US-Iran war highlights: Israel-Lebanon talks mark breakthrough, US says ‘direct negotiations’ next

US-Iran war LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday said Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington were a historic opportunity, and while every complexity would not be resolved in coming hours, he hoped the parties would begin to move forward.

US-Iran war LIVE: US US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday that no ships made it past the U.S. blockade during the first 24 hours.

“More than 10,000 U.S. Sailors, Marines, and airmen, along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft, are executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports,” it said in a post on X.

US-Iran war LIVE: The Israeli military warned Tuesday it expected a rise in attacks by Hezbollah targeting the country's north, as Washington hosted Israeli and Lebanese officials for their first direct talks in decades.

"Following a situational assessment, and as part of recent developments, an increase in fire from Lebanon is possible, likely targeting northern Israel," the military said.

US-Iran war LIVE: Israel-Lebanon talks in US State Department reportedly began on Tuesday. The talks are being mediated by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Lebanon was pulled into the region-wide Iran war on March 2 after Hezbollah attacked Israel. Since then Israeli strikes -- including an extremely heavy attack on Beirut on April 8 -- have killed more than 2,000 people and displaced more than one million.

US-Iran war LIVE: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said that US has begun negotiations with Iran and has now identified interlocutors capable of representing all three branches of Iran government, indicating a more structured channel for talks.

US-Iran war LIVE: US President Donald Trump told an Italian newspaper on Tuesday he was "shocked" by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and had expected her to be more courageous, delivering a blunt public rebuke to one of his closest European allies.

Trump responded in an interview with Corriere della Sera, saying Meloni was "very different from what I thought" and denouncing her for refusing to help re-open the Strait of Hormuz, which has been blocked by Iran. "I'm shocked by her. I thought she had courage. I was wrong," he is quoted as saying in the Italian-language article posted online.

US-Iran war LIVE: Israel on Tuesday dismissed Italy's decision to suspend a defence agreement between the two countries, saying Rome's move would not have any impact on its security.

"We have no security agreement with Italy. We have a memorandum of understanding from many years ago that has never contained any substantive content. This will not affect Israel's security," foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein told AFP.

US-Iran war LIVE: The head of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on Tuesday only 20 of its staff remained at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, a day after the company said it had started a final stage of evacuations.

Rosatom, which is building two new units at the site, has pulled out hundreds of staff since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28.

US-Iran war LIVE: The international Red Cross movement said Tuesday that a shipment of life-saving medical supplies and other aid has crossed the border into Iran, its first since the start of the war.

The shipment of medical supplies and other aid entered the country on Sunday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said.

US-Iran war LIVE: Iran is considering a short-term pause to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to avoid testing a US blockade and scuppering a fresh round of peace talks, a person familiar with Tehran’s deliberations told Bloomberg.

The potential pause reflects a desire to avoid immediate escalation at a sensitive diplomatic juncture as Washington and Tehran sort logistics for another face-to-face meeting, the person said.

US-Iran war LIVE: Discussion led by Britain and France of steps to open the Strait of Hormuz will include possible financial sanctions on Iran if it keeps the waterway blocked, and steps to work with industry to resume shipping, a source told Reuters.

According to a person familiar with the matter, this week's meetings will centre on four working groups: championing freedom of navigation and maritime security, pursuing economic measures against Iran if the strait stays closed, securing the release of seafarers and trapped ships, and working with industry to support their readiness to resume transit.

US-Iran war LIVE: At least two ships using Iranian ports passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday despite a US military blockade, AFP reported, citing data from maritime tracking firm Kpler.

The Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Christianna transited the strategic strait after unloading corn at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, passing Iran's Larak Island on Monday, Kpler said. A second ship, the Comoros-flagged tanker Elpis, was near Larak Island and cleared the strait about 1600 GMT (9:30 pm IST) the data showed.

US-Iran war LIVE: French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he had spoken with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday and called for talks to restart between Washington and Iran and for a halt of any possible escalation.

He added in a post on social media platform X that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened unconditionally as soon as possible. "Under these circumstances, negotiations should be able to resume quickly, with the support of the key stakeholders," he said.

US-Iran war LIVE: The Israeli military said Tuesday that overnight clashes between Israeli soldiers and Hezbollah militants left 10 soldiers wounded in the strategically significant southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, which Israeli forces have encircled.

