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Iran’s brave rescue dogs hailed as heroes amid US–Israeli strikes

Iran’s brave rescue dogs hailed as heroes amid US–Israeli strikes
By Yashraj Sharma, Zaid Sabah, Lyndal Rowlands, Mariamne Everett, Urooba Jamal, Federica Marsi and Alex Milan Durie
Published On 15 Apr 2026

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16 Apr 2026 - 00:00
 (00:00 GMT)

Our coverage continues

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Join us for all the latest developments, analyses and reactions here.

Smoke rises from an Israeli strike near Tyre, Lebanon, on Wednesday [Chris McGrath/Getty Images]
15 Apr 2026 - 23:50
 (23:50 GMT)

Here’s what happened today

We will be closing this live page soon. Here’s a quick recap of the main developments today:

  • US President Donald Trump has said the world must brace for an “amazing two days” as the war with Iran is close to over, while a White House spokesperson later expressed optimism on the possible resumption of talks with Iran in Pakistan in the coming days.
  • A Pakistani delegation has arrived in Tehran carrying a message from Washington to discuss the possibility of a second round of talks with the US.
  • Sources have told Al Jazeera that a major breakthrough has been achieved on Iran’s nuclear front and that Pakistani officials were hopeful that an agreement was in the making.
  • US senators have voted against a Democratic-led resolution aiming to stop ⁠the US-Israel war on Iran until hostilities are authorised by Congress.
  • Israel has continued attacks on Lebanon, including a “triple-tap” strike in the southern town of Mayfadoun that killed four paramedics and injured six others.
  • Hezbollah officials have slammed talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, calling them “shameful”.
15 Apr 2026 - 23:45
 (23:45 GMT)

Amnesty official calls for immediate end to military cooperation with Israel

Erika Guevara Rosas, Amnesty International’s senior director for research, advocacy, policy, and campaigns, says that “Israel continues to defy international law” through a series of systematic violations across the region.

Writing on X, Rosas stated that these violations included “genocide in Gaza, escalating violence and illegal settlements in the West Bank, apartheid and occupation, and attacks and mass displacement in Lebanon”.

She warned that “any military cooperation with Israel risks complicity in international crimes.” Specifically addressing Rome, she argued that the “Italian government must act, starting by supporting the suspension of the EU‑Israel Association Agreement, as demanded by over one million Europeans.”

Rosas concluded by emphasising that “words are no longer enough” and insisted that states “take decisive action to stop Israel’s genocide and systematic human rights violations”.

15 Apr 2026 - 23:30
 (23:30 GMT)
Analysis

How are the upcoming US-Iran talks positioned compared to week ago?

We have been speaking with Alex Vatanka, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, on the current posturing by both the US and Iran. He spoke with us about what to expect from the upcoming reported talks between Washington and Tehran, mediated by Islamabad.

“We have to be very realistic. There’s a long road ahead here. The idea of getting excited and expecting some breakthrough is way too premature,” Vatanka told Al Jazeera.

“But the fact is that the diplomatic track right now is working,” he said. However, he added that posturing by both countries in the ongoing war tends to confuse.

“The US is saying extending a ceasefire is not necessarily something they’re looking for. The Iranians are countering in the exact same way, saying they’re not necessarily interested in a ceasefire extension either,” he added.

“I think what is important here is Pakistan is able to get the two sides to agree on a basic framework for negotiations. That’s the key,” Vatanka concluded. “Nothing major is going to be achieved in the short term. But if they agree on that basic framework, that’s pretty significant.”

15 Apr 2026 - 23:20
 (23:20 GMT)

FIFA chief says ‘Iranian team coming for sure’ to play in US

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said that “the Iranian team is coming for sure, yes,” to play in the US despite the ongoing war.

It comes four days after we reported that FIFA had turned down Iran’s request to relocate its World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico, citing logistical impediments.

Speaking at CNBC’s Invest in America Forum, Infantino said it is important that Iran participates in the World Cup. “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play.”

The US is co-hosting the upcoming World Cup with Canada and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play two group-stage games in Inglewood, California, and one in Seattle.

15 Apr 2026 - 23:15
 (23:15 GMT)

Hezbollah launches 39 strikes against Israeli targets in 24 hours

The Lebanese armed group claims that its fighters carried out 39 military operations over the past 24 hours, targeting various Israeli settlements, troop concentrations, military vehicles and close-range clashes along the southern border and in northern Israel.

15 Apr 2026 - 23:05
 (23:05 GMT)

Araghchi warns of ‘dangerous consequences’ of US provocations in Hormuz

Iran’s ISNA news agency reports that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of the consequences of US “provocative actions” in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz during a telephone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Araghchi stated that US positioning in these vital waterways would lead to a more “complicated situation” in the region, emphasising that such movements posed a direct threat to regional stability.

