Air strikes batter Tehran as Trump claims Iran 'agreed they will never have nuclear weapons'

Thousands more US marines on their way to the Gulf amid intense barrages from both sides

Missiles launched from Iran streak across the sky over central Israel early on Tuesday, March 24. Picture: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP

Air strikes have battered Iran's capital and Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel's Tel Aviv and sites across the Middle East, even as president Donald Trump said the US was in talks with the Islamic Republic to end the war.

With thousands more US marines on their way to the Gulf, both sides firing intense barrages, and Iran denying any negotiations are taking place, the war's tempo remained high a day after Mr Trump delayed his self-imposed deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.