US-Israel-Iran War News Live Updates: Trump's Iran strike U-turn dents oil prices; uncertainty lingers over US-Tehran deal

Israeli warplanes carried out air strikes on the Arid Dbeibine area, a stretch of agricultural land surrounding the southern Lebanese town of Dbeibine in Marjayoun district, according to Al Jazeera, citing Lebanon's NNA news agency.The latest attack comes hours after an overnight Israeli strike targeted the nearby town of Khiam in southern Lebanon.

A reported US-Iran deal to end the regional conflict in Middle East require Israel to completely halt its military operations in Lebanon and withdraw from territory captured in the country's south, according to the pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al-Akhbar.

The report says the proposed deal includes an end to Israeli strikes across Lebanon as well as a framework for the 'rapid withdrawal' of Israeli troops from areas 'seized' during the conflict.

Last month, amid expectations that a US-Iran agreement was nearing completion, Israeli media reported that the military was preparing for the possibility of restrictions on its campaign against Hezbollah.

According to the report, Tehran has consistently pushed for the Lebanon front to be included in any understanding with Washington, despite Israeli efforts to treat the issue separately and ongoing diplomatic contacts between Israeli and Lebanese officials in the US.

An Israeli drone strike hit the southern Lebanese town of Jebchit in the Nabatieh district, Al-Jazeera reported.

The Trump administration is preparing to deport a group of Iranians and other migrants to the Central African Republic under a newly reached agreement with the country, two lawyers and an official briefed on the matter told Reuters.

Among those facing removal are two Iranian women who could face persecution or torture if returned to Iran, their lawyer Emily Trostle said. One is a Christian convert, while the other is a pro-democracy activist.

Both the women were detained upon arriving in ​the US in November 2024. Trostle said both were granted withholding of removal, a legal protection issued by an immigration judge after determining they faced a greater than 50 per cent risk of persecution or torture in Iran.

Reuters reported that the first flight under the arrangement could carry around 20 people, including migrants from Syria and Afghanistan. Lawyers involved in the case said the deportation flight could depart as early as Thursday.

The US military was reportedly just three hours away from launching another round of strikes on Iran when President Donald Trump abruptly called off the operation, citing progress toward an agreement to end the war.

According to NBC News, target selection had already been completed, while the US Navy had adjusted its operational posture and prepared munitions for the planned attacks.

The report said the operation would have resembled the strikes carried out on the previous two nights. Despite Trump's earlier suggestion that the US could soon be 'taking' Iran’s Kharg Island, the island was reportedly not among the designated targets.

NBC added that Trump's sudden decision to cancel the strikes caught military planners off guard, leaving some within the armed forces 'confused'.

Iran has postponed the state funeral of late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes at the start of the Middle East war, with the ceremony now expected to take place in late June or early July.

Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, in a statement carried by the Fars news agency, said the funeral will be held after the first 10 days of Muharram, allowing Shia Muslims to complete annual mourning of the Imam Hussein, who was killed at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.

According to the timeline outlined by Zakani, the funeral would be held during the second 10 days of Muharram, between June 26 and July 5. Iranian officials have previously said they expect around 20 million people to attend the multi-day ceremony.

Two Malaysian peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) sustained minor injuries when a logistics convoy came under attack near the village of Harris in southern Lebanon, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

'Their condition is stable', and 'UNIFIL will investigate the incident', Dujarric told Al Jazeera, without identifying those responsible.

In a separate incident, Dujarric said an Israeli tank fired close to a UN convoy near Bint Jbeil, forcing the convoy to alter its route before it was able to 'safely resume its movement'.

He also reported heightened drone activity in the Biyyada area on Wednesday.

“We once again remind all actors of the inviolability of UN personnel and the UN assets,” the spokesperson added.

Leaders from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan reportedly intervened after US President Donald Trump threatened to hit Iran 'very hard tonight', urging restraint and telling him that a preliminary agreement was within reach.

According to Politico, which cited officials and a diplomat, the previously undisclosed calls played a key role in persuading Trump to shelve plans for military action against Iran.

