Israel says troops will stay in Lebanon as Hormuz attack raises tensions

The Israeli army said it had killed several suspected Hezbollah operatives on Thursday in two separate incidents around the so-called "security zone" its forces have established in southern Lebanon.

In the first case, the military said soldiers "identified five Hezbollah terrorists who posed a threat to them" in Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, while in the second, they "identified an armed Hezbollah terrorist" around the strategic Ali al-Taher Ridge.

"Following the identifications, the Israeli Air Force and the ground forces fired toward the terrorists and eliminated them to remove the threat," it said.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has suspended its ship and seafarer evacuation plan for the Strait of Hormuz following an attack on a vessel in the waterway.

In a statement, the IMO said the evacuation plan would remain suspended until further clarification. It added that the vessel attacked in the Gulf of Oman earlier on Thursday had not requested assistance under the organisation's evacuation framework.

Lebanon has cancelled this year's official secondary school examinations, known as the baccalaureate, because of the country's deteriorating security situation, Education Minister Rima Karami said on Thursday.

Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Karami said all students registered for the national examinations would be exempt and awarded certificates based on continuous assessment throughout the academic year.

Students will qualify for the certificate provided they achieved an average score of at least 9.5 out of 20.

Karami said the official baccalaureate examinations were cancelled "due to the exceptional circumstances and difficult security conditions the country is facing."

France and Italy want to set up a multinational coalition to succeed the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday.

"We want to launch a coalition for the post-UNIFIL arrangement, obviously in coordination with the European Union and the United Nations, to strengthen Lebanon's sovereignty and that of its armed forces," Macron said after talks with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Israel said Thursday that it had set no timetable for withdrawing its forces from Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, as Israeli and Lebanese officials engaged in US-brokered talks in Washington.

The Israeli military has launched widespread airstrikes in Lebanon and sent troops into the country's south after Hezbollah, the powerful militia backed by Iran, entered the Middle East war on the side of its patron in March.

"We must remain in the security zone in Lebanon, in Syria, and in Gaza, and not for a limited time, in order to defend our residents and communities from there against jihadist elements," Defence Minister Israel Katz said at a graduation ceremony at a military academy.

"We oppose the withdrawal of IDF forces from the security zone in Lebanon, despite all the pressures that exist and those still to come."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the same function that troops would remain in south Lebanon "as long as necessary".

"I have made it clear to the IDF: you have full freedom of action."

The Gulf's top diplomats said on Thursday that dealing with Iran's proxies and missiles was key to lasting peace, and that any trade and investment with Tehran would be reversible and contingent on it respecting its deal with the US.

"The Ministers further emphasized that lasting regional peace and security requires addressing the full spectrum of Iran's threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and support of proxies in the region," they said in a joint statement following a meeting co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"Any trade and investment with Iran is conditional and reversible, contingent on Iran's compliance with the MOU and the final agreement, cessation of its destabilizing behavior, and creation of the conditions necessary for economic engagement," they added.

A cargo ship was damaged after it was hit by an unknown projectile off the Omani coast in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, a British maritime agency said, reporting no casualties.

"A cargo vessel has been hit on the starboard side by an unknown projectile, causing damage to the bridge. Master has reported no casualties and no environmental impact," said the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding the incident occurred 7.5 nautical miles (14 kilometres) southeast of Dahit in Oman.

Israel said Thursday that it would only withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon after Hezbollah was disarmed, as the two countries engaged in US-mediated talks in Washington.

"We will not withdraw our forces from southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains a threat, are not disarmed and are not demilitarised," David Mencer, a government spokesman, said in a briefing to journalists.

Several tankers made their way out of the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday using a new route promoted by a U.N. maritime agency. Iran has threatened vessels using the path, which runs along the coast of Oman.

The oil tankers, led by the Stoic Warrior vessel, passed by Oman's Musandam Peninsula fairly close to the shore. The route was laid out by Oman and the International Maritime Organization, a U.N. agency.

Israel and Lebanon are making good progress in their talks in Washington and are close to making a "commitment of intent", US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday.

Three days of discussions between the neighbours, who earlier this year opened their first direct talks since the 1990s, are due to wrap up on Thursday.

"I think we are very close in our hopes of getting a commitment of intent between the two countries," Rubio told reporters during a visit to Bahrain.

"It'll be a process, it'll take some time, it'll take a lot of work, but I can tell you that for the first time in 30 years, the sovereign government of Lebanon is speaking to the government of Israel directly."

An Israeli strike on a vehicle in southern Lebanon killed three people on Thursday, Lebanese state media reported, despite a lull in the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said "three people were killed and one person was wounded when an enemy drone targeted a... vehicle on the road between Zawtar and Mayfadoun".

It is the third deadly incident since Tuesday, bringing the number of people killed in Israeli attacks this week to seven. The strike comes as Lebanese and Israeli officials meet in Washington for a fifth round of direct negotiations.

Iran said Thursday it was ready to help with rescue and relief operations after Venezuela was struck by its strongest earthquake in more than a century.

