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Middle East crisis live: Iranian official warns US troops set to deploy to region as Israel says it is expanding ‘buffer zone’ in Lebanon

The number of people injured in Israel since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran has exceeded 5,000, Israel’s health ministry has said. The figure stood at 5,165 as of 6pm local time, including 247 more injuries in the last 24 hours, according to an update on social media. 106 people are currently in hospital, with 12 in a serious condition, the ministry said.

Iran rejects US ceasefire plan and submits its own amid push for talks

Iran dismissed a US ceasefire proposal on Wednesday and countered with a negotiation plan of its own as intermediaries sought to keep diplomatic channels between the warring countries open. Iranian state TV quoted an anonymous official as saying Tehran had rejected the plan it had received via Pakistan, saying it would “end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met”, and until then would continue fighting across the region. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, later said the proposals had been “passed on to the country’s senior authorities” but Iran had “no intention of negotiating for now”. The five-point plan Iran put forward included an end to the fighting and the assassination of its officials, guarantees that no other war is started against it, reparations for the current conflict, and Iranian control over the strait of Hormuz. Despite the apparent Iranian rejection of the US deal, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said discussions were continuing and were productive. She told reporters on Wednesday that “it became clear that Iran wants to talk and President Trump is willing to listen”. Leavitt also suggested the US was sticking to its four- to six-week timeframe for ending the war, saying it had been a “resounding victory” so far. It was announced that Donald Trump’s rescheduled trip to Beijing would take place on 14 May, leading to speculation the US hoped the war would be over by then. Intermediaries from Pakistan had delivered a 15-point ceasefire proposal to Iran earlier in the day, the Associated Press reported. It was said to include sanctions relief, the dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear programme, restrictions on its use of missiles and the reopening the strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about 20% of the world’s oil. The White House said some of the reported points were in the plan, but others were not official. Some had already proved to be intractable sticking points in negotiations before the war began. A senior Iranian official speaking to Al Jazeera described the proposal as “extremely maximalist and unreasonable”, while other officials said the country was still reviewing it, despite seeing it as too favourable to US demands. Tehran launched more drones and missiles on Israel and Gulf countries overnight and on Wednesday, including an attack that sparked a huge fire at Kuwait international airport, while Israel continued its bombardment of Iran. Iran’s five-point plan is likely to be a non-starter for the US, particularly as it includes continued Iranian control over the strait of Hormuz, but Egyptian and Pakistani officials suggested in-person negotiations between Washington and Tehran could begin as soon as Friday, with Pakistan or Turkey as possible venues. The White House said on Wednesday that face-to-face talks were an option but cautioned reporters “not to get ahead of themselves”. Trump said the US was in negotiations with a party in the Iranian government who was engaging with his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and the US vice-president, JD Vance. It was unclear who exactly the US negotiating team was in contact with, as officials from Iran’s foreign ministry and military denied Trump’s statements that negotiations were taking place. Iranian officials are sceptical about coming back to the negotiating table with the US, after the country was attacked twice before while in the middle of discussions. The US attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel last summer and launched its latest conflict while progress was reportedly being made towards a comprehensive deal between the two parties. Israel and the US have also killed much of Iran’s senior leadership, including more pragmatic figures such as the secretary of the supreme national security council, Ali Larijani, creating concerns for the safety of its Iranian interlocutors, some of whom Israel has threatened to kill. “We have a very catastrophic experience with US diplomacy,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, told India Today on Tuesday. As diplomacy sputtered forward, the US continued to amass troops in the Middle East. At least 1,000 troops from the 82nd airborne division will be sent to the region, according to the Associated Press, as well as 5,000 more marines and thousands of sailors. The deployment of the additional troops comes as the Trump administration appears to be considering plans to invade Iran’s Kharg Island to pressure it to reopen the strait of Hormuz. The island holds 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports. The 82nd airborne division is specialised in flying into contested areas and securing them. Iran has warned that it will carpet-bomb its own territory to attack any US troops landing there, according to diplomats from a third country who passed the threat on to Washington. Iran believes that any landing party will have limited missile defences, spelling a bloodbath for US forces. “Iran says that they don’t care that they will have to blow up their own territory,” a diplomat involved said. “They will do it to kill American soldiers.” The speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, suggested “enemies” were planning to try to occupy Kharg Island with the help of a regional country. He said Iran would “attack vital infrastructure in that regional country in continuous and relentless attacks” if an invasion was attempted. An unnamed Iranian military official also said Iran would target shipping in the Red Sea if the US launched a ground invasion. The move would endanger shipping in another waterway crucial for global shipping and oil transport. “If the enemy attempts a ground operation on Iranian islands or anywhere else on our territory, or if it seeks to impose costs on Iran through naval manoeuvres in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, we will open other fronts as a surprise,” the Tasnim news agency quoted the official as saying. Pressure has been growing domestically for Trump to find an end to the war in Iran, as Iranian attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and the virtual blockade of the strait of Hormuz has sent prices soaring across much of the world. Oil prices fell after news of the 15-point plan broke on Wednesday, as investors hoped for an end to the biggest energy crisis in decades. About 59% of Americans say that the US war in Iran has “gone too far”, according to a new poll. Trump’s approval rating has dropped to an all-time low of 36% owing to the increase in fuel prices and the war in Iran, according to a poll by Reuters. Israel, by contrast, has sought to keep fighting as it tries to degrade the Iranian regime further. Israeli officials were reportedly surprised by the US ceasefire plan. Israel continued to strike Iran on Wednesday, announcing the completion of several waves of airstrikes in Tehran, as well as the targeting of a submarine development centre in Isfahan. Iran responded in kind with ballistic missile launches targeting Israel, with missile sirens activating multiple times on Wednesday. It also targeted Arab Gulf states and Saudi Arabia said it had destroyed at least eight drones in the eastern part of the country where oil infrastructure is located. Israel continued to pound Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, as well as engaging in ground fighting with the group south of the Litani River. The Israeli army had been slowly advancing northwards despite fierce resistance, with soldiers posting videos in the previously contested towns of Taybeh and Khiam. Iran has told intermediaries Lebanon must be included in any ceasefire agreement, linking an end of the war to the halting of Israel’s offensive against Hezbollah. The UN secretary-general António Guterres meanwhile said “the Gaza model must not be replicated in Lebanon”, and called on Israel to cease its military operations and strikes and on Hezbollah to stop attacking Israel. Additional reporting by Saeed Shah in Islamabad

