US-Israel-Iran war highlights | Iran halts Hormuz traffic over Israeli strikes in Lebanon: Iranian media

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is visiting Saudi Arabia, called on those involved in the conflict to make the truce "permanent" and urged "all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon".

Starmer said the UK was in "close contact" with the US and other partners.

Iran has halted the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz over Israel’s strikes in Lebanon, reported Fars news agency.

Two oil tankers were allowed to pass through the strait on Wednesday morning after the ceasefire between Iran and the US came into effect.

“Simultaneous with Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz has been stopped,” the agency reports.

US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday (April 8) described the Russia-Ukraine war as the “hardest” conflict to resolve, acknowledging that months of US-led diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a breakthrough even as the war enters its fifth year. 

Speaking during a visit to Budapest, Vance said Washington would “keep on working” to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He quoted US President Donald Trump as saying the conflict had proven far more complex than initially expected.

“What the president has said is that it's the hardest war to solve. In some ways, we thought it would be the easiest, but it has been the hardest,” Vance said, adding that there had nevertheless been “significant progress”. Vance suggested that any eventual settlement would require difficult compromises from both Moscow and Kyiv, appearing to hint at possible territorial concessions.

Interception and destruction of 9 drones over the past hours, tweeted Saudi official spokesperson

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced that an intruding Hermes 900 drone was intercepted and shot down over the Iranian town of Lar, Fars Province: State media PressTV

Oil and gas prices plunged, stock markets soared and the dollar retreated Wednesday after the United States and Iran agreed a temporary ceasefire that could lead to the Strait of Hormuz reopening.

"A wave of relief has hit financial markets after threats of a devastating escalation of the war were replaced by a temporary truce," said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist, Wealth Club.

The most widely traded oil contracts fell more than 15 percent to just above $90 a barrel, after a month of conflict that killed thousands and hammered the global economy.

Stock markets soared, with Wall Street's three main indexes opening more than two percent higher.

Wall Street stocks surged in early trading Wednesday after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that sets terms to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Major US stock indices were up around three percent in early trading. Airline shares rallied and oil equities retreated as crude prices tumbled in response to the expected return of shipments of oil and other key products through the strait.

The US war against Iran has "completely" destroyed the country's ability to build missiles and other sophisticated weaponry, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday (Apr 8). The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire the previous evening, pausing a nearly six-week US-Israeli military campaign against the Islamic republic.

"We finished completely destroying Iran's defense industrial base, a core pillar of our mission," Hegseth told reporters.

"They can no longer build missiles, build rockets, build launchers or build (drones) -- their factories have been razed to the ground, set back in historic fashion," he said.

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military had carried out a surprise attack on Wednesday targeting hundreds of Hezbollah members across Lebanon.

"The IDF carried out a surprise strike on hundreds of Hezbollah terrorists at command centres across Lebanon. This is the largest concentrated blow Hezbollah has suffered since Operation Beepers," Katz said in a video statement, referring to a major 2024 operation against Hezbollah involving pager bombs.

The US military is prepared to resume attacks on Iran if ordered by President Donald Trump, the top US general said Wednesday. "Let us be clear, a ceasefire is a pause, and the joint force remains ready, if ordered or called upon," General Dan Caine told a press conference.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also warned that "we stand ready in the background to ensure that Iran upholds" the terms of the truce agreed to on Tuesday.

US forces 'not going anywhere' to ensure Iranian compliance with two-week ceasefire, Hegseth said. 

The S&P 500 is now set to open above 6,800, trading just 2.9% away from a new record high. The index has added +$1.6 TRILLION today
 

General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave a rundown of the the damage the U.S, military says it did to the the Iranian military. He said the 38-day air campaign destroyed 80 per cent of Iran’s air defence systems, 800 one-day attack drone storage facilities, 450 ballistic missile storage facilities and more than 150 ships. He also said that the campaign destroyed Iran’s industrial base, meaning it would take years to rebuild.

“We have a chance at real peace and a real deal. The War Department, for now, for now, has done its part. We stand ready in the background to ensure Iran upholds every reasonable term,” said Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. 

Several European leaders, in a joint statement: We welcome the two-week ceasefire concluded between the United States and Iran today. The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means. 
 

Hegseth: Under terms of deal, any nuclear material they have will be removed. 

