• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on a tour of the Gulf, promising allies that Washington will protect their interests as talks with Iran continue.
• Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, says visits to Iran’s nuclear sites will take place in accordance with the recently signed memorandum of understanding.
• But Iran says inspections by the nuclear watchdog will “solely be examined and resolved within the framework of a final agreement” with the US.
• The number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz continues to pick up under a new UN-backed plan to evacuate 11,000 stranded seafarers.
• In Lebanon, an Israeli attack has killed two people in the city of Nabatieh, as
• Israel’s defense minister says the military will not withdraw from southern Lebanon even if the US demands it.
• Talks between Lebanon and Israel continue in Washington, DC, with the US proposing “pilot zones”, where Israeli forces transfer territory to vetted Lebanese army units.

More than $300bn needed to rebuild Iran after US-Israeli strikes

Iran is dealing with widespread destruction after months of attacks by Israel and the US.

The cost of rebuilding will likely run into hundreds of billions of dollars.

Israeli strike kills 2 in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire

Two people were killed in a strike on their car in an area close to the city of Nabatieh. But it’s not the only Israeli military activity that has happened yesterday.

There was also a reported strike on Nabatieh al-Fawqa. It is unclear whether there are any casualties.

The Israeli military has also been active on the ground in Ain al-Arab, a village in southern Lebanon. People have been returning to their homes there over the course of the past two days after the Lebanese military opened the roads to the village.

An Israeli military patrol showed up, along with a bulldozer. They contacted the local community leader and told him that if people didn’t get out of their homes, they would be demolished by 5pm local time on Wednesday (14:00 GMT).

That deadline has passed, and most people have left that village once again.

All of this comes in the context of the discussion in Washington between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors about establishing pilot zones, where exactly this kind of thing is supposed to happen – the Israeli military is supposed to withdraw, and the Lebanese army is supposed to deploy.

Trump meets Rutte, slams NATO’s ‘lax participation’ in war on Iran

Trump returned to a familiar theme during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, slamming European countries for not supporting the US-Israel war on Iran.

Sitting across from Rutte in the White House’s Oval Office, Trump reiterated his frustration that members of the alliance did not join in the war effort.

“We didn’t need help on this at all. We demolished them in literally the first week,” Trump said of Iran.

“But it would have been nice if they would’ve said: ‘We’d like to help.’ We didn’t even need it, but it would have been nice if they said that.”

Iran accuses NATO of complicity in US and Israel’s ‘unlawful war’

The spokesman for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused NATO of “complicity in an unlawful war of aggression” after the alliance’s chief said European allies had helped support the US and Israel’s strikes on Iran.

Esmaeil Baghaei said that Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s remarks were “a clear and damning admission of NATO’s active complicity” in the war.

Baghaei said that NATO and the individual member states that took part “must be held accountable for all the consequences”. Italy and Romania are among those that should explain “why they chose to collude”.

Speaking to Fox News earlier, Rutte said Italy had allowed 500 US aircraft to take off from US bases on its soil to “support” Trump’s “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran, while the Romanian capital, Bucharest, had to cut flights because “they had to use the airports for tanker facilities”.

“complicity in an unlawful war of aggression”

What does international law say when member states of NATO allow the US to carry out attacks from these member states' soil, while Iran is not attacking the country of the United States?

Under international law, the use of force is strictly governed by the UN Charter. Allowing the US to carry out strikes against Iran from allied soil while Iran has not directly attacked the US can create distinct legal issues for both the host nations and the US:

• The UN Charter prohibits the use of force against another state's territorial integrity unless it is authorized by the UN Security Council or executed in self-defense against an ongoing or imminent armed attack. Legal experts widely debate and scrutinize preemptive strikes absent an immediate Iranian attack on the US, arguing such actions violate international prohibitions against aggression.

So, international law considers attacks launched by the Unites States against Iran from the territory of any NATO member state to be illegal as no authorization by the UN Security Council was given and the US was not acting in self-defense because Iran was not attacking their territory.

