Israel-Hamas war latest: Iran rejects European leaders’ call to refrain from any retaliatory attacks

Iran rejected a call Tuesday by three European countries urging it to refrain from any retaliatory attacks that would further escalate regional tensions. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said the “provocative action” had shown that Israel has “no intention of reaching peace.” The ministry once again called on the international community to take action to stop the Israeli government’s “brutality.” On Tuesday, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined hundreds of mostly religious and ultra-nationalist Jews in visiting the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and encouraged prayer there. Earlier today, the army said its troops continue to operate in Khan Younis, where they “eliminated terrorists, including from Hamas’ rockets unit.” Israel’s military says Palestinian militants have fired 2 rockets from Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s military says Palestinian militants have fired two rockets from the Gaza Strip and one of them landed in the sea off central Israel. A statement by the prime minister’s office said “it is the government and the prime minister who determine policy on the Temple Mount.” Israeli minister Ben-Gvir visits flashpoint holy site as regional tensions soar JERUSALEM — Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site Tuesday, in a pilgrimage seen by Muslims as provocative as regional tensions soar. A Tuesday report by the official IRNA news agency said President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a late Monday phone conversation with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said that a punitive response to an aggressor is “a right of nations and a solution for stopping crimes and aggression.” Pezeshkian said that the West’s silence about “unprecedented inhumane crime” in Gaza and Israeli attacks elsewhere in the Middle East was “irresponsible” and encouraged Israel to put regional and global security at risk.