Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that the United States “must, of necessity, respond” to the Iranian downing of a US Apache helicopter that was patrolling the Strait of Hormuz overnight.
Two American service personnel were rescued from the vital waterway in a stable condition after the $40 million gunship went down, the military said.
In a post on social media, Trump blamed Tehran for the incident and vowed to hit back, just hours after wading in to prevent a full-scale conflict between Iran and Israel.
“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote.
“There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”
The US and Iran are still nominally held to the April 8 ceasefire agreement while working to find an end to the conflict, now in its fourth month.
Key Points
- Israel 'kills eight' in fresh attacks on Lebanon threatening Iran truce: report
- Israel issues evacuation order for Lebanon's Tyre, including Christian quarter
- Trump says deal could be reached with Iran in 'two or three days'
- Netanyahu did not defy me on striking Iran, says Trump
- Trump says pilots fine after US helicopter crashes near Hormuz
- Oil prices slightly up after Israel and Iran halt strikes
Watch: Indian crew rescued after US disables Iran-bound tanker in Gulf of Oman
18:00 , James Reynolds
Trump says US 'must respond' to helicopter downing
17:41 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump says the US “must, of necessity, respond” to the Iranian downing of an American helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.
“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” he writes on Truth Social.
“There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Christian leaders in Tyre urge for action after Israel's evacuation warning
17:00 , James Reynolds
Christian religious leaders from Lebanon’s southern port city of Tyre called on the international community and Lebanese officials on Tuesday to act quickly to prevent Israel from attacking the Christian district of the city, as airstrikes on nearby neighborhoods killed eight people and wounded dozens of others.
The Israeli military has issued an evacuation warning for the port city, including the Christian quarter, which has been spared so far.
Read the full story:
Christian leaders in the Lebanese city of Tyre urge for action after Israel's evacuation warning
US energy sec says Hormuz traffic improving
16:30 , James Reynolds
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is rising “very meaningfully”.
“I would say rising very meaningfully,” he said today when asked how ship traffic is flowing through the Strait compared to a week or two ago.
Wright made the remarks during an Atlantic Council conference and added that it would take many months to get back to normal flows of energy once the war is over.
Vessel movements on the strait have been largely blocked February, interrupting around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
But some vessels have since begun transiting the narrow waterway bordering Iran, often with transponders turned off and under cover of darkness.
'Shelter in place' order for US officials in Jerusalem ends
16:01 , James Reynolds
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem says the ‘shelter in place’ order for US government employees and their family members has ended.
Criminals working for Iran proxies to face 14 years in jail
16:00 , James Reynolds
Criminals who commit arson and criminal damage on behalf of state-linked proxies will face up to 14 years behind bars under tough new laws.
New powers proposed in the State Threats Bill will allow ministers to list organisations they believe are front groups for hostile foreign states, such as Iran or Russia. Anyone then found to be assisting or receiving payment from these groups will face longer behind bars if they are convicted.
A new offence of supporting hostile proxy groups will also be created if the bill, presented to parliament today, is approved. Ministers hope the tough powers will act as a deterrent to lower-level criminals, many of whom are teenagers, who are being commissioned by state-linked proxies to carry out acts of intimidation and vandalism.
Criminals backed by Iran and Russian-state proxies to face 14 years in jail
Full report: Iran says entire ticket allocation for World Cup withdrawn days before tournament
15:45 , Alex Croft
Iran's football federation (FFIRI) have claimed that its ticket allocation for the World Cup has been pulled just days before football's global showpiece kicks off.
This leaves supporters who had already made travel plans unable to attend their team's matches, with the FFIRI calling it a decision “to sabotage the presence of Iranian fans” at the tournament.
“This is despite the fact that many Iranian football fans, relying on the officially announced process, had already made the necessary plans to attend the matches,” it added in a statement.
Read more here:
Iran says entire ticket allocation for World Cup withdrawn days before tournament
UN chief 'deeply concerned' over Gaza border crossings
15:21 , Alex Croft
We can bring you more from UN chief Antonio Guterres, who said Israel should open crossings it has closed into Gaza to allow for the flow of humanitarian aid.
