US-Israel-Iran War News Live Highlights: Tehran hit by 4.6 earthquake; Kuwait arrests four linked to Iran’s IRGC over sea infiltration attempt

The leader of Hezbollah on Tuesday urged the Lebanon government to pull out of planned direct talks with Israel in Washington this week, describing the move as a concession and calling instead for indirect negotiations.

Lebanon and Israel are set to hold two days of talks in Washington beginning Thursday in an effort to prevent further escalation after the latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict that erupted two months ago following the Iran war. The discussions are also expected to address the future of ties between the two countries, which have officially remained at war since Israel’s creation in 1948.

Saudi Arabia carried out multiple covert strikes inside Iran in response to attacks targeting the kingdom, according to a Reuters report citing two Western officials briefed on the matter and two Iranian officials.

The Western officials said the strikes were believed to have taken place in late March. If confirmed, the operations would mark the first known instance of Saudi Arabia directly attacking Iranian territory.

US president Donald Trump said concerns over Americans’ financial situation would not influence his approach toward Iran, insisting that preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains his top priority.

Asked by a reporter whether rising inflation and economic pressures in the US were pushing him toward a deal with Iran, Trump replied: “Not even a little bit.”

“The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran: They can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Kuwait's interior ministry said on Tuesday it had arrested four people affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards who attempted to infiltrate the Gulf state by sea, the state news agency KUNA reported.

Iran condemned Kuwait's arrest of the four people, saying they were on maritime patrol and entered the Gulf country's territorial waters due to "disruption in their navigation".

Tehran also rejected Kuwait's statements that Iran was planning "hostile actions" against the Gulf country and demanded that its embassy in Kuwait be granted access to the detained Iranian nationals.

One member of Kuwait's armed forces was injured in clashes with the infiltrators, the Kuwaiti interior ministry added.

Kuwait summoned Iran's ambassador and handed him a protest note over what it described as the infiltration of Bubiyan Island by the Revolutionary Guards, the foreign ministry said.

Bubiyan Island is the largest of Kuwait's coastal island chain, located in the northwest of the Gulf.

Kuwait condemned the incident as a hostile act and said it reserved the right to defend its sovereignty under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter.

Iran's foreign ministry on Tuesday condemned Kuwait's arrest of four people it said were affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guards, saying they were on maritime patrol and entered the Gulf country's territorial waters due to "disruption in their navigation."


The ministry rejected Kuwait's statements saying that Iran was planning "hostile actions" against the Gulf country.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday ​he will have a ​long talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping about ​the war in Iran during his upcoming trip to China, but added that he does not think he needs Xi's help.


"I don't ‌think we ⁠need any ⁠help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other, ​peacefully or otherwise," Trump told reporters when departing the White House for ​China.


The leaders of the world's two largest economies will hold their first face-to-face talks in more than six months ​as they try to stabilize ties ⁠strained by ‌trade, the US and Israeli war with ​Iran and ​other areas of disagreement.


Trump is heading to China ⁠amid an unresolved Iran war with diplomatic ​negotiations to end it at an impasse. Beijing ​maintains ties with Iran and remains a major consumer of its oil exports.


Trump has been leaning on China to use its influence to push Tehran to make a deal with Washington and end the conflict that began ‌when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in late February.


The Republican president is scheduled ​to arrive ​in Beijing on ⁠Wednesday, ahead of talks set to take place Thursday and Friday. It will be his first trip to China since 2017.


Trump ​later told reporters: "We have a lot of things to discuss. I wouldn't

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused sections of the American media of “giving Iran false hope” through their coverage of the ongoing war, alleging that reports suggesting Tehran had inflicted damage on US forces amounted to “virtual TREASON.”

In a post on Truth Social, Trump lashed out at what he called “Fake News” outlets, claiming that media reports portraying Iran as militarily successful were false and harmful to American interests.

“When the Fake News says that the Iranian enemy is doing well, Militarily, against us, it’s virtual TREASON in that it is such a false, and even preposterous, statement. They are aiding and abetting the enemy! All it does is give Iran false hope when none should exist. These are American cowards that are rooting against our Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The US President also reiterated his claim that Iran’s military infrastructure had been destroyed by American and Israeli operations during the conflict.

“Iran had 159 ships in their Navy — Every single ship is now resting at the bottom of the sea. They have no Navy, their Air Force is gone, all Technology is gone, their “leaders” are no longer with us, and the Country is an Economic Disaster,” Trump said.

“Only Losers, Ingrates, and Fools are able to make a case against America!” he added.

Trump’s remarks came after several US media reports suggested that Iranian strikes had caused more extensive damage to American military installations in the Gulf region than previously acknowledged.

A report by The Washington Post, citing satellite imagery analysis, claimed that Iranian airstrikes had damaged around 228 structures and pieces of equipment linked to US military facilities across the Middle East since the conflict began on February 28.

The latest comments are part of a broader attack by Trump and senior members of his administration against American media outlets over their reporting on the war.

Meanwhile, CNN reported this week that Trump had “personally pushed” the US Department of Justice to issue subpoenas to journalists covering the conflict in an effort to identify confidential sources, citing unnamed officials familiar with the matter.

