Israel kills 70 in Lebanon; Trump rejects Iran proposal; Putin says Ukraine war “coming to an end”

Key Points:

• Iran and the U.S. remain at an impasse over a fragile ceasefire, with Iran demanding an immediate end to the war, lifting of sanctions and blockades, and guarantees for regional security, while the U.S. rejects Tehran’s proposals as unacceptable.
• Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu insists the war with Iran is ongoing and demands the physical removal of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, asserting Israel’s military gains and regional dominance despite ongoing conflict.
• Britain and France are deploying naval forces near the Strait of Hormuz to protect shipping post-conflict, but Iran warns any foreign warship presence alongside U.S. forces will provoke a decisive military response.
• Israeli strikes in Gaza continue to cause casualties, including the killing of a police chief, amid ongoing violence and humanitarian concerns, while Israeli settlers escalate attacks and forced displacements in the occupied West Bank.
• U.S. President Trump plans a visit to Beijing in mid-May to discuss trade, technology, and the Iran war, marking the first U.S. presidential visit to China in nearly nine years, amid rising U.S. military reconnaissance flights near Cuba and escalating geopolitical tensions.