Involved NATO countries were facilitating these attacks, thus contributing to aggression and violence in the act of war, that these countries also bear legal responsibility under state responsibility laws.

Democrats slam Trump’s request for $87.6bn in funds, mostly for war on Iran

The White House’s request for $87.6bn in supplemental funding from Congress, most of it related to the war on Iran, is drawing criticism from the Democratic Party.

The request asks for $67.15bn for the military, including to cover operational costs of the war on Iran and to rebuild weapons stocks and classified programs.

“We should be lowering costs for the American people, not writing another blank check for Trump,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer posted on X after Congress received the request.

Senator Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the chamber’s appropriations committee, said she would review the request to ensure that US troops are taken care of.

“But I will not rubber-stamp tens of billions more for this disastrous war of choice,” she said.

Progressive Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal declared her response to the request as an “absolute HELL NO” and blamed the bill on Trump’s costly war on Iran.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a non-partisan group, meanwhile, urged lawmakers to “carefully review and fully offset every dollar” of the request with new taxes or spending cuts, warning that the country cannot keep borrowing as its debt nears record levels.

Five South Korean ships cross Strait of Hormuz as passage restrictions ease further

South Korea has said that five more South Korean-run vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the latest sign that restrictions on passage are easing.

The ministry said 13 South Korean ships remain in the strait.

Iran warns ships away from an ‘unapproved’ Hormuz route

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) Navy has rejected a new shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel using it will be in danger.

In statements carried by Press TV on Thursday, the IRGC Navy said that “certain authorities” had created the route without notifying or coordinating with Tehran, but did not specify the “authorities”.

The IRGC said only routes designated by Iran are authorized, and that ships must coordinate with the IRGC Navy. Vessels straying outside those corridors, it said, would face enforcement action.

The warning follows an earlier statement from Oman, which shares the strait with Iran

Lindsey Graham agrees with Trump team’s push to end Iran war

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a leading Iran hawk in Congress, says former House Speaker Newt Gingrich “got it right” in saying that Americans want Trump to end the war on Iran while curbing its nuclear ambitions.

Gingrich – citing polls that showed support for ending the conflict – said US negotiators’ efforts had “paid off” and that Washington now needs a “system that monitors… and ensures the compliance of the Iranian dictatorship”.

Referencing Gingrich’s comments on X, Graham wrote: “The American people would like to see the Iranian conflict end honorably and without further violence, if possible.”

US Democratic senator questions progress in Iran talks

Democratic Senator Chris Coons, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has criticised claims that talks with Iran are going well.

“How do you know the Iran negotiations are going poorly?” Coons asked rhetorically in a video posted online.

“Because JD Vance says one thing, Iranian negotiators say another, and Trump tweets about algae in the reflecting pool.”

Iran now recognized as ‘powerful and dignified nation’

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says his country’s armed forces responded to the US-Israeli attacks in a way that neither of the attacking countries “could have imagined”.

Speaking on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said Iran is now “recognised throughout the world as a powerful and dignified nation”.

“Our enemies believed … they could bring the Islamic Republic to an end within three days and install their proxies.

“However, our armed forces… created an epic the enemy could never have imagined,” Pezeshkian said.

At the start of the war, Trump demanded Iran’s complete surrender, but the two countries are now in the process of diplomatic negotiations.

US soldiers say government understating injuries from war on Iran

US soldiers and their families are accusing the US military and Pentagon of downplaying injuries they sustained during the US-Israel war on Iran, according to CBS News.

In one case, it was alleged that a service member who experienced a concussion, hearing and vision loss, and lung damage was classified as “not seriously injured”.

At least 13 US service members were killed during the war.

The US military denies downplaying injuries sustained in the conflict.

Trump pressure flips Senate as it blocks Iran war powers measure

The US Senate has reversed course and blocked a resolution limiting President Donald Trump’s war powers over Iran, one day after passing a similar measure – 50 votes to 48 – in a rare rebuke to Trump.