"I'm also deeply concerned by Israel's decision to close crossings into Gaza & reiterate my call for the immediate reopening of all crossings to ensure the rapid, safe & unhindered passage of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout Gaza," he said.
A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in place since October 2025 that includes guarantees of increased aid.
Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce. Israeli strikes have killed more than 950 people since the truce, health officials say, while Israel says four soldiers were killed by militants during the same period.
UN chief 'deeply alarmed' by escalation of violence in Middle East
14:54 , Alex Croft
UN secretary general Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply alarmed" by a renewed escalation of violence in the Middle East and called on Israel to reopen crossings into Gaza.
"All attacks must stop immediately. The ceasefires in Lebanon, Iran & Gaza must be fully respected," he said in a post on X.
Israel struck targets in Iran on Monday for the first time since a ceasefire in April, after Iran fired missiles at Israel in what Tehran said was retaliation for Israeli strikes on Lebanon's capital.
Israel and Iran both called a halt to the exchange on Monday shortly after Trump told them to stop shooting, although they each left the door open to a possible resumption.
The most direct confrontation between the two countries since April threatened to wreck Washington's efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran to end their more than 3-month-old war.
Israeli military said it killed one after troops under fire in northern Israel
14:25 , Alex Croft
The Israeli military has said it received a report about gunfire being directed at its forces in the Ramim Ridge area of northern Israel.
It said in a statement that its soldiers returned fire and eliminated someone in the area, who it described as a “terrorist”.
It said no Israeli soldiers had been wounded in the incident, which was ongoing, with troops conducting searches of the area supported by the air force.
A very online Israeli army spokesman is the face of war for millions of Arabs
13:40 , Alex Croft
For more than two years, hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza and Lebanon have lived in dread of Avichay Adraee’s next social media post.
Israel’s Arabic-language military spokesman has been the animated face of its campaigns and the main source of warnings ahead of strikes and major offensives. That has made him one of the most recognizable Israelis in the Arab world and a focus of fury as well as some fascination.
In social media videos shared to his 2.5 million followers across platforms, the colonel appears in military fatigues, gesticulating as he delivers official statements and mocks Israel’s enemies, often using satire or pop culture references, all in fluent Arabic.
Read more here:
A very online Israeli army spokesman is the face of war for millions of Arabs
China’s exports jump 19.4% in May despite Iran war
13:19 , Alex Croft
China’s exports picked up pace in May, rising 19.4 per cent from a year earlier, its customs agency said today, as technology-related shipments remained robust despite impacts from the Iran war.
The stronger-than-expected performance was an improvement from April’s 14.1 per cent year-on-year increase.
Imports in May jumped 27.4 per cent, also at a faster pace compared with April’s 25.3 per cent year-on-year expansion.
Exports to the US in May surged more than 35 per cent from the year before, after an 11 per cent increase in April.
Watch: Iranian journalist stabbed on London street on 'orders of Tehran'
12:58 , Alex Croft
British government joins 19 nations in condemning ban on aid groups in Gaza
12:37 , Alex Croft
The UK, along with 19 other Asian and European countries, has issued a joint statement criticising Israel's new registration laws for aid groups working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
"The aid entering Gaza has remained largely insufficient, both in quantity and in quality, while nearly the entire population depends on life-saving services," the statement read.
Israel’s top court last week upheld the restrictions, which have banned 37 aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, for refusing to provide lists of their Palestinian and international employees to the Israeli government.
"The registration law will affect and severely limit the INGO’s capacity to respond inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem," the countries said.
"We again strongly urge Israel to not implement the registration law in its current form."
Iran struck by magnitude 5 earthquake
12:17 , Alex Croft
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Sargaz in Iran's southern Hormozgan province early on Tuesday, Iranian state media reported.
The quake was at a depth of 22 km (13.67 miles), it said.
US navy drone rescued two crew members in Apache crash
11:57 , Alex Croft
A US Navy surface drone found and rescued the two crew from a US Apache attack helicopter from the waters of the Strait of Hormuz, the US military’s Central Command told Reuters on Tuesday.
We earlier reported that a US Apache helicopter has crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, hours after hostilities in the region escalated with Iran and Israel exchanging their first direct strikes in two months.
