Israel bombs Lebanon as Trump says peace deal with Iran in final stages

India has paused final approvals for Elon Musk’s Starlink to begin commercial operations, citing security concerns after reports the service’s terminals were used in the Iran conflict.

While Starlink holds a GMPCS licence, authorities have withheld full clearance, questioning the government’s ability to regulate a US-based satellite network during geopolitical tensions.

The move comes as SpaceX prepares for a major Nasdaq IPO, with Starlink central to its growth plans.

The US Embassy in Jerusalem has announced updated security guidance following changes in the situation in Israel, stating that full activity is now permitted in most areas, except for some northern communities and restricted zones near Gaza and border regions.

The shelter-in-place order for US government employees and their families has been lifted. The embassy and its Tel Aviv consular section will resume routine and emergency services from June 10, while Ben Gurion Airport remains operational with travellers advised to contact airlines directly.

US citizens are urged to follow Home Front Command instructions, monitor official alerts, and enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for real-time security updates.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over escalating fighting in the Middle East, calling for an immediate halt to all attacks.

“The ceasefires in Lebanon, Iran, and Gaza must be fully respected, and any actions that could undermine diplomatic efforts must be avoided,” he said.

Guterres also criticised Israel’s closure of crossings into Gaza, urging their immediate reopening to allow safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid.

“There are no military solutions to the conflicts in the Middle East. The only way forward is through dialogue and negotiations,” he added, calling on all parties to pursue diplomatic solutions that promote regional and international peace.

The Israeli army said its forces killed a gunman who had managed to infiltrate Israeli territory from Lebanon and opened fire on its troops.

"A short while ago, an initial report was received regarding a shooting toward IDF soldiers operating in the Ramim Ridge area," the army said, referring to a mountainous area stretching between Israel and Lebanon.

"The soldiers returned fire and eliminated a terrorist in the area. No IDF injuries were reported," the army said, confirming to AFP that the gunman had managed to enter Israel.

Wall Street stocks bounced early Tuesday behind gains in tech shares as oil prices retreated after US President Donald Trump again said an Iran peace deal could be close.

Crude prices were down more than two percent after Trump said a peace deal to end the Middle East war could arrive in "two or three days."

"The market has heard that before," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare. "Even though it has yet to see an actual deal," the market "continues to respect the possibility," he said.

About 10 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.6 percent at 51,074.86.

The broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.7 to 7,456.69, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index jumped 0.9 percent to 26,159.37.

The gains came as ChatGPT-maker OpenAI announced it had confidentially filed with US securities regulators to go public but had not determined the timing of the offering.

Data released Tuesday showed the US trade deficit narrowed 1.2 percent to $55.9 billion in April.

India has expressed gratitude to Oman for swiftly rescuing 24 Indian crew members after the Palau-flagged tanker MT Marivex caught fire off the coast of Oman following a US military action in the Gulf of Oman.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian Embassy in Muscat coordinated closely with Omani authorities, who acted quickly to ensure the safety of all crew members.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that all 24 Indians onboard were safely evacuated and remain in contact with Indian officials.

US Central Command said the vessel was disabled after it allegedly failed to comply with instructions while transiting international waters near the Strait of Hormuz. It claimed the tanker was attempting to head toward Iran in violation of restrictions and was struck by a precision munition.

Despite the incident, authorities confirmed that all Indian nationals were rescued without injury, with both India and Oman acknowledging the swift emergency response.

France has announced a coordinated sanctions package with the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway targeting individuals linked to escalating colonisation and violence in the West Bank.

In a post on X, French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the measures are aimed at those “responsible for intensifying colonisation and violence” in the occupied territory.

At national level, France has imposed entry bans on Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich, four leaders of settler organisations, and 21 violent settlers.

Barrot accused Smotrich of actively promoting the annexation of the West Bank, backing new settlement expansion, advocating the reoccupation of Gaza, and supporting policies he said could undermine the Palestinian Authority and worsen conditions for Palestinians.

He added that such positions are unacceptable to most of the international community, which remains committed to a two-state solution.

The UK government urged British businesses and citizens to refrain from conducting financial activities in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank deemed illegal under international law.