Trump lobbied Republicans before the vote late on Wednesday, and the measure was blocked 50 to 47, turning the tide after a rebellion in his party.

Senators Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rand Paul of Kentucky both changed their votes, with Cassidy voting against it and Paul abstaining by voting “present”.

Trump welcomed the result, declaring the outcome puts “Iran on notice”.

Rubio in Bahrain today in three-day Gulf tour to discuss US-Iran agreement

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Bahrain officials later today on the final leg of a trip to the Middle East ⁠where he has sought to sell the Trump administration’s preliminary Iran accord to skeptical Gulf Arab allies.

Arriving last night in Bahrain’s capital Manama, which hosts the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, Rubio will also meet with the Gulf Cooperation Council, or GCC, a grouping of six Sunni monarchies that also includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait.

His three-day tour of the oil-rich Gulf is the ‌first high-level diplomatic mission since the US-Iran framework agreement last week to end the conflict. At his previous stops in the UAE and Kuwait, Rubio sought to assure officials that the proposed deal was not overly favorable to Iran, which struck several Gulf states during the US-Israeli war.

“We’re not going to do anything that undermines the security of our allies, our longstanding allies in the region,” he told reporters in Kuwait.

Rubio has acknowledged his delicate mission in pitching the peace deal to Gulf Arab leaders who fear excessive concessions will strengthen Tehran and reshape ⁠the region’s security balance and oil flows.

Israeli soldier killed during operation in southern Lebanon, military says

An Israeli soldier has been killed during “operational activity” in southern Lebanon, the army says.

The military identified him as 32-year-old Major Basel Suaid.

Arab Gulf states reject ‘new geopolitical facts’ born from aggression: UAE presidential adviser

New “geopolitical facts” cannot be imposed on the Arab Gulf states as a result of a “treacherous aggression against them,” says the UAE’s presidential adviser Anwar Gargash.

“For imposing a fait accompli from the womb of aggression does not establish stability; rather, it sows new seeds of discord and conflict for the future. And this is precisely what applies to the Strait of Hormuz,” he said in a post on X.

This is exactly the role the UAE has been playing since its ambassador to the US, Yousef al-Otaiba masterminded the diplomatic crisis against Qatar. The UAE wanted to force Doha to change its policy of engaging diplomacy with all partners in the region, including Iran.

The UAE also participated in the creation of chaos by Netanyahu in Gaza, in the civil war in Libya and in the Dafur genocide by the RSF.

During the war on Yemen, the UAE was an ally of Saudi Arabia until it attempted to takeover Saudi dominance. The Emiratis made themselves an enemy of the Saudis.

In December 2020, the UAE was the first to sign the Abraham Accords, which was mastermind by Netanyahu and Jared Kushner. That accord is only meant to give the Israelis the opportunity to have (more) influence in the region.

The UAE is the only closest ally of the Israelis in the region. It was from this position against a ceasefire with Iran.

"... from the womb of aggression," right?

Israeli soldier killed during operation in southern Lebanon

An Israeli soldier has been killed during “operational activity” in southern Lebanon, the army says.

The military identified him as 32-year-old Major Basel Suaid.

Basil Suaid, 32, a driver in the 75th battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, was killed when his refueling truck overturned in an accident during operational activity, the Israeli army said.

Another soldier was also injured in the incident, with moderate wounds, it said.

Israeli army confirms soldier’s death.

“..operational activity..” can even mean acting while trying to seek cover of an Hezbollah defensive attack.

US-backed Lebanon talks struggle over Israeli occupation, Hezbollah disarmament

Those talks in Washington are focusing on the issue of Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon.

Lebanon wants Israel to leave southern Lebanon, but there are statements by Israeli officials saying that they will not leave even if the US demands it, and statements by Netanyahu saying that Israeli troops will not leave as long as he is in office.

The US too is signaling that Israeli troops could be there for a while, with US Secretary of State Rubio saying this withdrawal is going to be part of a process and will not happen overnight.