The developments come amid growing scrutiny over the scale of the conflict and competing narratives surrounding the military impact of Iranian strikes on US assets in the region.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has declared that the Strait of Hormuz has been "significantly expanded", with the force now defining the waterway as a massive strategic corridor reaching from the shores of Jask and Sirik to regions past Qeshm Island and Greater Tunb Island.

Mohammad Akbarzadeh, the political deputy of the IRGC Navy, informed Tasnim News Agency that the Islamic Republic has fundamentally reimagined the boundaries of this critical maritime gateway.

"[Earlier] the Strait of Hormuz was considered a limited area around islands like Hormuz and Hengam when defined, but today this perspective has changed," Akbarzadeh stated, according to reports.

Detailing this shift in maritime policy, the official noted that the strait "has become larger and turned into a vast operational area." He explained that the zone has surged from its traditional width of 20 to 30 miles to a broad expanse of 200 to 300 miles, roughly 500 kilometres, extending from Jask and Sirik to beyond Qeshm and Greater Tunb, effectively "forming a complete crescent."

According to Press TV, Rear Admiral Akbarzadeh reiterated on Tuesday that the operational scope of the waterway has been entirely redefined. He emphasised that the previously narrow definition of the strait as a "limited area around islands such as Hormuz and Hengam" is no longer applicable to Iran's current naval strategy.

"In other words, the Strait of Hormuz has grown larger and has turned into a vast operational area," he said. The Admiral further clarified that the new dimensions, reaching from Jask and Sirik to beyond Qeshm and Greater Tunb, constitute "a complete crescent" of military oversight.

Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed regional developments ‌and ⁠Islamabad's ⁠ongoing efforts to mediate an end to the Iran conflict on Tuesday.

"Both sides underscored the ⁠importance of ‌continuing a durable ceasefire and ⁠ensuring normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz," the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement.

The phone call ‌came ahead of planned talks in Beijing ⁠later this week between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

"I don't trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them. If they actually do have Iranian aircraft parked in Pakistan bases to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me we should be looking maybe for somebody else to mediate. No wonder this damn thing is going nowhere," says Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

Uttar Pradesh CMO says - Residents urged to heed prime minister's call: reduce fuel consumption and avoid unnecessary gold purchases — chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Chief minister holds meeting with additional chief secretaries and principal secretaries

Directs 50% reduction in the vehicle convoys of chief minister, ministers, and other dignitaries

Chief minister appeals for prioritization of a 'work-from-home' culture

Chief minister places special emphasis on the utilization of PNG, Metro services, and public transport

Chief Mminister stresses the importance of organizing conferences, Government meetings, seminars, and similar events virtually

Iran on Tuesday executed a man convicted of armed rebellion, the judiciary said, the latest in a wave of hangings since war broke out with Israel and the United States.

"The death sentence for Abdoljalil Shahbakhsh, son of Jalal, a trained member of the Ansar al-Furqan terrorist group, was carried out this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

He had been charged with rebellion "through armed attacks on police headquarters and membership in the Ansar al-Furqan rebel group", the authorities added.

Ansar al-Furqan is a Sunni militant group active in Iran's southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

The judiciary said Shahbakhsh carried out his attacks during protests that rocked Iran in 2022 and 2023 following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurdish woman.

His sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court, authorities added.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov will hold talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar during his visit to New Delhi this week to attend the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, the Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.

The two ministers will exchange views on current international and regional issues, the ministry said in a statement.

"Special attention is expected to be paid to the situation in the Middle East. The Ministers are also expected to compare notes on cooperation within the UN, BRICS and the G20," it added.

It said that the two ministers will discuss a wide range of priority areas of bilateral cooperation. "These include expanding trade, intensifying efforts to build sustainable transport, logistics, and financial channels protected from unlawful external pressure, deepening energy cooperation, and increasing collaboration in science and space technology,” the ministry said.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said oil marketing companies are losing around Rs 1,000 crore every day due to rising global crude oil prices and under recoveries, while asserting that the government has managed to maintain stable fuel supplies despite global disruptions.

Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit 2026, the Union Minister said the under recovery on fuel is expected to reach around Rs 1,98,000 crore, while quarterly losses are estimated at nearly Rs 1 lakh crore.

He noted that crude oil prices have sharply increased from earlier levels of around USD 64-65 per barrel to nearly USD 115 per barrel.

"If you look at the fiscal situation, if you look at the fact that my oil companies are losing Rs 1,000 crores every day, the under recovery is going to be Rs 1,98,000 crores. The losses are Rs 1 lakh crore, if you look at the quarter. In that context, how long can you keep it like this? Where is the oil? It used to be around $64 or $65. It has gone up to $115 in that basket," he said.

He said the past 75 days have been challenging due to global developments, but added that India has ensured uninterrupted energy supplies.

The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group called on the government Tuesday to withdraw from direct talks with Israel, calling them a concession and urging “indirect negotiations.”

Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold two days of talks in Washington starting Thursday in an attempt to end the latest fighting that broke out two months ago, following the Iran war, and discuss the future of relations between the two sides that have been at war since Israel was created in 1948.

