Israel says it has taken out a top Iranian military figure in a strike it's framing as help for Washington. Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday announced that an overnight attack killed Alireza Tangsiri, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' navy chief, and other senior naval officers allegedly involved in efforts to choke off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments, per the Washington Post. Iran hasn't confirmed Tangsiri's death amid the airstrike.
Katz called the operation a boost to US efforts to reopen the strait, which Tehran has sought to restrict, sending oil prices higher and rattling energy markets. The Israeli defense chief added that it was a "clear message" to other Iranian bigwigs that Israeli's forces would eventually "hunt them down," per the AP. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, described Tangsiri as someone who'd had "a great deal of blood on his hands, per the Jerusalem Post.
The US has put forward a 15-point plan aimed at ending the nearly month-old conflict while still reinforcing its military presence in the region, per the Post. On Truth Social, President Trump warned Iranian leaders to "get serious soon" about the talks, saying that if they don't, "there is NO TURNING BACK." Pakistan says it's relaying messages between Washington and Tehran; Iran's foreign minister acknowledged exchanges via intermediaries but denied they amount to formal negotiations.