US-Israel-Iran War News Highlights: Multiple explosions reported across Iran; IRGC targets two vessels in Hormuz

The weekend exchange of strikes between Iran and Israel has put US President Donald Trump under even more domestic and international pressure to end the unpopular war he launched with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more than three months ago.

The Israeli leader favours the continuation of the war until Iran is reduced to a feeble state. This would enable him to win the Israeli general elections later this year and further his goal of expanding Israel’s borders and regional domination in pursuit of a so-called “Greater Israel”.

Netanyahu is against any US–Iran deal that doesn’t meet his objectives. Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon to repel the Iran-backed Hezbollah group is part of his strategy, which has been boldly countered by Iran.

Tehran, meanwhile, has shown a steely resilience to ensure the war is settled in its favour as a formidable regional actor.

Danish shipping giant Maersk has allegedly been transporting key weapons components, including parts used in bullets, bombs and mortars, according to a report released on Monday by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) and Oxfam Denmark.

The report's findings appear to contradict Maersk's stated policy, which prohibits the shipment of "weapons or ammunition to active conflict zones." According to Nadya Tannous of the Palestinian Youth Movement, the company has also maintained since October 2023 that it does not transport weapons or ammunition to Israel.

US President Donald Trump has reiterated that the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will remain strictly enforced until a definitive agreement is secured with Tehran.
The US President offered these assessments while speaking to reporters whilst departing New York after attending the NBA Finals match between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, noting that active dialogue with Tehran was progressing and could yield absolute clarity shortly.

"We're in the final throes of a very good deal that will not allow, in any way or form, nuclear weapons. And the Strait will open up right away. It'll open up immediately upon signing, which could be in two or three days," he added.

Vowing to maintain maximum economic pressure on the regime through this strategy, Trump asserted that "no oil, no income, no nothing" would be permitted to transit through the critical maritime corridor until a final agreement is officially inked.

Expressing strong optimism regarding the trajectory of the ongoing backchannel talks, the US President indicated that a major diplomatic breakthrough could materialise within a matter of days.

During the same media interaction, Trump observed that the strategic waterway could be reopened almost immediately if a settlement is finalised with Iran, whilst simultaneously reaffirming that the US military containment of the shipping lane stays fully operational.

"We have ongoing negotiations in Iran and with Iran. We could have at least an idea by one or two days from now, but I think it's going well. The blockade continues to hold 100%," he said.

The latest round of fighting between Israel and Iran appears to have eased, but reports suggest tensions between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have intensified in recent days.

However, Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, has played down claims of a rift, saying the two leaders share a decades-long bond and "sometimes lovers have a spat."

His remarks came after Trump publicly warned Netanyahu against expanding military operations against Iran and reportedly told him that Israel could find itself isolated if it ignored US calls for restraint.

Speaking to Fox News, Leiter said he had been present for hundreds of conversations between the two leaders and described their relationship as exceptionally close.

"They have a deep friendship that goes back some 40 years, and sometimes lovers have a spat, and sometimes the tension in the room and on the conversation can get a little heated," Leiter added.

US President Donald Trump said the United States is applying pressure on Iran through a “blockade” of its ports, adding that it is pushing Tehran closer to agreeing to a deal.

“I think we’re… very close to having a very, very good, strong, powerful deal,” Trump told reporters as he left New York after attending a basketball game.

“If we go and bomb, which we can do very easily, if we want, and we spend another two or three weeks bombing, they’ll have nothing left whatsoever, but you won’t have the Strait open for months,” he said.

He warned that military strikes would lead to heavy casualties, adding, “Who wants to do that? I don’t, and… we’ll have a signed document that’s actually stronger than doing the bombing.”

“What has proven to be a very powerful thing is the blockade. The blockades turned out to be much stronger than bombing… their economy is really suffering, and they’re going to make a deal,” he added.

Israel intensified its military strikes in southern Lebanon on Monday, killing 12 people, according to reports. An Israeli air strike hit the area just minutes before Al Jazeera correspondent Obaida Hitto went live on air from the port city of Tyre.

The latest strike came amid a series of attacks in the region, including one targeting a vehicle located around 100 metres from the Red Cross headquarters in Tyre, officials said.

US President Donald Trump said that the pilots of a helicopter that crashed around the Strait of Hormuz are "fine". Trump made the comments to journalists after watching the NBA Finals in New York while at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The New York Times first reported that a US Army Apache attack helicopter went down near the strait in unclear circumstances.

The crash came after Iran and Israel exchanged fire on Monday, imperiling talks over solidifying a shaky ceasefire in the Iran war.

US President Donald Trump has asserted that the United States will achieve "total victory" over Iran within the next fortnight, expressing immense confidence that a fresh nuclear deal is well within reach, according to a CNN report.

This optimistic projection came just as Iran and Israel stepped back from a volatile weekend escalation of retaliatory military strikes.