Hezbollah leader urges indirect talks
Naim Kassem said in a letter directed to the group’s officials that direct negotiations benefit Israel and that they are “concessions by Lebanese authorities.” He said Lebanon’s government should instead resort to indirect negotiations with Israel, as in previous years, such as when a ceasefire was reached in November 2024.

Indirect talks are usually done through a third party.

Kassem also said the dispute over Hezbollah’s possession of weapons was an internal affair and shouldn't be part of the talks with Israel. The Lebanese government has sought the disarmament of the militant group after the latest round of fighting broke out in early March, calling all military activities by the group illegal.

Lebanon's civil defence agency said two of its personnel were killed in an Israeli strike on Tuesday while they were on duty in the country's south.

The personnel were killed in "an Israeli airstrike that targeted them while they were carrying out a rescue mission" after a previous strike in the city of Nabatieh, a civil defence statement said.

Before the announcement, Lebanon's Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine told a press conference Tuesday that 108 emergency and health workers had been killed and 249 others wounded in Israeli strikes since war erupted between Hezbollah and Israel on March 2.

Consumer inflation in the United States hit a three-year high in April, government data showed Tuesday, with the economic fallout of the Iran war rippling through the world's largest economy.

The consumer price index (CPI) rose 3.8% year-on-year, up from March's 3.3% figure, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics said.

In April, the US price index for energy rose 17.9% compared to a year ago, BLS data showed, by far the largest price jump for any category.

Food prices were up 3.2% in April over last year, the data showed.

Core consumer price index (CPI) inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, came in at 2.8 percent in April, up from 2.6 percent the month before.

"We don't have to rush anything. We have a blockade which allows them no money. It's a very simple thing: we cannot let them have a nuclear weapon — because they'd use it," says Donald Trump.

The United States' war in Iran has cost $29 billion ‌so ⁠far, ⁠a senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday, an increase of $4 billion from ⁠an estimate
provided ‌late last month.

Jules ⁠Hurst, who is performing the duties of the comptroller, told lawmakers that the ‌cost included updated repair and replacement of ⁠equipment and operational costs.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards held military exercises in capital Tehran to prepare for any confrontation, state media reported Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump warned a ceasefire in the Middle East war was on the brink of collapse.

The drills involved the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or IRGC, the ideological arm of Iran's military, as well as the Basij, a paramilitary force affiliated with the Guards, according to state TV.

"Enhancing combat capability to confront any movement of the American-Zionist enemy was one of the goals and scenarios implemented in this drill, which was successfully carried out," Brigadier General Hassan Hassanzadeh, commander of the Tehran Revolutionary Guards, was quoted as saying by state TV.

Iran on Tuesday warned that Tehran is "still holding the trigger and waiting for a negotiated settlement", hours after US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire stands on "life support."

An Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani characterised the country's military posture as one of guarded readiness. "We fought the world's greatest military power for 40 days, and we are still holding the trigger and waiting for a negotiated settlement," she was quoted as saying by the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA).

Following 40 days of severe military engagement and economic disruption since February 28, the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran commenced on April 8, with negotiations still in process.

However, she said the Islamic Republic's preference lies in a diplomatic resolution rather than continued conflict. "Our main focus is on lasting peace," Mohajerani asserted.

Addressing the severe digital restrictions that have defined the wartime period, Mohajerani emphasised that the administration views connectivity as a fundamental entitlement rather than a luxury.

"The government's approach is equitable access to all infrastructure, including the internet. We recognise internet access as a civil right, and this is exactly the President's view as well. We do not recognise discrimination and injustice, and we oppose them," she stated.

The restoration of these rights is also being framed as a vital economic necessity. She further noted that the state's "pro internet policy aims to provide businesses with access to high-quality internet," suggesting that the current limitations are an unfortunate byproduct of the wartime environment.

She added that "after a return to normal conditions, God willing, this situation too will return to normal."

Millions of people in Iran have been enduring a near-total internet blackout since the outbreak of hostilities on February 28, as only government-approved websites have remained accessible.

Air India on Tuesday said it is extending its suspension of operations on the Tel Aviv-Delhi route till the end of June, amid uncertainties in the region.
A senior executive heading the airlines’ Israel operations confirmed to PTI about the decision to further extend the suspension.

In April, the carrier announced to put on hold its operations till the end of May, but it has decided to further extend it.

Despite the ceasefire between the US and Iran holding on for sometime, the uncertainties surrounding the situation in West Asia have pushed the majority of airlines to stop operating on the Tel Aviv route.

Besides Israeli carriers like El Al, IsraAir, Arkia and Air Haifa, only a few other international airlines have resumed operations, posing great challenges for those looking to travel abroad for work, vacation or family visits.

The suspension of Air India flights has caused major worries among more than 40,000 Indians living in Israel who wish to travel to India for personal/professional reasons, or even to escape the uncertainties in the region.

The Israeli military said on Tuesday its troops had conducted a days-long raid in the area of the Litani river in south Lebanon, where exchanges of fire with Hezbollah persist despite a ceasefire.