"I have strengthened our business risk guidance to make it clear and unambiguous: if you are a British citizen or business, you should not conduct any economic and financial activities in illegal Israeli settlements," Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament.

"We believe that violent settler groups should not be profiting from the land that they have seized from Palestinians," Cooper added, saying the Israeli "government has condemned some settler violence, but that rings hollow when there is scant accountability".

Israel's foreign ministry on Tuesday denounced a series of sanctions from six Western countries against settler entities in the occupied West Bank for their role in increased settlement building and violence against Palestinians.

"Israel firmly rejects the disgraceful measures adopted by foreign governments against Israeli citizens, entities, and a government minister," ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said in a statement.

"The real essence of these steps is the attempt to impose a political stance regarding the right of Jews to settle in the Land of Israel and concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - camouflaged as measures against violence," he added.

The US trade deficit shrank slightly in April, government data showed Tuesday, bolstered by energy exports on a supply crunch following war in the Middle East.

The overall trade gap narrowed 1.2 percent to $55.9 billion, said the Commerce Department. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal had expected a $56.1 billion figure.

US exports of crude oil and petroleum products have surged since US-Israeli strikes on Iran from late February, which triggered Tehran's retaliation in virtually blocking the Strait of Hormuz.

The strait is a key waterway for energy transit, sending prices soaring.

In April, exports rose 2.6 percent to $327.1 billion, fueled by crude oil, fuel oil and other petroleum products. Exports of capital goods like computers and civilian aircraft also climbed.

US imports, meanwhile, rose by 2.0 percent to $383 billion.

The Israeli army said troops operating in the Ramim Ridge area of northern Israel, near the Lebanese border, killed one person after returning fire.

In a statement on Telegram, the army confirmed no Israeli soldiers were injured. Forces continue to search the area while the air force operates overhead.

France Tuesday banned far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from entering the country, the French foreign minister said, slamming him for actively promoting the annexation of the West Bank and the "re-colonisation" of Gaza.

"Four leaders of settler organisations, and twenty-one violent settlers" were also banned from French territory, Jean-Noel Barrot wrote on X, condemning a "policy that the overwhelming majority of the international community, firmly committed to the two-state solution, cannot accept".

Centcom confirms that two US Army personnel were safely rescued after their AH-64 Apache helicopter went down near the coast of Oman during a routine patrol.

The incident occurred on June 8 at 7:33 pm ET, and both crew members were recovered within approximately two hours. Officials confirmed they are in stable condition.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, with authorities yet to determine what led to the helicopter going down.

The rescue mission was led by US Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, with additional support from US Air Force and Navy units, including the 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59.

The operation underscores the coordination and readiness of US military forces in the region, ensuring personnel safety during high-risk patrols in strategic waters.

FIFA has revoked the ticket allocation for Iran fans at the team's three World Cup games in the United States, the national soccer federation claimed Tuesday.

Each federation for the 48 teams taking part is entitled to receive and distribute 8% of stadium capacity at the World Cup, adding up to several thousands of tickets for each game.

Just days before Iran opens its World Cup - on June 15 at the Los Angeles Rams' stadium in Inglewood against New Zealand - the federation claimed in a statement reported by semi-official state media that it was now unable to provide any tickets to its supporters.

FIFA was approached for comment.

The claim adds to the turmoil between Iranian soccer, FIFA and tournament co-host the U.S., which began military attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

Hezbollah urged Lebanese authorities to mend their relationship with the group's backer Iran and benefit from Tehran's support, days after Iran struck Israel in response to bombardment on south Beirut.

Last week Lebanon's president and prime minister issued pointed calls for Tehran to stop interfering in their country's affairs, after Hezbollah rejected a conditional ceasefire with Israel.

"We call on the Lebanese authorities to seize the opportunity available and correct their official relationship with the Islamic republic in a way that serves the interest of both states," a Hezbollah statement said.

Berlin: Emirates President Tim Clark said the airline will bounce back from the crisis engulfing carriers in the Middle East and that European airlines hoping to capitalise on the current weakness should watch their backs. 

Speaking to journalists in Berlin, Clark said the carrier has “no intention of cutting back, reducing, or anything else.” Clark said it’s “a little bit sad” to see European carriers take advantage of their Middle Eastern rivals’ weakness, after sitting out the opportunity to formulate their response to the rising new airlines for decades.

Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways were forced to cut back operations since the start of hostilities at the end of February because air spaces in the region closed.

Read more here.

Iranian state television on Tuesday said at least two members of the army's air defence force were killed in Israeli strikes a day earlier in the Middle East war's latest exchange of fire, which both sides said they have halted.

"These esteemed martyrs of the Army Air Defense Force attained martyrdom while carrying out their mission of defending the country's skies during yesterday's (Monday) aggression by the Zionist regime," state television said.

Emirates does not intend to reduce its capacity despite the added financial strain caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the airline's president Tim Clark said on Tuesday. The carrier is continuing to fly passengers via Dubai to destinations such as India and Australia, while taking precautions including loading extra fuel on affected routes. Clark said the airline has no intention of cutting back or scaling down operations and was not worried about the additional costs involved, even as Emirates pushes for new traffic rights to serve Berlin, as per Reuters.

Lebanese state media said Israel struck the southern city of Tyre on Tuesday after the Israeli military for the first time warned the entire city to evacuate ahead of strikes.

"Enemy warplanes launched a heavy strike on Tyre," the state-run National News Agency said. An AFP correspondent in the city had earlier seen remaining residents fleeing and heavy traffic heading north.

Global markets moved back into risk-on mode on Tuesday as investors returned to technology stocks, oil prices fell and gold struggled to recover after Israel and Iran signalled a pause in direct attacks.

Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.7%, pointing to a second day of gains for technology shares after last week’s pullback, while S&P 500 contracts advanced 0.4%. The recovery was strongest in Asia, where South Korea’s chip-heavy Kospi index jumped 8.2%, making it the top performer among major regional benchmarks.

Europe also opened firmer, with the Stoxx 600 up 0.5%, as traders bought back into the artificial-intelligence trade and reassessed geopolitical risk after a volatile stretch for oil, gold and equities.

Read more here.

Iran's football federation on Tuesday said the United States has revoked its allocation of tickets for its World Cup group games, accusing the co-host of obstructing the attendance of Iranian supporters under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row.

The US has presented a number of bureaucratic hurdles for Iran at the global football spectacle, including refusing to issue visas for some of its support staff, as the two countries remain at war after the US and Israel attacked the country in late February.

"With less than three days remaining until the start of the 2026 World Cup... the United States has once again acted to obstruct the presence of Iranian supporters at the stadiums hosting the national team's three group stage matches," the federation said in a statement.

The Iranian football body said FIFA regulations dictate that it should be allocated eight percent of tickets for each match, which are given to participating federations for distribution to their supporters through official channels.

Read more here.

Residents of south Lebanon's Tyre including the Christian quarter fled on Tuesday, an AFP correspondent said, after Israel's army for the first time warned the entire city to evacuate ahead of strikes.

The warning came a day after Iran, which insists a halt to the wider Middle East conflict must include a ceasefire in Lebanon, warned it would resume attacks on Israel if it kept striking its neighbour.

Israel has repeatedly struck the coastal city of Tyre since the latest war erupted with Hezbollah, following the Iran-backed group's rocket fire on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader.

Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is the only group in Lebanon that has refused to surrender its arsenal to the state since a civil war ended in 1990.

The heads of the Pakistani and Lebanese armed forces agreed to boost cooperation on Tuesday as they met in Pakistan with peace talks over the Middle East war dragging on.

Pakistan has been mediating between the United States and Iran to end the months-long conflict, with Tehran insisting that any deal should include Lebanon, where Israel has been fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Lebanese army chief Rodolphe Haykal left on Saturday to meet his powerful Pakistani counterpart Asim Munir, with a Lebanon-based source telling AFP the visit was linked to the broader peace talks.

The two military commanders discussed "matters of mutual interest, (the) evolving regional security environment, defence cooperation and prospects for enhancing bilateral military relations", a statement from the media wing of the Pakistani military said on Tuesday.

Munir "underscored (the) Pakistan Army's commitment to expanding defence collaboration with the Lebanese Armed Forces," it said, after Haykal received a guard of honour ahead of the meeting in the city of Rawalpindi.

Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, a hard-line Iranian general believed to have seized a place near Tehran's centre power has been reportedly "eliminated", unconfirmed reports show.

Vahidi, who heads Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible end to the war with the United States.

Believed to be part of a small clique in direct contact with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khameini (who remains in hiding after being reportedly wounded in the Feb. 28 Israeli strikes), Vahidi is now subject of much speculation.

Read more here.

The Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, has issued a stern warning to residents in Tyre amid rising tensions linked to Hezbollah activity.

In a post on X, Adraee specifically addressed residents in the Christian Quarter and neighborhoods including Shabariha Hammadieh, Jal al-Bahr, Zaqqouk, al-Mfadi, Al-Bass, Al-Maashouq, Burj al-Shamali, Nabatieh, Al-Hawsh, Al-Rashidieh, and Ain Baal camps.

"As we warned in the past days, following Hezbollah elements' actions inside the Christian Quarter, the Israel Defense Forces will be compelled to act against their terrorist activities in the quarter in the near term," Adraee wrote.

The statement added that any building used by Hezbollah for military purposes may be targeted.

Residents were urged to evacuate immediately and move north beyond the Zahrani River to ensure their safety.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that two pilots were uninjured after reports that a US military helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz.

It was not immediately clear whether the Apache helicopter was shot down, experienced mechanical failure or encountered some other problem, the New York Times reported, citing two people briefed on the incident.

"The pilots are fine, yeah. Nobody injured," said Trump, speaking to reporters before departing New York after attending an NBA finals game.

"We are going to issue a report on that tomorrow," he added, without commenting on what may have caused the incident.

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was in the "final throes" of reaching a Middle East peace deal.

"We're in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal," he told reporters on his return from an NBA Finals game.

When asked whether it would be matter of days or weeks, he said it would take "two or three days."

US President Donald Trump said that Iran was willing to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons and sign an agreement with the United States, as he claimed American military operations had severely weakened Tehran's military capabilities.

Speaking during a virtual tele-rally for South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham ahead of Tuesday's Republican primary, Trump devoted much of his remarks to Iran, ongoing negotiations and the broader security situation in the Middle East.

"We're negotiating now and they wanna make a very good deal. They're willing to give us everything. They're willing to give us no nuclear weapon," Trump said.

"Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and it's as simple as that."

Read more here.

A US Army Apache attack helicopter has crashed in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, with both crew members safely rescued, according to a report by The New York Times, citing individuals familiar with the matter.

The circumstances behind the incident remain unclear. It is not yet known whether the helicopter was brought down by hostile fire, suffered a technical malfunction, or was affected by another operational issue, the report said.

Chinese exports surged almost a fifth last month, official data showed Tuesday, as the world's second-largest economy weathered pressure from the Middle East war.

Overseas shipments jumped 19.4 percent year on year, the General Administration of Customs said, beating the 15.0 percent forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

Imports soared 27.4 percent year-on-year, topping the 26.0 percent estimated in the Bloomberg survey.

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, has expressed hope that US-Iran negotiations will reach a conclusion by the end of the month, saying both sides are actively exchanging views through Pakistan's mediation.

"We have not received a final document, but we are pursuing to receive it," Iravani told the Associated Press on the sidelines of a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Monday.

Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health announced that the death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since 2nd March has risen to 3,637, with 11,188 people injured as of Monday.

US Vice President JD Vance has said Washington is well-placed to secure a deal with Tehran, telling Fox News that Iran is "coming to the table" with concrete proposals — though he stressed the US would verify any commitments made.

"The Iranians don't want this war to continue. It's not in their best interest," Vance said, adding that a successful agreement would be "a home-run win for the American people."

US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper appeared before the House Appropriations Committee's Defense subcommittee in Washington to outline American military priorities across the Middle East, US CENTCOM said, as the region navigates a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel.

Cooper is scheduled to brief the committee in the Senate tomorrow, rounding out a congressional update that follows public sessions with the Armed Services Committees last month, CENTCOM added.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Monday warned that Israel would continue military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon and would strike Beirut if the group carried out any attacks on Israeli territory, in his first official comments following the recent Iran-Israel escalation, according to the Times of Israel.

"Dahiyeh in Beirut will be treated the same as the northern communities," Katz said, referring to the Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut.

"Any attack on the northern communities will lead to an attack in Dahiyeh. The IDF will continue to operate in Lebanon against the Hezbollah terror organisation," he added.