Donald Trump said both pilots are “fine”.
In pictures: Israel launches fresh attacks on Tyre despite Trump pleas
11:29 , Alex Croft
Israel 'kills eight' in fresh attacks on Lebanon threatening Iran truce: report
11:07 , Alex Croft
Israel has killed eight people in new attacks on southern Lebanon, officials said according to a report, despite Donald Trump pleading with Benjamin Netanyahu to halt strikes on Iran and Lebanon.
An Israeli airstrike hit a popular housing district in the ancient southern Lebanese city of Tyre, civil defence officials told Al Jazeera Arabic.
The Israeli military earlier had issued an evacuation order for the entire city, including its Christian quarter which has previously been excluded from evacuation zones.
Tyre, the fifth largest city in Lebanon with a peacetime population of around 200,000, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Israel’s attack comes after it agreed to halt their attacks after the two sides exchanged fire for the first time since the April truce, threatening to plunge the Middle East back into full-scale war.
Vance says US in strong position to secure Iran deal - ICYMI
10:45 , Alex Croft
Vice president JD Vance earlier claimed the US is in a good position to secure a peace deal with Iran.
"The Iranians don't want this war to continue. It's not in their best interest, and I think they're coming to the table, putting some real things on the table, we're of course going to verify," Vance told Fox News.
Vance claimed that recent negotiations had moved in a positive direction. "If we get to this deal, it's going to be a home-run win for the American people," he said.
Fresh pictures emerge of Israeli interceptions of Iranian missiles
10:24 , Alex Croft
Full report: US Apache helicopter crashes near the Strait of Hormuz
10:05 , Alex Croft
As we reported earlier, a U.S. Apache helicopter has crashed near the Strait of Hormuz, hours after hostilities in the region escalated with Iran and Israel exchanging their first direct strikes in two months.
The helicopters, which cost around $35 million to $40 million, have been used by the U.S. military to police a blockade of Iranian ports near the strait, as part of its large military presence in the region.
Apache aircraft have been previously used to attack Iranian small boats - but the U.S. military has not said whether the helicopter was shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure or encountered some other problem.
Read our full report here:
US Apache helicopter crashes near the Strait of Hormuz
Iran says World Cup ticket allocation has been pulled days before it starts
09:45 , Alex Croft
Iran's football federation (FFIRI) has said that its ticket allocation for the World Cup has been pulled just days before football's global showpiece kicks off.
The move has left supporters who had already made travel plans unable to attend their team's matches.
"This is despite the fact that many Iranian football fans, relying on the officially announced process, had already made the necessary plans to attend the matches," the FFIRI added in a statement.
Watch: Indian crew rescued after US disables Iran-bound tanker in Gulf of Oman
09:15 , Alex Croft
A US fighter jet fired at a tanker in the Gulf of Oman to prevent it from violating the American blockade of Iran, sparking a fire and forcing the vessel’s Indian crew to evacuate.
The MT Marivex was sailing in international waters towards Iran when it was struck by an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, Centcom said. The attack caused a fire onboard, but all 24 Indian crew members of the Palau-flagged vessel were able to evacuate safely with help from the Omani authorities, Indian and US officials said on Monday.
The jet fired into the ship's engineering and steering spaces to disable it after the crew failed to comply with directions from US forces, Centcom said. "Marivex is no longer sailing to Iran," it added.
The unladen oil tanker reported a fire at around 1.30pm local time on Monday, with the crew requesting immediate evacuation.
The attack reportedly damaged the tanker’s lifeboats, leaving the crew unable to escape without help.
Indian crew rescued after US attacks Palau-flagged tanker
08:57 , Alex Croft
All 24 Indian crew members of a Palau-flagged tanker were rescued after it was attacked by the US Navy off the coast of Oman.
US troops attacked MT Marivex, which was blacklisted and sanctioned by the US treasury department, according to reports.
On three occasions, the vessel turned away after repeated warnings by the US Navy, India's PTI news agency reported.
The vessel made another attempt to run past the blockade by using Omani territorial waters and switched off its signal devices to go undetected, the report found.
The Indian embassy in Oman thanked the local authorities for rescuing the Indian crew members.