The US ambassador to Lebanon, who is very much involved in those negotiations, is also saying the withdrawal will not happen today or tomorrow, but it will happen.

So this could take some time because they are discussing the possibility of handing over some territory to the Lebanese army, and the Lebanese army is going to have to clear the area.

The main sticking point is that the Lebanese army and Hezbollah are fine if this happens south of the Litani River. What the Israeli army wants is the dismantling of Hezbollah infrastructure to happen north of the Litani River.

So a lot of sticking points with Israel using its presence in southern Lebanon as a way to pressure the Lebanese state and Hezbollah to agree to disarm.

".. Israeli troops could be there for a while .."

On June 24, 2026, Marco Rubio said during his visit to Kuwait:

"The more of that area the Lebanese armed forces is able to secure, the less of it is in Hezbollah's control, the less Israel will be in Lebanon."

This is clear putting the responsibility on an army that is not even able to fight its enemy out of the country.

It is Netanyahu who started the war on Iran, and spilled over his war to Lebanon by assassinating the Iranian Supreme Leader, knowing that Hezbollah would respond.

Now, Rubio wants the Lebanese army to clean up the mess that Netanyahu started to create on March 2, 2026, and continues to create, while refusing to leave Lebanon.

Rubio says arguments over Hormuz toll fee are ‘semantics’

During his visit to Bahrain, US Secretary of state Rubio said: “You can call it a toll, you can call it a fee, at the end of the day it’s all semantics.”

The US rejects any nation’s claim over Hormuz, says Rubio in Bahrain

The US will not accept that Hormuz belongs to any nation state, Rubio says while meeting with Bahraini leaders in Manama.

“We want a deal with Iran, we don’t want a deal at any price,” he added.

Rubio says US open to ‘enduring peace’ in the region

At the news conference in Manama, Rubio also says: “We are open for peace that is enduring and real and doesn’t undermine security and prosperity for the US or its allies.”

US wants to ensure agreement takes into account ‘interest of allies’: Rubio

• The US wants to ensure that any decision made in an agreement with Iran takes into account the interests of its allies.
• The US wants this agreement to work and will do everything it can to make that happen.

Bahrain FM welcomes Oman corridor for safe passage through Hormuz

Bahrain’s ⁠Foreign ⁠Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al ⁠Zayani has welcomed Oman’s announcement of a corridor for the ‌safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Al Zayani made ⁠the remarks as ⁠he chaired a Gulf Cooperation Council ⁠meeting during Rubio’s visit to the ‌country.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says any ships taking the new route will be in danger.

GCC priority is negotiation, dialogue, accommodation with Iran for regional stability

The status quo in Hormuz changed the moment the US and Israel began striking Iran. That’s just a fact. Before the war began, the Strait of Hormuz was open.

Iranian boats were arguably irritants to naval passage, but naval passage was moving quite freely and quite openly, and there was a heavy volume of traffic going back and forth. That has perhaps changed forever.

It will be music to the ears of the GCC leaders that they will not accept any change to the status quo in the Strait of Hormuz, that they won’t allow Iran to charge any fees, that that won’t be part of the deal – that will be something that will no doubt be seen as a positive.

But the fact is that for Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was a big red button – break glass in case of emergency, and they did that. They’ve pushed that button now and what they’ve illustrated is that even if things go back to normal, it’s always a button they can push again.

They can bring the global economy – insofar as the part of it that they control – they can bring that to a standstill, if and when they want to, and that is something that is going to be difficult to get around.

The GCC leaders who have been speaking in the last few days, weeks, and months have seemed to illustrate one clear point: negotiation, dialogue, accommodation with Iran is what will work to secure regional stability. That is the GCC priority most likely being discussed behind closed doors right now in Bahrain.

Rubio’s red lines will be concern for Iran

So far there hasn’t been any official reaction to Rubio’s visit to the region from Iran. However, they are indeed closely following that meeting because it is primarily about the countries that are on the other coast of the Gulf and also the Strait of Hormuz.