Katz also rejected Iranian warnings issued amid the latest regional tensions.

"Israel categorically rejects Iran's threats," he said.

"Any Iranian attempt to link Lebanon and Iran and attack Israel will be met with great force, as happened yesterday," Katz added, as per the Times of Israel.

Tehran's international airport has reopened and flights carrying hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia have landed, Iranian news agencies reported early Tuesday.

"The deputy head of airport operation of Imam Khomeini Airport Company announced the resumption of flights to Imam Khomeini Airport and the flights of pilgrims," Mehr news agency reported.

Tehran's international airport suspended all incoming flights on Sunday after Iranian missile strikes on Israel.

Kazem Jalali, Iran’s Ambassador to Russia, told Izvestia news agency that Iran and Oman will determine conditions like transit fees for ships, framing them as payment for services provided.

The strait, key for one-fifth of global seaborne oil, has seen 90-95% less traffic since the US-Israeli conflict began in late February 2026, causing a 13 million barrel daily shortfall.

The US, Europe and Gulf countries oppose tolls on the international waterway even as recent escalations like Israeli airstrikes continue.

Israel's military said early Tuesday it had intercepted an aerial target from Yemen, but there were no injuries.

"A suspicious aerial target from Yemen was intercepted. The incident has concluded. No injuries were reported," the IDF said, adding that the incident occurred in the region of Eilat.

Efforts to revive diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran appear increasingly deadlocked, raising the prospect of a prolonged confrontation that could keep one of the world's most important energy chokepoints under pressure and drive oil prices sharply higher in the months ahead.

Rather than moving toward a rapid settlement, both Washington and Tehran may see strategic advantages in allowing the conflict to drag on, analysts say.

Observers have noted that Washington's immediate goal may simply be a temporary halt to manage political pressures (like the US congressional elections) rather than securing a permanent settlement.

Mohammad Alzghool of the Emirates Policy Centre (EPC), an Abu Dhabi-based think-tank, points to a shift in "strategic equilibrium."

The result: a renewed risk of US-Iran Military confrontation, and continued uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel says its military will keep striking Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon despite warnings from Tehran, raising concerns that a fragile regional ceasefire could unravel and trigger a wider conflict across the Middle East.

The Israeli military said operations against Hezbollah would continue after a series of attacks in Lebanon, including strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs and southern Lebanon. Iran responded with its first direct missile attack on Israel since a US-brokered ceasefire took effect in early April, launching a barrage of ballistic missiles that Israel said were intercepted.

Israel later carried out retaliatory airstrikes against military targets in central and western Iran. Israeli officials said the strikes targeted missile-launch infrastructure and other military assets.

The exchange represents the most serious escalation since the ceasefire paused months of conflict involving Israel, Iran and Tehran's regional allies. Iranian officials warned that further Israeli attacks in Lebanon would provoke a broader and more severe response, while Israel insisted it would continue military operations against Hezbollah.

Donald Trump told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that he might soon face Iran alone if tensions escalate, according to an interview with Israel’s Channel 12.

The US president said he urged Netanyahu on Sunday to avoid retaliatory strikes after Israel attacked Beirut, but the Israeli leader did not reveal his final decision until later. Trump added he was able to “reduce the scale” of the planned attack.

He cautioned Netanyahu against turning the exchange into a full-scale war, saying: “You’d better be careful what you do, because you could be left alone against Iran very soon.”

Day 101: Iran and Israel suspend strikes after Trump’s request

Day 100: Iran says it targeted Israeli air base with missiles

Day 99: Iran targets Bahrain and Kuwait after new US strikes

Day 98: Trump hails ‘great success’ with Iran, offers no new details

Day 97: UN peacekeeper killed in south Lebanon shelling

Day 96: US: Iran's Kuwait attack was 'deliberate & calculated'

Day 95: Rubio says Iran's Khamenei alive and 'increasingly engaging'

Day 94: Kuwait intercepts missiles, drones; Iran halts US talks

Day 93: Trump asked for tougher terms in proposed Iran war deal

Day 92: Hormuz disruption raises summer fuel shortage fears

Day 91: Trump wraps Iran talks without announcement

Day 90: US, Iran reach deal pending Trump's final approval