Hegseth: Iran accepted the ceasefire under overwhelming pressure. 

Hegseth: We finished completely destroying Iran's defence industrial base, with over 800 strikes last night. 

If Iran refuses, the next target would be its infrastructure, including nuclear plants, said Hegseth. 

Using less than 10 per cent of America's combat powered have dismantled Iranian military, said Pete Hegseth. 

President Donald Trump suggested the United States may be involved in securing the Strait of Hormuz in a “joint venture” with Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said today that it completed the largest coordinated strike in Lebanon since the war began, claiming it targeted more than 100 command centers and military sites of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Explosions were reported across the Gulf. In the UAE and Kuwait, there were reports of incoming missiles and drones, according to social media posts from the respective militaries. Authorities in Abu Dhabi reported a fire in the Habshan gas processing facility. Similarly, there were reports from Qatar and Bahrain about sirens and impending missiles. IDF also claimed missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel.

Hezbollah has threatened a collapse in the US-Iranian ceasefire deal if Israel does not comply with it in Lebanon. Hezbollah's MP Ibrahim Moussawi insisted that the deal includes the Israel-Lebanon front and will result to a retalliation from the region, including Iran. 

Israel has refused to uphold the ceasefire with Lebanon and struck the southern Lebanese city of Tyre after issuing forced evacuation notices to the residents of the region. Iran, from the beginning of the war, has insisted that it is in tandem with Lebanon, and Hezbollah retaliated against Israel in response to the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephonic conversation with the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The conversation lasted around 45 minutes, according to a post by Pakistan's PMO. Iran extended gratitude for Pakistan's diplomatic efforts and accepted “the Prime Minister’s offer to host negotiations between Iran and the U.S. in Islamabad later this week.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hailed the two-week ceasefire with the acceptance of the desired principle by Iran, as a fruit of the “blood” of the martyred leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the presence of all Iranian people.

Kuwait said Iran attacks significantly damaged oil facilities, power and desalination plants.

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday hailed the ceasefire between the United States and Iran as a "sign of real hope". "I welcome with satisfaction, and as a sign of real hope, the announcement of an immediate two-week truce. Only by returning to negotiations can we reach the end of the war," the Catholic leader said at the end of his weekly audience at the Vatican.

Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region on Wednesday welcomed the ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, with its president saying he hoped all parties would adhere to it "in good faith". President Nechirvan Barzani said in a post on X that the agreement "represents an important step towards de-escalation, the protection of civilians and the restoration of constructive dialogue".

"I hope all parties will uphold this commitment in good faith and work towards a lasting peace that promotes stability, security, and prosperity throughout the entire region," he added.

Doha on Wednesday called on Tehran to halt any hostile acts, as it welcomed a deal between the United States and Iran for a two-week truce. "Qatar expresses its welcoming of the announcement of the ceasefire... considering it an initial step toward de-escalation," the Gulf state's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The ministry affirms the importance of full adherence to the ceasefire... emphasising the necessity for the Islamic Republic of Iran to take the initiative to immediately cease all hostile acts and practices that undermine regional stability," it added.

Supporting the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday called for a comprehensive deal to bring stability back to the region. "The kingdom hopes that the ceasefire will represent an opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable de-escalation, enhancing the security of the region, and that any attacks or policies that undermine the sovereignty, security and stability of the countries in the region will cease," the foreign ministry said, AFP reported.

The Israeli military on Wednesday asked residents of Beirut's southern suburbs to evacuate. This marks the third warning for residents of Lebanon ever since Washington announced a ceasefire with Iran.

"Urgent warning to residents of the southern suburbs ... The IDF continues operations and attacks Hezbollah's military infrastructure across the southern suburbs," the military's Arabic-language spokesman, Colonel Avichay Adraee, said in a post on X

"For your safety, you must evacuate immediately," he said, and also gave names of several neighbourhoods to be evacuated, including Haret Hreik, Burj Al-Barajneh and Ghobeiry.

Israel's military said Wednesday its forces would continue their campaign against Hezbollah fighters, claiming the ceasefire with Iran does not apply to Lebanon.

"The battle in Lebanon continues, and the ceasefire does not include Lebanon," the military's Arabic-language spokesman, Colonel Avichay Adraee, said on X, warning residents to evacuate areas south of the Zahrani River.

