Israel warns attacks on Iran 'will escalate' as Trump claims advances in ceasefire talks

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel threatened to “escalate and expand” its attacks on Iran on Friday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed talks on ending the war were going well and gave Tehran more time to open the Strait of Hormuz . Iran, meanwhile, gave no signs of backing down. With stock markets reeling and economic fallout from the war extending far beyond the Middle East, 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. Iran has rejected a 15-point U.S. proposal for a ceasefire that includes it relinquishing control of the strait, but at the same time has ordered thousands more troops to the region — possibly in preparation for a military attempt to wrest the waterway from Iran. Trump has said if Iran doesn't reopen the strait to all traffic by April 6, he will order the destruction of Iran’s energy plants. He said Thursday that talks on ending the conflict were going “very well.” Iran maintains it is not engaged in any negotiations. Israel targets Iran's

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