Tehran to receive Pakistan’s army chief, Oman’s foreign minister as Washington vows 'economic D-Day' against Iran

Washington to announce details of its 'financial offensive' against Iran today

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is due to hold a press conference Monday on how the United States plans to further increase economic pressure on Iran, nearly six months after the start of the war.

On Sunday, he said the United States would launch the “largest financial offensive ever” against Iran, calling it an “economic D-Day,” a reference to the name given to the Allied landings in Europe during World War II. According to Bessent, the United States is “entering the final phase” in its confrontation with Iran, with the Trump administration seeking to “cut off all the economic lifelines” allowing the Iranian regime to remain in power.

Bessent had already vowed last week that Washington would “bring down the Iranian regime” with the new sanctions, prompting a series of condemnations from Tehran. Washington has called on other governments, notably Beijing, to join efforts to isolate Iran’s economy. But China, a strategic economic partner of Iran, criticized the initiative, saying that U.S. “sanctions and pressure” would not resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

Among Iran’s major trading partners is also the United Arab Emirates, which announced Tuesday that it would suspend “all trade exchanges and financial transactions” with Iran until further notice.

Oman’s foreign minister to visit Tehran Tuesday, Pakistan’s army chief Monday

Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi will travel to Tehran on Tuesday to continue discussions between Iran and Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to Reuters.

On Sunday, Baghaei said that Pakistan’s army chief, who has acted as a mediator between the United States and Iran, would travel to Tehran on Monday.

Artillery fire hits Houla at dawn after tense night in southern Lebanon

The village of Houla, Marjayoun, came under Israeli artillery fire at dawn, our correspondent in southern Lebanon, Mountasser Abdallah, reports.

The night was preceded by several Israeli attacks, including demolitions in Majdal Zoun (Sour), Taybeh (Marjayoun) and Haddatha (Bint Jbeil), where houses were also set on fire; airstrikes on Qsayr (Marjayoun); artillery fire on the outskirts of Srebbine and Braasheet (Bint Jbeil) and Mayfadoun (Nabatieh); and machine-gun fire on Shihine (Sour).

In the Nabatieh region, where the Israeli military is particularly focused on the strategic Ali Taher ridge, the Israeli Air Force bombed a house near Dabsheh hill and the village of Dohat Kfar Roummane, which was also targeted with artillery fire.

The previous day, our correspondent reported, the Israeli Air Force carried out airstrikes on three villages; 12 others were targeted by artillery fire, including two with white phosphorus munitions; and four were targeted by drones. Demolitions were carried out in four villages, while houses were set on fire in a fifth.