Iran said Friday that no final decision had been made on a deal to end the Middle East war, pushing back against US President Donald Trump's assertion that a deal could be signed within days and prompting him to cancel planned strikes on Tehran.

Trump's remarks lifted investor sentiment, sending stocks higher and oil prices lower amid renewed expectations that the conflict sparked by US-Israeli attacks in February could be nearing a resolution.

Claiming negotiations with Iran had been "brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved," Trump announced that he had "cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening."

"Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly," he added.

Trump also said key elements of the proposed arrangement had been approved by the United States and regional allies, including Israel.

But Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran "had not reached a final conclusion on the agreement".

He added that "most of the text of the agreement was finalized, but the problem began when the US side made new demands and changed its positions."

Iranian news agency, Tasnim noted that Trump had declared a deal was close 38 times over the previous two months.

"Until Iran announces the matter of a potential understanding, any news from Trump on this subject should be regarded the same as his previous messaging," it said.

Trump later reiterated his confidence, telling reporters, "I understand the answer is yes," when asked whether Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had approved the deal.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Trump assured him that any memorandum of understanding would require Iran to relinquish its enriched nuclear material and dismantle key missile infrastructure.

Egypt has called on the United States and Iran to seize what it described as an 'available opportunity' to reach an agreement and end the war, following US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw his threat of further strikes on Tehran.

According to AFP, in a statement issued late Thursday, Egypt’s foreign ministry said it hoped 'the available opportunity will be seized to reach a deal on the various outstanding issues and to prepare the atmosphere for reaching an end to the war and beginning a new phase of regional stability.'

International security expert Richard Weitz says US President Donald Trump appears to have employed an 'escalate to de-escalate' strategy in dealing with Iran.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Weitz explained that the approach involves raising the threat of a wider conflict in order to compel an adversary to back down and accept a settlement.

“The idea is, if you have a modest conflict or intense conflict – but not high intensity – such as between Iran and the United States, in order to force an end to it, you can threaten to escalate,” he said, suggesting that the latest US strikes and Trump’s earlier threats may have been intended to increase pressure on Tehran.

According to Weitz, the strategy may have helped create conditions for a ceasefire, though questions remain about the details of any agreement and how it would be implemented.

The ongoing conflict involving Iran could slow global economic growth to its weakest level since the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Bank warned in a new report released on Thursday.

The bank forecasts global growth of 2.5% in 2026, down from 2.9% in 2025, citing disruptions caused by the war and growing uncertainty in energy markets. It warned that a renewed escalation or prolonged disruptions to commodity flows could drive up oil, gas and fertiliser prices, fuel inflation, worsen food insecurity and trigger financial stress, CNN reported.

In a worst-case scenario involving severe energy supply disruptions and market turmoil, global growth could fall to just 1.3% next year, the World Bank said.

The report observe that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blocked, contributing to sharp increases in energy-related commodity prices. Growth across developing economies is also expected to weaken, with per capita incomes in most developing countries outside China and India not projected to return to pre-pandemic levels until after 2028.

UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned the attack on a Palau-flagged tanker off the coast of Oman in which three Indian seafarers have been killed, his spokesperson said.

The US struck another Palau-flagged tanker, MT Settebello on Wednesday killing three out of the 24 Indian sailors on board.

"Notably, the Settebello tanker was hit and a number of Indian seafarers were killed. And that is an attack that was clearly condemned by the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). And we fully support and second that language," Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said at the daily press briefing Thursday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has stated that US President Donald Trump gave assurances that any final accord between Washington and Tehran would obligate Iran to surrender its accumulated enriched nuclear stockpile. The reported understanding would also enforce constraints on the nuclear and missile development programmes of Tehran.

"President Trump spoke this evening with Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the emerging memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran to enter into negotiations. Even though Israel is not a party to the memorandum of understanding, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for President Trump's commitment that the final agreement at the conclusion of negotiations will include the removal of enriched material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production, and the cessation of Iran's support for its terrorist proxies in the region," Israel's PMO stated in a post on X.