Two messages are quite important from Rubio’s speech – he’s saying that they have two red lines in this process.

The first one is the Strait of Hormuz, and when he’s talking about the Strait of Hormuz, he is now saying that there will be no change in the status quo of the Strait of Hormuz.

There will be no charge, whether you call it tolls or fees, so that’s not acceptable. So that is definitely a concern for the Iranians because Iranians have been saying that there is a new maritime regime and Iran is going to extend its control and sovereignty over this critical point.

And if they reach a final agreement, despite that, Iran is going to charge some fees. They are calling it service fees. So previously they were clearly talking about toll fees, but now they are saying toll fees are banned under international law.

And the other message is definitely on the nuclear issue. Marco Rubio is talking about verifiable steps – and that can only be provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Iranians are saying that, for now, there is no planned visit of the inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to Iran. These are going to be huge disputes in the coming days and weeks, perhaps.

Drone strikes Kfar Tibnit, a front-line village near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon

A drone strike in the front-line village of Kfar Tibnit on the outskirts of the city of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon has been reported.

The Israeli army continues to target anyone or anything that moves in villages that lie along the area it occupies in southern Lebanon.

They control those villages by fire – whether it is in Kfar Tibnit, Nabatieh, Fawqa, Kfar Rouman or even in other areas across southern Lebanon.

"...  to target anyone or anything that moves  ..."

This sounds like the Israeli army directive "Treat everyone and everything that moves and not move as ..[Hezbollah].."

Bringing to practice such a directive is resorting to conflation, which is refusing to distinct civilians from military objective therefore a war crime.

Lebanese military say Israeli forces have not withdrawn from part of their buffer zone in the south

A Lebanese military source has told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces remain deployed in all the areas they recently occupied.

The statement came after the Reuters news agency reported a US State Department official as saying Israel had withdrawn from parts of the area as an act of “good faith” towards Lebanon’s government.

Some 57 ships sailed through Hormuz since June 23 under UN evacuation scheme

Some ⁠57 ⁠ships carrying an estimated 1,100 seafarers have transited ⁠the Strait of Hormuz since June 23 ⁠under a UN evacuation plan launched this week, data released on Thursday from the ‌UN’s shipping agency showed.

These are the first numbers to be released by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) ⁠for the initiative, ⁠which it is hoped will enable hundreds of ships with some 11,000 ⁠seafarers to leave the Strait.

According ⁠to current IMO ⁠data, 12 ships sailed through during the morning of June ‌25, 32 on June 24 and 13 ‌on June ‌23.

Iran warns against Hormuz crossings without authorization

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned against any crossings of the Strait of Hormuz without authorization, saying vessels not complying “will be dealt with” as it criticized a new route through the waterway.

The future of the strait, a vital route for energy shipments that was in effect blocked by Iran during the more than 100-day war between it and the US, is a key sticking point in negotiations between the sides.

Tehran has said it plans to impose what it calls maritime service fees in the future, as opposed to tolls, while the US argues it is an international waterway and therefore passage should not be subject to charges.

“The only authorized route for passage through the Strait of Hormuz is the route announced by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the IRGC, the ideological arm of Iran’s military, said on Thursday.

Oman backs MoU, stresses no imposition of Hormuz transit fees

Oman has expressed support for the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, saying it is important for restoring peace and ensuring safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on X from the state news agency, Oman reaffirmed its responsibility as a coastal state to support maritime security under international law and stressed that no transit fees would be imposed in the Strait of Hormuz.

The statement was made by Oman’s foreign minister during the joint ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the US Secretary of State in Bahrain today.

‘Zero’ support from GCC for Hormuz tolls, fees: Rubio

There is zero support from Gulf countries for tolls or fees on the Strait of Hormuz, says Rubio.

‘Very productive’ meeting, says Rubio after meeting with GCC in Bahrain

Rubio is making remarks in Manama, Bahrain after a meeting with GCC foreign ministers.