Bel Trew | When is a ceasefire no longer a ceasefire?
08:20 , Alex Croft
Editorial | Danger has not passed in the Middle East
07:59 , Alex Croft
The latest threat of a new Middle East conflagration seems to have been averted in the final minutes of the eleventh hour.
After launching strikes on northern Israel that broke a six-week-long ceasefire, Iran announced that it was halting what it had said would be a week-long operation. Within the hour, Israel had announced that it would be halting its retaliatory strikes on Iran, at Donald Trump’s request.
It would be premature in the extreme, however, to believe that the danger has passed. Iran’s strikes on northern Israel, and Israel’s response, which included targeting Tehran, represented not just a resumption of the conflict that began with the US-Israel attack on Iran some 100 days ago, but a risk that the war would spread beyond those countries, including the Gulf states, already affected.
With the Iran-backed Houthis of Yemen renewing their threat to target ships linked to Israel traversing the Red Sea and Iran continuing to block the Strait of Hormuz, the spectre was raised of all north-south traffic in the whole region being brought to a halt. All too predictably, oil prices rose. Of the many perilous points in the conflict over the past five months, this was the most perilous to date.
Read more of The Independent’s view.
Israel issues evacuation order for Lebanon's Tyre, including Christian quarter
07:41 , Alex Croft
We’re just hearing news that the Israeli military has issued an evacuation order for the Lebanese city of Tyre.
The evacuation order will include the city’s Christian quarter, the military said.
Previous evacuation orders had excluded the Christian quarter, but the military said Hezbollah militants were operating there, without providing evidence. It had warned residents that the area could be subject to evacuation orders if Hezbollah remained present.
The ancient city is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is the fifth largest in Lebanon, and in peace time has had a population of around 200,000.
Iran’s World Cup players wear #168 lapel pins as they arrive in Mexico
07:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran’s World Cup team arrived in Mexico this weekend wearing lapel pins that paid tribute to the victims of a deadly missile strike on an elementary school at the start of the war with the US and Israel.
The gold-colored pins, worn by players on their jackets upon arrival in Tijuana, Mexico, bore the number "168."
The number refers to the victims, predominantly children, who were killed in a February 28 strike on a school in Minab, southern Iran, an attack widely attributed to the US.
More here.
Why Iran squad wore #168 badges as they arrived in Mexico for the World Cup
China’s exports jump 19.4% in May despite Iran war
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
China’s exports picked up pace in May, rising 19.4 per cent from a year earlier, its customs agency said today, as technology-related shipments remained robust despite impacts from the Iran war.
The stronger-than-expected performance was an improvement from April’s 14.1 per cent year-on-year increase.
Imports in May jumped 27.4 per cent, also at a faster pace compared with April’s 25.3 per cent year-on-year expansion.
Exports to the US in May surged more than 35 per cent from the year before, after an 11 per cent increase in April.
Trump told Netanyahu of need for ‘a lot of common sense’
06:46 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump said Israel had already launched retaliatory strikes against Iran before his call for restraint.
The US president insisted if he tells the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do something “he does it”, after he appeared to ignore Trump’s demand to hold back from responding militarily.
In a phone interview with the BBC, Trump said he stressed the need “to use a lot of common sense” when he spoke to the Israeli leader, amid ongoing negotiations aimed at securing an end to hostilities.
More here.
Trump told Netanyahu of need for ‘a lot of common sense’ amid Iran strikes
Trump says pilots fine after US helicopter crashes near Hormuz
06:25 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
President Donald Trump said two crew members from a US Apache helicopter that crashed near the Strait of Hormuz were "fine".
News of the crash emerged with the Middle East still reeling after Iran and Israel exchanged fire the previous day in the biggest blow yet to the straining ceasefire in the Iran war. The cause of the helicopter incident remained unclear.
Trump told reporters: "The pilots are fine. Yeah. Nobody injured. We are going to issue a report tomorrow. But the pilots are fine."
Trump claims Israel and Iran agreed to halt fighting 'for another week’
06:18 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has said that Israel and Iran have agreed to leave each other alone for another week after he had a “very good conversation” with Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.
“He [Netanyahu] was hit, and he hit back, and I can’t blame him for that,” Trump told reporters as he departed from New York.
