Israel says it killed two top Iranian commanders in targeted strike

Special Series Middle East conflict Conflict in the Middle East has been escalating. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them. Overnight, Israel reported continued operations in Lebanon and Iran, while the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad came under attack again, according to the Iraqi government. Health authorities have reported about 1,300 killed in Iran, 886 in Lebanon and 12 in Israel since the start of the war on Feb. 28. The U.S. Central Command has said 13 U.S. service members have been killed and roughly 200 troops wounded. Here are more updates on the situation in the Middle East. Katz said the military would continue to target Iranian government figures. — Hadeel Al-Shalchi, Daniel Estrin and Rebecca Rosman In a joint statement, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. warned that a significant Israeli ground offensive in Lebanon could have "devastating humanitarian consequences" and risk a protracted conflict. They called for immediate de-escalation and urged meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives toward a political solution. The warning came as Israel deepened its operations against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. On Tuesday, Israel's military issued a fresh evacuation warning for residents in the village of Arab al-Jal, telling people to leave a specific building and adjacent structures ahead of what it said would be an imminent strike on Hezbollah infrastructure. The warning is the latest in a pattern of pre-strike notices as Israel says it is targeting Hezbollah sites across Lebanon while trying to limit civilian casualties. Israel's assault in Lebanon has killed 886 people and displaced more than 1 million, according to the Lebanese government's disaster management office. — Hadeel Al-Shalchi, Rebecca Rosman EU foreign ministers rejected President Trump's call for help to open the Strait of Hormuz, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas saying there was "no appetite" among member states. The stance comes after Trump, in an interview with the Financial Times, warned that "it will be very bad for the future of NATO" if countries fail to police the strait. "I'm demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory, because it is their own territory," Trump said aboard Air Force One on Sunday. "Whether we get support or not, I can say this, and I said it to them: We will remember," he said. But foreign nations have reacted cautiously, with several outright rejecting Trump's request. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer rebuffed Trump's demands, telling reporters on Monday he is working with allies on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but it won't be a NATO mission. "While taking the necessary action to defend ourselves and our allies, we will not be drawn into the wider war," he said. Germany also sees no role for NATO in policing the strait. "As long as this war continues, there will be no involvement, not even in an option to keep the Strait of Hormuz open by military means," Stefan Kornelius, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, said in Berlin on Monday. "It's not our war, we didn't start it," German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Monday. The Iraqi government said Tuesday that the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad came under attack again, along with an iconic hotel and oil field, amid continued exchanges between the U.S. military and Iran-backed militias in Iraq. The Iraqi interior ministry said a drone hit Baghdad's Rasheed Hotel, used by Iraqi officials and visiting foreign delegations, causing some damage but no casualties. The U.K. In Abu Dhabi, authorities said a Pakistani national was killed after shrapnel fell during the interception of a ballistic missile. Daniel Estrin contributed to this report from Tel Aviv, Hadeel Al-Shalchi from Beirut and Rebecca Rosman from Paris. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor