News Wrap: Iran rejects calls to refrain from retaliatory strikes on Israel

In our news wrap Tuesday, Iran rejected a call from European leaders to refrain from retaliatory strikes on Israel, Ukraine’s army chief says his troops have won control of more Russian territory, Tropical Storm Ernesto lashed the northeastern Caribbean with heavy rain and wind and a grand jury in Ohio indicted police officer on murder charges in the death of a 21-year-old pregnant Black woman.

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Amna Nawaz: We start the day’s other headlines in the Middle East.

Iran has rejected a call from European leaders to refrain from retaliatory strikes on Israel, calling it a — quote — “excessive request.” The region is bracing for such an attack following the death last month of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which Iran blames on Israel.

In Washington today, a State Department spokesperson said that — quote — “No one benefits from any kind of retaliation,” adding that all parties should exercise restraint.

Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy State Department Spokesperson: Everyone in the region should understand that further attacks only perpetuate conflict, instability and insecurity for everyone. And so what we’re focused on is intensively on de-escalation through diplomacy.

Amna Nawaz: In the meantime, the U.S. has approved the sale of $20 billion worth of arms to Israel, including fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles. But the weapons are not expected to get to Israel any time soon, as they’re tied up in contracts that can take years to fulfill.

Ukraine’s army chief says his troops have won control of another 15 square miles of Russian territory in just the past day. Ukraine now claims to control 74 communities in the Kursk region following last week’s surprise incursion.

But Russia says it’s fighting back, releasing this unverified video of an alleged counteroffensive to stop Ukraine’s advances. Ukraine’s largest cross-border raid since the war began has forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate the area.

In Kyiv, a Foreign Ministry official stressed that the goal of the operation is not occupation.

Heorhii Tykhyi, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Spokesman (through interpreter): Unlike Russia, Ukraine does not need other people’s property. Ukraine is not interested in taking the territory of the Kursk region.

Amna Nawaz: He goes on to say that Ukraine’s offensive is instead aimed at preventing Russia from carrying out long-range strikes launched from the Kursk region back into Ukraine.

Tropical Storm Ernesto lashed the Northeast Caribbean today with heavy rain and wind. It’s now expected to head north of Puerto Rico, where officials have closed schools and activated the National Guard. Forecasters are warning of up to eight inches of rain there with possible flooding and landslides. Ernesto is the fifth named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.

It’s predicted to gain hurricane strength early tomorrow, but is not currently on track to hit the Southeastern U.S.

A grand jury in Ohio indicted police officer Connor Grubb today on charges including murder in the death of a 21-year-old pregnant Black woman. Grubb and another officer approached Ta’Kiya Young’s car in a store parking lot last August after she was suspected of shoplifting. The other officer ordered her to exit the car.

Instead, Young rolled her vehicle forward and Grubb fired one bullet through the windshield, hitting her in the chest and killing her. Young’s unborn daughter also died. Grubb is due to be arraigned in court tomorrow.

A former Kansas police chief who led a raid last year on a weekly newspaper has been charged with felony obstruction of justice. The single charge against Gideon Cody relates to accusations that he asked a business owner who was a potential witness to delete texts between them. Cody justified the raid on Marion County Record by saying police were investigating whether the paper committed identity theft and illegally accessed information in reporting a story.

It sparked national outrage as an assault on press freedom. Prosecutors later concluded no crime was ever committed by the paper’s publisher or staff.

On Wall Street today, stocks jumped after a report on producer prices fueled hopes for a rate cut next month. The Dow Jones industrial average added more than 400 points on the day. The Nasdaq rose more than 400 points as well, or nearly 2.5 percent. The S&P 500 also saw strong gains.