War in the Middle East: latest developments
The latest developments in the Middle East war:
- Oil down, stocks up -
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.
- Israel strikes Lebanon -
Lebanon's health ministry said in a preliminary toll that the Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds.
Israel has insisted that Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire agreed between the United States and Iran, and the Israeli military said it carried out its "largest coordinated strike across Lebanon".
"In a very serious escalation, Israeli warplanes launched a wave of simultaneous airstrikes on several Lebanese areas, resulting in, in an initial count, dozens of martyrs and hundreds of wounded," a Lebanese health ministry statement said.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam appealed for international help to end Israeli attacks.
- Iran fires on Gulf -
The United Arab Emirates said that 17 Iranian missiles and 35 drones had targeted its territory despite a US announcement of a two-week ceasefire with the Islamic republic.
Kuwait also reported that at least 28 Iranian drones had damaged power and desalination plants as well as oil facilities, hours after the Iran-US truce came into effect.
Iranian media said the attacks on Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates followed airstrikes against oil facilities on its Lavan island on Wednesday morning.
- Dig up 'nuclear dust' -
US President Donald Trump said there will be no enrichment of uranium by Iran, and that the countries will work together to "dig up and remove" nuclear material buried by US strikes last year in a social media post hours after announcing a ceasefire with Iran.
"The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
"There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear 'Dust,'" he added, apparently referring to damage inflicted by US attacks last year.
- US 'remains ready' -
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 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the war had "completely" destroyed Iran's ability to build missiles and other lethal weapons.
- 'Swift and lasting end' -
The leaders of France, Italy, Germany, Britain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and the European Union welcomed Wednesday the US-Iran ceasefire and urged a "swift and lasting end" to the war.
China, the European Union, Pope Leo and other major countries also welcomed the accord for a two-week ceasefire announced barely an hour before Trump's deadline to start devastating attacks.
Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty spoke with US envoy Steve Witkoff and "expressed his deep appreciation for this important American step to give diplomacy a chance and start a serious process of American-Iranian negotiations," the Egyptian foreign ministry said.
- Ships through Hormuz -
Two ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Iran agreed to reopen the waterway as part of a ceasefire deal, maritime monitor Marine Traffic said.
- 'Political disaster' -
Israel's opposition leaders criticised the ceasefire with Iran, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to achieve the war's objectives.
"There has never been a political disaster like this in our entire history. Israel was not even close to the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our national security," the country's main opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X
.
- Talks Friday -
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X that Islamabad would host delegations from the United States and Iran on Friday "to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes".
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