Page 37 - Latest Updates on West Asia Conflict

US State Secy Marco Rubio likely to join Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington

The negotiations, set to take place at the United States Department of State, will also include US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and State Department counsellor Michael Needham

US-Iran war: Hormuz blockade tests which side can endure more pain

US President Trump is trying to choke off the country's lifeline with a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz; but the Iranians are betting that his tolerance for political pain is limited

Trump threatens to 'kill' Iranian warships that get near US blockade

The US military announced it will begin a blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas on Monday, tempering US President Donald Trump's previous vow to entirely block the strategic Strait of Hormuz, as early reports indicated that ships had stopped crossing the waterway. However, Trump warned on social media that any Iranian warships that come "anywhere close" to the US blockade will be destroyed. It wasn't clear whether the blockade had started by the designated time of 10 a.m. EDT. The move sets the stage for a showdown as Iran has responded with threats against ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The war, now in its seventh week, has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets. Ceasefire talks between the US and Iran over the weekend ended without an agreement, raising questions about what happens when the current two-week truce expires on April 22. Meanwhile, the Israeli military is pushing ahead with its air and ground offensive in southern Lebanon, ...

Trump slams US media outlet for 'false narratives' on Iran, demands apology

Trump alleged that despite media portrayals, Iran had been 'totally obliterated, militarily, and otherwise'

'National resistance' shattered enemy dream of Iran's collapse: Pezeshkian

Pezeshkian asserted that the enemies' objective of destabilising Iran had failed, as the Iranian people demonstrated significant resistance and perseverance

US Navy maintains presence in West Asia, may participate Iran blockade

It remains unclear which specific vessels are positioned or designated for participation in the blockade

Oil slips in early trade as US-Iran dialogue hopes ease supply concerns

Brent futures declined by $1.86, or 1.87 per cent, ​to $97.50, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $2.25, or 2.27 per cent, to $96.83 by 0003 GMT

Hezbollah won't abide by any agreements from Lebanon-Israel talks in US

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah will not abide by any agreements that may result from the direct Lebanon-Israel talks in the United States, negotiations it firmly opposes, a senior Hezbollah official said Monday. Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah's political council, spoke on the eve of the talks expected in Washington between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the US It will be the first time in decades that envoys from Lebanon and Israel, which do not have diplomatic relations, meet face-to-face in direct talks. "As for the outcomes of this negotiation between Lebanon and the Israeli enemy, we are not interested in or concerned with them at all," Safa told The Associated Press. "We are not bound by what they agree to," he added in a rare interview with international media. He spoke next to a cemetery as an Israeli drone buzzed overhead. Historic negotiations at a sensitive time ----------------------------------------- Lebanese officials are looking to broke

US, Iran mull second meeting in attempt to revive ceasefire talks

US President Donald Trump signalled his own openness to more talks earlier Monday, saying good people from Iran had reached out

'Right people' from Iran reached out: Trump as Hormuz blockade begins

Shortly before addressing reporters, Trump wrote on Truth Social that maritime activity in the strait had surged

Trump warns Iranian 'fast-attack' ships near US blockade will be eliminated

He issued a stark warning that any such vessels approaching a US "blockade" would be "immediately eliminated," describing the response as "quick and brutal"

US to block Iranian ports along Strait of Hormuz: Decoding the impact

US forces will begin restricting Iran-linked ships in the Strait of Hormuz starting today. While others can pass, the move puts focus on key Gulf ports and risks to global oil supply routes

India's missing eyes in the sky

Gaps in India's surveillance fleet highlight serious vulnerability in a conflict situation

A low-cost drone in wide use

Designed for mass saturation, Iran's Shahed-136 overwhelms defences by making quantity count, creationg an unaffordable cost asymmetry for adversaries.

UK, France to soon hold conference on Hormuz safe navigation, says Macron

France and UK will hold a conference in the coming days to build support for a multinational mission to ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Macron said, amid US-Iran tensions

Three tankers attempt Strait of Hormuz transit after US flags blockade

The New Future, which has no clear links to Iran, and the US-sanctioned Auroura, began moving northeast early Monday from waters off the United Arab Emirates

'No port in Gulf will be safe', warns Iran after US declares blockade

Iran threatened ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman after the US announced a blockade on Iran's ports and coastline. "Security in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for no one," according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, IRIB. "No port in the region will be safe," the Iranian military said.

Asean urges US, Iran to sustain ceasefire, ensure safe passage via Hormuz

Southeast Asian countries urged the United States and Iran on Monday to keep going with peace negotiations, enforce a ceasefire and restore the safe passage of ships, seafarers and aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz. The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations made the urgent plea as they held an emergency video conference, the second in recent weeks, to assess the impact of the war in the Middle East, including soaring fuel prices, and how they could cooperate in the face of global crises. The 11-nation bloc reminded "the obligations of all states to resolve their differences through peaceful means, to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in armed conflicts". It called "for the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire, aimed at preventing further suffering and loss of lives, ensuring maritime security and freedom of navigation and overflight".

China denies arms supply to Iran, rejects US claims as 'ill-intended'

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun rejected reports that Beijing is set to supply military hardware to Tehran

World Bank chief warns of looming jobs crisis even after Iran war ends

World Bank chief said governments must balance immediate crises with long-term priorities including job creation, clean water access and electrification