The US President voiced these claims during a campaign tele-rally, which is a virtual phone event designed to address large groups of supporters remotely. Trump utilised the political platform to generate momentum for Senator Lindsey Graham, who is currently facing a competitive challenge in an upcoming Republican primary election.

Maintaining that backroom diplomacy with Tehran was yielding significant results, Trump detailed the willingness of the other side to capitulate to Washington's key strategic demands.

"We're negotiating now, and they want to make a very good deal. They're willing to give us everything, they're willing to give us no nuclear weapon," Trump said.

Linking the successful resolution of the geopolitical stand-off to domestic economic relief, the US President predicted an imminent breakthrough that would reshape global energy markets.

"I think we are winning that battle, but you're really going to win it over the next two weeks when we declare total victory. It'll be a total victory. It'll happen very soon, and oil prices will come tumbling down," he added.

A fire was reported aboard an oil tanker carrying 24 Indian seafarers off the coast of Oman on Monday, as Israel and Iran exchanged fresh attacks in their first major escalation since the ceasefire.

The Madagascar-flagged MT Marivex reported a fire around 1.30 pm IST, Opesh Kumar Sharma, a director in India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said at a news briefing.

Sharma declined to comment on the cause of the fire but said the vessel was carrying 24 Indian crew members. The tanker was empty and located well outside the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route that has been affected by regional tensions, he said.

"This is the preliminary information which we have received... as per available information, all Indian seafarers are safe," Sharma said. "We are coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs, our missions abroad, Indian Navy, Ministry of Defence, to ensure their safety."

A United States Army Apache attack helicopter went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, with both crew members rescued safely, The New York Times reported, citing two people briefed on the incident.

The cause of the incident was not immediately clear. According to the report, it remains unknown whether the helicopter was brought down by Iranian fire, suffered a mechanical failure, or encountered another problem.

US officials have not yet publicly commented on the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Israel's ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, brushed aside speculation of a rift between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, saying that “sometimes lovers have a spat.”

Speaking to Fox News, Leiter said he had participated in hundreds of conversations between the two leaders and described their relationship as a “deep friendship” spanning nearly four decades.

He said Netanyahu had agreed to “lower the temperature” on military action against Iran at Trump’s request, but stressed that the US president understands Israel cannot absorb ballistic missile attacks without responding.

“For the most part, we’re dealing with a very, very close collaborative effort between the United States and Israel, and there’s tremendous understanding,” Leiter said, dismissing reports of any serious strain in ties between the two leaders.

US President Donald Trump has cautioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel risks international isolation if it resumes extensive military operations against Iran, following a volatile 24-hour period of escalating cross-border hostilities.

Detailing his conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister, Trump told Axios, "I said, 'Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon.'" The warning highlights the US President's mounting anxieties that renewed combat could sabotage ongoing attempts to broker a diplomatic accord with Tehran and pull Washington further into a regional war.

The friction intensified after Israel launched strikes against Hezbollah-linked targets in Beirut, a move that prompted a retaliatory missile volley from Iran against Israel and stoked global anxieties over a full-scale regional conflict. Trump, who has consistently advocated for a negotiated settlement with Iran, reportedly pressed Netanyahu to exercise restraint, asserting that a breakthrough in diplomatic talks could materialise within days.

US vice president JD Vance on Monday said any future nuclear agreement with Iran must include a rigorous verification mechanism to ensure Tehran fully complies with its commitments.

Speaking to Fox News host Jesse Watters, Vance stressed that the success of any deal would depend not on what Iran agrees to on paper, but on whether it follows through in practice.

“The president's attitude on this is we have to verify,” Vance said. “One of the most important things in determining whether this settlement is a success is not what the Iranians write on the paper, but whether they actually comply with the terms of the agreement.”

Vance pointed to shortcomings in the Obama-era nuclear deal, arguing that inadequate inspections allowed concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions to persist.

“There was not a proper inspection regime to ensure that the Iranians could never build a nuclear weapon,” he said.

The vice president said the Trump administration would approach any agreement with caution and maintain strict oversight even after a deal is reached.

“Assuming we're ultimately able to make a deal, I don't assume that anybody is acting in good faith,” Vance said. “We're going to accomplish the president's mission, but verify over the long term that the Iranians are keeping their end of the bargain.”

While acknowledging that securing a durable agreement would be challenging, Vance argued that the administration is negotiating from a position of strength.

“It's a tall order, but it's one that the president has put us in a good position to achieve,” he said. “The Iranians don't want this war to continue. I think they're coming to the table with serious proposals. We're going to verify them, and if we get this deal, it will be a home-run win for the American people.”

Oil prices inched higher in early Tuesday trade as investors weighed the possibility of renewed military action between Iran and Israel, despite the two countries agreeing to halt hostilities following a request from US President Donald Trump.

Market sentiment remained cautious after signals from both sides suggested future strikes could not be ruled out, raising concerns over potential disruptions to regional stability and energy supplies.

