Middle East crisis live: Trump cancels tonight’s ‘scheduled strikes and bombings’ on Iran

Key events

The Indian government has voiced a “strong protest” after three Indian seafarers were killed in US military strikes against oil tankers travelling through the strait of Hormuz.

US Central Command confirmed that its aircraft had fired two Hellfire missiles at the engine room of the MT Settebello as it sailed through the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday.

The US said its forces had carried out “precision strikes” against the ship, which was sailing under the flag of the Pacific island of Palau, after its crew repeatedly failed to comply with instructions.

The US alleged the ship was violating its military blockade of Iranian ports, which it began enforcing in April in an effort to cut off revenue and increase pressure on Tehran as peace talks have continued to falter.

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While the White House has sought a peace agreement with Iran and it would mark a major achievement for this administration, Trump has claimed dozens of times to be close to an agreement and has previously said the Iranian leadership had agreed peace terms that they in fact had not.

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US stock markets are also reacting positively to Trump’s statement calling off his threat to bomb Iran this evening.

The S+P 500 jumped 1.3%, coming off a back-to-back drop that had yanked it back to where it was in early May.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 802 points, or 1.6%, as of 2 pm ET, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.8% higher.

Stocks leaped immediately after Trump said on his social media network that “discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved” and that the time and place of a signing will “be announced shortly.”

Iran says it has not yet agreed, reports say

Iran has not yet agreed to any document or memorandum of understanding with the United States, Iran’s Fars news agency reports, citing an informed source close to Iran’s negotiating team.

This appears to contradict Donald Trump’s statement that “final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved”.

Trump’s announcement came after talks to end hostilities carried on late into Wednesday night, according to reports.

Axios reports that Qatari envoy Ali Al-Thawadi and Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi believed they had reached an agreement on Wednesday that both Iran and the US could accept.

Key issues at stake were how frozen Iranian assets would be released, how the strait of Hormuz would be reopened and what would happen to Iran nuclear program.

Oil prices fall after Trump announces he is canceling strikes

Oil prices dropped following the announcement from Donald Trump that he has “cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening”, the Associated Press reports.

Brent futures fell $3.37, or 3.6%, to $89.73 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell $3.20, or 3.6%, to $86.83 a barrel.

While details have yet to come in, Donald Trump said in his Truth Social post that he was canceling tonight’s scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran because “the highest level of Iranian leadership” had approved discussions.

It’s unclear if by “discussions”, Trump is alluding to a peace deal, which he has repeatedly said must include preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Trump has also repeatedly claimed that a peace deal was “close” – without any result – oftentimes laying the blame on Iran’s leadership for delaying the process.

Trump said on Thursday that “(d)iscussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved”, which includes “the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others”.

Trump cancels tonight's 'scheduled strikes and bombings' on Iran

Donald Trump has posted on Truth Social that he has “cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening.”

“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump wrote.

He continued “Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved, including the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, and others. The Naval Blockade will remain in full force and effect until this Transaction is finalized — Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly.”

US Senate minority leader: Trump is 'incapable of ending the war' in Iran

US Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer took to the floor on Thursday to accuse the Trump administration of lying to the public about the war in Iran and to urge Senate Republicans to support the war powers resolution and “end this war for real”.

“It doesn’t take a military genius to see that Trump’s fiasco of a war with Iran never ended – not with American helicopters being shot down, not when American bases are being attacked, and American troops are coming under fire,” Schumer said.

“Saying this war is over is an insult, an insult to the brave American servicemen who are risking their lives every day to fight it.”

Trump is “incapable, given his way, his lack of concern for facts, his only concern being his own ego. He is incapable of ending the war, incapable of cleaning up his own mess”, Schumer said.

“Republicans need to stop buying the BS, show some spine, and help us bring our servicemembers home,” Schumer said.

On Thursday, Trump threatened to attack Iran “very hard tonight” and seize the country’s Kharg Island and “other infrastructure”.

The day so far

Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran “very hard tonight” and seize the country’s Kharg Island and “other infrastructure” in his latest warning to Tehran. In a post on his Truth Social app, he said: “The United States will be hitting Iran (Whose Navy, Air Force, Radar, Anti Aircraft, and all other forms of Defense, together with most of its offensive capability, are GONE!), VERY HARD TONIGHT.”

Trump told Fox News that he would “rather not” attack civilian infrastructure in Iran – despite previously threatening to. This comes as the US said it will increase strikes on the Islamic Republic. “Yeah, but I’d rather not do it, because once you do that, the people suffer,” Trump said when asked if the United States would start attacking power plants and bridges as he has previously threatened.

One of Iran’s top negotiators has warned of an “endless quagmire” if the US makes “impulsive” decisions. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, said “wrong strategies” will “reset the entire board for the worse”.

The price of oil has risen since Donald Trump has threatened a ‘very hard’ attack on Iran tonight and said US will seize Kharg island, according to the BBC. Brent crude futures increased by around $2, to $94.16, a barrel in the space of a few minutes this afternoon – before shortly falling back down minorly.