Mark Carney rebukes Air Canada chief over English-only crash message

Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has said a decision by Air Canada’s top executive to post an English-only message of condolence after a deadly crash in New York showed a “lack of judgment, a lack of compassion”. Amid growing calls for his resignation, the airline chief’s misstep has once again revived frustrations and fears over linguistic rights protections in the province of Quebec, where French is the only official language. Two pilots were killed in the crash late on Sunday, when a fire truck collided with an Air Canada Express flight landing at New York’s LaGuardia airport. The following day, the Air Canada CEO, Michael Rousseau, shared a four-minute condolence video online, saying he was deeply saddened by the loss of life and said the collision was a “very dark day” for Air Canada. It only included two French words – “bonjour” and “merci”. Rousseau does not speak French – a language spoken by both his mother and wife, and roughly 80% of the population of Quebec. When he assumed the job in 2021, he pledged to learn the language, but months later prompted angry protests when he addressed the Montreal chamber of commerce in English. On Wednesday, Air Canada, which is based in Montreal, said in a statement that Rousseau wanted to address “everyone affected by the tragedy, whether directly or indirectly”, himself. “He therefore recorded a message as a matter of priority before departing on a flight for the crash site. Despite his efforts, his ability to express himself in French does not allow him to convey such a sensitive message in that language as he would wish.” The video included French subtitles, and all available information was communicated in both official languages on the Air Canada website. But the explanation did not satisfy federal ministers, who have summoned him to the official languages committee to “explain himself” to lawmakers. “We proudly live in a bilingual country. There are two official languages here and Air Canada has a special responsibility whatever the situation to communicate whatever the situation in both official languages,” Carney said. “I am extremely disappointed by the message released by the CEO of Air Canada. It shows a lack of compassion, and we will be closely following his comments before the official languages committee as well as the comments coming from the board of Air Canada.” Canada’s languages commissioner usually receives 100 complaints about the airline each year. But as of Wednesday morning, the commissioner said it received nearly 800 complaints about the video. The two pilots killed in the collision were Antoine Forest from Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, and Mackenzie Gunther, a 2023 alumnus of Toronto’s Seneca Polytechnic. Mélanie Joly, the industry minister, joined the criticism, saying many of the victims and their families were francophones. “It is a question of moral leadership,” Joly said. “If he still doesn’t speak French today, it’s disrespectful to his employees and to his francophone customers, so yes, I think that if he doesn’t speak French, he should resign,” François Legault, the Quebec premier, told reporters. The federal Bloc Québécois leader, Yves-François Blanchet, said the Air Canada board should force him out. “He should leave. He should acknowledge the fact that he doesn’t have the requisite respect for Quebec society,” he said. “There is a limit to the number of insults that one is supposed to stand.” In the 1950s, company bosses in the province would speak only English to their workers – and often refuse to allow French to be spoken. Those dynamics helped spark the Quiet Revolution – the bloodless overthrow of Catholicism and the anglophone ruling classes in the province – and a Quebecers separatist movement. In recent years, Quebec’s nationalist government has passed laws to dramatically strengthen protections for the French language amid fears English is overtaking it, especially in large cities.

