Main Points
- According to officials, the US and Iran are closing in on a one-page memo to end the war
- On Tuesday US president Donald Trump halted a US military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz
- Trump says if Iran honours what has been agreed to, the war could end and the Strait of Hormuz reopen
- Brent crude has fallen to below $100 dollars a barrel, trading 9.2% lower than previously at $99.79 (€84.66)
Key Reads
- Trump says Pope Leo is ‘endangering a lot of Catholics’ in continuing row over Iran war
- Europe has ‘gotten the message’ from Trump on Iran, Nato chief says
- Trump says Iran ceasefire means he does not need Congress approval for war
That concludes our coverage for this evening of the war in the Middle East. We’ll be back tomorrow with more updates.
Trump says US had very good talks with Iran in last 24 hours
Donald Trump has told reporters that the US had very good talks with Iran in the last 24 hours.
The US president said it was very possible that Washington and Tehran would make a deal.
He added: “We’ll see whether or not they are agreeing. And if they don’t agree, they’ll end up agreeing shortly thereafter. That’s the way it is.”
Trump was also asked a question on getting enriched uranium from Iran as he left an event in the East Room of the White House.
“We’re going to get it,” Trump told the reporter.
Asked how the United States would do this, Trump repeated: “We’re going to get it.”
Israel strikes Beirut for first time since ceasefire began
Israel’s military has carried out strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs for the first time in weeks since the Israel-Lebanon truce went into force on April 17th.
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu said the IDF was targeting the unnamed commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan force. In a joint statement with his defence minister Israel Katz, he said: “The Israeli army has struck in Beirut to target the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan force, in an attempt to neutralise him. Radwan operatives, under his command, were responsible for firing at Israeli communities and for attacks on Israeli soldiers”.
There was no immediate comment from Hizbullah.
Netanyahu said earlier that he will speak to Trump later on Wednesday about the ongoing US-Iran negotiations to end the war.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out extensive air and artillery attacks and raids in southern Lebanon, claiming it is targeting Hizbullah targets. Israel has killed dozens of people in these attacks and continues to force residents across the area to leave their homes and villages. Hizbullah says it has continued to strike back in retaliation for these “violations” of the truce.
Iran’s top negotiator says US aiming to force Tehran’s surrender
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that Washington was seeking Tehran’s surrender through various means, including a naval blockade.
“The enemy, in its new design, is seeking, through a naval blockade, economic pressure and media manipulation, to destroy the country’s cohesion in order to force us to surrender,” Ghalibaf said in a voice message published on his official Telegram channel.
The influential speaker of the Iranian parliament did not elaborate on the prospects for a peace plan with the United States, as Tehran continues to review elements of a US proposal.
More than 50 cargo ships turned away as a result of US naval blockade of Iran
More than 50 cargo ships have been turned back or returned to port as a result of the ongoing US naval blockade of Iran, the US military has said.
The sanction remains in place despite Trump pausing a naval mission to reopen the strait of Hormuz and free stranded vessels, given what he described as “great progress” towards an agreement to end the war with Tehran.
An update from US central command (Centcom), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, said: “So far, 52 commercial vessels have been directed to turn around or return to port in order to comply.”
Lebanese PM says it is premature to talk of any high-level meeting with Israel
Lebanese prime minister Nawaf Salam has said it is premature to talk of any high-level meeting between Lebanon and Israel, comments underlining the dim chances of one being held soon as hoped for by Donald Trump.
Salam, in comments reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency this afternoon, said shoring up a ceasefire would be the basis for any new round of negotiations that might be held by Lebanese and Israeli government envoys in Washington.
Hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hizbullah have continued to rage in southern Lebanon despite a US-mediated ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel announced on April 16th.
Washington last month hosted two meetings between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States. Hizbullah strongly objects to the contacts.
Salam said Lebanon was not seeking “normalisation with Israel, but rather achieving peace”.
The current circumstances “are not ripe to talk about high-level meetings,” he added.
“Our minimum demand is a timetable for Israel’s withdrawal,” he said, adding that the government would develop its plan to restrict weapons to state control – an effort aimed at securing Hizbullah’s disarmament. – Reuters
Iran conflict may have motivated Trump dinner shooting suspect, US intelligence report finds
The US department of homeland security identified the US-Israeli war with Iran as a potential motive for the man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump and senior members of his administration at a White House reporters’ gala last month, according to an intelligence report.