In a statement, the military said that over the past week, troops had conducted a "special operation to clear terrorist infrastructure from the Litani area and establish operational control in the area".

It said soldiers had been operating south of the Israeli-declared "yellow line" that runs around 10 kilometres (six miles) north of the border and where Israeli forces continue to be stationed.

Israeli media reported that troops had gone beyond the Litani river and operated on the outskirts of the town of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah.

When asked by AFP, the Israeli military said it was unable to confirm whether troops had crossed the Litani, but it published photos from the operation showing soldiers walking along a bridge traversing a river.

Other photos published by the military showed tanks and soldiers operating along the riverbank.

"During the operation, the troops located compounds used by Hezbollah terrorists, underground tunnel routes containing large quantities of weapons, weapons storage facilities, and missile launchers," the military said, adding that it had struck more than 100 targets.

It also said troops had "struck and eliminated dozens of terrorists in close-quarters combat, alongside aerial support."

Israel and Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah have been trading fire in south Lebanon despite a ceasefire in place since April 17 between Israel and Lebanon.

Lebanon's health ministry on Tuesday told AFP that Israeli strikes have killed 380 people since the ceasefire took effect.

Bahrain sentenced on Tuesday three people to life on charges of collaborating with Iran's Revolutionary Guards, amid a crackdown on pro-Iran sentiment and networks since the Middle East war.

Over 20 others were sentenced to up to 10 years in prison by a court in Bahrain, which was hard-hit by Iranian attacks during the war.

A woman "accused of... collaborating with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards terrorist organisation, with the intention of carrying out hostile terrorist acts" was sentenced to life imprisonment, the public prosecution said in a statement.

Two other people, one of whom fled to Iran, also received life sentences and a 10,000 dinar fine ($26,487) on similar charges, it added.

In a separate case, "the court sentenced 10 defendants to prison terms of up to 10 years", with three of them to be deported after serving their sentences.

They were convicted for supporting Iran, filming in prohibited locations and disseminating banned statements.

Another 11 people were sentenced to up to five years in jail and a fine for "violence and sabotage committed during the Iranian attacks on the Kingdom of Bahrain last March", the prosecution said.

Oil prices rallied and stock markets fell Tuesday as investors braced for further volatility after talks appeared to stall on ending the war in the Middle East and re-opening the Strait of Hormuz to tanker and cargo ship traffic.

Iran's chief negotiator said Tuesday that Washington must accept Tehran's latest peace plan or face failure, after US President Donald Trump warned the truce in the Middle East war was on the brink of collapse.

Rising crude futures were also pushing up government bond rates, including in Britain, where political uncertainty soared as Prime Minister Keir Starmer clings to power, analysts said.

"Oil prices are rising again, and global bond markets are pricing in inflation risks," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB trading group.

"The UK yields are facing a double whammy of an energy price spike and a political crisis," she added.

The yield on the country's 30-year bonds reached 5.814 percent Tuesday, the highest level since 1998.

The 10-year rate hit 5.135 percent, a peak last seen during the 2008 global financial crisis.

On oil markets, the international benchmark Brent North Sea crude shot up more than 3.5 percent, and the main US contract, West Texas Intermediate, rose nearly four percent.

Europe's main stock markets were in the red in midday deals after losses for some major Asian indices.

South Korean calls for a social tax on artificial intelligence profits largely dragged down the tech-rich Kospi index by five percent.

South Korea is riding a chip boom driving massive earnings for tech giants Samsung and SK hynix, which had sent the Kospi to record highs in recent weeks.

The dollar strengthened after US stocks held modest gains Monday as enthusiasm about artificial intelligence managed to offset concerns over high oil prices.

The Middle East war, which erupted more than two months ago with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has spread throughout the Middle East and roiled the global economy despite a ceasefire.

The impasse leaves the vital Strait of Hormuz mostly closed to oil tanker traffic, though investors still hope a deal will be reached soon to avoid long-term disruptions to energy markets.

Traders are now looking to Beijing, where Trump lands this week to meet with President Xi Jinping, the first visit by a US president since his own in 2017.

Taiwan, tariffs, rare earths and the war in Iran are set to top the agenda, with China a major buyer of Iranian crude.

Top executives including Tesla boss Elon Musk and Apple's Tim Cook will fly in to back Trump's push to ramp up trade with Beijing.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed 380 people since a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war began on April 17, Lebanon's health ministry told AFP on Tuesday.

A ministry official said that "380 people, including 22 children and 39 women, have been killed in strikes on Lebanon since the ceasefire came into effect", out of a total of around 2,900 people killed since the war erupted on March 2.

Under the terms of the truce released by Washington, Israel reserves the right to act against "planned, imminent or ongoing attacks". In addition to carrying out ongoing airstrikes, Israeli troops have been operating behind a so-called "yellow line" that runs around 10 kilometres (six miles) north of the border between the two countries.

