Iranian state media reports two air defense personnel killed in Israeli strikes

Iranian state media said on Tuesday that two members of the country's air defense force were killed in Israeli strikes the day before, as both sides appeared to pause hostilities amid intensifying diplomatic efforts.

The personnel were identified as Seyed Bahman Hosseini and Alireza Abiri, with their funerals scheduled in Tehran on Tuesday evening. Their unit was reportedly stationed at an air defense base near Ahvaz in Khuzestan province.

Who were the two Iranian air defense personnel killed in the Israeli strikes?

The two men killed were Seyed Bahman Hosseini and Alireza Abiri, both members of Iran's army air defense force. Iranian state television said they died while defending the country's airspace during Monday's Israeli strikes. Their funerals were set to be held in Tehran on Tuesday evening, according to the Iranian army.

State television quoted the army as saying the two "attained martyrdom while carrying out their mission of defending the country's skies during yesterday's aggression by the Zionist regime."

No casualties were reported in Israel during the same exchange. Iran fired nearly 30 missiles at Israel during the latest escalation, according to the Israeli military, while Israeli forces struck military targets inside Iran.

What is the current status of Iran-Israel hostilities?

Both sides have since indicated that military operations are suspended for now. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the "fire on that front is contained," while Tehran announced it had halted military action. Both governments warned, however, that hostilities could resume if tensions escalate again.

The latest flare-up began after Iran launched missiles at Israel on Sunday, in response to Israeli strikes against Hezbollah positions in Beirut's southern suburbs. Israel retaliated despite reported efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to persuade Netanyahu to avoid further escalation.

What did Trump say about Iran-Israel peace negotiations?

Trump said Iran and Israel "were going back and forth and now they both agreed through me to stop," adding that talks were in "the final throes" of producing what he called a very good deal. He made the remarks upon returning from an NBA Finals game. When asked whether an agreement could come within days or weeks, Trump said he expected progress within "two or three days."

The latest confrontation followed weeks of negotiations stemming from U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28. Tehran has maintained that any durable agreement must include a ceasefire in Lebanon. Trump, who has reportedly grown frustrated with Netanyahu, earlier urged all sides to stop "shooting" and warned that final negotiations would proceed "subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way."

U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged on Monday that Washington and Israel did not always see eye to eye. "The Israelis and the United States, we have a lot of shared interests," Vance told Fox News. "But we also have some situations where our interests diverge."

Why is fighting continuing in Lebanon despite the pause?

Despite the apparent halt in direct Iran-Israel exchanges, fighting in Lebanon has continued. Israeli operations against Hezbollah have pressed on despite Tehran's calls for restraint. On Tuesday, Lebanese state media reported an Israeli strike on the southern city of Tyre after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning covering the entire city and surrounding areas for the first time.

The warning triggered an exodus of residents, including those from the city's Christian quarter, with heavy traffic reported on roads heading north. "For your safety, we ask you to immediately evacuate your homes and move north of the Zahrani River," Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X. Israel had alleged the previous week that Hezbollah fighters were operating in Tyre's Christian quarter and warned evacuations could follow if their presence continued.

Lebanon was drawn deeper into the conflict when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel on March 2, following the U.S.-Israeli killing of Iran's supreme leader. Israel responded with an extensive air and ground campaign that has killed nearly 3,600 people.

How have oil markets and regional infrastructure been affected?

Concerns had been mounting that the escalation could jeopardize the fragile regional truce in place since April 8 and undermine efforts to restore stability around the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass.

The conflict has already disrupted maritime traffic through the strait, while Washington has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports. In a sign of easing tensions, Iranian media reported that Tehran's international airport had reopened after a temporary closure during the missile exchanges, allowing flights carrying Hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to resume.

Trump also said two pilots escaped unharmed after a U.S. military helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz. The New York Times, citing two people briefed on the matter, said it remained unclear whether the Apache helicopter had been shot down, suffered a mechanical failure, or encountered another problem.

On Tuesday, Israel's military said it intercepted an aerial target launched from Yemen. No injuries were reported. Separately, the heads of the Pakistani and Lebanese armed forces met in Pakistan and agreed to strengthen military cooperation as regional peace efforts continued.