Middle East crisis live: Trump considering ‘winding down’ war as US eases sanctions on Iranian oil; Israel launches retaliatory strikes

Amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, former President Trump indicated he is considering scaling back U.S. military operations against Iran, potentially ending hostilities that began in late February. This comes as the U.S. has temporarily eased sanctions on Iranian oil shipments. Simultaneously, Israel launched retaliatory strikes in southern Syria, claiming it was responding to attacks against the Druze community in Sweida province. Saudi Arabia condemned Israel's actions as "aggression" and a violation of Syrian sovereignty, echoing Turkey's call for international intervention. Syria has denounced the Israeli strikes as an assault on its sovereignty, citing "flimsy pretexts."