on Sunday with no end in sight. It came as mediator Pakistan delivered a message to Iran's supreme leader, following weeks of indirect talks marked by tit-for-tat threats and sporadic exchanges of fire. Efforts to turn a ceasefire into a lasting settlement have repeatedly stalled, while the war has rattled global markets and increased pressure on US President Donald Trump at home ahead of midterm elections. But there were signs of fresh diplomatic efforts over the weekend with Pakistan's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi visiting Tehran. Naqvi said upon his arrival Saturday that he would deliver a "special letter" from Pakistan's army chief to Iran's Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, and a message from the prime minister "regarding the current situation", according to Iranian state television. Pakistan's military leader Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has played a key role in mediating talks between Iran and the US, following a single round of direct negotiations in Islamabad. "I think it's a very important message," said Naqvi, a frequent visitor to Iran. His trip came as US Central Command said it destroyed two Iranian drones "that threatened international maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz", hours after announcing it struck four other drones and coastal surveillance radar sites.

Iran fired missiles at US allies Bahrain and Kuwait, escalating tensions and pressuring the fragile April 8 ceasefire. Iran's foreign ministry denounced US strikes as violations, while military adviser Mohsen Rezaei said US negotiations are at a "deadlock" and demanded the release of USD 24 billion in frozen Iranian assets. The US may instead use those funds to compensate Gulf allies for Iranian damage. Meanwhile, Lebanon's army chief sought talks in Pakistan as Beirut seeks to end the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Lebanon was drawn into the war when Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2. Iran insists Lebanon and Gulf conflicts are linked. An Israeli strike killed three Lebanese soldiers and two women, wounding 22 more. Israel said it's "reviewing the incident." Hezbollah rejected a new conditional truce. Israel intercepted two projectiles from Lebanon on Sunday. (Bssnews)