US-Iran war highlights: Israel, Hezbollah fire attacks, strikes day after Lebanon truce extended

US-Iran war LIVE updates: The Israeli military said on Saturday it had launched fresh strikes targeting Hezbollah positions across southern Lebanon, a day after the two sides agreed to extend an existing ceasefire. “The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in several areas in southern Lebanon,” the military said in a statement.

US-Iran war LIVE updates: Taiwan on Saturday declared itself an “independent” and sovereign nation after US President Donald Trump warned the island against formally declaring independence during his visit to China.

Trump, after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, said the US was not looking to support Taiwan independence or fight a war with China over the island. He asked both sides to “cool down” while maintaining that US policy toward Taiwan had not changed.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry responded by asserting that the island is “a sovereign and independent democratic nation” and is not subordinate to China. The ministry also defended US arms sales to Taiwan, calling them part of Washington’s long-standing security commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act. (AFP)

US-Iran war LIVE updates: US President Donald Trump said that the announced ceasefire agreed with Iran in order to open diplomatic engagements to achieve a complete solution to the hostilities in West Asia was done "as a favour to Pakistan", which has been acting as a mediator in the talks between Washinagton and Tehran, while also claiming that other nations also requested the truce.

Addressing the press aboard Air Force One en route to Anchorage from his two-day "high-stakes" visit from China, Trump suggested that broader international pressure had influenced the decision to pause hostilities.

"We really did the ceasefire at the request of other nations. I wouldn't have really been in favour of it, but we did it as a favour to Pakistan. They are terrific, the Field Marshal and the Prime Minister. I mean, President Xi and I agree on many things," he said.

Trump further dismissed asking any "favours" from Chinese President Xi Jinping to pressure Iran in order to open the strategic waterway, the Strait of Hormuz.

He further stated that the United States may need to carry out "a little cleanup work" following what he described as a month-long ceasefire. (ANI)

US-Iran war LIVE updates: US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though China gave no indication it would weigh in.

Flying back from Beijing on Friday after two days of talks with Xi, Trump said he was considering whether to lift U.S. sanctions on Chinese oil companies buying Iranian oil. China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil.

"I'm not asking for any favors because when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return," Trump said when asked by a reporter on Air Force One whether Xi had made a firm commitment to put pressure on the Iranians to reopen the vital strait.

Xi did not comment on his discussions with Trump about Iran, although China's foreign ministry expressed frustration with the Iran war, calling it a conflict "which should never have happened, has no reason to continue." (Reuters)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: US officials suspect Iranian hackers may be behind a series of cyber intrusions targeting systems that monitor fuel levels at gas stations across multiple US states, as reported by CNN, citing multiple sources briefed on the matter.

According to CNN, compromised systems, known as automatic tank gauge (ATG) systems, were reportedly exposed online without password protection, allowing hackers, in some cases, to alter display readings of fuel levels.

However, officials clarified that the actual fuel quantities in the storage tanks were not affected.

While the incidents have not resulted in physical damage or injuries, they have raised concerns among security experts and officials, as unauthorised access to such systems could potentially be used to conceal fuel leaks or create operational risks, as reported by CNN.

According to CNN, citing sources, Iran's past cyber activity targeting fuel infrastructure is one of the key reasons it is being considered a leading suspect.

However, they cautioned that a definitive attribution may not be possible due to limited forensic evidence left behind by the attackers.

US agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), have not publicly commented on the incident, while the FBI declined to respond, as reported by CNN. (ANI)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Iran ’s foreign minister said a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the U.S., saying Friday that Tehran would be open to diplomatic help, particularly from China, to help ease tensions.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said contradictory messages have “made us reluctant about the real intentions of Americans.”

“We are in doubt about their seriousness,” he told reporters in New Delhi, adding that negotiations would move forward if Washington was ready for a “fair and balanced deal.”

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week dismissed Iran's latest formal proposal as “garbage.” While Iran was said to include some nuclear concessions, Trump has said he wants to remove highly enriched uranium from the country and prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

In separate negotiations in Washington between Israel and Lebanon, both sides agreed Friday to extend their ceasefire until early June, U.S. officials said. (AP)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday said Iran has every reason not to trust US, while US have every reason to trust Iran.

The Iranian minister, who is in India for a BRICS conclave, said there is no military solution to anything related to Iran, even as he called for a "greater role" for India in the peace talks on West Asia.

