Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Trump says making final decision on Iran deal

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Israel carried out attack against Hamas' new armed wing chief: Netanyahu

Israel said it had attacked Hamas’ new armed wing chief, who it said was appointed ⁠just days earlier after Israel killed his predecessor, as ⁠it steps up military pressure in ‌Gaza and expands ground operations ​in Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement the military had struck Mohammad Odeh, whom he described as Hamas' new armed wing chief in Gaza. (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Sirens sound in several areas in northern Israel: Israeli military

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Israel, Hezbollah clash along strategic Lebanese river after overnight strikes

Israel's military clashed with the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group on Tuesday along a strategic river in southern Lebanon as Israeli troops pushed farther north, days ahead of talks in Washington between Lebanese and Israeli delegations.

A US-brokered ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict appeared more nominal by the day, complicating efforts at a broader peace in the Iran war as Tehran wants an agreement to include an end to the fighting in Lebanon.

The Litani river has been a de-facto boundary in Lebanon, with large areas to the south under Israeli military control despite the ceasefire that has been in place for over a month.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said after meeting with his defence minister and senior military officials that Israel will expand its operations in Lebanon. (AP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Trump gathers Cabinet as he looks to seal deal to end war that some backers worry will embolden Iran

President Donald Trump will meet with his Cabinet on Wednesday at a precarious moment for talks aimed at ending the war with Iran, just days after insisting that his administration and Tehran had "largely negotiated" a settlement but with the negotiations still in a state of flux.

As he prepares to huddle with his top aides, Trump is projecting confidence that he's closing in on a deal that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz and provide him a credible argument that Iran's nuclear capability has been diminished enough to declare victory, winding down a conflict that's been politically unpopular for Republicans.

But as things stand, Trump also risks finding closure to his war of choice comes with an unsatisfactory ending.

The emerging deal puts off many critical issues to be resolved later and has already exposed the president to fierce criticism - even from some of his own supporters - that Iran's hardline leaders will emerge from the conflict battered but emboldened. (AP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Israel says killed new chief of Hamas armed wing in Gaza strike

Israel said on Wednesday it had killed the new head of Hamas's armed wing in Gaza, Mohammed Odeh, in a strike the day before, days after killing his predecessor in a similar attack.

In a post on X, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the "commander of the armed wing of the Hamas terrorist organisation in Gaza was eliminated yesterday and sent to meet his associates in the depths of hell". Hamas has not yet commented. (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran Guards official says 'low' possibility of renewed war with US

An Iranian Revolutionary Guards official said on Wednesday that renewed war with the United States was unlikely but warned that Iran stood ready against any attack.

"The possibility of war is low because of the enemy's weakness, the armed forces are lying in wait with full magazines," said Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy political chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying.

"Do not doubt that we will turn the area from Chabahar to Mahshahr into a graveyard for aggressors," he said, naming places at each end of Iran's lengthy southern coast. (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | South Korea says attack on ship in Strait of Hormuz likely involved an Iranian missile (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran says US, Israel goal still to overthrow Islamic republic

Iran's intelligence ministry said on Wednesday that the goal of the United States and Israel remained to overthrow the Islamic republic and break up the country.

"The enemy is now pursuing through other means the objective of overthrowing and partitioning the country, which it openly declared at the beginning of the recent war but failed to achieve through military attack," the ministry said in a statement carried by Iranian media.

The remarks come amid exchanges between Tehran and Washington to draw up an agreement to end the war which broke out on February 28 and engulfed the Middle East.

The ministry said it received intelligence that the US and Israel would seek to "intensify economic pressure", create divisions in the country among religious and ethnic groups and carry out sabotage and other "terrorist operations". (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Passage of hostile countries' vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is still prohibited: Iran

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran says draft US deal would reopen Hormuz shipping, end naval blockade

Iran's state TV said ⁠Tehran had obtained ⁠a draft ‌of ​an initial unofficial framework for a memorandum ​of ⁠understanding with the United States.

Under the ⁠framework, ‌Iran would restore commercial ‌shipping through the ⁠Strait of Hormuz to ‌pre-war ‌levels within a ‌month, while ‌the United States would withdraw ⁠military ⁠forces from Iran's vicinity and lift a naval blockade. (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | MoU released by Iran complete fabrication, says US

The White ⁠House on Wednesday ⁠said ‌a ​report from Iran's state ​TV ⁠citing a draft of an ⁠initial, ‌unofficial framework for ‌a ⁠memorandum of understanding between ‌Iran ‌and the ‌United ‌States was "not true" and that ⁠the ⁠cited memorandum was "a complete fabrication."

