Israeli defense minister says US warplanes took off from Israeli bases to strike Iran

WASHINGTON, United States — JERUSALEM — Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said on Sunday that US warplanes taking part in strikes against Iran have been launching from Israeli bases. Speaking at a security conference broadcast by Israel’s Channel 14, Katz said Iranian forces had opened fire on everything in the region except Israel, adding that this was because the US aircraft were known to be taking off from Israeli airfields. The US air operations against Iran had been suspended since Friday, on the 13th day of renewed fighting that followed the collapse of an April ceasefire. Israel had not joined the latest escalation during the broader wave of US-Israeli strikes that began in late February. Katz reiterated that Israel would respond with full force to any fire directed at the country. US President Donald Trump said on Monday he expected positive results from talks with Iran, while Tehran denied that it was engaged in negotiations with Washington. Fighting between the two countries was suspended from Saturday at dawn after diplomatic efforts over maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz collapsed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Sunday to discuss, among other issues, maintaining a hardline stance toward Tehran over its nuclear program.