"The mediation process by Pakistan has not failed yet, but it is in a very difficult course, mostly because of the Americans' behaviour and the mistrust which exists between us. We appreciate any country that has the ability to help, particularly China. China has been helpful in the past in the resumption of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. We have very good relations with China. We are strategic partners to each other. We know that the Chinese have good intentions. So anything that can be done by them to help diplomacy would be welcomed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. We hope that by the advancement of negotiations, we come to a good conclusion so that the Strait of Hormuz will be completely secured and we can expedite the normalisation of traffic in that Strait," Abbas Araghchi said. Read full report here

US-Iran LIVE Updates: India can play a "greater role" in bringing peace to West Asia because of its friendly ties with almost all countries in the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday, amid mounting global concern over the economic fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran.

His remarks at a press conference in New Delhi came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Abu Dhabi that India is ready to extend all possible support to bring peace in the region.

Araghchi was in the national capital on a three-day visit to attend a conclave of the BRICS foreign ministers hosted by India.

"I think India, with its good reputation, (India) can play a greater role in this region to help (bring) peace; to promote peace and security," he said answering a question.

"We will appreciate any positive (and) constructive role played by India in this region," the Iranian foreign minister said.

Araghchi severely criticised the US for starting the war with Iran and said the current negotiations between the two sides are "suffering from the lack of trust".

"Iran has been the victim of an act of unprovoked aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime, which happened right in the middle of negotiations we had with the Americans," he said.

"As a diplomat, I'm optimistic that a diplomatic solution can prevail, but we shouldn't ignore the possibility of going back to a full-scale war. We, as Islamic Republic of Iran, are prepared for both scenarios," he said. (PTI)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has strongly rejected allegations made by Iran accusing Abu Dhabi of being "directly involved" in aggression against Tehran during the recent conflict in West Asia, asserting that such claims and "malicious accusations" would neither undermine the country's "principled positions" nor influence its sovereign decision-making.

The remarks were made by UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar during the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting here, where he reaffirmed the UAE's categorical rejection of what he described as Iranian allegations and attempts to justify attacks targeting the UAE and other countries in the region.

In an official statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Al Marar said the UAE "categorically rejects any allegations or threats targeting its sovereignty, national security, or independent decision-making" while reaffirming that the country reserves its "full sovereign, legal, diplomatic, and military rights" to respond to threats or hostile acts.

"Attempts at coercion, levelling accusations, or promoting malicious claims will not undermine the UAE's principled positions nor deter the country from safeguarding its supreme national interests and upholding its sovereignty and independent decision-making," the statement read.

The UAE further accused Iran of carrying out repeated attacks against the country since the start of the conflict on February 28, claiming that Emirati air defences had intercepted nearly 3,000 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones from Iran allegedly targeting civilian facilities and critical infrastructure, including airports, ports, oil facilities, desalination plants, energy networks and residential areas. (ANI)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday said Iran has every reason not to trust US, while US have every reason to trust Iran.

The Iranian minister, who is in India for a BRICS conclave, said there is no military solution to anything related to Iran, even as he called for a "greater role" for India in the peace talks on West Asia.

"Iran has every reason not to trust US while Americans have every reason to trust us," he said, adding “We will welcome any constructive role by India.”

Highlighting the trust deficit from the Iranian side on the Americans, Araghchi said the negotiations were suffering owing to this.

The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was ready to help ships of those countries which were not at war with Iran to transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran had effectively blocked the strait, a critical passage for global energy supplies, since the US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28. The strait had earlier handled about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supply. Read full article here

US-Iran LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump said the United States and China have agreed that “Iran can’t have nuclear weapons” and that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open.

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says, "India has relations with so many countries. It is for India to decide its relations. What matters for us is good relations which exist between us and India... We are determined to continue our good relations with India."

US-Iran LIVE Updates: United States and China have agreed that "Iran can't have nuclear weapons," and that the Strait of Hormuz must be opened, according to US President Donald Trump. President Trump met with his Chinese conterpart XI Jinping during his three-day state visit to China, where he discussed the ongoing West Asia conflict, and other regional issues.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One following his departure from China, President Trump asserted that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising Iran has been hit with 500 million dollars of loss per day in the past two and half weeks due to US' naval blockade in the region.

