海角大神

U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 appeal to China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others to send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz 鈥渙pen and safe鈥� brought no commitments on Sunday as oil prices soar during the Iran war.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told NBC he has been 鈥渋n dialogue鈥� with some of the countries, and said he expected China 鈥渨ill be a constructive partner鈥� in reopening the strait through which one-fifth of global oil exports normally pass.

Iran鈥檚 foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, told CBS that Tehran has been 鈥渁pproached by a number of countries鈥� seeking safe passage for their vessels, 鈥渁nd this is up to our military to decide.鈥� He said a group of vessels from 鈥渄ifferent countries鈥� had been allowed to pass, without providing details.

Iran has said the strait is open to all except the United States and its allies.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 see any reason why we should talk with Americans鈥� about finding a way to end the war, Mr. Araghchi added, noting that Israel and the U.S. started the fighting with coordinated attacks on Feb. 28 during indirect U.S.-Iran talks. The talks focused on Iran鈥檚 nuclear program, and Mr. Araghchi said Tehran had 鈥渘o plan to recover鈥� enriched uranium that is under rubble following U.S. and Israeli attacks last year.

Countries cautious on Trump鈥檚 call

鈥淲e are intensively looking with our allies at what can be done, because it鈥檚 so important that we get the strait reopened,鈥� U.K. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told Sky News, adding that ending the war is the 鈥渂est and surest鈥� way to do it.

South Korea鈥檚 Foreign Ministry said it 鈥渢akes note鈥� of Trump鈥檚 call and that it 鈥渨ill closely coordinate and carefully review鈥� the situation with the U.S.

Expectations are high that Trump will ask Japan directly when Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets him on Thursday at the White House.

There was no immediate response from China.

France previously said it is working with countries 鈥� President Emmanuel Macron mentioned partners in Europe, India, and other Asian ones 鈥� on a possible international mission to escort ships through the strait but has stressed it must be when 鈥渢he circumstances permit,鈥� when fighting has subsided.

Meanwhile, emergency oil stocks 鈥渨ill soon start flowing to global markets,鈥� the International Energy Agency said Sunday, describing the collective action to lower prices 鈥渂y far the largest ever.鈥�

It updated last week鈥檚 announcement of 400 million barrels to nearly 412 million. Asian member countries plan to release stocks 鈥渋mmediately,鈥� and reserves from Europe and the Americas will be released 鈥渇rom the end of March.鈥�

More missile and drone attacks are reported

Gulf Arab states reported new missile and drone attacks a day after Iran called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates 鈥� the first time it has threatened a neighboring country鈥檚 non-U.S. assets. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE said they were working to intercept projectiles.

Iran has accused the U.S. of launching Friday鈥檚 strikes on Kharg Island, home to Iran鈥檚 primary oil terminal, from the UAE, without providing evidence.

U.S. Central Command said it had no response to Iran鈥檚 claim, and Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, rejected it. Gulf countries that host U.S. bases have denied allowing their land or airspace to be used for military operations against Iran.

Iran has threatened to attack the region鈥檚 U.S.-linked 鈥渙il, economic and energy infrastructures鈥� if the Islamic Republic鈥檚 oil infrastructure is hit.

Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman during the war, causing significant damage and rattling economies even as most are intercepted. Tehran says it targets U.S. assets, even as Iranian strikes are reported at civilian sites such as airports and oil fields.

War鈥檚 toll mounts across the region

Iranian strikes have killed at least a dozen civilians in Gulf countries, most of them migrant workers.

In Iran, the International Committee for the Red Cross said more than 1,300 people have been killed. Iran鈥檚 Health Ministry said 223 women and 202 children are among the dead, according to Mizan, the judiciary鈥檚 official news agency.

Iran鈥檚 government on Sunday showed journalists buildings damaged by strikes in Tehran on Friday. A police station was hit and surrounding buildings were damaged. Some apartments鈥� outer walls had been stripped away.

鈥淕od had mercy on all of us,鈥� said Elham Movagghari, a resident.

In Israel, 12 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire and more have been injured, including three on Sunday. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed, six in a plane crash in Iraq last week.

At least 820 people have been killed in Lebanon, according to its Health Ministry, since Iran-backed Hezbollah started hitting Israel and Israel responded with strikes and sent additional troops into southern Lebanon.

Rain deepens misery in Lebanon

In just 10 days, more than 800,000 people 鈥� nearly one out of every seven residents of Lebanon 鈥� have been displaced, just over a year since the last conflict uprooted over a million Lebanese.

In Beirut, displaced families fixed tents battered by wind and rain. Fadi Younes, displaced from the southern suburbs, told The Associated Press that his mattresses and blankets were soaked.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 know where this will end,鈥� he said.

In the southern suburb of Haret Hreik, there was scarcely a person in sight when crews arrived to clear the streets of rubble.

More Iranian missile strikes hit Israel

Israel said it continued to strike Iran. Iran fired missiles toward Israel.

Several strikes hit central Israel and the Tel Aviv area, where they caused damage at 23 sites and sparked a small fire. Magen David Adom, Israel鈥檚 rescue service, released video showing a large crater in a street and shrapnel damage to an apartment building.

Multi-site impacts have become a hallmark of the war, as Israel鈥檚 military says Iran is firing cluster bombs that can evade some air defenses and scatter submunitions across multiple locations.

This story was reported by the Associated Press.

Correction: This version corrects to say Mr. Araghchi was speaking to CBS, not NBC as previously reported.

Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank, and Frankel from Jerusalem. Associated Press journalists Sally Abou AlJoud and Fadi Tawil in Beirut, John Leicester in Paris and Tia Goldenberg in Washington contributed to this report.