The report assessed that the suspect Cole Allen had “multiple social and political grievances.” It concluded that the Iran conflict “may have contributed to his decision to conduct the attack,” citing social media posts from Allen that criticized US actions in the war.
The assessment sheds new light on the US government’s search for a motive in the foiled attack on the White House correspondents’ dinner on April 25th. Its conclusions, while preliminary, offer the most definitive evidence to date that the Iran conflict, which has killed thousands in the Middle East and rattled the global economy, could have been a trigger.
The report, marked as a “Critical Incident Note,” was obtained through open records requests by the transparency nonprofit Property of the People and shared with the Reuters news agency.
‘They came out of nowhere,’ Irish Gulf residents on living through missile attacks in the UAE
Shortly after 7pm on Monday, Amy Condon was hosting a women’s golf lesson in Abu Dhabi when a loud alert rang from her phone, indicating that projectiles had been launched from Iran, reports Jack White.
“Our hearts just dropped, but it was kind of a sense of: ‘Oh no, not this again’,” she says.
Monday’s renewed strikes on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which followed about a month of relative calm brought about by the ceasefire, came as a surprise to several Irish people living there.
Read the full article here.
Israeli military prepared to launch new offensive against Iran if needed
Reuters reports a source in Israel saying the country was not aware of Donald Trump being potentially close to a deal with Iran that would end the war and re-open the Strait of Hormuz.
Rather, Israel was preparing for an escalation in fighting, the source said.
Similarly, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of the general staff, Eyal Zamir, said the military was prepared to launch a new offensive against Iran if needed.
Speaking to troops today in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon, where Israeli strikes have continued despite a ceasefire, Zamir said they have “no restrictions as to using force.” - Guardian
Senior Iran MP says US proposal more of wishlist than reality
A senior Iranian parliament member said on Wednesday that a report by Axios that includes the text of a US proposal for an agreement with Iran to end the war was more of a wishlist than a reality.
“The Axios text is more of an American wishlist than a reality; Americans will not gain anything in a war they are losing that they have not gained in face-to-face negotiations,” Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for parliament’s foreign policy and national security committee posted on X. – Reuters
Pope Leo rejects claim he supports nuclear weapons
Pope Leo said he has never supported nuclear weapons and those who criticise him need to speak the truth, in response to Donald Trump accusing him of “endangering a lot of Catholics” with his stance on the Iran war.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday night after leaving the papal retreat in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, he said: “The mission of the church is to preach the gospel, to preach peace.”
Leo, who is to meet the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, in the Vatican on Thursday in an effort to ease tensions sparked by previous Trump broadsides, made a plea for honesty in political debate. – Guardian
Iran reviewing US proposal
Iran is reviewing a US proposal to end the more than two-month-old war and will convey its views to the mediator, Pakistan, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said, according to ISNA news agency. – Reuters
When a ‘pause’ becomes an ending: Trump tries to bring Iran war to a close
When the ceasefire in the war with Iran went into effect a month ago, US president Donald Trump was pretty direct that if the Iranians failed to end their nuclear programme, or to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the bombers would be back in the air. “If there’s no deal, fighting resumes,” he said, making it very clear this was just a pause, writes David Sanger.
But it turns out, according to US secretary of state Marco Rubio, the war actually ended at some point after the ceasefire took hold, or so he told reporters at a news conference at the White House on Tuesday. “The Operation Epic Fury is concluded,” he said. “We achieved the objective of that operation.”
The effort to reopen the strait, Rubio said, is entirely a defensive and humanitarian operation that would result in direct military exchanges with the Iranians only if US ships came under fire.
For the full article, read here.
‘Too soon’ for face-to-face talks with Tehran, says Trump
US president Donald Trump said it was “too soon” to consider face-to-face talks with Tehran, according to an interview with the New York Post as the US waited for a response to its proposal to end the war. – Reuters
Four people killed in Israeli strike on Lebanon
An Israeli strike in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa valley killed four people, Lebanon’s health ministry said, with local media reporting the attack took place before the Israeli army issued a warning to evacuate the area along with 11 other towns.