“We had a very productive meeting,” said the US Secretary of State.

No reconstruction fund for Iran discussed with GCC states, says Rubio

A reconstruction fund for Iran was not discussed with Gulf countries, the US Secretary of State also says at the live media conference in Manama.

Iran, Oman stress need for coordination on Hormuz traffic

The foreign ⁠ministers ⁠of Iran and Oman have emphasised the need for ⁠continued bilateral coordination on maritime traffic in ⁠the Strait of Hormuz.

During a phone call, Abbas Araqhchi and Badr al-Busaidi discussed recent regional developments, including maritime arrangements ⁠in the strait ⁠and temporary measures set for a 60-day period, Araqchi’s Telegram account said.

Europe’s refusal of military bases weakens transatlantic alliance with US: Rubio

Some more remarks from Rubio's live presser in Bahrain after meeting with GCC officials:

• Europe not allowing use of military bases undermines alliance between the continent and the US.

The United States has a record of violations of international law when it comes to its wars in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and during the rendition campaigns across Europe after George W. Bush's speech from 2002.

Trump joined Netanyahu's war by declaring on February 28, 2026 war on Iran. In the context of international law, Trump had made the US a war belligerent.

If European countries were to make to same mistake the Gulf countries and Jordan have made by allowing American warplanes attacking Iran from their soil, these countries would then make themselves a co-belligerent of the US, as they then contribute to aggression and violence in American acts of Netanyahu's war on Iran.

European countries would then also bear legal responsibility under state responsibility laws.

We believe that Europe realized they would expose themselves to this legal risk.

The biggest mistake of the Gulf countries and Jordan have made is that they also made themselves a military objective for Iran. That is why American bases in the Gulf states were attacked by Iran.

Europe’s refusal of military bases weakens transatlantic alliance with US: Rubio

Some more remarks from Rubio's live presser in Bahrain after meeting with GCC officials:

• Iran is a greater threat to Europe than it is to the US.

If we go back into the history of nuclear militarization in the Middle East, and see that the Israeli general Moshe Dayan wanted to use nuclear weapons against Egypt when he had to see huge losses during the 1967 six-day war, if an entity won't hesitate to use these weapons, it is a potential existential threat even to Europe.

Why Iran is not a threat to the US?

Iran and the Israelis don't have missiles which can reach the Americans on the other side of the Atlantic.

Strait of Hormuz differences could jeopardize US-Iran talks

Iranians quickly realized the importance of the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the war, and how controlling the strait is a huge leverage over their adversaries, whether regionally or globally.

They have used it to force Americans to come back to the negotiating table.

According to the memorandum of understanding, there will be no fees for the next 60 days. However, there is no clarity on what happens after 60 days.

Iranians are clearly talking about a new maritime regime. But today, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that whether you call it fees or tolls, it doesn’t matter, and there will be no charge, adding that there is no support for it from the GCC countries either.

Iranians are also firm that they will not go back to the pre-war status quo.

So, this is clearly a source of tension for the ongoing talks, and potentially it could undermine the talks or jeopardize them.

The IRGC has essentially said that it does not matter whether it is Omani or Iranian territorial waters – any ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz have to be in full coordination with Iranian authorities.

Iran is not taking temporary measures, but they want permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz. And that is something that the regional countries, GCC countries, and the United States are saying that they are fundamentally against.

Israeli drone attack kills two in southern Lebanon: Report

At least two people have been killed in a drone strike on a car in southern Lebanon, Reuters has reported, quoting Lebanese medical and security sources.

Ghalibaf denies claims Iran will use unfrozen assets to buy US goods

Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, has said US claims that unfrozen assets will be used to buy US agricultural products are false.

“America falsely claims our unfrozen assets will buy their agriculture. Interesting,” Ghalibaf said on X. “The only crop we’re harvesting is what you planted: decades of mistrust. It’s organic, abundant, and homegrown. But apparently the US only exports GMO soybeans, broken promises and trash talks.”