In response, and according to the Isna report, the Chinese Foreign Minister praised the “resilience” of the Iranian people during the conflict.

Wang Yi reaffirmed Beijing’s readiness to assist in advancing diplomatic efforts and bringing a definitive end to the hostilities, the report added.

15 Apr 2026 - 23:00
 (23:00 GMT)

US rejected Russian proposal to take all of Iran’s enriched uranium, says Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, has said that the United States rejected its proposal that Russia take up all of Iran’s ‌enriched uranium out of the country in its bid to help resolve the hostilities in the Middle East.

Russia first proposed last June that it take control of Iran’s uranium stock, but no action was taken. According to Reuters, Russia issued the proposal again this week.

“Russia was prepared to accept Iran’s enriched uranium on its territory,” state news agency RIA said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the Indian television channel India Today.

“This would be a good decision. But unfortunately, the American side rejected this proposal.”

“Although President Putin is ready to return to this initiative, should it be needed by the countries concerned. Perhaps in this context, there is merit in recalling the very beginning of the story in the Gulf,” the spokesperson told India Today.

 

15 Apr 2026 - 22:45
 (22:45 GMT)

US warns that buyers of Iranian oil could be hit with sanctions

The United States has threatened to sanction buyers of Iranian oil and said it believed China would pause such purchases as Washington enforces a maritime blockade on Iran.

“We have told countries that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters at the White House.

The US maritime blockade on Iran began on Monday as its war on Iran entered its seventh week. China previously bought more than 80 percent of Iran’s shipped oil.

“We believe [that with] this blockade … there will be a pause of Chinese buying,” Bessent said.

The US Treasury has also written to two Chinese banks and “told them that if we can prove that there is Iranian money flowing through your accounts, then we are willing to put on secondary sanctions”, he added.

15 Apr 2026 - 22:30
 (22:30 GMT)

WHO chief decries strikes on Lebanese hospital and attacks on healthcare

The World Health Organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says that Lebanon’s Tebnine Government Hospital, one of the busiest trauma management facilities in the south, is facing severe operational strain after being damaged by two consecutive strikes nearby on April 12 and 14.

The WHO chief reported that 11 workers were injured in the incidents. He noted that the emergency department, including critical equipment such as “ventilators, monitors, stretchers and trolleys”, sustained significant damage, alongside the pharmacy and outpatient clinics. While hospital services continued to function, Tedros confirmed that WHO was “supporting urgent emergency maintenance based on priority needs”.

The statement highlighted a grim trend, noting that since the start of the conflict, WHO had recorded “133 attacks on health care with 88 deaths and 206 injuries”.

Tedros detailed that 15 hospitals and seven primary healthcare centres had been damaged, while five hospitals and 56 primary healthcare centres were forced to close.

He also reiterated his “call for the immediate protection of health care facilities, health workers, ambulances, and patients”.

Earlier today, Israeli attacks killed at least four paramedics in southern Lebanon’s Mayfadoun, in what officials described as “triple-tap” strikes on ambulances.

15 Apr 2026 - 22:15
 (22:15 GMT)

US forces claim to turn around 10th Iranian vessel amid blockade

The USS Spruance, an Aegis guided missile destroyer, has forced an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel to return to Iran, the US Central Command says.

It was the 10th such ship forced to retreat by US forces since the blockade began, which is now stretching into its third day.

“Yesterday, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel tried to evade the U.S. blockade after leaving Bandar Abbas, exiting the Strait of Hormuz, and transiting along the Iranian coastline. The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) successfully redirected the vessel, which is heading back to Iran,” US Central Command said in a statement posted on X.

“Ten vessels have now been turned around and ZERO ships have broken through since the start of the U.S. blockade on Monday.”

15 Apr 2026 - 22:10
 (22:10 GMT)
Houthi

Israeli air strikes on Tyre and Jibaa leave five dead

The National News Agency (NNA) reports that Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon have killed five people, including a Palestinian youth in the city of Tyre and four individuals in the town of Jibaa.

According to local reports, an Israeli strike targeted a motorcycle in Tyre, killing a Palestinian national.

In a separate incident in the Nabatieh district, an air attack on the town of Jibaa killed four people, including two women.

15 Apr 2026 - 22:05
 (22:05 GMT)
Developing

US senators speak against US arms sales to Israel

Bernie Sanders has been speaking on the Senate floor ahead of forcing a vote on US arms sales to Israel.

“These resolutions would block the transfer of 12,000 1000-pound [453-kg] bombs and 132 armoured bulldozers valued at more than $446m and funded entirely by American taxpayers,” Sanders said before the vote.