“An Israeli enemy raid on the town of Zellaya in West Bekaa resulted in four martyrs, including two women and an elderly man,” the ministry said.
Lebanese state media said the attack struck the house of the town’s mayor, killing him and three members of his family. – Guardian
Trump says war could end if Iran agrees to proposal
US president Donald Trump said on Wednesday that if Iran honours what has been agreed to, the US-Israeli war on Iran could end and the Strait of Hormuz reopen.
“Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.
“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Second ADNOC LNG tanker crosses Strait of Hormuz amid Iran war
A second liquefied natural gas tanker managed by Abu Dhabi’s National Oil Company (ADNOC) has crossed the Strait of Hormuz and appears to be near Indonesia, ship-tracking data showed.
If confirmed, this will be the second LNG tanker to cross the strait since the US-Iran war started on February 28th.
Reuters reported on April 27th that LNG tanker Mubaraz, also managed by ADNOC, crossed Hormuz for the first time since the conflict started. – Reuters
Oil prices drop as Brent crude falls by more than nine per cent
Brent crude has fallen to below $100 dollars a barrel, trading 9.2 per cent lower than previously at $99.79 (€84.66)
This is the first time it has been below $100 since April 22nd.
It follows reports the US and Iran were closing in on an agreement to bring an end to the war.
Iran has also reportedly announced the Strait of Hormuz could reopen after Donald Trump paused his so-called “Project Freedom” to guide commercial ships out of the economically vital waterway. – Guardian
Israeli military strikes ‘Hizbullah infrastructure’ in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military said it has begun striking what it described as Hizbullah infrastructure in several areas of southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire intended to halt fighting with the Iran-backed militant group.
Earlier the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported “several incidents” during which drones exploded near soldiers operating in Lebanon’s south.
The strikes also follow a new IDF order affecting a dozen town and villages in southern Lebanon forcing more families to flee their homes. – Guardian
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy says safe and stable transit through Strait of Hormuz will be possible
Iranian state media said Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy has thanked captains and owners of vessels in the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman for their co-operation in transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian regulations.
The Navy also said with the end of “threats from aggressors” and in light of new procedures, safe and stable transit through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible. – Reuters
Pakistani prime minister ‘grateful’ to Trump for decision to pause ‘Project Freedom’
The Pakistani prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said he is “grateful” to Donald Trump for his decision to pause his “Project Freedom” in the Strait of Hormuz.
Sharif said the decision will lead to a “lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability” for the region.
In a post on X, he wrote: “I am grateful to President Donald Trump for his courageous leadership and timely announcement regarding the pause in Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz.
“President Trump’s gracious response to the request made by Pakistan and other brotherly countries, particularly the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and my dear brother crown prince and prime minister of Saudi Arabia H.R.H prince Mohammed bin Salman, will go a long way towards advancing regional peace, stability and reconciliation during this sensitive period.
“Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.
“We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond.”
Israel to transfer jet fuel to Germany
Israel will transfer jet fuel to Germany after Berlin requested assistance in recent days following the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement posted online by Israel’s energy ministry on Wednesday.
The co-ordination of the cargoes will be carried out with the refineries, said the ministry, which did not give details about the amount of jet fuel or a timeline.
The ministry added it would examine ways to assist Germany with the issue of natural gas as well.
The ministry said the move was agreed by energy minister Eli Cohen and foreign minister Gideon Saar, who announced the move to his German counterpart during a visit to Berlin. – Reuters
Iran’s foreign minister speaks with his Saudi Arabian counterpart
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has spoken on the phone with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, according to a statement on the former’s Telegram channel.
The statement said: “The parties in this conversation, whilst reviewing the latest regional developments, stressed the continuation of the path of diplomacy and co-operation between regional countries to prevent the emergence and escalation of tension.” – Guardian
US close to agreement with Iran on understanding to end the war, says two US officials
According to officials, the US and Iran are closing in on a one-page memo to end the war.
Axios reports the US expects Iranian responses on several key points in the next 48 hours, according to the report, which cautioned that nothing has been agreed yet but said this was the closest the parties had been to an agreement since the war began.