Israeli military burns down houses in southern Lebanese village

The Israeli military has burned down several houses in the southern Lebanese village of Ain Arab, the country’s National News Agency (NNA) has reported.

The news agency said that the military assault followed warnings since yesterday to residents to evacuate the town.

Villagers in Ain Arab had returned just a day before, after the Lebanese army reopened the road linking Ain Arab and the town of Al-Mari, which had been closed for weeks, the NNA reported.

India explores opportunities with Iran to cooperate in energy sector

Indian Oil Minister Hardeep Puri says he has explored opportunities for New Delhi and Tehran to cooperate in the energy sector during his meeting with Iranian Petroleum Minister Mohsen Paknejad in New Delhi.

India remains committed to enhancing energy security via dialogue, partnership and a mutually beneficial engagement, Puri said in a post on X.

GCC seeks US assurances on security, political influence and control of Hormuz

The GCC countries want to be reassured that they will not lose political influence, regional practical influence on the ground, insofar as the control of waterways, moving goods and oil, and economic imperatives.

And they want to make sure that their security guarantees are going to be met by their ally, the United States. And insofar as negotiating with Iran, they want to make sure that they are in a position to be able to secure security guarantees from Iran as well.

Rubio said the GCC expressed concrete concerns. They want to be informed and involved. The US will not make any decisions or commitments to compromise the interests of their Gulf partners or their long-term prosperity and stability.

The GCC also want funding for reconstruction from damage suffered as a result of Iranian retaliatory attacks – attacks and damage suffered during a time of war, a war that they did not choose, a war that they tried to stop from day one, and a war that they were caught in the middle of.

And he said, very significantly, one thing that came across very clear, is that there is zero support among the Gulf for any charges for the use of Gulf waters, and he said we need to get back to what the strait looked like before this conflict. It’s an international waterway.

We have to remind people that before the conflict that was sparked by the US and Israel, passage through the Strait of Hormuz was normal.

Iraq urges OPEC to raise its oil production quota

Iraq has called on OPEC to increase its oil production quota, considering the Iran war has damaged its industry, the Oil Ministry said on Thursday.

Like other oil producers, Iraq, a founding member of OPEC, was greatly affected by the war, as it is hugely dependent on oil exports, which make up about 90 percent of its budget revenues.

Iraq’s Oil Ministry said that the country “has consistently emphasized the importance of reassessing production baselines to ensure they are aligned with the sustainable production capacities of member countries,” and in respect of “Iraq’s unique security and economic circumstances”.

OPEC has “responded by launching a process to reassess” its member states’ capacities, the ministry said.

Amid reports on Thursday of a possible Iraqi exit from OPEC, Oil Ministry spokesperson Salim al-Rikabi told AFP that Iraq “has no intention of withdrawing from the organization and remains committed to its mechanisms”.

He added that the organization “has to raise Iraq’s production quota. Otherwise, a decision will have to be made about whether to stay or leave the organization”.

Italy denies US used airbases for attacks in call with Iran’s Araghchi

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says he held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, in which he denied that Italy authorized the use of its airbases for US attacks against Iran.

“Italy has never taken part in any military initiative and has never authorized the use of bases for war actions against Iran, in the strictest respect of the treaties with the United States,” Tajani wrote on X.

The comments come a day after Italy rebuked remarks by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggesting the contrary. The statements caused a political row in Italy as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had denied the bases were used for direct military action against Iran.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto responded to Rutte by saying the air bases were used for exclusively technical and logistical activities.

Gulf states want US assurances after Iran war, analyst says

Professor Paul Musgrave of Georgetown University in Qatar says Gulf states will want firm guarantees from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Washington will not endanger their security as it seeks a final deal with Iran.

“I think the first thing has to be what Secretary of State Rubio is saying publicly, which is that their interests will be respected,” Musgrave said, adding that this marks “a big change from February”.

