should actually be grateful that the United States has a president that’s willing to confront a threat like this,” he said Thursday.
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Editor’s note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.