US Hits Iran Amid Talks, Russia-Ukraine War Intensifies, Texas Primary Runoff

The United States launched new strikes on Iran. This as The US is also trying to negotiate an end to the war. We hear from Israel where the prime minister insists that his military campaign in Lebanon will continue. I'm Steve Inskeep with Leila Fadl, and this is up first from NPR News. Ukraine keeps hitting Russia's oil infrastructure. Russia responded over the weekend with heavy attacks on Kyiv. Ukraine says it needs more air defense systems, which are in short supply because of the war with Iran. And voters in Texas choose their Republican candidate for senate today. Incumbent senator John Cornyn says if president Trump's candidate, Ken Paxton, wins, it could benefit Democrats in the midterms. This would be their first chance they've had in thirty or forty years to pick up a statewide office. Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day. This is Eric Glass. On This American Life, one that we like is a good mystery. Sometimes about really big things, but most times, the little mysteries are the best. Our lost and found is currently filled with pants. I don't know I I I've never seen this happen. Wait. This is true? This is true. Mysteries of every size each week, This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts. The United States launched new attacks on Iran in the midst of a ceasefire. The US Central Command says it targeted missile launch sites and boats trying to lay mines. The US describes this strike as self defense while The US tries to negotiate an end of the war with Iran. President Trump raised expectations for peace with a claim over the weekend that an agreement was largely negotiated. Trump and other officials have since said they need more negotiation. Israeli officials have insisted they will continue attacking in one of the fronts of the war in Lebanon where there is also supposed to be a ceasefire. NPR's Daniel Estrin is following all of this from Tel Aviv and joins me now. Good morning, Daniel. Good morning, Leila. So what were these US attacks on Iran trying to achieve? US Central Command says it attacked targets including Iranian boats trying to place mines, and Iran named at least four navy officers killed. Iranian state TV also reported big explosions around the city on the Strait Of Hormuz. We know that Iran laid mines in the Strait Of Hormuz during the war, blocking oil and gas ships from passing through. And that's the main issue in these talks to reopen the Strait Of Hormuz. That's where a fifth of the world's oil and gas exports passed through before the war. So these new US attacks may be an attempt to pressure Iran on that. Iran says it shot down a US drone overnight. So we don't know how all of this will impact the talks, but we do know that trust between The US and Iran is very low. Yeah. …