Iran strikes US-linked sites, floats ceasefire as CENTCOM blocks vessels

Iraqi PM submits ceasefire proposal to Iran, but Tehran denies need for mediation.

Iran strikes US-linked sites, floats ceasefire as CENTCOM blocks vessels — Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Ziydi submitted a ceasefire proposal between Iran and the United States to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran.[^1] But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied that Iraq is mediating, accusing: "Iran does not need a mediator with the United States, and the problem is its unreasonable and hegemonic approach."[^1] The diplomatic push coincides with a military escalation. Over the past two weeks, Iranian strikes damaged living quarters, drone shelters, radar systems, and other structures at nine US-linked sites across the Middle East.[^2] Separately, Iran attacked with drones a border post and a Kuwaiti command structure near the Iraq border.[^3] Iranian media outlets are reporting the sounds of explosions heard on Qeshm Island.[^4] Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) diverted 12 commercial vessels and disabled one vessel to prevent them from entering Iran's territorial waters.[^5] In the Gulf of Aden, Somali pirates hijacked a cargo ship sailing under the Tanzanian flag; the crew consists of 20 people – eight Germans and ten Filipinos.[^6] The incident adds a new layer of risk to shipping lanes already threatened by Houthi attacks. On the diplomatic front, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met on the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Manila, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dampened hopes for a quick Ukraine peace deal.[^7] IDF on high alert as Iran plot foiled, border breaches probed — IDF forces identified a breach in the fence on the Jordan border in the northern sector this evening and began searches, according to Israel Hayom.[^1] The incident follows an attempted infiltration last month using a jet ski from Jordan into the Gulf of Eilat, and the elimination of three Iranian-linked figures at the Mount Dov border about a year and a half ago.[^2] Earlier on Thursday, a stabbing attack at the Derech Avraham Farm seriously wounded Itamar Cohen (51); soldiers killed the terrorist, Yazan Suafta (25), a member of the Palestinian security forces, in the nearby Ganim area.[^3][^5] Defense Mi