He said Gulf countries had been “invested in mediation” before “the United States and Israel launched this war” and now want to know whether Washington will protect states most exposed to any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.

“The first thing that Gulf countries want to know, especially those like Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, which are most dependent on the Strait of Hormuz, [is] that the United States will not jeopardize their physical or economic security,” Musgrave said.

But he warned that any final deal may leave major security concerns unresolved.

“He’s been a little bit cagier on other issues like ballistic missile program that do directly affect the security of those of us,” Musgrave said, referring to Rubio. “That’s not going to be part of the final deal.”

Lebanon death toll climbs to 4,230 after months of Israeli attacks

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks have killed 4,230 people and wounded 12,179 others between March 2 and June 25.

Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon – some held for decades and others seized during the 2023-2024 war. During its latest invasion, Israeli forces advanced more than 10km (6.2 miles) into Lebanese territory.

A recently signed memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran calls for ending hostilities across multiple fronts, including Lebanon, as part of efforts to reach a lasting peace agreement between the two sides.

Iran rejects US-backed southern corridor in Strait of Hormuz

Iran wants coordinated routes for vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz and rejects any US-backed attempt to open a separate southern corridor, says Abas Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Center for Middle East Strategic Studies in Tehran.

Aslani said Iran and the United States are still trying to shape what happens next in the vital waterway after the recent memorandum of understanding (MoU).

“We have been seeing that despite the recent MoU, the two sides … are flexing their muscles in relation to the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

Aslani said Iran believes the current 60-day window will allow it to work with Oman on the details of new transit arrangements.

“For Iran, the Strait of Hormuz after 60 days … will be subject to receiving fees for the services that are provided,” he said.

But Aslani said Tehran rejects pressure from Washington to create a separate southern route through the waterway.

“Oman under the pressure from the US, they want to open a southern corridor there. This is unacceptable for Iran,” he said.

Aslani warned that any failure to resolve the dispute could threaten the wider diplomatic track.

Final round of Lebanon-Israel talks begins in Washington

The final session of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel has begun at the US State Department in Washington, DC.

The talks come as Washington pushes for a diplomatic track while Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon, raising questions whether negotiations can produce a lasting political arrangement.

Under US pressure, Lebanese officials began direct talks in April with Israel in Washington. Commenting on the negotiations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two neighbors are close to making a “commitment of intent”.

Israeli strike kills 3 in Nabatieh in southern Lebanon

Lebanon’s Health Ministry says an Israeli strike on a car in Mefdoun, in the Nabatieh district, has killed three people and wounded one other.

Hezbollah-ally Iran has warned Israel to halt its attacks and threatened a response if it fails to do so. Israel is under pressure internationally to withdrawal its forces currently occupying southern Lebanon – another key demand by Tehran in negotiations with Washington.

GCC–US meeting opens in Bahrain as Rubio rejects Iran toll plan for Hormuz

The Gulf Cooperation Council and US officials held a meeting in Bahrain.

Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani welcomed recent diplomatic efforts including the US–Iran memorandum of understanding brokered with the mediation of Pakistan and Qatar.

He welcomed the restoration of secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and Oman’s announcement of a temporary maritime corridor. However, he stressed Iran must fully adhere to its obligations under the deal.

Israel says it will keep troops in south Lebanon until Hezbollah disarmed

Israel says it will continue to occupy parts of southern Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms even as US-mediated talks between the two sides continue in Washington, DC.

David Mencer, a spokesperson for the Israeli government, said Israel won’t pull back its troops unless Hezbollah is disarmed and demilitarized.

“We will not withdraw our forces from southern Lebanon as long as Hezbollah remains a threat, is not disarmed and demilitarized,” Mencer told reporters.

Asked about ongoing Israel-Lebanon talks, Mencer said: “We are making extremely clear that our responsibility is to our northern citizens and to the whole of Israel, and we will not allow any terrorist force anywhere near our border – which means that any redeployment of forces comes after, not before, but after the demilitarization of southern Lebanon and the disarming of Hezbollah.”