US Iran war highlights: Trump's ‘ticking clock' warning to Tehran, says ‘must’ for it to stop funding Hezbollah

US Iran LIVE updates: Trump said Iran has halted plans to execute eight women arrested over anti-government protests, after he asked Tehran to release them to support peace talks.

Iran rejected this, calling it “false news”, saying the women were never facing the death penalty. (AFP)

US Iran LIVE updates: Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon amid a 10-day ceasefire, according to media outlet Al Akhbar. Israeli forces reportedly killed at least four other people in Lebanon.

“For as long as one can remember, the name of the martyr Amal Khalil has been tied to ‘Mirror of the South’,” the news organisation said in a post on social media.

“How could it not be, when she is the fighting heroine”, who feared neither death nor “the roar of planes and the whistle of bullets, but instead confronted with unparalleled strength and resilience an overbearing foe, thereby charting the path of her departure,” Al Akhbar said in a post on X.

In another post, the media outlet wrote, “Farewell to the Hopes of the South”.

Khalil and colleague Zeinab Faraj were killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Faraj was rescued and hospitalised but Khalil died under rubble, a Lebanese Red Cross official told AFP.

Officials said the strikes targeted the journalists.

Lebanon's information minister Paul Morcos called the targeting of journalists "a grave crime and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law".

US Iran LIVE updates: Gold prices fell as investors reacted to rising oil prices and ongoing US-Iran tensions.

Spot gold dropped 0.7% to $4,705.37 per ounce, while US gold futures also declined. Higher crude oil prices, staying above $100 a barrel. (Reuters)

US Iran LIVE updates: Iran has said it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz as long as a US naval blockade remains in place.

"A complete ceasefire only has meaning if it is not violated through a naval blockade," said Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as per the Associated Press.

This comes after US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it “directed 31 vessels to turn around or return to port” as part of its “blockade against Iran”.

US Iran LIVE updates: Over 10.7 million barrels of Iranian crude oil left the Gulf following the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to energy analytics firm Vortexa, the Associated Press reported.

The firm tracked 34 movements of sanctioned or Iran-linked tankers between April 13 and Monday, including 19 outbound and 15 inbound voyages.

Of the outbound shipments, six were confirmed to be carrying Iranian crude. Vortexa said it is not yet clear whether all the oil reached overseas markets.

US Iran LIVE updates: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier that the ongoing war with Iran is beginning to affect Europe and could further weaken it.

Erdogan said the war’s impact is spreading beyond West Asia, according to Turkiye’s foreign ministry. He warned that failure to adopt a peace-oriented approach could significantly increase the economic and political damage for Europe.

US Iran LIVE updates: Iran has released footage showing the capture of merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz by its forces. The video shows IRGC personnel boarding a cargo ship at sea.

The IRGC said it seized two vessels, the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca and the Liberia-flagged Epaminondas, and redirected them to Iran. They accused them of violating maritime rules and interfering with navigation systems.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Donald Trump does not view the seizures as a ceasefire breach, as the ships were neither American nor Israeli.

US Iran LIVE updates: US and Israeli “aggression” is responsible for instability in the Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told South Korea’s envoy Chang Byung-ha in Tehran on Thursday.

He accused both countries of “crimes” during the war on Iran and asked other nations to condemn the attacks. Iran’s actions are in line with international law for self-defence, Araghchi said, adding that responsibility for consequences lies with the “aggressors.”

US Iran LIVE updates: US envoy Paolo Zampolli has suggested replacing Iran with Italy at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

“I confirm ‌I have suggested to Trump and (FIFA president Gianni) Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World ⁠Cup," Zampolli told the Financial Times.

“I’m an ⁠Italian native, and it would be a dream to ⁠see the Azzurri at ⁠a US-hosted ⁠tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to ‌justify inclusion.”

FIFA maintains that Iran is expected to participate in the tournament, despite security concerns raised by Trump. Iran has confirmed it is ready to compete, with matches scheduled in the US.

Tehran's request to shift games from US to Mexico has been rejected.

US Iran LIVE updates: It could take up to six months to clear sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon told lawmakers in a classified briefing, according to the Associated Press.

The session reportedly left key questions unanswered on war costs, strategy, and an early US-Israeli strike on an elementary school in Iran that killed around 170 school girls.

US Iran LIVE updates: The ongoing war, held by a fragile ceasefire, has disrupted global supply chains, but boosted India’s cotton yarn exports, especially to China.

With shipments from other countries hit and the rupee weakening, Indian producers, particularly in Gujarat, are seeing surging demand and running at full capacity.

Gains are uneven, as other manufacturing sectors struggle with higher input costs and fuel disruptions. (Reuters)

US Iran LIVE updates: The US military said it has turned back 31 vessels, mostly oil tankers, as part of a large-scale naval blockade in the Hormuz strait.

The operation involved over 10,000 troops, warships and aircraft. Tensions flared further after Iran fired on ships and seized two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Tehran has condemned the blockade as an “act of war,” warning of retaliation.

US Iran LIVE updates: US Navy secretary John Phelan has stepped down from his post with immediate effect, the Pentagon confirmed on Thursday. He was ousted from his post after clashing with senior Pentagon leaders, including Pete Hegseth, over key issues such as efforts to revive US shipbuilding under Donald Trump’s administration, Bloomberg reported.

Defence Department spokesperson Sean Parnell said the administration “wishes him well.” Hung Cao will take over as acting Navy Secretary.

US Iran LIVE updates: Asian stock markets began the day with high volatility as investors weighed US-Iran tensions against strong corporate performance.

While oil prices briefly topped $100 per barrel due to the Strait of Hormuz closure, high profits from major firms and heavy demand for AI technology helped prevent a deeper market sell-off.

Investors are currently focused on whether peace talks will restart, as a long-term standoff could increase inflation and weaken global economic growth. (Bloomberg)