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a statement "announced Iran's readiness to provide any assistance required in relief and rescue operations", while expressing "solidarity with the government and people of Venezuela".

Oman's top diplomat said no transit fees would be imposed in the Strait of Hormuz Thursday after Muscat and Tehran, which border the key waterway, had earlier said they were discussing service "costs".

Badr Albusaidi said "future arrangements regarding the Strait do not entail the imposition of any transit fees," during a meeting of Gulf foreign ministers in the Bahraini capital Manama with US Secretary Marco Rubio - whose administration has repeatedly opposed any fees or tolls.

UN's International Maritime Organization has reported that 57 vessels carrying around 1,100 seafarers have safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz since June 23 as part of a coordinated evacuation initiative.

According to data released by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Thursday, the movement marks the first official figures from the UN-backed operation designed to help secure passage for ships and crews in the region.

The latest breakdown shows 13 ships transited on June 23, followed by 32 on June 24 and another 12 on the morning of June 25, bringing the total to 57 vessels so far.

The wider evacuation plan is expected to facilitate the movement of hundreds of ships and approximately 11,000 seafarers through the strategic waterway.

Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to the UAE President, warned on Thursday against attempts to impose new geopolitical realities on GCC countries through a treacherous aggression, saying such actions would undermine, rather than promote, long-term regional stability.

In a post on X, Gargash said: “Such a treacherous aggression could not be used to reshape the strategic landscape of the Gulf region, arguing that imposing a fait accompli born of aggression would not pave the way for stability, but rather sows new seeds of discord and conflict in the future.”

Read more here.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said US does not recognise the Strait of Hormuz as belonging to any one country, speaking during a meeting with Bahraini leaders in Manama.

Rubio also reiterated that the United States remains open to reaching an agreement with Iran, but stressed we don’t want a deal at any price.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday warned that Iranian tolls on ships passing the Strait of Hormuz would spread to other waterways, risking "total chaos".

"International waterways do not belong to any nation state. This is a foundational principle in the world today, without which the world would be in total chaos," he told a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Bahrain.

"If in fact we accepted that you can charge money to use an international waterway because it happens to be near your territorial space, well then this will spread throughout the world like a contagion."

Washington, United States: The US Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday to rein in President Donald Trump's handling of the Iran war - an apparent U-turn following pressure from the Republican leader.

The move came just one day after the Senate voted 50-48 to pass a resolution calling for an end to the Iran war, delivering a rebuke to the White House as it seeks to negotiate a lasting deal with Tehran.

The legislation is seen as largely symbolic and has little chance of curbing executive authority because Trump has the presidential power of veto.

Trump slammed the Tuesday vote as "poorly timed and meaningless," saying that it made his job more difficult.

The president lashed out on Wednesday at Republican lawmakers during a closed-door lunch on Capitol Hill, US media reported.

Hours later, Republican Senators Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy - who had called for a check on the president's war on Iran - changed their stance in the late Wednesday vote to align with Trump, CNN reported.

The Wednesday resolution, which was defeated 50-47, did not nullify or change the outcome of Tuesday's vote.

Trump took a more positive view of Wednesday's result, writing on Truth Social that "This vote puts Iran on notice!"

During his lunch with Republicans on Wednesday, Trump "was mad as a murder hornet," Senator John Kennedy told the New York Times.

Other attendees told the newspaper that Trump aired a long list of grievances and complaints.

The Israeli military said Thursday that a soldier was killed the previous day in southern Lebanon, where clashes with Hezbollah militants have been reported despite a ceasefire.

Master Sergeant Basil Sweid, 32, a driver, "fell during operational activity", the military said.

A spokesman told AFP that he was killed when his vehicle overturned.

Top US diplomat Marco Rubio was in Bahrain on Thursday after promising Gulf allies that Washington would protect their interests as it seeks to hammer out a final settlement to end the war with Iran.

Rubio is on a regional tour to reassure the Gulf states, which were targeted by Tehran's missiles and drones during the conflict and saw their crucial oil and gas shipments effectively cut off by an Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

The impact of lower oil and shipping costs could begin to appear within a few weeks, but it may take several months for these savings to fully pass through to retail prices and consumer goods, depending on supply chains and existing contracts, industry experts said.

The reopening and stabilisation of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to ease pressure on energy and freight costs, giving UAE residents the prospect of more stable fuel prices and gradual relief on some imported goods.

Read more here.

South Korean-operated vessels continue to exit the Strait of Hormuz following last week’s ceasefire between the United States and Iran, with five more ships departing the region, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on Thursday.

The ministry said the latest departures bring the total number of vessels that have left the area to 11, adding that 13 South Korean-linked vessels remain inside the strategic strait.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy has dismissed a newly established shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, cautioning that vessels using the corridor could be exposed to significant risks.

According to remarks reported by Press TV on Thursday, the IRGC Navy said the route had been introduced by 'certain authorities' without prior consultation or coordination with Tehran.

IRGC stressed that only maritime corridors approved by Iran are recognised and that ships navigating the area must remain in contact with the IRGC Navy. It warned that vessels operating outside designated routes could be subject to intervention and enforcement measures.