It is said the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment and the US agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds.
It is also said the deal would involve both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz. – Reuters.
UN demands release of Gaza flotilla activists in Israeli detention
The UN has called on Israel to immediately release two activists taken from a Gaza aid flotilla and demanded an investigation into “disturbing accounts” they had been severely mistreated.
Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian activist Thiago Avila were among dozens of activists on a flotilla attempting to transport aid to Gaza when it was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Crete last Thursday.
The two men are being held in a prison in Ashkelon in southern Israel.
“Israel must immediately and unconditionally release Global Sumud Flotilla members Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila, who were detained in international waters and brought to Israel where they continue to be held without charge,” UN rights office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement.
“It is not a crime to show solidarity and attempt to bring humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population in Gaza, who are in dire need of it.”
Representatives for Avila and Abu Keshek have accused Israeli authorities of abusing the two men, who have been on hunger strike for the past six days.
Kheetan decried the “disturbing accounts of severe mistreatment”, calling for an investigation and insisting “those responsible must be brought to justice”.
“We call for an end to Israel’s use of arbitrary detention and of broadly and vaguely defined terrorism legislation, inconsistent with international human rights law,” he said.
“Israel must also end its blockade on Gaza and allow and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance to the besieged Palestinian strip, in sufficient amounts.” – Guardian
Message from the Editor
Spain’s prime minister urges Europe to ignore Trump’s ICC sanctions
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has urged the European Commission to trigger its blocking statute against US sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), which would effectively tell European companies to not comply with the measures.
In a post on X, Sánchez said: “Spain does not look the other way. Sanctioning those who defend international justice puts the entire human rights system at risk.”
In February last year, Donald Trump signed an executive order that authorises aggressive economic sanctions against the ICC, accusing the body of “illegitimate and baseless actions” targeting the US and Israel. – Guardian
China says ‘comprehensive ceasefire’ is needed
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has told his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi that China is “deeply distressed” over the war that has lasted more than two months and said a “comprehensive ceasefire” is needed.
The top Chinese diplomat met with Araghchi in Beijing, the first time the Iranian foreign minister has travelled to China since the war with the US and Israel started on February 28th.
Wang said: “We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed, that a resumption of hostilities is not acceptable and that it is particularly important to remain committed to dialogue and negotiations.” – AP
Security sources say drone attack hits arms depot at Iranian Kurdish opposition group camp, north of Iraq’s Erbil.
Job losses ‘could happen’ in Britain due to impacts of war
The UK work and pensions secretary, Pat McFadden, has warned that job losses “could happen” in Britain due to the economic impacts of the Iran war.
He said the UK economy was “going in the right direction” at the start of the year and unemployment figures for February showed a decline.
He added that interest rates were expected to come down and the markets were pricing in cuts during the course of the year.
“The truth is, with the effect of the Iran war, we can’t count on any of that at the moment,” he told Sky News.
“There is likely to be an effect on prices, which feeds through from energy costs, and there may well be labour market implications.”
When asked if this meant job losses, McFadden replied: “Yes. It could happen.
“The market projections for unemployment for the rest of the year have been revised upwards as a direct result of the Iran war.” – Guardian
South Korea suspends review of Trump’s call to participate in ‘Project Freedom’
South Korea’s presidential office said it had suspended a review on whether to participate in a US operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after president Donald Trump put the plan, known as “Project Freedom”, on hold.
“We don’t believe a review of Trump’s call to participate in Project Freedom is needed at this point,” Wi Sung-lac, the South Korean presidential national security adviser, told a press briefing.
A Blue House official also said it was still unclear if a South Korean-operated vessel that suffered an explosion and caught fire on Monday had been attacked in the strait.
“After checking additional information, it seems to be unclear whether the vessel was attacked,” Sung-lac told a briefing.
He said the ship did not seem to be listing after the fire, which started in the engine room and was extinguished hours later. None of the 24 crew members was injured.- Reuters
CMA CGM confirms one of its vessels attacked in Strait of Hormuz
French shipping group CMA CGM said on Wednesday that one of its vessels, the San Antonio, had been the target of an attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries among crew members and damage to the vessel.
