Israel said early on Thursday that its forces had carried out a wave of strikes across Iran, including in the central city of Isfahan, amid reports that Tel Aviv is concerned the United States will bring the war to a halt. A brief military statement said Israeli forces "completed a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in several areas across Iran".
Hours later, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that an Israeli airstrike had killed Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' navy.
"Last night, in a precise and lethal operation, the IDF eliminated the commander of the Revolutionary Guards' navy, Tangsiri, along with senior officers of the naval command," Katz said in a video statement.
"The man who was directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to shipping was blown up and eliminated."
The latest Israeli strikes come amid reports that Washington may declare a one-month ceasefire to allow for talks with Iran. Israeli sources who spoke to The New York Times said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the army on Tuesday to destroy as much of Iran's armaments industry as possible within a 48-hour period.
The order came after Israel received a copy of Washington's 15-point plan to end the war, according to the report.
Also on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that the US is "very close to meeting its core objectives" in Iran. Leavitt said that Iran's government is being "crippled" and had been "significantly weakened", adding that talks on ending the war are "productive".
Regarding the 15-point plan circulated in the media, the press secretary said: "There are elements of truth to the plan, but some of the reports are not factual."
According to media reports, which cited Israeli government sources, the proposal calls for removing Iran's stocks of highly enriched uranium, halting enrichment, curbing its ballistic missile program and cutting off funding for regional allies.
Trump has said Iran is "desperate" to make a deal, but Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was reviewing the US proposal but had no intention of holding talks to wind down the conflict. Top officials 'removed from Israel kill list' Israel took Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf off its hit list after Pakistan requested that Washington not target them, a Pakistani source with knowledge of the discussions told Reuters on Thursday.
"The Israelis had their coordinates and wanted to take them out, we told the U.S. if they are also eliminated then there is no one else to talk to, hence the U.S. asked the Israelis to back off," the source said.
Pakistan's military and foreign office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that the two top Iranian officials had been temporarily removed from Israel's list of officials to eliminate as they explore possible peace talks.
The two officials have been removed from the list for up to four or five days, WSJ said, citing US officials, but did not mention any Pakistani role. Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey are playing mediator roles between Tehran and Washington to end the Iran war.
Pakistan has maintained direct contact with both Washington and Tehran at a time when such channels are frozen for most other countries. The Pakistani capital Islamabad has also been seen as a likely venue if peace talks are held. Iran continues strikes on UAE, Israel Despite Washington and Tel Aviv's claims about decimating Iran's capabilities, Tehran has continued to fire missiles at Israel and at some of its Gulf neighbours, while also maintaining a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
Emirati air defences responded to an Iranian missile attack, the UAE's defence ministry said early on Thursday.
"UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran," the ministry said in a post on X.
The Abu Dhabi media office reported hours later that two people were killed and three were wounded by falling debris after air defences intercepted a ballistic missile on the outskirts of the emirate.
"The incident resulted in the deaths of two unidentified individuals, three injuries, and damage to a number of cars," the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military said air defences responded to missile attacks from Iran on Thursday that according to medics left six people lightly wounded and caused some damage.
A spokesperson for Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service said paramedics were providing medical treatment to "six people who were lightly injured by blast effects", updating an earlier toll of two injured.
Earlier on Thursday, a spokesperson for MDA told public radio there was damage to several houses in the Palestinian city of Kafr Qassem, within Israel's 1948 borders, whose Mayor Haitham Taha said it was caused by cluster munitions.
The Israeli military said Home Front Command rescuers were called to an impact site "in central Israel".