Trump urges Iran to negotiate end to war or face further assassinations

Tehran denies it is ‘begging to make a deal’ and continues strikes across swathe of Middle East

• Middle East crisis – live updates

Donald Trump has urged Iranian leaders to negotiate an end to the near-month-long war or face further assassinations of senior officials amid intensified military action by the US and Israel.

The latest threat on Thursday came as Israel said it had had “blown up and eliminated” the Revolutionary Guards’ naval commander, Alireza Tangsiri, and several senior officers in a strike on the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.