The Israeli military said that sirens were activated in the Metula area of northern Israel were due to a 'hostile aircraft'. The drone was later shot down near where Israeli soldiers are operating in southern Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reportedly not informed in advance that US President Donald Trump planned to call off further strikes on Iran and announce that a deal could soon be signed.

According to Axios, citing a source familiar with the matter, Trump's remarks caught Netanyahu by surprise.

Hezbollah said it carried out 24 drone, missile and rocket attacks targeting Israeli troops, military positions and armoured vehicles across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley over the past two days. The group claimed repeated strikes on Israeli forces near Tayr Harfa, as well as attacks in Naqoura, Rashaf, al-Qantara, Zawtar al-Sharqiyah and Yohmor al-Shaqif amid continued cross-border hostilities.

US stocks rallied on Thursday after Trump said a deal with Iran could be close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.75%, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 2.54%. Investors welcomed signs of possible de-escalation, with analysts saying an end to the conflict could ease inflationary pressures, particularly those linked to energy prices.

Lebanese foreign minister Youssef Raggi met French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot to discuss ongoing efforts to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Raggi said he hopes current negotiations will secure a ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while reaffirming that the state's monopoly over arms is a "definitive and irreversible" decision.

Iran appeared to target commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a US official told Reuters. American forces intercepted and shot down two Iranian one-way attack drones amid heightened tensions in the strategic waterway.

Global oil prices continued to decline on Friday after US President Donald Trump backed away from a planned military strike on Iran, easing concerns about potential disruptions to energy supplies. Brent crude fell 1.3% to $89.17 per barrel, while WTI crude dropped 1.4% to $86.48. Both benchmarks were also headed for weekly losses of more than 4%.

The Israeli military said the sirens were activated 'due to a hostile aircraft incursion' in the airspace over the town of Metula in northern Israel.

US President Donald Trump said Iran has agreed not only to refrain from developing nuclear weapons but also from purchasing them as part of ongoing negotiations.

Speaking during a call with supporters, Trump said the original understanding covered only the development of nuclear weapons. “The big thing is there will be no nuclear weapons in Iran. That means not developed and not purchased,” he said.

Trump claimed he raised concerns about a potential loophole that did not address the purchase of nuclear weapons. “They had a clause they won’t develop. I said, ‘What about purchasing?’ They said, ‘Well, we didn’t cover that.’ So, two days later, they agreed to that. We got everything we wanted,” he added.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Washington and Tehran could sign a peace agreement as early as this weekend, potentially reopening the Strait of Hormuz to global shipping. However, Iran indicated that no final decision had yet been made on the proposed deal.

If concluded, the agreement would mark the most substantial diplomatic step so far towards ending the three-month conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and driven up global energy prices.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said much of the draft text had been agreed upon, but stressed that Tehran would not cross its "red lines".

"We have not reached a final conclusion on this matter," Baghaei said, adding that the proposal was still under review by Iran's relevant decision-making authorities.

Speaking at the White House, Trump told reporters: "We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran."

He said the Strait of Hormuz could reopen shortly after the agreement is signed, suggesting the deal may be finalised during talks in Europe this weekend. Trump added that Vice President JD Vance could sign the accord on behalf of the United States.

Asked whether Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had approved the arrangement, Trump replied: "I understand the answer is yes."

Trump's remarks came after he cancelled planned military action against Iran, citing progress in negotiations. Financial markets reacted positively, with US stocks rising and oil prices easing.

The US president has repeatedly suggested since March that a breakthrough with Iran was close. Nevertheless, both sides have continued exchanging attacks in recent days despite an April ceasefire.

Describing the proposed arrangement, Trump said it was "a very strong memorandum of understanding" that remained somewhat conceptual.

Trump has maintained that any settlement must permanently block Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran rejects, insisting its nuclear programme is peaceful.

Iran has sought the removal of international sanctions, access to billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz.

"The big thing is there will be no nuclear weapons in Iran. That means not developed and not purchased," Trump later said during a telephone campaign event.