The injured crew members from the attack, which took place on Tuesday, have been evacuated and are being provided with medical care, the company said.
“CMA CGM is closely monitoring the situation and remains fully mobilised alongside the crew,” the company said in a statement. – Reuters
Marco Rubio says US-proposed resolution will test UN’s usefulness
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has said a US-proposed UN resolution demanding Iran stop attacks and laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz is a test of the utility of the UN and urged China and Russia not to repeat vetoes.
UN security council members began closed talks on Tuesday on a text the US drafted with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, which, if it were to pass, could lead to sanctions against Iran, and potentially authorise force if Tehran fails to halt attacks and threats to commercial shipping.
The new draft avoids explicit language authorising force while still operating under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, Reuters reported, which allows the security council to impose measures ranging from sanctions to military action.
“Everyone wouldn’t want to see this vetoed again, and we’ve made some slight adjustments to the language,” Rubio told reporters on Tuesday at a White House briefing.
“I don’t know if it will avoid a veto or not,” he added. – Guardian
Israeli military issues evacuation warning for 12 villages and towns in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military issued an urgent warning on Wednesday to residents of 12 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, including some north of the Litani river, telling them to leave their homes, saying Hizbullah had violated the ceasefire agreement.
The military said civilians near Hizbullah fighters or facilities may be at risk. – Reuters
South Korean shipper secures vessel to tow bulk carrier after explosion and fire
South Korean shipper HMM said it had secured a vessel to tow a bulk carrier it operates to a port in Dubai after an explosion and fire damaged the ship, which had been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump blamed the incident on an Iranian attack, while South Korea’s foreign ministry said the cause of the fire would only be confirmed after the vessel was towed back to port and inspected.
HMM said the damaged vessel was expected to arrive in Dubai on Thursday night or Friday morning Seoul time, according to Reuters.
The Panama-flagged ship, named HMM Namu, suffered an explosion and caught fire on Monday evening. The fire was later extinguished, with no casualties and all 24 crew members remaining on board, according to the company. – Guardian
Food and essential supplies feared to be running low on trapped vessels in Strait of Hormuz
Since the conflict began in late February, an estimated 20,000 sailors have been trapped in the Gulf, unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz into the open ocean.
Concerns about their physical and mental health are growing as they face the prospect of enduring a blistering Middle Eastern summer while at anchor waiting for peace.
Food and essential supplies are feared to be running low on some trapped vessels. – Guardian
Netanyahu expresses solidarity with UAE president in rare phone call
The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, and Israel’s prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a rare phone call this week, underscoring their countries’ deepening relations in the wake of the Iran war.
Netanyahu was among the leaders who called the UAE president, following Iran’s attacks on the UAE on Monday, according to WAM, the Arab country’s state news agency.
He expressed solidarity with the UAE and “support for all measures it takes to safeguard its security,” WAM said on Wednesday.
The UAE is one of only a few Arab countries to formally recognise Israel, having signed the Abraham Accords in 2020.
Yet, this is the first call between the UAE president and Netanyahu that WAM’s announced since early 2023. – Bloomberg
Tehran only looking for ‘fair and comprehensive agreement’ with US, says Iran foreign minister
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi met China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and said China is a close friend and bilateral co-operation will “be even stronger under current circumstances.”
He said Tehran is only looking for a “fair and comprehensive agreement” with the US. – Reuters
US to close consulate in Pakistan’s Peshawar citing safety concerns
The United States will close its consulate in Pakistan’s Peshawar, citing the safety of its diplomats, the state department said in a statement published on Tuesday.
The US embassy in Islamabad will handle all diplomatic engagement with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Peshawar is the capital, the state department said.
“This decision reflects our commitment to the safety of our diplomatic personnel and efficient resource management,” the statement said.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa borders Afghanistan, and has seen attacks and fierce fighting between Pakistan forces and what Islamabad says are Afghan-backed militants.
Ten people were killed in March when protesters breached the outer wall of the US consulate in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city, after Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in strikes on Iran. – Reuters
More than 2,600 people killed in Lebanon
Lebanon says more than 2,600 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2nd, with more than a million people being displaced.
