Trump rejects Iran's peace proposal as Israeli navy raids Sumud Flotilla and Centcom briefs new strike options

President Donald Trump rejected Iran's latest peace proposal on Wednesday and signalled the United States will keep its naval blockade of Iranian ports in place until Tehran agrees to a nuclear deal, Axios reported. Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad pushed back that the blockade had not affected Iranian fuel supply or distribution. Trump told reporters separately that Russian President Vladimir Putin had offered to help on the question of Iran's enriched uranium.

Overnight the Israeli navy launched what Middle East Eye described as a 'violent raid' against vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters off Crete, leaving 'hundreds of participants stranded' on what the Flotilla called 'powerless, broken' boats. The Flotilla warned that an approaching storm further threatened lives onboard.

On the northern front, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said publicly that 'there is no ceasefire' with Lebanon, with the Israeli military continuing demolitions and strikes across the border.

Trump is expected on Thursday to receive a Situation Room briefing on new Iran strike options from Centcom commander Adm. Brad Cooper. Per Axios, options under discussion include a wave of strikes against Iran, a possible ground invasion, and a special-forces operation to secure Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.

Inside Israel, ultra-Orthodox Jewish demonstrators staged protests against military conscription, and police used stun grenades to disperse crowds in Jerusalem.