The conflict, which began after US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, has killed thousands, largely in Iran and Lebanon, and disrupted the global economy by pushing up energy costs.

Although a ceasefire has technically remained in place since April, fighting has intensified in recent days. Following the downing of a US Apache helicopter, Trump ordered fresh strikes around the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on US facilities in the region.

Bahrain said debris from intercepted Iranian drones caused minor injuries to an 11-year-old girl and damaged several homes.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump had threatened severe military action against Iran and reiterated his interest in Kharg Island, which handles around 90% of Iranian oil exports. Control of the island would allow Washington to significantly disrupt Tehran's energy trade.

Iranian state media reported on Friday that authorities had stopped a tanker from passing through the Strait of Hormuz without prior coordination. Roughly one-fifth of global energy shipments normally transit the waterway, though traffic has been heavily affected since the conflict began.

The war has also created domestic political challenges for Trump, with rising fuel prices contributing to declining approval ratings. Some Republicans fear the conflict could damage the party's prospects in November's midterm elections.

At the same time, Trump faces pressure from hardliners within his party who insist that any agreement must permanently prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Regional reactions are expected to play a key role in determining the agreement's success. Trump said Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates had endorsed the deal.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that Israel was not a party to the memorandum under discussion with Iran.

According to the Israeli readout of a call between Netanyahu and Trump, the prime minister welcomed efforts to secure an agreement that includes the removal of enriched nuclear material, dismantling enrichment facilities, restricting missile production and ending support for regional proxy groups.

Iran has meanwhile continued to demand an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon, where clashes persist between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

Lebanese foreign minister Youssef Raggi held talks with French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot as diplomatic efforts continue to secure an end to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to a summary released by Raggi's office, Barrot described Lebanon's approach to the negotiations, including its participation in internationally mediated discussions with Israel, as “courageous”.

During the meeting, Raggi voiced hope that the ongoing talks would result in a ceasefire and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.

He also reaffirmed the Lebanese government's position on weapons control, stressing that the “decision to reserve the right to bear arms to the State has been taken definitively and irrevocably”.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has strongly criticised what he alleged were US attacks on Indian commercial vessels, incidents that reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least three Indian nationals.

In a post on X, Baghaei described the strikes as “brutal US attacks on Indian commercial vessels” and said they were “clear evidence of America’s ongoing policy of armed robbery and State piracy”.

An Iranian fishing boat was reportedly attacked off the coast of Sirik, leaving one fisherman injured, according to Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.

Quoting Sirik Governor Reza Shahidian, IRNA reported that the fisherman was operating in Iran's territorial waters when he came under what officials described as a sudden attack by an "enemy".

The vessel sank during the incident, but the injured fisherman was rescued by another boat that was nearby, the report said.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that an agreement under negotiation between Washington and Tehran was nearing completion, with the necessary documents in the final stages of preparation.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said the deal “should be done pretty quickly” and suggested that both sides were keen to reach an understanding.

“Iran wants it every bit as much as everybody else wants it,” he said, expressing confidence that the agreement could be finalised within the next few days.

Continuing his remarks in the White House, the US president said the signing of a US-Iran deal could take place somewhere in Europe as soon as this weekend.

Trump said he would not be able to attend, but that his Vice-President JD Vance would be there.

US President ​Donald Trump said on Thursday ‌that ⁠a ⁠threatened ​US military operation ​against Kharg Island ​was ⁠off the ‌table ​for ​now ⁠as he girded ​for what could ​be an agreement ‌with Iran ​to ​reopen ⁠the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said a major breakthrough had been reached with Iran to bring an end to the conflict in the Middle East, adding that a formal agreement could be signed within days.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump declared, "We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran," and said the deal was now awaiting the completion of final paperwork.

"We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran," Trump said, adding that the parties would, "subject to finalization of documents, which should get done, over the next few days, probably have a signing, maybe in Europe."

Gold prices climbed 2 per cent on Thursday after US President Donald Trump cancelled planned military strikes on Iran, easing concerns that a wider conflict could fuel oil prices, stoke inflation and keep interest rates elevated.

