US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the Israeli strikes on Lebanon's capital of Beirut "should not have happened", warning that such escalation could jeopardise the peace agreement with Iran to achieve a complete solution to the West Asia conflict, which, according to him, is within reach.
The signing of the US-Iran deal to end the conflict in West Asia has been delayed by a few hours due to Israel's strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut, US President Donald Trump told local media in Washington, DC.
The escalating conflict in West Asia widened on Monday as Israel launched airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, following projectile fire from Lebanese territory into northern Israel. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) said in a series of posts on X that it carried out targeted strikes against senior members of Hezbollah in the Beirut area in response to the projectile fire launched toward Israel, particularly toward the north of the country.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described Israel's incursions into Lebanon as a blatant breach of the ceasefire and said the continued attacks reflect deception and a lack of commitment to potential agreements.
US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the handling of military operations in Lebanon, expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of the conflict and the escalating civilian death toll.
In a statement issued following the announcement of the US-mediated deal, Qassem characterised the agreement as a 'humiliating' and 'shameful' surrender of Lebanese sovereignty that prioritises Israeli and American dictates over the nation's independence.
Trump's phone calls with Netanyahu came after Iran threatened to end the negotiations with the US over Israel's attacks on Lebanon. Netanyahu had said Israel would hit "terror targets" in Beirut if Hezbollah did not stop attacking Israel.
A massive wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon killed 254 people, overwhelming hospitals.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the opening of direct negotiations with Lebanon, as tensions persist along the border despite a two-week ceasefire aimed at halting hostilities in West Asia.
IDF international spokesperson Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said the Israeli military targeted several Hezbollah positions, including command and control centres, launch sites and senior operatives.
US-Israel air attacks intensified on the seventh day of war, striking Tehran and other Iranian cities.
India has voiced its deep concern over reports of increasing civilian casualties in Lebanon due to Israeli strikes, emphasising the protection of civilians and the importance of international law.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
The Lebanese army has begun evacuating some of its forward positions along the border with Israel and redeploying troops to other posts, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported on Tuesday, amid intensified Israeli military activity in the area.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday backed Israel's ongoing military operation in Lebanon, stating that Hezbollah "was not included" in the recent ceasefire deal between Washington and Tehran, which halted the conflict in West Asia for two weeks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a significant policy shift, declaring that Israel's robust economy no longer requires American financial assistance. He also reiterated strong opposition to Palestinian statehood, affirmed an aggressive national defence strategy, warned of pre-emptive strikes against Iran, and confirmed the continued military presence in southern Lebanon.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has urged Pakistan to use its diplomatic influence to help de-escalate the current regional situation and support efforts to maintain the ceasefire.
In a televised address, Diab said endemic corruption was behind the deadly blast which devastated the Lebanese capital last week. "One of the examples of corruption has exploded in the port of Beirut," Diab said, adding that state was incapable of taking on the confessional system because the two were deeply intertwined.
The question is whether the clocks allow enough time for two deeply mistrustful sides to get there, and whether the surface calm holds long enough for the paddling to produce something before the ceasefire ends on April 22, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
Tensions in West Asia have dramatically escalated as Israel launched targeted military operations against Iran, triggering widespread blasts across strategic cities, following earlier Iranian projectile attacks on Israel.
Authorities are urging the public to rely on official sources for information and avoid spreading rumours.
'US and Iran have not annulled the ceasefire, and the possibility of continuing negotiations remains open.'
The core issues to be settled -- access to Hormuz, Israel's aggression in Lebanon, the question of Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and compensation -- are thorny enough to require weeks of patient negotiation. The most likely outcome of the opening sessions is that both sides take the measure of each other, establish what is and is not negotiable, and return home without having broken anything. That would count as progress.
US President Donald Trump announced a finalised peace deal between the US and Iran, set for signing on June 19 in Switzerland, with key figures like J D Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner from the US side, and Abbas Araghchi and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf representing Iran, alongside Pakistani mediators Field Marshal Asim Munir, Shehbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, and Mohsin Naqvi, playing crucial roles in the diplomatic breakthrough.
US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have announced a landmark peace deal between the US and Iran, which includes the crucial reopening of the strategically important Strait of Hormuz and the immediate cessation of military operations in Lebanon.
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.
The logic of war plus the gathering storms in US politics as the midterms loom large leave him with no real alternative but to negotiate, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Trump has said he would be present at the signing ceremony in Islamabad. Don't be surprised if the Pakistani hosts make it a grand event in the geopolitics of the region. Trump would love that, notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
China and Pakistan have jointly proposed a five-point peace plan to address the ongoing conflict in West Asia, focusing on de-escalation and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade, driven by persistent concerns over the unresolved US-Iran situation and continued outflows from foreign institutional investors.
According to Hezbollah, it fired a swarm of drones at radar sites and control rooms at the base on Tuesday, describing the move as retaliation for Israeli strikes.
The delegations from the US and Iran head to Islamabad on Friday, carrying a ceasefire that is already fraying, a Strait that is technically open and practically closed, and a negotiating agenda that would challenge even parties actually negotiating in good faith, which these groups are not. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
The fragile ceasefire in West Asia between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities in the region for two weeks faces renewed uncertainty as Tehran reportedly moved to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz once again due to Israel's intensified offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to Iranian state media Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), which US President Trump says was "not included" as part of the ceasefire deal.
Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab in a televised address to the county warned that those who were responsible for the devastating catastrophe will be held accountable and not go unpunished.
The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
Tensions escalated dramatically on March 5, 2026, as the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, triggering retaliatory explosions across Tehran, Sanandaj, and beyond.
A day after killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike in Beirut, Israel conducted widespread strikes in Lebanon on Sunday, killing over 100 people. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) also launched airstrikes on military targets in Yemen, specifically targeting Houthi-controlled sites, including power plants and a seaport.
Numerous members of Hezbollah in Beirut and various areas of Lebanon were injured when their communication devices exploded, according to the Arab media reports. ANI posted on X quoting AP that Iran's ambassador in Lebanon was among those injured in the blasts.
Amid rising tensions, Israel's Defence Minister has issued a stark warning that any leader succeeding Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will be considered a target, as reports suggest his son Mojtaba may be next in line.
Amid rising tensions in West Asia following a series of strikes and counter-strikes, the United States Embassy in Muscat on Tuesday instructed its staff to shelter in place.