Israel's military said Wednesday it had halted its attacks on Iran after completing a wave of overnight strikes, but emphasised it remained ready to respond to any violation of a ceasefire announced by Washington.

"In accordance with directives from the political leadership, the IDF has ceased fire in the campaign against Iran and remains on high alert in defence, ready to respond to any violation," the military said in a statement.

Spain's foreign minister on Wednesday said it was "unacceptable" that Israel continued its invasion of Lebanon after the United States and Iran agreed a two-week ceasefire to halt the regional war.

"All fronts must cease, and all fronts also means Lebanon. It is unacceptable that Israel's war, Israel's invasion of a sovereign country like Lebanon... continues," Jose Manuel Albares told public radio RNE.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire as "good news" on X but said Spain would not "applaud those who set fire to the world because they show up with a bucket".

Authorities in Abu Dhabi said on Wednesday that falling debris following an interception had injured three people and forced a halt in production following fires at a gas complex in the emirate.

The government's media office said in a statement the incident at Habshan gas-processing facility "was caused by falling debris, following a successful interception by air defence systems, resulting in multiple fires and minor injuries to two Emiratis and one Indian national".

"Operations have been suspended and further updates will be provided in due course," it added.

Turkey on Wednesday called for all sides to respect the ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran.

"We insist on the fact that the temporary ceasefire be fully implemented on the ground and hope that all sides abide by the agreement," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Iraq's civil aviation authority said it was reopening the country's airspace on Wednesday following the announcement of a US-Iran ceasefire, after it was closed due to the Middle East war.

"The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announces the reopening of Iraqi airspace to air traffic effective today, following the stabilisation of the situation and the return of conditions to normal," it said in a statement.

China said on Wednesday it welcomed a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, after the two countries agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities shortly before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump.

"China welcomes relevant parties announcing the reaching of a ceasefire agreement," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news conference, adding that China would continue to work towards restoring peace in the Middle East.

Egypt, which in recent weeks has helped shuttle messages between the US and Iran, on Wednesday welcomed US President Donald Trump's announcement of a two-week halt to military operations.

In an overnight call with US envoy Steve Witkoff, Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty "expressed his deep appreciation for this important American step to give diplomacy a chance and start a serious process of American-Iranian negotiations."

The foreign ministry said the truce was a "crucial opportunity that must be seized to pave the way for negotiations", and said Egypt was committed to "continuing tireless efforts" along with Pakistan and Turkey.

EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas Wednesday welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran as a "step back from the brink" creating a "much-needed" window for diplomacy.

The Pakistan-brokered truce "creates a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart shipping, and create space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement," Kallas wrote on X.

"The EU stands ready to support those efforts and is in touch with partners in the region," added Kallas, who was due in Riyadh Wednesday for talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Gulf Cooperation Council secretary-general Jassem al-Budaiwi and others.

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday France welcomed the ceasefire between the US and Iran, calling the agreement a "very good thing."

"We expect, in the coming days and weeks, that it will be fully respected throughout the region and will allow negotiations to take place," Macron said at the start of a meeting of top defence and security officials.

"Our wish is to ensure that the ceasefire fully includes Lebanon," he added.

Lebanon's army warned people against returning to the country's south on Wednesday, where the Israeli military is still launching attacks, as Israel said the ceasefire with Iran did not include its conflict with Hezbollah.

"In light of regional developments and reports circulating about a ceasefire, (the army) urges citizens to wait before returning to southern villages and towns and to avoid approaching areas where Israeli occupation forces have advanced... since they may be exposing themselves to the ongoing Israeli attacks," the Lebanese army said in a statement.

An AFP correspondent in the Tyre region saw a small number of people heading south, from where hundreds of thousands have been displaced since Lebanon was drawn into the war on March 2.

Two French nationals arrived in Paris on Wednesday after spending more than three years in an Iranian prison on espionage charges, a source familiar with the case told AFP.

Cecile Kohler, 41, and Jacques Paris, 72, arrived on a commercial flight, landing at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris shortly before 9:00 am (0700 GMT).

The pair had been under house arrest at the French embassy in Tehran ever since being freed in November, with their fate even more uncertain after US-Israeli strikes on Iran started on February 28.