Kuwait accused Iran on Tuesday of sending an armed paramilitary Revolutionary Guard team to attack an island in the Middle East nation home to a China-funded port project, just before US President Donald Trump travels to Beijing for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Iran didn't immediately acknowledge the allegation by Kuwait, which came under repeated attack by Iran in the war and even during the shaky ceasefire still holding in the region. However, the allegation and ongoing attacks throughout the region have threatened to tip the region back into open warfare.

Kuwait said that a team of six armed members of the Guard tried to infiltrate Bubiyan Island in the northwest corner of the Persian Gulf near Iraq and Iran.

It accused the team of planning to carry out “hostile acts.”

Kuwait said that it detained four of the men, while two escaped. Kuwait, which said one of its security officials had been wounded in the attack.

Bubiyan Island is home to Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, which is under construction as part of China's “Belt and Road” initiative. That project also came under attack during the war by Iran.

Iran should not use the Strait of Hormuz, which it has blocked since the start of the Middle East war, as a means to blackmail Gulf states, Qatar's top diplomat said Tuesday.

"Iran should not use this strait as a weapon to pressure or to blackmail the Gulf countries," said Qatari Foreign Minister and Premier Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Thani, who is also Qatar's prime minister said his recent visit to Washington sought to bolster mediation efforts seeking to end the US-Iran war.

"The visit focused primarily on supporting the Pakistani diplomatic efforts and ensuring a positive response to these efforts to reach a solution as quickly as possible," he said during a press conference in Doha with Turkey's foreign minister Hakan Fidan.

Pakistan on Tuesday rejected as "misleading" a US media report that claimed Islamabad allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfield to potentially shield them from American airstrikes, while playing the role of mediator between the two sides.

In a statement, the Foreign Office said that the Iranian aircraft currently parked in the country arrived during the ceasefire period following the initial round of US-Iran peace talks and bears "no linkage" to any military contingency or preservation arrangement.

"Such speculative narratives appear aimed at undermining ongoing efforts for regional stability and peace,” it said.

“Following the ceasefire and during the initial round of the Islamabad Talks, a number of aircraft from Iran and the US arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams and administrative staff associated with the talks process,” it said.

Hamas and its allies committed "systematic, widespread" sexual violence during their October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and against hostages they took back to Gaza, according to a report released Tuesday by an independent Israeli investigative commission.

"Following a two-year independent investigation, the Civil Commission concludes that sexual and gender-based violence was systematic, widespread, and integral to the October 7th attacks and their aftermath," the body said in its 300-page report, which builds on prior investigations, including by the UN, to determine the full scale of the sexual violence.

Iran's Ambassador to China, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, has expressed support for Chinese President Xi Jinping's "four-point proposal" aimed at ensuring lasting security amid the conflict in West Asia as well as the shared development in the region.

In his post on X, ahead of US President Donald Trump's scheduled visit to China this week, the Iranian envoy said that the Islamic Republic has expressed its "readiness" to the Chinese President's proposal.

He further stated that the issue was also addressed during the meeting of Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during the former's recent visit.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has announced its readiness to support the Chinese President's four-point plan aimed at establishing lasting security and shared development in the Persian Gulf region, an issue that was also emphasised during the meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries," the post read.

According to Yu Jing, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, the proposal put forward by Xi focuses on regional peace, sovereignty, international law and coordinated development.

Israel sent Iron Dome anti-missile batteries and personnel to operate them to the United Arab Emirates to defend the country during the Iran war, the US ambassador to the country said Tuesday, AP reported.

The comments by Mike Huckabee underline the growing defense relationship between Israel and the UAE, countries long suspicious of Iran, as a shaky ceasefire still holds in the Iran war. However, the narrow Strait of Hormuz remains in Tehran's chokehold and negotiations between the U.S. and Iran appear at a standstill for the moment — raising the risk of the conflict breaking out again.

Huckabee, a Baptist minister, former governor of Arkansas and one-time presidential candidate, made the comment on stage at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel.

“I’d like to say a word of appreciation for United Arab Emirates, the first Abraham accord member,” Huckabee said at the Tel Aviv Conference. “Just look at the benefits. Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.”

The United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, diplomatically recognized Israel in 2020.

The UAE did not immediately respond to a request for comment over the acknowledgment by Huckabee.

Huckabee added that he was “very optimistic” that additional countries in the region will soon join the Abraham Accords, the 2020 diplomatic recognition deal that also included the Gulf Arab kingdom of Bahrain, for formal relations with Israel.

However, many Arab states remain incensed by Israel's wide-ranging military campaigns after Hamas' 2023 attack on the country, which has seen the Gaza Strip leveled and Iran's allies attacked across the wider Mideast. Israel now controls territory in Lebanon and Syria as well.

“The Gulf states now understood they will have to make a choice — is it more likely they will be attacked by Iran or Israel?" Huckabee asked. "They see that Israel helped us and Iran attacked us. Israel is not trying to take over your land, and is not sending missiles to you.”

The global shipping industry is facing growing fears of fuel shortages after the Iran war disrupted supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil shipments and marine fuel trade.

Ship operators depend on bunker fuel, a heavy, low-grade fuel used to power cargo vessels to keep global trade moving. Experts warn that disruptions in supply could sharply increase shipping costs, raise consumer prices and hit businesses worldwide.