Brent crude futures rose 13 cents, or 0.14%, to $94.38 a barrel by 00:01 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 11 cents, or 0.12%, to $91.41 a barrel. The modest increase reflects lingering uncertainty over the durability of the Iran-Israel pause and its implications for global oil markets.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz warned that Israel would continue military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon and would strike Beirut if the group carried out any attacks on Israeli territory, in his first official comments following the recent Iran-Israel escalation, according to the Times of Israel.

"Dahiyeh in Beirut will be treated the same as the northern communities," Katz said, referring to the Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut. "Any attack on the northern communities will lead to an attack in Dahiyeh. The IDF will continue to operate in Lebanon against the Hezbollah terror organisation," he added.

Katz also rejected Iranian warnings issued amid the latest regional tensions.

"Israel categorically rejects Iran's threats," he said. "Any Iranian attempt to link Lebanon and Iran and attack Israel will be met with great force, as happened yesterday," Katz added, as per the Times of Israel.

Lebanese president Joseph Aoun made a rare direct appeal to Israel's government and people to enter negotiations to end the war, arguing that military force alone could not deliver lasting security.

In an interview with CNN aired on Monday, Aoun said: "We are ready, we are willing, we are committed. Are you? If you are, let's sit and talk." Warning against continued military confrontation, he added that a military solution "will never provide you with security and safety."

Aoun said Lebanon was engaged in direct talks with Israel through US mediation aimed at securing a complete cessation of hostilities, despite opposition from Hezbollah, which continues to fight Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese president said he would not meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before an agreement was reached, adding that any future arrangement would take the form of a non-aggression pact rather than a full peace treaty.

"We need to end the state of hostility between Lebanon and Israel. Forever. And this (pact) could be a path forward for a just and lasting peace," Aoun said.

He also indicated that Lebanon remained committed to the framework of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which proposes normalisation between Israel and Arab states in exchange for Palestinian statehood and Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories.

"But we cannot jump from A to B directly. We have to go through different steps," he said.

Addressing Lebanon's relationship with Tehran, Aoun said Beirut sought ties with Iran based on mutual respect and non-interference, while arguing that Lebanese citizens were paying the price for a conflict driven by Iranian interests.

The war began on March 2 after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with an extensive military campaign that has killed more than 3,600 people in Lebanon and displaced over one million, according to Lebanese authorities.

Although the United States announced a ceasefire on April 16, fighting has continued. Lebanon says Israel has carried out nearly 3,500 strikes since the truce was declared.

The latest escalation followed an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Sunday, which prompted a direct exchange of fire between Iran and Israel and raised concerns about the future of US-led efforts to secure a broader regional settlement.

US President Donald Trump said he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint during a phone call on Sunday, as Israel and Iran exchanged fire for the first time since the April ceasefire before both sides signalled a halt to further attacks.

According to a BBC report, Trump said he emphasised the importance of diplomacy as Washington continued efforts to secure an agreement with Tehran.

Asked by the BBC's North America editor Sarah Smith how he had persuaded Netanyahu to stop attacking, Trump replied: “All I did is say, 'We have to use sense'. We're very close to signing a very powerful deal, a very good deal."

The call came after Iran launched a wave of missiles at Israel, marking its first direct attack since the ceasefire took effect in April. Israel responded by striking what it described as military targets in western and central Iran.

Iran later announced it would stop its attacks, while Netanyahu subsequently said Israeli operations would cease "for now", easing fears of a broader escalation between the two countries.

Following the exchange, Israel lifted some public safety restrictions, while domestic flights in Iran resumed operations.

Despite the apparent de-escalation between Israel and Iran, tensions remained high on the Lebanon front. Iran warned that any continued Israeli military action in southern Lebanon would provoke a "severe" response.

The Israeli military also issued evacuation orders in parts of southern Lebanon, saying the move was necessary because of "Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire agreement."

The developments came as the Trump administration continued to push for a broader diplomatic agreement with Tehran, with the US president repeatedly arguing that negotiations were close to producing a breakthrough.

Hezbollah said it carried out a series of attacks against Israeli military targets in southern Lebanon, including strikes on military vehicles, troop concentrations and an Israeli drone.

In a statement posted on Telegram, the Iran-backed group said it first targeted an Israeli military bulldozer on the southeastern outskirts of Yohmor al-Shaqif with artillery shells. It later claimed to have struck another bulldozer in the same area with a guided missile, saying it "achieved a confirmed hit".

Hezbollah also said it fired artillery shells and rockets at gatherings of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles near Yohmor al-Shaqif and Ainata.

The group further claimed that it confronted an Israeli Hermes 450-Zik drone over the Iqlim al-Tuffah district using a surface-to-air missile, forcing the aircraft to withdraw from the area.

Israel did not immediately comment on Hezbollah's claims, which could not be independently verified. The reported attacks came amid continued hostilities along the Israel-Lebanon border and heightened regional tensions following recent exchanges involving Iran and Israel.