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran would not get sanctions relief in exchange for giving up highly enriched uranium: Trump (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | White House says negotiations with Iran proceeding nicely

White ⁠House spokeswoman Olivia ⁠Wales ‌on ​Wednesday said that ​negotiations ⁠with Iran were proceeding nicely, ⁠adding ‌that U.S. ‌President ⁠Donald Trump has made ‌his ‌red lines ‌clear. (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | The Strait has to be open to everybody, nobody can control it: Trump

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Israeli military tells residents across southern Lebanon to leave as it expands its operations there

The Israeli military on Wednesday told residents across southern Lebanon to leave as it expands its operations there, saying in a statement that the military will "work with extreme force" against Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | In framework deal with Iran, Strait of Hormuz would open immediately: Trump

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iranian media says three explosions heard east of Bandar Abbas

Three explosions were ⁠heard east ⁠of the Iranian ‌port ​city of Bandar Abbas ​at around ⁠1:30 a.m. local time, Iranian ⁠media ‌reported early on ‌Thursday, ⁠adding that air defences were ‌activated ‌for several ‌minutes ‌and that authorities were following ⁠up ⁠to determine the origin of the sounds. 

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | US carries out new strikes in Iran against military site, official says

The U.S. military carried out new strikes overnight in ⁠Iran targeting a military site that officials believed ⁠posed a threat to U.S. ‌forces and commercial maritime ​traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official said.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran 'negotiating on fumes', Trump warns, US carries out new strikes

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | US Treasury sanctions Iran authorities overseeing Strait of Hormuz

The United States Treasury announced sanctions Wednesday against Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority, Tehran's new agency that collects fees for traveling through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

"The Iranian military's latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Sirens sounded in Kuwait, state news agency says

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran forces fired at 4 ships attempting to cross Hormuz: state broadcaster

Iranian forces fired at four ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, state broadcaster IRIB reported on Thursday, the same day Washington carried out fresh strikes on southern Iran. (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran Guards say targeted US base in retaliation for strikes

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards targeted an American base on Thursday in retaliation for US strikes on the country's south, Iran's state broadcaster IRIB reported. (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Sirens sounded in Kuwait, army says air defences responding to missile, drone attacks

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran and US trade air strikes after Trump dismisses report of Hormuz deal

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran and US trade air strikes after Trump dismisses report of Hormuz deal

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said on Thursday it targeted a US airbase after the US military carried out what a Washington official said were strikes targeting an Iranian ⁠drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, hours after President Donald Trump rejected a report he was close to a compromise deal with Tehran. (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran's IRGC say they targeted US airbase after strike near Bandar Abbas

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Any further US attacks would trigger 'more decisive' response: Iran's IRGC

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Israeli strikes kill at least 8 in Lebanon's fourth largest city ahead of Washington talks

The Israeli military early Thursday pounded Lebanon's fourth largest city, killing at least eight people in its ongoing military escalation against the Hezbollah group ahead of crucial talks in Washington.

Several others were injured in the strikes, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency. (AP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran condemns US ceasefire 'violations' after strikes in south (AFP)

US, Iran trade strikes in most serious clash since truce began

The United States and Iran traded strikes on Thursday in their most serious clash since an April ceasefire began, rattling ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the war and open the vital Strait of Hormuz.

The latest exchange also drew in US ally Kuwait, which said it was responding to incoming fire, and came as violence on the war's Lebanese front escalated sharply after Israel declared much of the country's south a combat zone.

Iranian forces fired at four ships attempting to cross Hormuz, according to state broadcaster IRIB. Iran has blockaded the strait since the start of the war in late February.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Israeli strikes kill at least 14 across southern Lebanon ahead of Washington talks

The Israeli military early Thursday pounded Lebanon's fourth-largest city, killing at least 14 people across the south of the country in its ongoing military escalation against the Hezbollah group ahead of crucial talks in Washington.

Among those killed in the flurry of strikes were five women and children and a Lebanese soldier. Dozens of others were wounded, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry and the state-run National News Agency.

An Israeli soldier meanwhile was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack in northern Israel, the Israeli military said.