“But he was hit, he hit back, and now they’ve called it quits. So they’re going to just leave each other alone for another week or something,” Trump added.
Iran and Israel have agreed to halt their attacks after the two sides exchanged fire for the first time since the April truce, threatening to plunge the Middle East back into full-scale war.
Watch: Trump says he expects to sign peace deal in ‘two or three days’
06:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
British government joins 19 nations in condemning ban on aid groups in Gaza
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The UK, along with 19 other Asian and European countries, has issued a joint statement criticising Israel's new registration laws for aid groups working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
"The aid entering Gaza has remained largely insufficient, both in quantity and in quality, while nearly the entire population depends on life-saving services," the statement read.
Israel’s top court last week upheld the restrictions, which have banned 37 aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, for refusing to provide lists of their Palestinian and international employees to the Israeli government.
"The registration law will affect and severely limit the INGO’s capacity to respond inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem," the countries said.
"We again strongly urge Israel to not implement the registration law in its current form."
Trump says deal could be reached with Iran in 'two or three days'
05:46 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump confirmed that negotiations with Iran were "still ongoing" as he departed New York for the White House last night.
The US president told reporters: "We have a good chance of doing it, we're very close to having a very, very good, strong, powerful deal."
He added that the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened as soon as they sign a ceasefire deal, which he said could be in "two to three days".
Trump had earlier claimed that the blockade could continue until Labour Day in September.
US helicopter crashed near Strait of Hormuz - report
05:35 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A US Army Apache helicopter gunship went down near the Strait of Hormuz yesterday and its two crew members were safely rescued, The New York Times reported.
It was not immediately clear whether the Apache was shot down by Iranian fire, experienced mechanical failure or encountered some other problem.
A projectile is seen near the town of Najha in Syria
05:25 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Senior Iranian lawmaker says Lebanon issue is 'very important to us'
05:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A senior Iranian lawmaker says Tehran views the negotiations with the US as "part of the battle".
"We have said many times that we accept negotiation as a continuation of the battlefield. We consider negotiation to be part of the battle," Ebrahim Rezaei told CNN.
The spokesperson for parliament's national security committee added that Tehran would have "no problem" negotiating once it was convinced that the US was abiding by the rules of diplomacy.
"The issue of Lebanon is very, very important to us," he said. "We will by no means back down on the issue of the resistance front, its members, and especially Lebanon," he added.
Iran’s U-23 team withdraws from friendly match with Bahrain
05:05 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Iran’s U-23 national football team is reportedly withdrawing from a friendly match with Bahrain after Tehran struck US bases in Bahrain and Kuwait.
The team has withdrawn from friendlies with “Bahrain and several other countries”, Tasnim news agency reported.
The team is currently holding a training camp in Turkey, it added.
Indian crew rescued after US attacks Palau-flagged tanker
04:55 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
All 24 Indian crew members of a Palau-flagged tanker were rescued after it was attacked by the US Navy off the coast of Oman.
US troops attacked MT Marivex, which was blacklisted and sanctioned by the US treasury department, according to reports.
On three occasions, the vessel turned away after repeated warnings by the US Navy, India's PTI news agency reported.
The vessel made another attempt to run past the blockade by using Omani territorial waters and switched off its signal devices to go undetected, the report found.
The Indian embassy in Oman thanked the local authorities for rescuing the Indian crew members.
Vance says US in strong position to secure Iran deal
04:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Vice president JD Vance has claimed the US is in a good position to secure a peace deal with Iran.
"The Iranians don't want this war to continue. It's not in their best interest, and I think they're coming to the table, putting some real things on the table, we're of course going to verify," Vance told Fox News.
Vance claimed that recent negotiations had moved in a positive direction. "If we get to this deal, it's going to be a home-run win for the American people," he said.
Trump booed at the Knicks game
04:39 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
President Donald Trump was loudly booed inside New York City’s Madison Square Garden as he watched his hometown Knicks take on the San Antonio Spurs in game three of the NBA Finals.
The crowd first began to boo when the president appeared on the jumbotron during the singing of the national anthem.
President Trump took in the opening ceremonies from a private box with a smirk and saluted.