Israel says 17 of its soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon while two civilians have been killed by Hizbullah attacks.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a fragile ceasefire in mid-April which has since been extended into May.
Offensive stage of war ‘over,’ says US secretary of state
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the military objectives of so-called “Operation Epic Fury” have concluded and the offensive stage of the war with Iran is “over”.
Speaking at the White House press briefing, Rubio insisted that ongoing US military action in the Strait of Hormuz is “defensive” in nature and a separate operation, in line with the Trump administration’s argument that it doesn’t need approval from Congress to continue the war against Iran.
“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first,” he told reporters, urging Iran to “make the sensible choice” and negotiate a deal.
Rubio framed the US’s operation in the Strait of Hormuz as a rescue effort, saying that Iran had left thousands of mariners “for dead”.
He said the US was trying to reopen the strait “as a favour to the world”, neglecting to mention that its closure is the result of the war the US started. – Guardian
Rubio says Hizbullah a block to Israel-Lebanon peace
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has said peace between Israel and Lebanon was achievable but that the Lebanese militant group Hizbullah was a problem.
“By and large, I think a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel is imminently achievable, and should be,” Rubio told reporters at the White House. “The problem with Israel and Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon, it’s Hizbullah.”
Lebanon’s government wants a permanent deal with Israel that would end a repeated cycle of Israeli invasions and strikes, while stopping short of saying it wants a peace agreement. Israel says any deal must permanently disarm Iran-backed Hizbullah.
“What has to happen in Lebanon, what everybody wants to see, is that you have a Lebanese government with the capability to go after Hizbullah and take Hizbullah apart," Rubio said.
Israel intensified air attacks on Lebanon after Hizbullah fired missiles at Israel on March 2nd, three days into the US-Israeli war on Iran. Israel later widened a ground invasion into Lebanon’s south.
Oil prices fall on Trump’s latest about-face
Oil prices fell and stock markets in Asia rose Wednesday as investors took comfort in president Donald Trump’s about-face to pause the day-old US operation to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, citing what he called “great progress” toward a peace agreement with Iran.
The president’s decision to halt the operation came as China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, held talks with Iran’s foreign minister in Beijing on Wednesday, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency.
China is a major buyer of Iranian oil and could exert its influence to urge Tehran to maintain stability with Washington before a summit next week between Trump and China’s leader, Xi Jinping.
The price of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil, was down 2 per cent to about $108 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude, the US benchmark, fell 2 per cent to around $100 a barrel.
Investors and analysts are focused on the continued disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that is a vital trading route for oil and natural gas that normally carries as much as one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
South Korean ship set ablaze to be towed to Dubai
South Korean shipping firm HMM said on Wednesday it had secured a vessel to tow a bulk carrier it operates to a port in Dubai after an explosion and fire damaged the ship, which had been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
Donald Trump had blamed the incident on an Iranian attack, while South Korea’s foreign ministry said the cause of the fire would only be confirmed after the vessel was towed back to port and inspected.
HMM said that the damaged vessel was expected to arrive in Dubai on Thursday night or Friday morning Seoul time.
The Panama-flagged ship, named HMM Namu, suffered an explosion and caught fire on Monday evening. The fire was later extinguished, with no casualties and all 24 crew members remaining on board, according to the company.
Trump says US pausing efforts to guide ships through strait
President Donald Trump, in a sudden reversal, announced on Tuesday evening that the United States was pausing “for a short period of time” efforts to help guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blocked to most commercial ships for weeks.
The president’s announcement came one day after the effort began.
He said in a social media post that the change was “based on the request of Pakistan and other countries,” as well as the “tremendous military success” and “great progress” toward an agreement. Pakistan has hosted ceasefire talks between US and Iranian negotiators.
Trump said, however, that a recently announced US blockade would “remain in full force and effect” in the narrow waterway and that the pause was “to see whether or not the agreement can be finalised and signed.”
It was the latest abrupt about-face that has signified much of Trump’s handling of the war that began in late February with US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. Throughout the war, Trump’s positions have changed suddenly, sometimes in the same sentence.
He has called the conflict both a “war” and an “excursion.” He has gone from saying that the United States had “won” the war in Iran to threatening to wipe out its civilisation if the government in Tehran did not meet more demands.
