ISRAEL threatened today to “escalate and expand” its attacks on Iran, even though US President Donald Trump claimed the night before that supposed talks on ending the war were going well and gave Tehran more time to open the Strait of Hormuz. 

Tehran insists that no such talks are taking place.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that “attacks in Iran will escalate and expand to additional targets and areas that assist the regime in building and operating weapons against Israeli citizens.”

Iran showed no sign of backing away from defending itself against the illegal and unprovoked war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

With the global economy reeling from the confict’s impact, Mr Trump is under growing pressure to end Iran’s chokehold on the strait, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil is usually shipped.

Meanwhile, some 2,500 marines, and at least 1,000 paratroopers, trained to land in hostile territory to secure key positions and airfields, have been ordered to the Middle East.

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington had delivered a 15-point “action list” to Iran for a possible ceasefire, using Pakistan as an intermediary. 

It proposes restricting Iran’s nuclear programme and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran insists the channel is open to everyone except the US, Israel and their allies, although a fee must now be paid to pass through.

The Iranian government swiftly rejected the US offer and presented its own five-point proposal that included payment of reparations by the aggressor nations and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the strait.

Mr Trump has threatened that if Iran doesn’t reopen the strait to all traffic by April 6, he will order the destruction of Iran’s energy plants. 

He claimed on Thursday that talks on ending the conflict were going “very well.” 

But Iran has continued to maintain it is not engaged in any negotiations with Washington.

Despite the massive bombardment by US and Israeli forces, the Iranian military has continued to hit back at targets inside Israel.

Reports of casualties and damage are tightly managed by the Israeli authorities, but social media footage shows that the Iranian strikes are probably inflicting significant blows.

According to official figures, 18 people have died in Israel, while over 1,900 have reportedly been killed in Iran. 

Israel’s military said it launched a massive wave of attacks today targeting sites “in the heart of Tehran,” where it claims, without evidence, that ballistic missiles and other weapons are being produced.