Italy’s tourism minister resigns amid turmoil from referendum failure

Italy’s embattled tourism minister has resigned, heeding a call to step down as the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, strives to restore credibility after a bruising defeat in a referendum that has thrown her far-right government into turmoil. The resignation on Wednesday of Daniela Santanchè, a prominent and brash member of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party, came after the prime minister took the unusual step of calling in a public statement for her to go. Italy’s constitution states that prime ministers can propose a government minister to the president, who in turn makes the appointment, but they do not have the power to unilaterally sack one. Meloni and the justice minister, Carlo Nordio, have rejected calls from some opposition leaders to themselves resign over the referendum on judicial reforms, which marked the first major political setback for the prime minister, who since coming to power in October 2022 has led one of the most stable governments in the history of the Italian republic. But since the results came in on Monday two justice ministry officials have fallen on their swords. Andrea Delmastro, the justice ministry undersecretary and a member of Brothers of Italy, resigned after it was revealed – days before the judiciary referendum – that he had held shares in a restaurant with links to the mafia. Giusi Bartolozzi, the chief of staff to Nordio, also resigned on Tuesday. Bartolozzi, who faces the possibility of being sent to trial over Italy’s release and repatriation last year of a Libyan general wanted for alleged war crimes, caused a furore during the referendum campaign by likening the judiciary to a “firing squad” that needed to be eliminated. Santanchè, who is involved in several legal proceedings over allegations of fraud and false accounting relating to her business activities, had until Wednesday afternoon resisted pressure to do the same. But, in a statement addressed to Meloni, Santanchè said she was quitting, adding she had been unwilling to resign immediately because she didn’t want to be made a “scapegoat” for the referendum defeat. “I have no problem saying: ‘I obey’ in doing what you ask,” she said, adding that she would not hide “a bit of bitterness” over the outcome of her ministerial career. Santanchè denies any wrongdoing in relation to the legal proceedings. Meloni, who travelled to Algeria on Wednesday for talks with leaders on boosting gas supplies from the north African country, has been urged by opposition parties to urgently address in parliament “the evident political crisis” embroiling her government. Italians turned out in force to reject amendments to the country’s post-fascism constitution that would have ushered in changes to how judges and prosecutors are recruited and governed, including separating their career paths, establishing two governing councils selected by lottery, and creating a court to handle disciplinary matters. Meloni’s government said the reforms were essential for impartiality, to weed out what she called the leftwing political “factions” ruling the judiciary. Opponents said the proposals were a highly partisan project that would weaken the power and independence of judges and prosecutors. In reaction to the defeat, Meloni said her government would “move forward, as we always have done, with responsibility, determination and respect towards the Italian people and Italy”. But the credibility of her leadership is being tested ahead of general elections in 2027. Italian prime ministers usually pressure ministers to resign behind the scenes rather than making public statements. Santanchè, known for her brash style, has been under investigation since 2023 and until the referendum fallout had enjoyed the support of Meloni despite persistent calls from the opposition to resign. The prime minister’s unusual move this week revealed her newfound weakness, said analysts. “In the history of the Italian republic, I don’t believe a prime minister has ever been forced to admit their political impotence with a press release,” said Enrico Borghi, a politician with the centrist Italia Viva party. “This clearly shows that, beneath the surface, there are tensions and rather significant clashes within [the ruling coalition].” Borghi added: “We have gone from the narrative of the strongest prime minister in Europe and the one who created a bridge between Brussels and Washington, to the prime minister who cannot even get rid of an overwhelming presence within their executive.” The outcome of the referendum generated a record turnout and has galvanised the opposition, which is seeking to build a credible challenge to Meloni in time for the next general election. Elly Schlein, the leader of the Democratic party, which in recent recent years has gained significant wins in regional elections as part of the “large camp” alliance including the Five Star Movement, said the referendum turnout marked “a splendid” moment for Italian democracy. “With such a high turnout, there was a clear political message that the Meloni government must listen to and reflect upon,” she told reporters at Rome’s foreign press association. “She must start dealing with the real priorities for Italians, such as health, education and jobs.” Analysts say that while Meloni might be tempted to cut her losses and seek a new mandate through early elections, she is unlikely to do so given the war in the Middle East and economic pressures. “Our base case therefore shifts to elections in the first half of 2027, with a rising probability that the next parliament proves fragmented, if not outright hung,” said Francesco Galietti, the founder of Policy Sonar, a political consultancy in Rome.

