The Levant Files

  By Dr. Nikolaos Stelgias  In a remarkable display of diplomatic achievement, the United States, Israel, and Iran announced a ceasefire on Tuesday night that has already proven itself entirely indistinguishable from the conflict it was meant to end — at least if you happen to live in Lebanon. The good news arrived swiftly: US President Donald Trump announced the historic pause in hostilities, and the guns fell silent. Or rather, some of them did. In some places. Sort of. By Wednesday morning, the IDF had struck over 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites across Beirut and southern Lebanon in what it proudly described as its "largest coordinated wave of strikes" since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion. One can only imagine how the smaller waves must have felt. The strikes targeted Hezbollah headquarters, intelligence facilities, missile infrastructure, naval units, and the elite Radwan force — a comprehensive to-do list that, by any reasonable measure, suggests t...

While US and Israeli strikes continue to degrade Iran's military infrastructure, Tehran is quietly winning the battle that matters most — the psychological and civil arena — according to a sharp analytical piece published in the Israeli daily Maariv by reserve Lieutenant Colonel Amit Yagur. Yagur argues that the fundamental flaw in the Western approach to the conflict lies in its almost exclusive focus on the military domain. Washington, he writes, operates under the assumption that stripping Iran of its military capabilities will force the regime into submission. Israel, until recently, held a similar logic in Gaza and Lebanon, measuring success through strikes on senior figures and weapons depots. Iran, by contrast, has abandoned any pretense of military parity from the outset. The regime, Yagur contends, has accepted its military inferiority and is willing to absorb military losses in exchange for dominance in the arena where it has chosen to compete: the battle for perception a...

The Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran has issued a statement concerning what it describes as the United States’ acceptance of Iran’s conditions. The full text, rendered in polished formal English, is as follows: In its unjust, unlawful, and criminal war against the Iranian nation, the enemy has suffered an undeniable, historic, and crushing defeat. Through the sacrifice of the martyrs, the guidance of the leadership, the courage and dedication of Iran’s fighters on the front lines, and above all the historic, steadfast, and resolute presence of the Iranian people from the very first days of the war, Iran has achieved a major victory and compelled the United States to accept its ten-point plan. According to the statement, the United States has, in principle, committed itself to guaranteeing non-aggression, maintaining Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz, accepting uranium enrichment, lifting all primary and secondary sanctions, terminating all resolu...

A dramatic overnight agreement between Washington and Tehran has produced a fragile two-week ceasefire in the six-week-old US-Israel war on Iran, brokered through Pakistani mediation, even as missile exchanges continued across the region hours after the announcement and a bitter dispute erupted over whether Lebanon is included in the deal. US President Donald Trump announced the agreement late Tuesday, describing it as a "total and complete victory" and declaring it "a big day for world peace." Iran's Supreme National Security Council issued its own triumphalist statement, claiming the enemy had suffered "an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat" and that Washington had been compelled to accept Tehran's 10-point proposal as the basis for negotiations. Both sides, in other words, claimed to have won. The Ten-Point Framework At the heart of the agreement is Iran's 10-point ceasefire proposal, submitted to the US side through Pakistani intermed...

  Turkish authorities are investigating whether Tuesday’s attack outside the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul was carried out by Islamic State (ISIS) militants or by Iran-linked operatives, as competing lines of inquiry emerge following the incident. The attack took place around noon on Tuesday in the area outside the building that houses the Israeli Consulate. According to Turkish broadcaster NTV, three attackers were involved. One of them was killed after Turkish police opened fire, while the other two were arrested. Two Turkish police officers were also lightly injured during the incident, authorities said. The assault comes at a time of heightened security activity in Turkey. Before the attack, Turkish police had launched a new operation against an ISIS cell. In a separate development, Turkish security forces reportedly clashed for several hours with an ISIS-linked group in the Yalova district shortly before the Istanbul incident. Turkish sources who spoke to The Levant Files on c...

Iran's new supreme leader is said to be in severe condition and unable to participate in regime decision-making, according to a diplomatic memo cited by The Times. Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is reportedly unconscious and receiving medical treatment in the Shi'ite holy city of Qom, The Times reported Tuesday, citing a diplomatic memo said to be based on American and Israeli intelligence. The memo, republished by the Israeli The Jerusalem Post, allegedly describes Khamenei as being in severe condition and incapable of participating in regime decision-making. The claims have not been independently verified, but the document is said to have been shared with Gulf allies and represents the first official disclosure of Khamenei's whereabouts since the conflict began. Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the position of supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, in joint Israeli and American strikes on February 28. Though Iranian officials have continued to...

With U.S. President Donald Trump’s Tuesday 8:00 PM ET deadline looming for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a high-stakes diplomatic push led by Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt has intensified over the past 24 hours.  The three nations have delivered a two-phase ceasefire proposal to both Washington and Tehran, aiming to halt hostilities and reopen the vital waterway before further military escalation.  The plan, informally dubbed the “Islamabad Accord,” calls for an immediate 45-day ceasefire to allow time for negotiations toward a permanent resolution.  Under the framework, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately, with final in-person talks potentially hosted in Islamabad.  Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has been in continuous contact with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, serving as the sole communication channel in the indirect talks.  Iran Rejects Temporary Truce, ...

As of Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time (00:00 GMT Wednesday), President Donald Trump’s final deadline looms for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—or face what he has promised will be the “complete demolition” of its civilian infrastructure. With just hours remaining, the region remains in a state of high tension, marked by intense military exchanges, frantic diplomatic efforts, and severe global economic consequences.  ⚔️ Military Escalation: Strikes and Retaliation in the Final Hours In the last 12 hours, the conflict has intensified dramatically. Israel launched a major wave of airstrikes across Iran, including the capital, Tehran, targeting Sharif University of Technology, a facility sanctioned for its military research, and the Mahshahr Petrochemical Zone.  Iranian state media confirmed at least 25 people were killed, including Majid Khademi, the intelligence chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—a significant decapitation strike.  In ...

Nournews analysis pieces examine cascading consequences of potential U.S. military action and shifting energy geopolitics A potential U.S. military strike on Iranian power infrastructure would set off a chain reaction of retaliatory strikes, infrastructure collapse, and global economic disruption far beyond the Middle East, according to analyses published by Nournews, the Iranian state-affiliated outlet. Should Donald Trump's threats against Iranian power plants be carried out — a scenario many analysts still consider unlikely — Iran's deterrence logic would activate immediately, targeting and destroying Israeli and other regional power infrastructure in response, Nournews warns. The resulting cascading infrastructure crisis would trigger widespread blackouts and disruption across systems that modern societies depend on entirely — from hospitals and water networks to transport, communications, and urban security. The outlet frames electricity not as a commodity but as the found...