Pro-Iran armed factions in Iraq announced on Wednesday a two-week halt to their attacks on "enemy bases" in the region after the start of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

"The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announces the suspension of its operations in Iraq and the region for two weeks," the alliance said in a short statement on Telegram.

Two people sustained light injuries following an Iranian drone attack in Bahrain on Wednesday, the interior ministry said, hours after a US-Iran truce took effect.

"As a result of the Iranian aggression, two citizens sustained minor injuries and a number of houses were damaged in the Sitra area as a result of shrapnel falling from the interception of an Iranian drone," the Bahraini interior ministry said in a post on X.

Israel renewed its strikes on southern Lebanon on Wednesday, state media reported, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the Iran war truce does not include Lebanon.

The Israeli army also issued an evacuation warning for a building near the southern city of Tyre.

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which drew Lebanon into the Middle East war by attacking Israel on March 2, has not claimed any operations since 1am (Tuesday 1000 GMT).

The Israeli military warned residents of Tyre in southern Lebanon to evacuate on Wednesday as it continued to target the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
"Urgent and repeated warning to residents of the city of Tyre, specifically in Shabriha ... you must evacuate your homes immediately," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee said on X.

Trump says the US will be "helping with the traffic buildup" in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran can "start reconstruction," and the US will be "loading up with supplies and just 'hanging around' in order to make sure everything goes well.
 

Thousands of young people and their families across Iran took part in gatherings to observe the 40‑day memorial for the Minab school tragedy, where a missile strike on a school killed over 160 civilians, many of them children. These events were held to honor the deceased and show collective mourning more than five weeks after the deadly attack

UK PM Keir Starmer will travel to the Middle East to discuss with Gulf partners how to ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains permanent following a two-week US-Iran ceasefire, his office said on Wednesday

Oman’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on X that it welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire between Iran and the US and appreciates “the efforts of Pakistan and all parties calling for an end to the war”. “We affirm the importance of intensifying efforts now to find solutions that can end the crisis from its roots and achieve a permanent cessation of the state of war and hostilities in the region,” the ministry said.

“There has never been such a political disaster in all of our history. Israel wasn't even at the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our national security. The military carried out everything that was asked of it, the public demonstrated amazing resilience, but Netanyahu failed politically, failed strategically, and didn't meet a single one of the goals that he himself set. It will take us years to repair the political and strategic damage that Netanyahu wrought due to arrogance, negligence, and a lack of strategic planning. More details: Later today,” Israel's Yair Lapid shares post on X

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported that civil defence workers have extinguished a fire following a “sinful Iranian aggression”. There were no injuries reported, the ministry said, describing the fire as having affected a “facility”, without providing details.

Yassamin Ansari, the only Iranian-American member of congress, has said that she is “momentarily relieved” by the ceasefire announcement but that Trump remains “dangerous and unfit” for office.

US President Donald Trump’s policy in the Middle East and his decision to launch a military operation in Iran has led to a “catastrophic situation even in the best of circumstances”, a former adviser to former US President Barack Obama said.

The Israeli military expressed regret over "collateral damage" to a synagogue in Tehran caused by an overnight strike it said was targeting a senior Iranian commander.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian media reported that the Rafi-Nia Synagogue in central Tehran had been "completely destroyed."

Three UN peacekeepers who died in two separate incidents in Lebanon in March were likely killed by Israeli tank fire in one case and by a Hezbollah improvised explosive device (IED) in the other, according to a United Nations probe.

Five explosions were heard Tuesday night in central Baghdad, where the US Embassy is located, AFP journalists reported.

Blasts were also heard in the Qatari capital of Doha, while the UAE said its air defences were responding to missile and drone attacks from Iran.

Iran cast the ceasefire as a victory and said it had agreed to talks with Washington to begin Friday in Pakistan on a path to end the conflict.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had acted as a mediator, said the capital Islamabad would welcome delegates from both countries for negotiations aimed at reaching a "conclusive agreement."

NATO chief Mark Rutte will hold talks with Trump in Washington on Wednesday, one day after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

Rutte plans to "discuss current security dynamics, including in the context of Iran as well as Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine" in his talks with Trump, according to a NATO official.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the US-Iran two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, his spokesperson said, while urging all parties to work toward long-term peace in the Middle East.