Sanders also noted that Netanyahu has pushed for the United States to participate with Israel in a war against Iran for decades.

“Finally, after 40 years of effort, he finally found in Trump a president willing to go along.”

“This war, in violation of international law, has resulted already in the deaths of thousands of civilians, including hundreds of children in Iran and Lebanon, including 26 Israeli civilians who are now dead, and 13 American soldiers who have lost their lives so far in this conflict,” Sanders added.

A number of other Democratic senators, including Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley, have also been speaking in support of the resolutions.

15 Apr 2026 - 22:02
 (22:02 GMT)
Houthi

Iran’s parliament speaker: ‘Heroic’ Hezbollah will play big role in Lebanon ceasefire

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says on X that “The completion and consolidation of a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon will be the result of the steadfastness and struggle of the esteemed Hezbollah and its heroic deeds, and the unity of the Axis of Resistance.”

“The Resistance and Iran are one and the same entity, whether in war or in a ceasefire”, he added.

Ghalibaf also called on the US to commit to the agreement, saying that “America must back down from the mistake of ‘Israel first’.”

15 Apr 2026 - 22:00
 (22:00 GMT)
Houthi

New Israeli air strike hits southern Lebanese town

A new Israeli attack has hit the town of Dabeen in the Marjayoun district in southern Lebanon, our correspondent on the ground reports.

15 Apr 2026 - 21:45
 (21:45 GMT)

Tehran weighs next steps in US talks following Pakistani mediation

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports that Iran will conduct a formal evaluation to determine whether it will participate in the next round of negotiations with the United States after a scheduled high-level meeting between Iranian officials and a Pakistani delegation led by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Thursday.

Tasnim quoted an anonymous “informed” source, who noted that while the ceasefire in Lebanon was viewed as a “positive signal” for Iran’s decision-making process, any further progress remained dependent on US conduct.

The source emphasised that Washington was required to adhere to a “logical framework” for the talks and warned against obstructing the diplomatic path through excessive demands or the violation of commitments made prior to the ceasefire.

15 Apr 2026 - 21:40
 (21:40 GMT)
Houthi

Two children among five people killed in Israeli air strike on southern Lebanon

The state-run National News Agency reports that five people were killed, including two children, in an Israeli air strike targeting the town of Ansariyeh in the Sidon district of southern Lebanon.

The air strike also left five people wounded, according to the report.

15 Apr 2026 - 21:35
 (21:35 GMT)
Houthi

Bernie Sanders forcing vote on US funding for Israel

The US senator is currently speaking on the Senate floor before a vote on funding for Israel.

“I’m now forcing votes on the US Senate floor to block nearly half a billion dollars in bombs and bulldozers to Israel,” Sanders wrote on social media.

“US taxpayers are tired of Netanyahu’s extremist and illegal behavior. Congress cannot write another blank check to war criminals.”

15 Apr 2026 - 21:30
 (21:30 GMT)
Analysis

Nuclear issue ‘at the heart’ of resolving US-Iran war

Communication continues between the US, Pakistan and Iran after the first round of ceasefire talks.

Alex Vatanka, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said that the nuclear issue is the key talking point that will help resolve this conflict, particularly for US President Donald Trump.

“Trump just wants to say he got a better deal than Obama in 2015, and then walk away,” Vatanka told Al Jazeera.

“Everything else will follow. The Strait of Hormuz will open. The Iranians will get sanctions relief. There’s a lot that needs to be hammered out in terms of Iran’s regional policy, what will happen to Hezbollah and so forth, but those are essentially secondary to the nuclear issue, which is at the heart of it.”

The analyst said it was a “big deal” that the Iranians are saying they’re willing to suspend enrichment, even if it is only for five years.

15 Apr 2026 - 21:15
 (21:15 GMT)

Israel steps up ground invasion in southern Lebanon

By Nida Ibrahim

Reporting from Ramallah, West Bank

Netanyahu has ordered the Israeli troops to enhance operations in southern Lebanon and said that negotiations and talks with Washington would still ensure that the Israeli position is taken into consideration vis-a-vis the war in Iran.

It was a short message, and it seemed he was directing it to a domestic audience, to which he had promised a regime change in Iran. Now, as talks about a ceasefire continue, he finds himself in a difficult position, and that’s why he needs to show strength and defiance when it comes to the battle in southern Lebanon.

He wants to reassure the public that they are still interested in keeping land to maintain the security of the people in northern Israel.

Netanyahu will face elections towards the end of this year, and because he has not been able to achieve his goals [in Iran] yet, he is likely to want to show force inside of Lebanon as a way to keep his population’s support.