Iran US war news highlights: Israel continues to strike Lebanon; Hezbollah rejects direct talks

Iran US war news highlights: Heavy machinery operates at the site of an Israeli strike carried out in Beirut, Lebanon

Iran US war news highlights: Hezbollah MP on Thursday said the group rejects any direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, after reports said that the talks between Israel and Lebanon are expected to take place next week in Washington. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he has ordered his cabinet to open direct talks with Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah and establish "peace relations" between the two countries.

"In light of Lebanon's repeated requests to open direct negotiations with Israel, I instructed the cabinet yesterday to begin direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible," his office wrote in a statement.

He also added that the negotiations will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peace relations between Israel and Lebanon.

Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed support for people in Lebanon, stating that Iran has “fingers on the trigger” as Israel continues to attack Lebanon.

“Israel's renewed incursion into Lebanon is a blatant violation of the initial ceasefire agreement. The continuation of these actions will render negotiations meaningless. Our fingers remain on the trigger. Iran will never abandon its Lebanese sisters and brothers,” he said in a post on X.

Israel said on Thursday it had killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the nephew and personal secretary of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, in an overnight strike on Beirut.

Trump says American ships will remain around Iran

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that American military ships and aircraft will continue to remain in and around Iran, warning that Washington will resume “shooting” if Tehran does not fully comply with the agreement reached between the two sides.

"All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry ... will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that Israel has proposed limiting its strikes in Lebanon for the duration of the ongoing US-Iran negotiations.

Hezbollah's attacks on Israel

Iran-backed Hezbollah said on Thursday it had launched rockets towards Israel in response to what it called a violation of the US-Iran truce.

Israel launched its deadliest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah began last month, killing more than 250 people on Wednesday, as the Iran-backed group resumed rocket fire on northern Israel following a brief pause under the two-week US-Iran ceasefire.

The escalation has placed the fragile US-Iran truce under strain, with Tehran warning of a strong response and closing the Strait of Hormuz shortly after signalling it would reopen it.

Netanyahu on ‘return’ to fighting

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address, warned that Israel was “ready to return to fighting at any time,” adding that “our finger is on the trigger.”

Tehran has consistently maintained that its nuclear programme is peaceful, despite enriching uranium to 60% purity - a level widely seen as just a short technical step from weapons-grade material.

US President Donald Trump said the US would work with Iran to “dig up and remove” enriched uranium, although there has been no confirmation of such a plan from Tehran.

JD Vance to lead US delegation in Islamabad

The White House said the US would move ahead with direct talks with Iran, even as ongoing fighting in the Middle East - including Israeli strikes in Lebanon - threatened to undermine the fragile ceasefire in the six-week conflict.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Vice President JD Vance would head the American delegation to Islamabad. The team will also include special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with the first round of talks scheduled for Saturday morning local time.

US-Iran ceasefire and what's next

• The fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States entered its second day on Thursday, with Tehran warning it could resume hostilities as Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon.
• Both Washington and Tehran declared victory after agreeing to a two-week truce and talks aimed at ending a war that has killed thousands across the Middle East and disrupted the global economy.
• However, signs of strain appeared quickly on Wednesday as Israel carried out its most intense strikes on neighbouring Lebanon, including densely populated areas of central Beirut, since the Iran-backed group Hezbollah entered the conflict in early March.