The escalation of fighting in the town comes as Israeli and Lebanese officials hold talks in Washington later on Tuesday to end the war

US-Iran war LIVE: Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said his country is seeking "peace and normalisation" with Lebanon, ahead of talks between officials from both nations in Washington on Tuesday.

"We want to reach peace and normalisation with the state of Lebanon... Israel and Lebanon don't have any major disputes between them. The problem is Hezbollah," Saar said at a press conference.

US-Iran war LIVE: France president emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said that he spoke with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, as well as with American President Donald Trump, urging to resume negotiations.

In a post on X, Macron said “I called for resuming the negotiations interrupted in Islamabad, for clarifying misunderstandings, and for avoiding new phases of escalation.” He also added that it is important that the ceasefire be strictly respected by all, “and that it include Lebanon,” the post read.

US-Iran war LIVE: Baghdad's oil ministry said Tuesday it has "understandings" with the United States and Iran to reduce the impact of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Iraqi oil exports. Iraq did not clarify on when the ‘understanding’ was reached.

But Iran announced earlier this month -- before the fragile ceasefire was reached last Wednesday with the United States, that it would allow Iraqi shipping to transit the key waterway.

US-Iran war LIVE: France and Britain will co-host a video conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the French president's office said.

President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-chair the meeting to discuss a plan to "restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when security conditions allow", the Elysee said on Tuesday.

US-Iran war LIVE: There have been no discussions between Qatar and Iran over the payment of funds to stop Iranian attacks on Qatar and any suggestions that such discussions took place are untrue, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"There is a high level of coordination with Pakistan and the Unites States, our demands are being raised through these channels," Majed Al-Ansari said in a media briefing.

US-Iran war LIVE: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Tuesday she was suspending Italy's defence agreement with Israel, which involves the exchange of military equipment and technology research, news agencies reported.

"In view of the current situation, the government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defence agreement with Israel," Meloni said on the sidelines of an event in Verona, according to Italian news agency Ansa.

US-Iran war LIVE: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday said that the country is suspending defence agreement with Israel, AFP reported.

Earlier, Meloni said it was important to press on with peace negotiations to end the war between the United States and Iran, also looking to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

US-Iran war LIVE: French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair a video conference in Paris on Friday for countries that are willing to contribute to the defensive multilateral mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Senior diplomats will hold a video call on Wednesday ahead of the leaders meeting, two European diplomats told Reuters.

US-Iran war LIVE: Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday said it was important to press on with peace negotiations to end the war between the United States and Iran, also looking to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

"It is necessary to continue working in order to advance peace negotiations, making every possible effort to stabilise the situation and reopen the (Hormuz) Strait, which is fundamental for us, not only for fuel supplies but also for fertilisers," Meloni told reporters.

(Reuters)

US-Iran war LIVE: Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said she was "very frustrated and angry" at America's actions as families across Britain suffer the consequences.

In an interview with The Mirror, the Chancellor hit out at Donald Trump's US over the economic fallout of the Iran war - saying it was a "folly" to have no clear exit plan.

She said that gas prices have risen sharply due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil was transported before the decision of the US and Israel to attack Iran.

US-Iran war LIVE: Top Arab Gulf oil producers can return half of shut fields to prewar levels of production within two weeks once transits through the Strait of Hormuz resumes, the International Energy Agency said.

Resumptions are likely to rise to 80% over another month, but would be dependent on companies mobilizing labor and contractors, and the normalization of supply chains, the IEA said in its monthly oil market report. Restarting the remaining 20% would be more challenging because of a reduction in pressure in the fields and other constraints, it said Tuesday.

Restoring output most crucially hinges on safe and sustained vessel transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which has become more complicated following a US blockade. Iran practically shut down the world’s most important waterway at the beginning of the war, forcing countries to slash production as storage tanks started to fill. Some countries preemptively cut output with the aim of a quicker resumption once the war ends.

“First, oil-laden tankers will need to move out of the Gulf,” the IEA said in its report Tuesday. “Vessels currently ballasting in the Gulf could then load and drawdown stocks. It will be impossible to start upstream production or refining unless there is a foreseeable loading programme with adequate available storage at ports.”

via Bloomberg