Frederiksen to lead talks on forming new Danish government – as it happened

… and on that note, it’s a wrap for today! Social Democrat leader Mette Frederiksen has been tasked with leading talks to find a majority in the next Danish parliament, the first attempt to form a new government after last night’s election (16:39, 17:22). Frederiksen’s Social Democrats came first in last night’s parliamentary election, but both her leftwing bloc and the opposing rightwing parties failed to obtain a parliamentary majority. She will now lead the exploratory talks with the Green Left, and the Danish Social Liberal Party, and two other parties, which potentially could get her up to 84 votes in the next parliament, still short of 90 required for majority (17:37). The process is likely to take weeks and the outcome is far from guaranteed as getting other parties to join would require significant manifesto concessions or put at risk the support of other groups (11:23, 13:24, 16:20). Earlier today, Frederiksen stressed the urgency of the task to form the new government, as “the world is not waiting for us out there and it has only become more unsettled since the election was called” (11:23). The government formation process was formally triggered by Frederiksen’s resignation this morning. She will continue in post until the new government is confirmed (10:55). If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com. I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.

‘We want peace’: Iranians try to maintain semblance of normal life as conflict drags on

The days after Nowruz, the Persian New Year, are usually a bustling time in Tehran, with spring arriving, trees blossoming, businesses reopening after the holidays, and people returning to work and school. This year, however, Iranians are trying to maintain a semblance of ordinary life against the constant backdrop of explosions, airstrikes – and a conflict many fear may drag on for weeks or months. “More and more, people are starting to normalise this war,” said Farhad, a photography editor in Tehran. “It’s difficult, but we’re adapting and trying to return to our daily lives as much as possible. There’s no alternative. We’re tired. We just want peace.” Explosions lit up the city’s skyline overnight on Wednesday as Israel launched fresh airstrikes, but by the morning, joggers were exercising again in the sprawling Pardisan Park. Schools and universities remain closed since the start of the war, but shops, restaurants and cafes are slowly reopening. Aylar, a 39-year-old human rights worker who spent the first weeks of the war sheltering in her apartment with her cats, said that she had paid for an expensive VPN to try to circumvent the internet blackout imposed by Iranian authorities so she can talk to relatives abroad. “On the same day, I also went for coffee and chocolate cake with friends on what felt like a sunny spring day. These conflicting realities are bizarre,” she said. Iran’s official death toll has frozen at around 1,500 for days, but the real figure may be more than 3,000, with many more injured, according to the Iranian Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been tracking attacks and casualties across the country. And while many Iranians have managed to stay in their homes away from attacks, others have found themselves dangerously close to the violence. Azadeh, a 46-year-old researcher and cinematographer who returned to Iran after finishing her PhD in Turkey, said she was outside with her pregnant sister when a strike hit. “It was just 200 metres from us. I held her tightly in my arms to protect her from shrapnel and in that moment, I felt so helpless,” she said from her home in Tehran. “Every time I hear the sound of an explosion, I feel fear. But I also feel such a responsibility towards my family, my sister and my elderly grandmother. I want to protect them from this war. Since the attack, I’ve lived in constant fear.” With schools and universities still closed, many international students have chosen to leave Iran for the time being. “There’s been a huge exodus,” said Hasina, a 26-year-old Afghan medical student, who undertook a train and bus journey from Tehran back to Afghanistan to wait out the war. “It was sad and scary to leave, and it was difficult to return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. At the border, many of us women got into trouble with the Taliban because we arrived without a male guardian. I hope to be back in Iran soon,” she said from the western Afgahanistan city of Herat, near the Iranian border, adding that being with her family there was, for now, still better than “hiding from bombs in Tehran”. For many Iranians the future is uncertain. Some voiced concerns that without significant political change, the conflict could become a recurring reality. “We went through the 12-day war with Israel last year, and now we’re under attack again,” said Abbas, a 41-year-old man in Tehran. “I worry this could become a pattern.” That uncertainty is further compounded by deep divisions within society, and Tehran remains polarised. Most Iranians, regardless of their political affiliation, oppose the war but some have welcomed it, seeing the violence as the best chance for the fall of the Islamic Republic. In the hours after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was announced, some Tehranis climbed onto their roofs in spontaneous scenes of celebration, shouting “azadi” (freedom) into the night, while elsewhere, government supporters gathered in the streets to mourn, holding vigils and reciting prayers. But as attacks across the country have intensified, pro-government supporters have gathered on streets and in public squares every evening, chanting “God is great, Khamenei is the leader” and “death to America, death to Israel”. “Our society is divided. Some believe this war could lead to a free, democratic government backed by the US, while others dismiss this, pointing to the failures of the US across the region,” said Farhad. “At the same time, many are suffering and being killed. Why aren’t there anti-war protests in the US? It seems that nobody cares.”