Spot gold rose 2 per cent to $4,153.71 an ounce by 2 pm ET (1800 GMT), recovering after earlier touching its lowest level since late November.

Meanwhile, US gold futures for August delivery settled 0.5 per cent lower at $4,114 an ounce.

Oil prices fell sharply while Wall Street rallied on Thursday after US President Donald Trump scrapped planned military strikes on Iran and signalled the possibility of a diplomatic breakthrough.

By around 1750 GMT, benchmark oil contracts had dropped by more than three per cent, reflecting easing concerns over a wider conflict in the Middle East. At the same time, US equities moved higher, with major indices posting strong gains.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.7 per cent to 50,753.64 as investors welcomed signs of reduced geopolitical risk and the prospect of renewed negotiations involving Iran.

Iran’s top joint military command has warned that any threat to the country’s oil infrastructure could have wider consequences for regional energy exports and security.

In a statement, the command said, “Considering recent US threats against Iran's oil infrastructure, either oil and gas exports are for everyone or they will be available for no one.”

It also warned that further escalation could widen the conflict, saying “the fire of war will become more widespread and extensive, causing insecurity in the region.”

A senior Iranian official has warned that Iran would deliver a “firm, crushing, painful, and regret-inducing response” if the United States attempts to seize Kharg Island, after US President Donald Trump threatened to take control of the country's main oil export hub.

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, dismissed Trump as “confused and erratic” and said Iran was fully prepared to respond to any such move.

Iran and all its territory, including Kharg Island, are “fully prepared,” Azizi said in comments to Iranian newspaper Hamshahri on Thursday.

“The level of readiness of our armed forces there is so high that I believe one of the things that may become evident in the future is precisely this maximum level of military preparedness on the island,” he said.

“With all their capabilities and strength, our armed forces stand ready.”

Iran’s top negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that “wrong strategies and impulsive decisions” would “reset the entire board for the worse”, cautioning against actions that could further escalate tensions.

In a post on X, he said such decisions would “explode” energy infrastructure and markets.

The Israeli military said it has established “operational control” over the area north of Lebanon’s Wadi Saluki stream, about 10 kilometres from the Israeli border.

The army said it had cleared the area, which it claimed Hezbollah had used to launch attacks, adding that the operation was aimed at strengthening its position in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) has reported a series of Israeli attacks in the Tyre district that left several people dead.

According to the agency, four people were killed in a strike on the town of al-Aabbassiyah, while another attack in Deir Qanoun an-Naher claimed two lives.

The NNA also reported an Israeli strike on a motorcycle near the village of Wadi Jilou, along with additional raids in the towns of al-Majadel and Majdal Zoun.

US president Donald Trump said he had opposed a decision to send weapons to Kurdish militants in Iraq as part of efforts to overthrow the Iranian regime during the early stages of the conflict.

Trump has previously claimed that the weapons supplied by the United States were retained by Kurdish groups instead of being used against Iran, although those claims have not been independently verified.

“To be honest with you, the Kurds let us down. I disagreed with the decision. I was saying, ‘No, I don’t believe they’ll deliver,’” Trump told Fox News.

“I think they kept (the US weapons) for themselves. I think it’s a disgrace, but I’ll remember that, Kurds,” he added.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Iran’s actions in the Gulf would carry economic and financial consequences, saying any hostile moves against US allies in the region would be met with punitive measures targeting Tehran’s assets.

“The Iranian regime will lose the zero-sum game it is playing,” Bessent said in a post on X.

“Any damage it inflicts on our allies in the Gulf will be paid for with funds extracted from Iranian Accounts,” he added.

Bessent also said that any tolls paid to the Persian Gulf Strait Authority would be “offset by funds extracted from their accounts”.

The head of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee warned that US president Donald Trump would face a “stronger and more painful” response if Washington follows through on its threats against Tehran.

At least 3,711 people have been killed and 11,483 others injured since Israel intensified its attacks on Lebanon on March 2, according to figures released by Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.