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By Matthew Robinson, Brendan Cole, and Dan Gooding
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Iran on Tuesday threatened to retaliate against the United States, a day after the U.S. military launched strikes on the country, targeting missile sites and Iranian vessels.
Iran's foreign ministry accused the U.S. of a "gross violation" of the fragile ceasefire between the two nations that has been in place for nearly seven weeks, just as officials met again in Qatar to continue discussions on a deal to end the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it would take "a few days" to figure out the specific language in the document.
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"The president’s expressed his desire to make it—he’s either going to make a good deal or no deal," Rubio told reporters in Jaipur, India. "So on that, everyone should be assured. But that may take a little while, I mean, a few more days."
The U.S. strikes also came as Israel expanded its ground operations in Lebanon, beyond a line it had already set up in the country following an April 16 ceasefire, per sources who spoke with Reuters.
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'Get Your Bunkers Ready'
The strikes by the U.S. took place in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, where explosions were heard, seven weeks on from a truce agreed on April 7.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said that countries in the region could no longer be a shield for U.S. bases.
"Undoubtedly, the Islamic Republic of Iran will not leave any act of mischief unanswered and will not hesitate in defending the country's integrity," the foreign ministry said.
US Central Command said that the strikes had targeted missile launch sites and boats trying to lay mines. Tehran has said that it responded by opening fire on a fighter jet and a drone in Iranian airspace, downing an American MQ-9 drone.
Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s National Security Committee, also issued a threat to the U.S., posting on social media, “prepare your shelters. Get your bunkers ready.”
Khamenei said in a statement posted on Telegram: "The clock cannot be turned back, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer be a shield for American bases.
"From now on, the slogans 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel' will be the slogans of the Islamic nation and the oppressed people of the world, especially the youth."
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Iran Identifies Targets
Iran’s senior armed forces spokesman, Abolfazl Shekarchi, told Al Jazeera that Tehran would respond more forcefully to any new attack and had identified targets and was prepared for war.
“The response to any new aggression will be different from what it was before,” he told the outlet, adding that Iran’s attacks would be “more severe, heavier and stronger” than before.
The rhetoric comes after both sides had indicated that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that could halt the war and restart shipping through Strait of Hormuz could be agreed.
Rubio told reporters on his plane that the Strait of Hormuz must be open "one way or the other." However, Shekarchi said Iran would “manage this vital waterway firmly and decisively.”
Negotiators could also be given 60 days to negotiate more complex issues, including Iran’s nuclear program, which Washington says poses a threat to the region, but which Tehran insists is for peaceful purposes, namely the development of nuclear power.
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Israeli Forces Push into Lebanon
The Israeli military moved further into Lebanon Tuesday, with an official telling Reuters that troops were "operating in a targeted manner beyond the Forward Defense Line in order to remove direct threats to the citizens of the State of Israel."
Otherwise known as the "Yellow Line," the demarcation forms part of a buffer zone where Israeli forces operate, reaching 3 to 6 miles into southern Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said Monday that forces would intensify strikes against Hezbollah, with the group stating it had targeted Israeli forces that had advanced toward the Lebanese town of Zawtar al-Sharqiya.
“Under my directive and that of the defense minister, together with the IDF chief of staff, we are deepening our operation in Lebanon," Netanyahu said at a security cabinet meeting on Tuesday. "The IDF is operating with large forces on the ground and seizing strategic positions. We are fortifying the security zone to protect the northern communities.
"At the same time, we are carrying out a massive national effort to advance creative and innovative solutions against explosive drones."
Rubio Says Straits Must Open
Speaking to reporters earlier Tuesday, Rubio said the latest strikes would not have an effect on one outcome: reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
"Well, the straits have to be open," Rubio said. "What’s happening there is unlawful; it’s illegal. It’s unsustainable for the world; it’s unacceptable."
Rubio said no countries, including Russia and China, were in favor of a tolling system as part of a deal agreement, something Iran had floated.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a news conference at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday that despite the uncertainty over a deal, Beijing remained positive.
“We hope that the parties concerned can stay committed to pursuing a ceasefire and continue to meet each other halfway, so that peace can return to the Middle East as early as possible,” Wang said. “As we have been saying, it takes more than one cold day to freeze three feet of ice, and longstanding issues cannot be resolved overnight.”
What Happens Next
President Donald Trump was set to meet with his Cabinet at Camp David on Wednesday, but said later Tuesday that the meeting would be moved back to the White House due to weather conditions. The war is likely to be a talking point, as negotiations continue in the Middle East.
Rubio emphasized it would take time for a deal to be reached, as the war nears the three-month mark.
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