Bunker fuel, a thick residue left at the bottom during crude oil refining, powers ships that transport nearly 80% of globally traded goods by sea. The impact is expected to be felt first in Asia, which relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil. Singapore, the world’s largest bunker fuel refuelling hub, is already seeing falling reserves and rising prices.

Shipping companies are responding by slowing vessel speeds, changing schedules and exploring ships that can run on alternative fuels to reduce costs.

However, analysts say prolonged disruptions could severely strain the industry. Henning Gloystein of consultancy firm Eurasia Group warned that the crisis could spread far beyond Asia through global supply chains, with smaller firms particularly vulnerable.

Iran's chief negotiator issued an ultimatum to the United States to accept the conditions in Tehran's 14-point proposal for peace in the Middle East war or face "failure". The defiant message came after US President Donald Trump rejected the latest counteroffer from Iran and said that a fragile ceasefire in place since April 8 was on "life support".

But Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Washington had to accept Tehran's "rights" if it wanted to end more than two months of conflict, as peace talks remain deadlocked after an initial round failed to produce a breakthrough last month.

"There is no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal. Any other approach will be completely inconclusive; nothing but one failure after another," said Ghalibaf in a post on X.

"The longer they drag their feet, the more American taxpayers will pay for it."

Iran has refused to back down in its war with Washington, with military officials warning they are prepared to respond to any renewed US attack. It has choked traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz trade route, rattling global markets and giving it vital leverage, while the US has imposed its own naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Details of the latest US proposal remain limited, though media reports say it involves a one-page memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the fighting and establishing a framework for negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme.

Iran's foreign ministry said its response called for ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, halting the US naval blockade on Iranian ports and securing the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad under longstanding sanctions.

German industrial giant Thyssenkrupp cut it sales forecast Tuesday, warning that the war in the Middle East would have an impact on customer demand. Sales at the company were now expected to be flat or fall by up to three percent for the year, Thyssenkrupp said, down from a previous forecast range of a two-percent fall to one-percent growth.

"The anticipated recovery of the global economy has been dampened significantly," Thyssenkrupp said in its second-quarter report. "As well as the war in Ukraine, the main factors are the escalation of the Iran conflict which has triggered a substantial energy price shock and clouded economic prospects worldwide."

Industrial firms such as Thyssenkrupp, a vast conglomerate with interests in steel, machinery and car parts, are often seen as bellwethers for the global economy that rise and fall with worldwide activity.

Thyssenkrupp's net profit for the year is still seen at between minus 800 million euros (minus $940 million) and minus 400 million euros, the firm said, with the figure rising to between plus 500 million and plus 900 million euros once certain expenses like tax and one-off restructuring costs are stripped out.

Iranian Parliamentary Commission spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei said Tehran could consider 90 per cent uranium enrichment if Iran faces another attack from the US and Israel.

“One of Iran’s responses could be 90 percent enrichment. We will review it in the parliament,” Rezaei said in a post on X.

Australia has announced a new round of sanctions and travel bans against Iran, targeting seven individuals and four entities over what Canberra described as Tehran’s continued human rights abuses and destabilising activities in the region.

Australian foreign minister Penny Wong said the measures were aimed at senior Iranian officials and organisations allegedly involved in the violent crackdown on protesters, including abuses against women and children.

In a statement, Wong accused the Iranian regime of carrying out mass arrests and killing thousands of its own citizens during protests. The sanctions also target what Australia called Iran’s “shadow banking system”, which Canberra says helps fund proxy groups such as Hamas and supports Tehran’s ballistic missile programme and other regional activities.

Lebanese leaders on Monday urged the US ambassador in Beirut to pressure Israel to stop its attacks, as Israeli airstrikes continued despite a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

Lebanon’s authorities said the death toll from Israeli strikes since March 2 has risen to 2,869, including dozens killed after the April 17 truce came into effect.

Israeli military officials said one soldier was killed a day earlier in clashes near the Lebanon border, taking Israel’s losses since the war began to 18 troops and one civilian contractor.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam separately met US ambassador Michel Issa ahead of a third round of talks between Lebanese and Israeli representatives scheduled in Washington later this week.

Salam said he asked the US envoy to “exert pressure on Israel to stop the ongoing attacks and violations, in order to consolidate the ceasefire”. Israel has recently intensified strikes across Lebanon, with some weekend attacks reaching areas about 20 km from Beirut.

At least six people were killed and seven others injured in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, state media reported on Tuesday, as hostilities continued despite a ceasefire agreement.

According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), the strikes late Monday targeted a house in Kfar Dounine, around 95 km from Beirut. The injured were taken to hospitals in the coastal city of Tyre.

Israel has stepped up attacks in southern Lebanon amid ongoing exchanges of fire with Iran-backed Hezbollah, despite an April 17 ceasefire aimed at ending the fighting.

Lebanon’s health authorities say more than 2,800 people have been killed since the country was drawn into the wider Middle East conflict on March 2.

Lebanese leaders have recently urged the US ambassador in Beirut to pressure Israel to stop attacks during the ceasefire period, even as Israel says it has also come under fire.