Iran's IRGC say obtaining permission and coordinating with Navy are mandatory to pass via Hormuz

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran missile attack on Kuwait an 'egregious ceasefire violation': US military

An Iranian missile attack on Kuwait was an "egregious ceasefire violation," the US military said Thursday, amid an exchange of strikes between the United States and Iran.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran supreme leader says US, Israel seek to 'bring nation to its knees', reports AFP

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that the United States and Israel were seeking to destabilise the Islamic republic in a written message read on state television, reports AFP.

"The enemy's blind plan, after the imposed war, the economic pressure, and the political and propaganda siege, is to create divisions and disintegration in order to compensate for military defeats and bring the nation to its knees," said Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since before he took office in March.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Kuwait condemns Iranian attacks on its territory

 Kuwait's foreign ministry ⁠condemned Iranian ⁠missile and ‌drone ​attacks on Kuwaiti territory ​on Thursday ⁠as a serious escalation ⁠and ‌blatant violation ‌of sovereignty ⁠and security.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran Guards threaten 'firm response' if US repeats attacks

Pakistan Foreign Minister Dar to visit Washington on Friday, meet Rubio

 Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will ⁠visit Washington on ⁠Friday where ‌he ​will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco ​Rubio, Pakistan's ⁠foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The visit comes as ⁠Islamabad ‌is attempting to negotiate ‌a peace pact to ⁠permanently end the U.S.-Israeli ‌war with ‌Iran.

Dar will meet ‌Rubio "to ‌review bilateral relations and exchange views on regional ⁠and ⁠global developments of mutual interest", the foreign ministry said in a ​statement.

US to shut down Iranian airlines' access to landing spots, refueling and ticket sales, Bessent says

The ⁠United ⁠States ‌will ​be shutting down both ​Iranian ⁠airlines’ access to ⁠landing ‌spots, refueling, ‌and ⁠ticket sales, Treasury ‌Secretary ‌Scott ‌Bessent said ‌in a ⁠post ⁠on X on Thursday.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates| West Asia would not see peace until Israel is 'destroyed': IRGC

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the West Asia would not see peace until Israel is “destroyed,” dismissing what it called US President Donald Trump’s vision of peace as one of “killing, murder and terror.”

According to Iran International, the statement came after two Hamas commanders were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. The Guards said the killings would not weaken what it called the Palestinian “resistance” and would instead strengthen the fight for the “liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem.”

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | US and Iran reach deal but need Trump's final approval

 The US ⁠and Iran ⁠have reached ‌an ​agreement on a 60-day ​memorandum ⁠of understanding to extend the ceasefire ⁠and ‌launch negotiations on ‌Iran's ⁠nuclear program, but President ‌Donald ‌Trump still ‌needs ‌to give final approval, ⁠Axios ⁠reported on Thursday, citing two US officials.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Israeli strike near Beirut as Lebanon says raids kill 14

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | US, Iran accuse each other of violating truce after attacks

The United States and Iran accused each other of violating an ongoing truce on Thursday following an exchange of fire, three months after the Middle East war began with a wave of US-Israeli strikes on the Islamic republic.

The trading of fire was the most serious since the ceasefire started in April, rattling ongoing efforts to negotiate an end to the war and drawing in US ally Kuwait, which accused Iran of a "dangerous escalation".

It came as violence on the war's Lebanese front escalated sharply after Israel declared much of the country's south a combat zone and stepped up strikes, including near Beirut.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | US-Iran MOU on 60-day ceasefire extension reached, but Trump must approve, source says

The U.S. and Iran have reached agreement on a ⁠memorandum of understanding to ⁠extend their ceasefire ‌for 60 ​days but President Donald Trump has yet to approve it, a ​source familiar ⁠with the matter told Reuters.

The news was first reported ⁠by ‌Axios.

The Trump administration has several times ‌said that a deal to ⁠still the fighting was close only ‌to have ‌Iran dispute or downplay ‌the claims.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Bigger proportion of non-Iran ships crossing Hormuz strait: data

The proportion of vessels not linked to Iranian ownership that are transiting the key Strait of Hormuz has risen, according to data from maritime firm Lloyd's List Intelligence shared Thursday.

This despite Iran blockading the waterway since the start of the Middle East war on February 28, preventing a large share of Gulf countries' hydrocarbon exports, in turn harming the global economy.

