Iran war news highlights: Trump says US doesn’t need a nuclear deal to seize Tehran's enriched uranium

US President Donald Trump said that any peace agreement must ensure Tehran could not obtain a nuclear weapon and that the Strait of Hormuz was reopened immediately.

Iran war news highlights: US President Donald Trump said he would be “honoured” to meet Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. “I don’t want to meet, but if I did meet, I’d be honoured to meet him,” Trump said, adding, “But if we make a deal, it’s possible that I would meet him. I’d be OK with that,” and that he would “be respectful”.

Several people were killed and others injured in Israeli air strikes across Lebanon, less than 24 hours after Lebanese officials agreed to halt the war during a series of meetings in Washington, DC, with Israeli representatives.

Commenting on the ceasefire, which has yet to take effect, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said it amounts to “surrender and defeat” for Lebanon. He added that northern Israel would remain under threat as long as Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue.

The commander of Iran’s IRGC Quds Force said Hezbollah's minimum demand is an Israeli withdrawal to the positions it held before the US-Israeli war on Iran began at the end of February.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that at least 11 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours, with dozens more wounded.

'Lebanon will never be stable unless Israel withdraws'

Iran’s revolutionary guards on Thursday said that the region will never be stable unless Israel withdraws from occupied areas in Lebanon, Reuters reported citing state media.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem called for a comprehensive ceasefire and Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon. An official from the group also confirmed that Hezbollah has rejected a truce announced following US-brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon in Washington, AFP reported.

Envoys from Israel and Lebanon held a fourth round of US-mediated talks in Washington on Wednesday, during which they agreed to implement a ceasefire contingent on Hezbollah stopping its attacks.

However, a Hezbollah official told AFP on Thursday that the group had rejected the agreement, which Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had earlier described as the “last chance” to secure a comprehensive truce.

Iran-US progess

Fresh ambiguity has emerged on peace talks as Iran's foreign minister said that "no tangible progress" has been made in negotiations, even as US President Donald Trump expressed optimism over an agreement.

US President Donald Trump voiced optimism on a deal recently, telling reporters at the White House “it could happen...over the weekend.”

Hezbollah says attacked Israel

Lebanon's Hezbollah said it had attacked troops in northern Israel on Wednesday, as Israeli strikes killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon, dampening hopes for an end to the cycle of violence.

US President Donald Trump announced Monday that he had brokered a deal that Lebanon said would halt Israeli attacks on Beirut and Hezbollah attacks on Israeli territory, before expanding in scope.

Since then, Israel has said it has Washington's backing to strike Beirut's southern suburbs -- a Hezbollah stronghold -- if the Iran-backed group targets northern Israeli communities.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Wednesday that any attack on Beirut would trigger a "full-scale resumption" of the conflict and insisted that Israeli forces must get out of the country.

Top updates:

-Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a ceasefire to end hostilities, the Trump administration said on Wednesday

-Kuwait reports more than 60 injuries and damage to airport facilities following recent attacks.

-US forces intercepted Iranian missile launches and carried out strikes targeting Qeshm Island.

-Trump says diplomatic efforts with Iran remain active, while Tehran says communication has stalled

-Oil prices rose nearly 2% as shipping disruptions continued with the Strait of Hormuz largely shut.