More here.
Crowd boos Trump during national anthem at NBA Finals in Madison Square Garden
Tehran reopens its main international airport
04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Tehran's international airport reopened after flight operations were suspended on Sunday due to Israeli missile strikes.
Local media reported that flights carrying hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia were among the first to land at the reopened Imam Khomeini Airport.
Oil prices slightly up after Israel and Iran halt strikes
04:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices inched up in early trade after Iran and Israel left the door open to a possible resumption of attacks on each other, though they had called a halt to hostilities following an appeal from president Donald Trump.
Brent crude futures rose 13 cents, or 0.14 per cent, to $94.38 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate was up 11 cents, or 0.12 per cent, at $91.41 a barrel.
Prices climbed as much as 5 per cent in the previous session after renewed Israeli strikes on Iran and attacks in Lebanon reduced hopes of an imminent end to the wider war, but pared gains after Iran's armed forces announced the end of military operations against Israel.
Trump says Israel and Iran both want immediate ceasefire
04:04 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Donald Trump has claimed that Israel and Iran wanted an immediate ceasefire after both sides halted strikes.
"Final negotiations on 'Peace' are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way," he wrote on social media.
In an interview with Axios published yesterday, Trump said he warned Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu that if the Israeli leader went back to war with Iran, he might find himself fighting alone.
"I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon,'" Trump said.
Lebanese president appeals to Israeli government to pursue talks, not war
03:00 , James Reynolds
Lebanese president Joseph Aoun made a rare direct appeal to Israel to come to the negotiating table to end the war, warning that a military solution "will never provide you with security and safety."
"We are ready, we are willing, we are committed. Are you? If you are, let's sit and talk," said Aoun in a CNN interview aired Monday.
The Lebanese government is in direct talks with Israel, mediated by Washington, to reach a full cessation of hostilities, despite opposition by armed group Hezbollah, which is fighting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.
Aoun said he would not meet Netanyahu before reaching an agreement to end the war. He said any deal would be a non-aggression pact and not a full peace deal.
"We need to end the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel. Forever. And this (pact) could be a path forward for a just and lasting peace," Aoun said.
Aoun said Lebanon would move in line with the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which offers normalization with Israel across the Arab world in exchange for Palestinian statehood and Israel's withdrawal from occupied territories.
"But we cannot jump from A to B directly. We have to go through different steps," Aoun said.
Watch: When is a ceasefire no longer a ceasefire?
02:00 , James Reynolds
The Independent View: Donald Trump’s ‘stop shooting’ demand is no substitute for a ceasefire
01:00 , James Reynolds
Editorial: More than 100 days into a conflict he initiated, the US president has halted a cycle of retaliatory strikes between Iran and Israel. How long that holds is as uncertain as the dwindling influence he still commands:
Donald Trump’s ‘stop shooting’ demand is no substitute for a ceasefire
In full: Iran and Israel pause strikes after desperate Trump plea – but vow to resume attacks if ceasefire breached
Tuesday 9 June 2026 00:00 , James Reynolds
Iran and Israel have called off strikes following a desperate plea by Donald Trump, as a escalation of violence between the countries threatened peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
More than three months after the US and Israel launched war on Iran on 28 February, and two months into a ceasefire, the latest tit-for-tat escalation prompted fears that a full-blown conflict could resume.
Trump, who has been wrangling with Tehran for weeks over a long-term ceasefire, lifting the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and agreeing a new nuclear deal, urged both sides to hold their fire or risk a collapse in talks.
Iran and Israel pause strikes after desperate Trump plea – for now
In full: A timeline of how strikes between Israel and Iran over the conflict in Lebanon almost reopened the hot conflict in the Middle East
Monday 8 June 2026 23:42 , James Reynolds
All times are in UK time (BST) unless otherwise stated. Times are taken from contemporary reporting on events and public announcements.
Iran launches waves of missiles at Israel
15:50 Sunday: An Iranian lawmaker says Iran will deliver ‘painful response’ for Israel’s operations in Lebanon.
19:55: The IDF says it is preparing for fire towards Israel in the coming hours.
20:03: IDF says it has identified missiles launched towards Israel from Iran ‘a short time ago’.