"The last week we saw ships flagged with Singapore, UAE, South Korea, and also a Norway flagged-vessel going through the Gulf, specifically exiting," said Bridget Diakun, an analyst at Lloyd's List Intelligence.

Crossings by very large crude carriers not tied to Iran appear in particular to be picking up again.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran’s Tasnim says text of potential Iran-US MOU has not yet been finalized or confirmed

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | US-Iran truce deal awaits Trump as strikes test ceasefire

US and Iranian negotiators edged toward a deal to extend their fragile ceasefire for 60 days, but the potential breakthrough was still hanging on President Donald Trump's approval, US sources told AFP.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Vance says US not there yet on Iran, but close

US Vice President JD Vance ⁠on Thursday told reporters that Washington ⁠was "not there yet" with ‌Iran on an ​agreement but that the parties were close, adding that the U.S. was in a position ​where it could substantially ⁠set back Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | US-Iran truce deal awaits Trump as strikes test ceasefire

US and Iranian negotiators edged toward a deal to extend their fragile ceasefire for 60 days, but the potential breakthrough was still hanging on President Donald Trump's approval.

The development came after Washington and Tehran accused each other of violating the truce, underscoring the volatility of talks three months after the Middle East war began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran. (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran condemns 'threatening' rhetoric by US against Oman: State media

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, according to Tasnim news agency, strongly condemned the threatening rhetoric by US officials against the Sultanate of Oman. Baqaei reportedly described it as an attempt to blackmail an independent UN member state.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Gold on track for third straight monthly loss; traders assess US-Iran ceasefire reports

Gold was headed for a third straight monthly ⁠loss as the US-Israeli war on Iran kept ‌concerns around inflation and US rate ​hikes elevated.

Read more.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | How far have the US and Iran got towards ending the Iran war?

The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to extend a ​ceasefire, allow shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and lift a U.S. blockade and some sanctions on Iran, sources told Reuters, but the deal has not been finalised.

An agreement would represent a big step towards ending a war that has pushed the world towards an energy crisis, though the underlying dispute over Iran's nuclear programme would only be thrashed out in talks over subsequent weeks.

Read more.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran's Qalibaf says Tehran has no trust in words, will judge by actions (Reuters)

Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on ⁠Friday in a ⁠post on ‌X that ​Tehran does not trust guarantees and words, and would ​judge ⁠by actions, adding that Iran would not act unless ⁠the ‌other side did first.

"We seize concessions not through dialogue, but with missiles; in negotiations, we merely make them understand," Ghalibaf said.

"We have no trust in guarantees or words—only actions are the measure. No action will be taken before the other side acts. The winner of any agreement is the one who is better prepared for war from the day after," he added.

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Pakistan foreign minister set to discuss Iran with Rubio in Washington (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran's FM Araghchi speaks to Omani counterpart after US bombing threat

"In very productive call with FM Badra Albusaidi, expressed Iran's solidarity with Oman in face of any threat," Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X.

"We discussed Hormuz and its future administration in line with our sovereign responsibilities and international law. We welcome consultation with all neighboring states."

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Netanyahu says Israeli forces have crossed south Lebanon's Litani River

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israeli forces had crossed Lebanon's Litani River, which runs around 30 kilometres north of the countries' shared border.

"Our forces have crossed the Litani, they have moved up to the commanding terrain. We are operating in Beirut, in the Beqaa, across the entire front and are hitting Hezbollah head on," he said during a visit to troops near the border, according to a video released by his office. (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Our amazing naval blockade of Hormuz will be lifted: Trump says he's making final determination on Iran deal

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Kazakhstan offers to take Iran’s uranium stockpile (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran-US MoU includes a complete ceasefire in Lebanon in line with the views of Hezbollah, reports Reuters citing Fars news

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Iran has not agreed to destroy nuclear material, deal doesn't include reopening Hormuz Strait, sources tell Fars News (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Trump comments on deal 'mixture of truth, lies', sources tell Fars News (AFP)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Political understanding between Iran and US not yet finalised, Iranian source says (Reuters)

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Possible MoU between Tehran and Washington does not include any nuclear-related issues, Iranian source says per Reuters

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Rubio meets Pakistani FM Ishaq Dar to discuss Iran situation

Iran, US-Israel War Live Updates | Trump says making final decision on Iran deal

US President Donald Trump said Friday that he was making his decision on a potential deal with Iran, though Tehran insisted there was still "no final agreement" on ending the Middle East war.