"The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement of a two-week ceasefire by the United States and Iran," his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

He added that the UN chief "calls on all the parties to the current conflict in the Middle East to comply with their obligations under international law and to abide by the terms of the ceasefire in order to pave the way toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region."

Israel said Wednesday that a US-Iran ceasefire deal "does not include Lebanon", which was drawn into the war after Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel.

"The two-weeks ceasefire does not include Lebanon," the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

The statement contradicted an earlier announcement by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has acted as a mediator in the conflict, that said the ceasefire covers "everywhere including Lebanon".

US President Donald Trump told AFP on Tuesday that Iran's uranium would be "perfectly taken care of" under a two-week ceasefire deal with Tehran.

"That will be perfectly taken care of or I wouldn't have settled," Trump said in a telephone interview when asked about what would happen to Iran's enriched uranium.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday told AFP that he believed China had helped get Iran to the negotiating table to agree on a two-week ceasefire deal. "I hear yes," Trump said in a telephone call when asked if Beijing was involved in getting key ally Tehran to negotiate on a truce.

Trump is due to travel to Beijing in May to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Israel said Wednesday it supported US President Donald Trump's decision to suspend bombing of Iran for two weeks as part of a ceasefire deal if Tehran reopens the vital Strait of Hormuz.

"Israel supports President Trump's decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region," the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.

"Israel also supports the US effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran's Arab neighbors and the world," the statement added.

Iraq's powerful armed group Kataeb Hezbollah on Tuesday released US journalist Shelly Kittleson, a week after she was kidnapped in Baghdad, the Iranian-backed group and the United States said.

Her release was announced hours before the United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire in more than one month of war, which spread into a regionwide conflict. "In recognition of the national stances of the outgoing prime minister, we have decided to release the American defendant Shelly Kittleson, on the condition that she leave the country immediately," Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, a security official in the Iran-backed group, said in a brief statement.

He added that this was an exceptional gesture that would "not be repeated again in the coming days, as we are in a state of war launched by the Zionist-American enemy against Islam, and in such cases many considerations are discarded".

Madagascar declared a two-week national energy emergency, saying disruptions in supply because of the war in the Middle East were causing a crisis.

The Indian Ocean island is a net importer of fuel, most of which comes from Oman, just south of the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

Stock markets in Japan and Korea soared early Wednesday after US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, with talks during the interim period mediated by Pakistan.

Oil prices, meanwhile, plummeted, with both the WTI and Brent crude benchmarks falling below $100 a barrel.

Iraq's foreign ministry said Wednesday it "welcomes" a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, calling for "serious and sustainable dialogue" between the nations.

The ministry "calls for building upon this positive step by launching serious and sustainable dialogue tracks that address the root causes of the disputes and strengthen mutual trust," it posted on X.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described US President Donald Trump's threat to destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure as not "appropriate" on Wednesday but welcomed a two-week ceasefire as "positive".

Trump had warned that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again" if Iran failed to meet his deadline for a deal.

"I don't think it's appropriate to use language such as that from the president of the United States, and I think it will cause some concern," Albanese told Sky News Australia.

The White House is considering in-person talks with Iran. However, they have not been finalised, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday, after Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.

"There are discussions about in-person talks, but nothing is final until announced by the President or the White House," Leavitt said after Iran said it agreed to talks with the United States to begin Friday in Pakistan.

Israel's military issued three warnings in quick succession early Wednesday that Iran had fired missiles toward it, moments after US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to postpone a massive attack on Iran.

The warnings came after Trump said he had agreed to suspend an attack on Iranian infrastructure by two weeks and was ready for a ceasefire in the war if Tehran completely reopens the vital Strait of Hormuz.

"The (Israeli army) identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military said on its official Telegram channel.

The Magen David Adom emergency service said in an X post that two 15-year-old boys in the town of Tel Shev, south of Jerusalem, were in "mild condition with blast injuries" after the strikes.

Israel has also agreed to the ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran after more than six weeks of conflict in the Middle East, a White House official said Tuesday.

Israel did not immediately react to the ceasefire announcement. Its assault on Lebanon in response to rocket fire by Iranian-backed Hezbollah has led to more than 1,500 deaths, according to Lebanese authorities.

Pakistan said that the United States, Iran and their allies had agreed to a ceasefire "everywhere," including Lebanon, following mediation by Islamabad.