20:15: IDF detects additional launches from Iran.
20:35: Israel reports additional launches from Iran.
20:40: Iran says it targeted an Israeli airbase with ballistic missiles, which could fly between the countries potentially in under 15 minutes.
Israel responds to Iranian attack
21:05: Axios reports Trump says he will call Netanyahu and urge him not to strike back.
21:55: Israeli media reports Trump has called Netanyahu. Axios corroborates soon after.
00:20: US official says they do not believe an Israeli strike is imminent.
00:50: US State Department reports indication of missiles, drones or rockets over Jordanian airspace, to Israel’s east.
02:23: Witnesses report the sound of explosions in Tehran, Tabriz and Isfahan, followed by reports of an explosion near Iran’s Karaj.
02:30: Israel says it struck targets in western and central Iran.
Iran fires back at Israel
03:50: The IDF says it identified a missile launch from Yemen towards Israel.
05:00: Israel reports that it had intercepted more missiles fired from Iran.
05:35: Iran says a petrochemical plant in the southeast was hit.
05:37: Israel working to intercept missiles launched from Iran.
06:10: IRGC says they hit more Israeli bases in response to Israeli attacks.
07:00: Yemen’s Houthis say they have attacked Israel.
08:35: IRGC says they responded to attack on chemical plant with similar attack on Haifa.
09:10: Reports of explosions in Tehran, followed by reports of drone downing over capital.
10:30: IDF says it is prepared for short conflict or ‘as long as it takes’
Trump mediated de-escalation
10:37: Trump says both sides must stop shooting immediately.
10:54: Iran also says it is ready for a prolonged conflict.
12:15: Iran announces end of military operations against Israel.
12:50: An Israeli source says Trump and Netanyahu also spoke on Monday.
13:20: Israeli media reports Israel has agreed to halt strikes on Trump’s request.
The Latest: Trump dismisses idea that Iran betrays his ‘no new wars’ campaign message
Monday 8 June 2026 23:00 , James Reynolds
President Donald Trump is dismissing the idea that launching the war with Iran this year betrayed his refrain of “No new wars” that he made repeatedly as he campaigned again for the White House.
It came hours before Israel and Iran traded fire in retaliatory strikes that threatened to drag the wider Middle East back into a full-scale regional war.
The Latest: Trump dismisses idea that Iran betrays his ‘no new wars’ campaign message
Iran struck by earthquake
Monday 8 June 2026 22:52 , James Reynolds
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Sargaz in Iran's southern Hormozgan province early on Tuesday, Iranian state media reported.
The quake was at a depth of 22 km (13.67 miles), it said.
Netanyahu did not defy me on striking Iran, says Trump
Monday 8 June 2026 22:49 , James Reynolds
Speaking to the BBC, Donald Trump insists that Benjamin Netanyahu did not defy him by firing back at Iran.
“No, no. They had already gone. They had already gone. They were already on their way," he told the broadcaster.
Trump also said of the Israeli prime minister: "If I tell him to do something, he does it."
I don't think Israel will go back to war with Iran, says Trump
Monday 8 June 2026 22:27 , James Reynolds
Asked whether the US would back Israel if Netanyahu reopens the war with Iran, Donald Trump tells Sky News: “I don't think it'll happen. It's all working out very well. Iran is doing what they have to do; I don’t think that's going to happen, ok?”
Asked what he would do if Netanyahu goes against his wishes, the president reportedly hung up.
Earlier, he told Axios that in his call to Netanyahu, he said “Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon”.
Watch: PM Netanyahu says Israel will strike Iran again if attacked
Monday 8 June 2026 22:00 , James Reynolds
Trump warned Netanyahu he might end up fighting alone if he escalated with Iran, Axios reports
Monday 8 June 2026 21:30 , James Reynolds
Donald Trump reportedly told Benjamin Netanyahu that if he went back to war with Iran, he might find himself fighting alone.
He told Axios: “I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.'”
🚨NEW: Trump told me that he'd warned Netanyahu that if he went back to war with Iran, he might find himself fighting alone. "I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon,'" Trump said https://t.co/KkjUmfPzoi
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) June 8, 2026