"I have a lot of respect for him. On Iran, he feels strongly that they can't have a nuclear weapon--said that very strongly, they can't have a nuclear weapon--and he wants them to open up the strait. But as he said, they close it and you close them. And it's true, we (US) control the strait, and they (Iran) have done no business in the last two and a half weeks, which is approximately 500 million dollars a day," said President Trump.

President Trump further stated Chinese President Xi Jinping does not want to see a "fight for independence" in Taiwan because that would be a very strong confrontation. (ANI)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Iran is allowing more ships to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state television has said, because "many countries have accepted the new legal protocols" it has put in place. (AFP)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire and hold expanded talks on a political settlement, the United States announced Friday, even as Israel carried out new strikes that it insists are not subject to the truce.

Israel has been pounding Lebanon and invaded its south in response to fire from Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shia movement that is not part of the ceasefire diplomacy.

Envoys from Israel and Lebanon's government, which has struggled to restrain Hezbollah, met for two days in Washington and said they would extend the ceasefire that was set to expire Sunday.

The cessation of hostilities "will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

He said that the State Department would hold negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent political agreement on June 2 and 3 and that the Pentagon would bring together delegations from the countries' militaries on May 29. (AFP)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Global stocks slumped and oil prices rose Friday as talks between the United States and China failed to deliver progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, rekindling worries of persistent inflation pressures that could derail economic growth.

Oil prices rose three percent, with the international benchmark Brent crude contract at nearly $109 a barrel.

Rising crude futures also pushed up government bond yields, including in Britain, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced fresh threats to his leadership.

The yield on 30-year UK government bonds reached 5.869 percent, surpassing Tuesday's mark to hit its highest level since 1998, as investors demanded higher returns to reflect growing inflation risks.

In Japan, the 30-year bond rate hit four percent for the first time since 1999. (AFP)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: China called for a rapid reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a goal it shares with the US, though there was no sign of a breakthrough between the superpowers on how to achieve that after President Donald Trump’s trip to Beijing.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Friday that the strait should be opened to shipping as soon as possible, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency. Both Iran and the US are blocking traffic through the crucial waterway for global energy flows.

The statement came as the world’s two largest economies sought to emphasize points of agreement on the Middle East conflict during Trump’s meetings with President Xi Jinping this week — even as they’re essentially on opposite sides, with China repeatedly criticizing the US-Israeli attack on its Iranian ally. Oil extended gains Friday as the war headed toward its 12th week with no clear path to a resolution. (Bloomberg)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: India raised its export duty on petrol and cut levies on diesel and aviation fuel on Friday, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement. This notification from the government comes within a day of raising retail fuel prices for the first time since the war between the US, Israel and Iran broke out in February.

Citing the government notification, news agency PTI reported that the duty on exports of petrol has been raised to ₹3 per litre, a first since the Iran war started.

Meanwhile, the duty on export of diesel has been reduced to ₹16.5 per litre, from ₹23 per litre, and aviation turbine fuel to ₹16 per litre from ₹33 per litre.

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Iran’s foreign minister said a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the US., saying Friday that Tehran would be open to diplomatic help, particularly from China, to help ease tensions.

Abbas Araghchi added that contradictory messages have “made us reluctant about the real intentions of Americans.”

“We are in doubt about their seriousness,” he told reporters in New Delhi, adding that negotiations would move forward if Washington was ready for a “fair and balanced deal.”

The United Arab Emirates rejected "attempts to justify Iranian terrorist attacks" after Tehran accused the wealthy Gulf state of playing an active role in the war.

Minister of State Khalifa bin Shaheen Al Marar "affirmed the UAE's categorical rejection of Iranian claims and attempts to justify Iranian terrorist attacks targeting the UAE" and other nations, a statement said. (AFP)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: The Israeli military said Friday its forces killed more than 220 Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon over the past week.

During the same period, Israeli forces also struck more than 440 Hezbollah targets in that region, the military added. (AFP)

US-Iran LIVE Updates: Lebanon and Israel on Friday extended a ceasefire for 45 days, despite a new flare-up in violence, the US State Department said after mediating talks.

"The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.

The department would hold negotiations aimed at reaching a permanent political agreement on June 2 and 3, he said, adding that the Pentagon would bring together delegations from the countries' militaries on May 29.