The Israeli military said over the weekend that one soldier was killed in clashes near the Lebanon border, taking Israel’s losses since the war began to 18 troops and one civilian contractor.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper held talks focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz ahead of a major defence meeting on securing the crucial shipping route, according to the US State Department.

The discussions come as UK Defence Secretary John Healey and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin are set to co-chair a session involving defence ministers from around 40 countries later on Wednesday.

The coalition is expected to discuss military contributions for a future defensive mission aimed at protecting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz once the conflict ends.

Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Tuesday as uncertainty over a possible diplomatic breakthrough between the US and Iran kept fears of supply disruptions alive. Washington and Tehran continued exchanging threats, while US President Donald Trump dismissed Iran’s latest peace proposal.

Brent crude futures gained 30 cents, or 0.29%, to trade at $104.51 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 31 cents, or 0.32%, to $98.38 per barrel by 00:02 GMT.

The rise came after both benchmark contracts jumped nearly 2.8% on Monday, as markets assessed the impact of the continuing conflict on global energy supplies and exports.

The United Arab Emirates carried out attacks on Iran early last month, sources told the Wall Street Journal, revealing previously unknown participation in the war by the Gulf country.

In an article Monday, the American newspaper said the UAE's attacks targeted a refinery located on Iran's Lavan Island and took place "around the time" US President Donald Trump was "announcing a cease-fire in the war" after a five-week air strike campaign.

The US has quietly welcomed the Emirati strikes and any other Gulf states who want to join the fight, the paper reported citing one unnamed source.

However, the morning of April 8 Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said "missile and drone attacks on the Emirates and Kuwait have taken place a few hours after the targeting of Lavan island oil facilities in Iran."

The state broadcaster said the Lavan facility "was subjected to a cowardly attack" at 10:00 am (0630 GMT). On the same day, just hours after the ceasefire came into effect, the UAE said that it had been targeted by 17 Iranian missiles and 35 drones.

President Donald Trump warned the ceasefire in the Middle East war was on "life support" Monday after rejecting the latest counteroffer from Iran, which said its military stood ready to respond to any act of aggression.

The president's angry reaction to Iran's position -- delivered in response to a US proposal -- sent oil prices soaring and dashed hopes that a deal could be quickly negotiated to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.

After slamming the reply as "totally unacceptable," Trump insisted the United States would see a "complete victory" over Iran, adding that the truce which has largely halted fighting in the Gulf for over a month was on its last legs.

"The ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, 'Sir, your loved one has approximately a one percent chance of living,'" he told reporters on Monday.

Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who served as chief negotiator in previous talks with Washington, said shortly afterwards that his country was prepared "for any eventuality."

"Our armed forces are ready to respond and to teach a lesson for any aggression," he wrote on X. "A bad strategy and bad decisions always lead to bad results -- the world already understands this."

The developments unnerved global energy markets already thrown into chaos by the war and the overlapping blockades imposed by Iran and the US in the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital conduit for oil and gas shipments.

Iran's foreign ministry said Monday it had called for an end to the war across the region and the release of frozen assets abroad in its response to the latest US proposal.
"We did not demand any concessions. The only thing we demanded was Iran's legitimate rights," said ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a weekly press briefing.

He said Iran's demands included "an end to the war in the region", ending the US naval blockade, and the "release of assets belonging to the Iranian people, which have for years been unjustly trapped in foreign banks".

US President Donald Trump said Sunday he has rejected Iran's response to a US proposal for ending the war, slamming it as "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!".

Baqaei also said Tehran has warned European countries against involvement in "a crisis that would certainly bring them no benefit", referring to the ongoing tensions in the Gulf.

He said "any interference in the Strait of Hormuz would further complicate the situation".

Britain and France are leading efforts to create an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz, but only after a peace deal between the US and Iran is secured.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Europeans to help secure the key waterway, after concluding a two-day visit to Rome.

During the briefing Monday, Baqaei denied claims on alleged oil leakage in the Gulf after satellite images appeared to show an oil slick spreading off the coast of Iran's Kharg island.

"The claims made regarding oil slicks and similar matters are entirely fabricated," he said, adding that Tehran was "very concerned about environmental harm" in the Gulf, which he blamed on US presence in the region.

Iran has submitted its response to the latest US proposal aimed at ending the Middle East war, with an end to a US naval blockade and the release of frozen assets among its demands.
Details of the original US proposal remain limited, but media outlets have reported it involves a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the fighting and set a framework for negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme.

President Donald Trump has flatly rejected Iran's response, leaving the push to end the Middle East war at a deadlock.

Here is what we know about the two sides' positions:

- Nuclear question -

Iran's response called for an immediate end to the war across the region, including in Lebanon, as well as a halt to the US naval blockade on Iranian ports, according to the Iranian foreign ministry on Monday.

It also called for the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad under longstanding US sanctions, the ministry said.

According to anonymous sources cited by the Wall Street Journal, Iran proposed engaging in negotiations on its nuclear programme over "the next 30 days".

It also offered "to have some of its highly enriched uranium diluted and the rest transferred to a third country", the newspaper said.