Brent crude fell more than one percent Thursday, slipping below its closing level on the eve of the Middle East war, as investors grow optimistic about US-Iran peace talks and tankers continue through the Strait of Hormuz.

The contract for August hit a low of $72.44 a barrel, compared with the February 27 close of $72.48. Brent soared as high as $119 in the weeks after the United States and Israel began their strikes on Iran on February 28.

US State Secretary Marco Rubio has reited a firm stance that no tolls will be allowed on the Strait of Hormuz, even as US-Iran tensions simmer over waterway fees. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday, the official White House rapid response account amplified comments from Rubio underscoring the Trump administration's position that the Strait of Hormuz must remain free and open to international shipping without any charges. Rubio stated: "The whole world will be against any mechanism that charges money to use an international waterway. It's that simple. The President has already said it — that's not going to happen. When we mean open the Straits, we mean open the Straits free."

The Trump administration said "technical negotiations" with Iran will continue in the coming days, but acknowledged that the future of Tehran's nuclear programme remains the biggest hurdle to securing a lasting ceasefire after months of conflict.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said discussions with Iranian officials would move forward, with negotiators expected to tackle complex technical issues surrounding Iran's nuclear activities, which US officials have repeatedly said must never lead to the development of a nuclear weapon.

Speaking during a diplomatic tour of the Arabian Gulf, Rubio said he visited Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to thank the three US partners for what he described as their "incredible support" during the recent conflict and subsequent ceasefire efforts.

Rubio stressed that Washington would not sideline its regional partners while pursuing a diplomatic agreement with Tehran. He assured that the US would "never undermine" Gulf allies, adding his meetings as "very frank, honest, important."

The comments underscore the administration's effort to reassure Gulf states, many of which have long viewed Iran's expanding military capabilities and regional influence as a direct security threat. Officials have said any long-term agreement must address concerns shared by US allies while preventing Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Wednesday declined to say whether he agreed with US President Donald Trump's recent remarks suggesting Iran could retain some conventional ballistic missiles, instead reiterating the military alliance's longstanding position that Tehran must never acquire nuclear weapons.

Speaking outside the White House after meeting with Trump, Rutte avoided weighing in on the U.S. president's comments when questioned by CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

"I can't comment on everything," Rutte said. "What is important here is for NATO — that we always had a consistent position as an alliance with the United States, all the 32 nations — that Iran should never get its hands on the nuclear capability."

Rutte's remarks came days after Trump said he would support Iran possessing "some" conventional ballistic missiles, arguing that such weapons "aren't the problem." The comments marked a notable shift in tone after Trump had previously called for eliminating the threat posed by Iran's ballistic missile program as part of broader efforts to curb Tehran's military capabilities.

Global oil prices have fallen to their lowest levels since the outbreak of the Iran war earlier this year, as traders increasingly bet that a US-Iran agreement will keep the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz open and allow energy exports to return to normal.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell below $74 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell below $70, and Murban crude dropped 4.57% to $66.45 (down $3.18) as of 7.48am in Tokyo, erasing most of the "war premium" that had built up during months of conflict.

US President Donald Trump came under sharp criticism from fellow Republicans during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill, exposing deepening divisions within his own party over the months-long Iran war, just hours before the White House formally asked Congress to approve $87.6 billion in emergency funding to cover military operations and other priorities.

The tense meeting reportedly featured a heated exchange between Trump and Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of several GOP lawmakers who have questioned the administration's handling of the conflict and the framework agreement reached to end hostilities with Iran. Republican concerns have centered on the war's objectives, mounting costs, and whether the administration has secured meaningful strategic gains.

The clash came a day after the Senate delivered a symbolic rebuke by approving a bipartisan war powers resolution seeking to curb Trump's authority to launch future military action against Iran without congressional approval, reflecting growing unease in both parties over the conflict and its constitutional implications.

Despite the political backlash, the Trump administration has asked Congress to approve $87.6 billion in supplemental spending. Of that amount, about $67 billion would replenish Pentagon weapons stockpiles, strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base, and fund military operations linked to the Iran conflict. The package also includes aid for American farmers affected by trade disruptions, funding to combat the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and other domestic priorities aimed at broadening congressional support.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that he believed all countries were against Iran imposing fees for transiting the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

"I know of no country on the planet that supports tolling or fees for the use of the strait," Rubio said during a tour of the Gulf to reassure close US allies who were hit hard by Iran during the Middle East war.

Day 117: Iran-Gulf reconciliation talks expected in Saudi Arabia

Day 116: Rubio lands in UAE on first leg of Gulf tour

Day 115: Iran will agree to allow weapons inspection: Vance

Day 114: Iranian military says halting offensive vs Israel

Day 113: Trump threatens US tolls on Hormuz strait if Iran talks fail

Day 112: Israeli strike hits south Lebanon despite truce deal

Day 111: Iran leader approves US deal despite 'different view'

Day 110: Trump signs surprise interim deal with Iran to pause war