The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the renewed US strikes against Iran “have rendered the ceasefire ineffective”, according to a statement on his Telegram channel. Araghchi discussed the latest developments with the EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, in a phone call this afternoon, where he condemned the US attacks, the statement said.

The US has confirmed that it carried out a strike on Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel M/T Jalveer, which according to Central Command (Centcom) was violating the blockade. Centcom alleged that the ship was attempting to transport Iranian oil through the Gulf of Oman.

The Kuwaiti armed forces said it has responded to 24 Iranian drones in its airspace in the past two days. “The Iranian aggression resulted in limited material damage without any human casualties,” the army said in a statement on social media.

According to Mehr, Iran’s semi-official news agency, explosions have been heard in Sirik, which borders the strait of Hormuz. These blasts allegedly sounded from the sea, according to reports. “A few minutes ago, an explosion was heard in the Sirik area at sea,” a state television reporter said from the area, without providing further information.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that all parties must work towards a diplomatic settlement that fully respects the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon. In a post on X, Guterres added that there must be a comprehensive ceasefire and said he fully supports a monopoly on weapons by the Lebanese government.

A strike wounded 10 staff members of a hospital in the Lebanese city of Tyre on Thursday, the facility’s director told AFP, as Israeli raids continue in the country’s south. All three of the historic city’s hospitals have been hit since the start of the latest war between Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel in early March.

Saudi Arabia has lifted its five-year import ban from Lebanon – which marks a significant step in improving relations between countries in the Gulf region and Lebanon. The ban was introduced in 2021 and initially was only for Lebanese fruits and vegetables, citing drug smuggling concerns.

The Pakistani foreign ministry said the country will continue with mediation efforts to end the war despite an escalation in hostilities between the US and Iran. “Pakistan remains deeply concerned at the situation in the region marked by recent escalation. We appeal to the parties to adhere to the understanding reached on the ceasefire,” the ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, told reporters in a briefing today.

Bahrain’s interior ministry said an 11-year-old girl was injured from falling debris after Iranian drones were intercepted by air defences in the capital Manama and Hamad Town. The incident also damaged several vehicles and homes, the ministry said in a post on X, with pictures showing scorched cars and buildings.

Three Indian seafarers were killed in a US attack on an oil tanker earlier this week, India’s shipping minister, ‌Sarbananda Sonowal, said. “It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello. Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after bodies have been located and identified,” he wrote in a post on X.

Iranian negotiator warns of 'endless quagmire'

One of Iran’s top negotiators has warned of an “endless quagmire” if the US makes “impulsive” decisions.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian parliament, said “wrong strategies” will “reset the entire board for the worse”.

In a post on X, he said:

Wrong strategies and impulsive decisions will reset the entire board for the worse, explode energy infrastructure and markets and create an endless quagmire that you will be stuck in for years.

You will see a different Iran.

Israeli authorities on Thursday deported a prominent French journalist after she was refused entry upon landing at the country’s main international airport the day before, her employer and the Foreign Press Association in Israel said.

Alice Froussard, who has worked for years in Israel and the Palestinian territories, arrived at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on a flight from Paris on Wednesday, according to Radio France e, the public radio news network for which she often reported.

Froussard had the required travel authorisation and had applied for a press visa to work in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, RFI said. But when she arrived, Froussard was questioned, held and then sent back on a plane to France.

“Israeli authorities have not provided RFI with any explanation for the decision,” the network said in a statement.

A strike wounded 10 staff members of a hospital in the Lebanese city of Tyre on Thursday, the facility’s director told AFP, as Israeli raids continue in the country’s south.

All three of the historic city’s hospitals have been hit since the start of the latest war between Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel in early March.

“An area located around 15 metres (50 feet) from the hospital was targeted, and 10 members of the medical and administrative staff were wounded,” said Dr Salman Aydibi, who runs Hiram hospital.

He said the strike shattered windows and damaged cars parked in front of the facility.

“This is the sixth time that the area of the hospital has been targeted by Israeli raids since the start of the war,” he said.

Footage has emerged of the killing of seven-month-old Sam Abu Haikal in the occupied West Bank that appears to contradict the Israeli military’s account of the shooting.

The Israel Defense Forces said its troops had “perceived a vehicle accelerating toward them” and that one of its soldiers had “responded with single shots toward the vehicle”.

Video obtained by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights, however, shows the family’s car slowing down and stopping.

The video has no sound and it is unclear when exactly the soldier opened fire at the vehicle, but the clip appears to corroborate the account of Sam’s father, Fahed Abu Haikal.

Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the village of Kfar Tibnit, Lebanon, earlier today:

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that all parties must work towards a diplomatic settlement that fully respects the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of Lebanon.

In a post on X, Guterres added that there must be a comprehensive ceasefire and said he fully supports a monopoly on weapons by the Lebanese government.