The Journal reported that Iran was willing to suspend enrichment of uranium but for a shorter period than 20 years proposed by the US. But Tehran rejected dismantling its nuclear facilities, the outlet said.

Israel and the United States bombed Iranian nuclear sites during a 12-day war last June and Trump has claimed the strikes "obliterated" the nuclear programme.

But the two countries say Iran still possesses enriched uranium that could be used to manufacture a bomb, saying it must be removed from Iran.

The Journal said Iran's response had failed to meet US demands on the future of the nuclear programme and highly enriched uranium.

Trump on Sunday called the Iranian reply "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE".

Iran's Tasnim news agency, citing an unnamed source, said the paper's report "was not reflective of the reality", particularly regarding the highly enriched uranium.

- Hormuz reopening? -

Iran's response also proposed a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, the Journal reported, after Iran blocked maritime traffic through the route following the outbreak of war.

In return, Iran proposed the US implement a phased easing of its naval blockade on Iranian ports that Washington began on April 13.

Iran has been setting up a payment mechanism to charge tolls for ships crossing the strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flow during peacetime.

The restrictions have sent prices of key commodities soaring and roiled the global economy.

Last month Washington retaliated by imposing its own blockade on Iranian shipping, aiming to choke off the country's oil exports.

According to Tasnim, the Iranian response focuses on lifting sanctions on Iranian oil sales and releasing Iranian assets frozen overseas within a 30-day period.

But Tasnim did not offer details on what Iran would offer in return. It said Iran's response had emphasised that Tehran would continue to manage Hormuz.

Pakistan, which is playing mediator to end the US-Iran war, allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields to shield them from American airstrikes, CBS News reported here quoting US officials.

The report also claimed that Iran had also parked its civilian aircraft in neighbouring Afghanistan to protect it from US airstrikes.

Reacting to the report, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called for a complete re-evaluation of Pakistan’s role as a mediator to end the US-Iran war that broke out on February 28 and has been put on pause since April 8.

“If this reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of the role Pakistan is playing as mediator between Iran, the United States and other parties,” Graham, the Senator from South Carolina, said in a post on X.

“Given some of the prior statements by Pakistani defense officials towards Israel, I would not be shocked if this were true,” Graham said.

The CBS report, quoting unnamed US officials, said that Iran has sent “multiple aircraft”, including a reconnaissance and intelligence plane, to Pakistan’s Nur Khan airbase soon after US President Donald Trump announced the ceasefire in April.

A senior Pakistan official rejected the claims involving Nur Khan Air Base, and told CBS News, that “Nur Khan base is right in the heart of (the) city, a large fleet of aircraft parked there can’t be hidden from (the) public eye”.

An Afghan civil aviation officer told CBS News that an Iranian civilian aircraft belonging to Mahan Air landed in Kabul shortly before the war started and remained parked after the closure of the Iranian airspace.

The same aircraft was moved to an airport in Herat near the Iranian border after Pakistan launched attacks on Afghanistan, the Afghan officials said, adding that the Mahan Air plane was the only Iranian aircraft in the country.

Pakistan’s reliance on China for military assistance has risen dramatically over the past decade. A Stockholm International Peace Research Institute study showed China supplied about 80 per cent of Pakistan’s major arms between 2020 and 2024, and Islamabad also has close economic ties with Beijing, the CBS News report said.

Islamabad has attempted to navigate both sides of the crisis – presenting itself to Washington as a stabilizing intermediary while avoiding steps that could alienate Tehran or China, Iran’s most powerful international backer, the CBS News report said.

The United States on Monday issued sanctions against 12 individuals and entities that it said facilitated the sale and shipment of Iranian oil to China, days ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing.
In a statement, the US Treasury alleged that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "relies on front companies in permissive economic jurisdictions to obfuscate its role in oil sales and funnel the revenue to the Iranian regime."

It listed three Iran-based individuals and nine companies -- based in Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates -- as being subject to the new sanctions.

Sanctioned entities will see any US-based assets blocked, with all transactions with them by US entities and individuals also banned.

As part of its war on Iran, the United States has tightened sanctions against Tehran's government and the IRGC in an attempt to economically stifle them.

"As Iran’s military desperately tries to regroup, Economic Fury will continue to deprive the regime of funding for its weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, referring to the economic measures the US is imposing on Iran alongside its military pressure.

The war has roiled global energy markets, with Tehran having virtually blocked the key Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly a fifth of the world's oil and gas normally flows.

Washington eased some sanctions on Iranian oil in March in an attempt to address global supply shortages, but it has since tightened restrictions again.

Much of Iran's oil is bound for Asia, with China a major importer. Beijing is one of Tehran's biggest trading partners overall.

US President Trump is due in Beijing later this week for key talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with a full slate of trade disputes on the agenda.

The US-Israeli war on Iran will also top the agenda, with Washington seeking greater pressure on Tehran from Beijing.

The US State Department sanctioned three China-based satellite firms on Friday for enabling Iran's military operations.

The US Treasury Department earlier sanctioned several mainland China- and Hong Kong-based firms for aiding Iran's weapons supply.