UK drivers: are fuel price increases making you cut back?

We’d like to speak to people in the UK who are cutting back on fuel use after the increase in petrol and diesel prices linked to the war in Iran. Are you taking fewer journeys or using alternative modes of transport? Are you still travelling to work the same number of days a week? Have you cited fuel costs as a reason to work from home? If you drive a vehicle as a job, how much have you seen your typical fuel bill increase by? And are there ways that you can conserve fuel, such as planning routes more carefully? If you are a business owner with a fleet of vehicles, how are you managing your costs? We’d like to hear from you. If you’re having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.

Skeleton of Three Musketeers hero d’Artagnan may have been found

More than three-and-a-half centuries after a musket ball to the throat put an end to decades of exemplary swashbuckling, the French soldier who inspired Alexandre Dumas and went on to be immortalised on the stage and screen – not to mention as a plucky cartoon dog – may rise again. Workers repairing a church in the Dutch city of Maastricht have discovered a skeleton that could belong to the 17th-century Gascon nobleman Charles de Batz-Castelmore – better known as d’Artagnan – whose exploits led Dumas to make him the hero of the Three Musketeers. The real-life d’Artagnan was a spy and musketeer for King Louis XIV who died during the siege of Maastricht in 1673. Three hundred and fifty-three years later, the longstanding mystery of where the warrior came to be buried may finally have been solved, thanks to a set of bones found under a collapsed church floor. Wim Dijkman, a retired archaeologist from Maastricht who has spent 28 years searching for the musketeer’s final resting place, was called to the Church of St Peter and St Paul in the Wolder district of the city after the deacon told him a skeleton had turned up. “A section of the floor in the church had subsided, and during the repair work, we discovered a skeleton,” Deacon Jos Valke told the local L1 Nieuws broadcaster. “I immediately called Wim because he has been working on d’Artagnan for more than 20 years.” Valke said several clues pointed to the skeleton belonging to the famous musketeer. “He lay buried under the altar in consecrated ground,” he said. “There was a French coin from that time in the grave. And the bullet that killed him was lying at chest level, exactly as described in the history books. The indications are very strong.” The skeleton has been removed from the church and is now in an archaeological institute in Deventer. A DNA sample taken from the skeleton on 13 March is being analysed in a laboratory in Munich. It will then be tested alongside DNA samples provided by descendants of d’Artagnan’s father to determine whether there is a match. Dijkman said that while he understood the news value of the possible discovery, he was anxiously waiting for the lab results. “It is an incredibly exciting story, after all,” he told L1 Nieuws. “This is about the most famous and well-known person linked to Maastricht. [But] I’m always very cautious, I’m a scientist.” Interest in the potential discovery is certainly not limited to Maastricht. Dijkman said: “All kinds of analyses and investigations are under way both domestically and abroad. It has truly turned into a top-level investigation. We want to be absolutely certain that it is d’Artagnan.” The soldier achieved huge posthumous fame after Dumas published the Three Musketeers in 1844. Dumas had taken inspiration from an earlier book on the musketeer, Mémoires de M. d’Artagnan, which was written in 1700 by the French soldier and writer Gatien de Courtilz de Sandras. Dumas’s book has been adapted for the screen numerous times over the past century, with d’Artagnan being played by actors including Douglas Fairbanks, Michael York, Chris O’Donnell, Logan Lerman and François Civil. The character was also reimagined as the eponymous, sword-wielding beagle in the early 1980s animated series Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds. Agence France-Presse contributed to this report