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Israel and Iran step back from renewed conflict after Trump calls for halt

Netanyahu acknowledges pause in fighting in TV speech but vows forceful response to future attacks

Fears of a return to a full-scale regional war in the Middle East eased on Monday as Israel and Iran said they had halted attacks on each other after an appeal from Donald Trump to “immediately stop shooting”.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, acknowledged the halt in fighting with Iran in a televised speech, but vowed to respond “with force” to future attacks.

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© Photograph: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images

Military strikes on water facilities in Iran may constitute a war crime, experts say

Strikes on Bemani damaged key water reservoir for 20,000 people living in area amid a historic drought in the country

Military strikes that damaged two water storage facilities in southern Iran may constitute a war crime, military and legal experts say, after reviewing media reports and visual evidence of a 10 June strike on Bemani, a small district about 2 miles from the strait of Hormuz.

It’s unclear if the strikes deliberately targeted the district’s water tanks, or if they unintentionally destroyed a key reservoir for about 20,000 people living nearby. But if the tanks were the target, then the legal question becomes critical, Brian Finucane, a former state department lawyer, said. “It’s either a military objective or it’s a civilian object: attacking one is lawful, attacking the other is a war crime,” Finucane said.

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© Photograph: Contributor/Getty Images

© Photograph: Contributor/Getty Images

© Photograph: Contributor/Getty Images

Delhi issues ‘strong protest’ after US strikes kill three Indian seafarers in Gulf

Washington claims vessel was violating its blockade of Iranian ports and failed to comply with instructions

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.

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© Photograph: CENTCOM

© Photograph: CENTCOM

© Photograph: CENTCOM

Trump says Iran peace deal could be signed by Sunday, with strait of Hormuz to open shortly after

US president says in online post he reserves ‘ultimate alternative’ if Tehran refuses to sign agreement

Donald Trump said on Saturday that the US is set to sign a new agreement with Iran the following day, claiming that the deal would prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, as well as reopen the strait of Hormuz to international shipping.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said that Iran “no longer want a Nuclear Weapon, nor will they have one, either through purchase, development, or any other form of procurement”.

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© Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

© Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

© Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • Anger among Iranian hardliners at terms of deal agreed with US Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
    Those in favour forced to defend themselves against claims the terms amount to capitulationMiddle East crisis – live updatesIranian hardliners have mounted a rearguard rejection of a deal with the US as as they say it does not guarantee sanctions relief, compensation or control of the strait of Hormuz.“The fact that they say we won and America has retreated is a blatant lie,” said the Iranian MP Kamran Ghazanfari. Meysam Nili, the managing director of Rajanews and brother-in-law of the hardline
     

Anger among Iranian hardliners at terms of deal agreed with US

Those in favour forced to defend themselves against claims the terms amount to capitulation

Iranian hardliners have mounted a rearguard rejection of a deal with the US as as they say it does not guarantee sanctions relief, compensation or control of the strait of Hormuz.

“The fact that they say we won and America has retreated is a blatant lie,” said the Iranian MP Kamran Ghazanfari. Meysam Nili, the managing director of Rajanews and brother-in-law of the hardline former president Ebrahim Raisi, called the deal on the table a catastrophic capitulation. He urged Iranians not to sit quietly.

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© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • Is the Iran ceasefire over? What the latest US attacks tell us Jonathan Yerushalmy
    A wave of US strikes represents the gravest test yet of the fragile truce. Here’s what happened, what officials are saying and whether the deal can surviveMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe US has launched strikes across southern Iran for a second consecutive day. Although there have been several breaches since a ceasefire was agreed between the two sides in April, the attacks this week – launched after the downing of a US helicopter over the strait of Hormuz – represent the most serious and e
     

Is the Iran ceasefire over? What the latest US attacks tell us

A wave of US strikes represents the gravest test yet of the fragile truce. Here’s what happened, what officials are saying and whether the deal can survive

The US has launched strikes across southern Iran for a second consecutive day. Although there have been several breaches since a ceasefire was agreed between the two sides in April, the attacks this week – launched after the downing of a US helicopter over the strait of Hormuz – represent the most serious and extensive breakdown of the truce to date.

The US president, Donald Trump, has raised the prospect of further attacks, while his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has told reporters if strikes “have to happen [Friday] night, they will be strong and they will be clear”.

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© Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

© Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

© Photograph: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • Monday briefing: Trump’s late-night deal with Iran Jacqueline Housden
    In today’s newsletter: A peace deal between the US and Iran has been announced, but what it contains, and what could happen next, remain unclearGood morning. A war which had no clear objectives and no obvious endgame, but unleashed havoc across the globe, looks to be on the brink of coming to a close. As he prepared to mark his 80th birthday with a cage fight on the historic White House lawn, Donald Trump announced via social media that “the Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete
     

Monday briefing: Trump’s late-night deal with Iran

15 June 2026 at 05:54

In today’s newsletter: A peace deal between the US and Iran has been announced, but what it contains, and what could happen next, remain unclear

Good morning. A war which had no clear objectives and no obvious endgame, but unleashed havoc across the globe, looks to be on the brink of coming to a close. As he prepared to mark his 80th birthday with a cage fight on the historic White House lawn, Donald Trump announced via social media that “the Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete”.

The US president has been claiming a deal is close since very early on in the conflict, but this time his words have been backed up by Iranian officials and Pakistan, which has been acting as mediator. Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the agreement puts an “immediate end” to the war, including the conflict in Lebanon. World leaders, including Keir Starmer, have welcomed the news.

Russia | British armed forces intercepted and boarded a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker in the Channel in the early hours of Sunday, the first time the UK has led a naval capture since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Ukraine | One of the country’s most significant religious sites, Dormition Cathedral in Kyiv, was set on fire after continuing Russian bombardment.

Defence | The strategic defence review row drags on, after last week’s ministerial resignations. Culture secretary Lisa Nandy revealed her department is “actively involved” in identifying cash to divert to the Ministry of Defence.

Nature | A tropical western reef heron usually found between west Africa and India has been spotted in north Wales, the first time the species has been sighted in Britain. Birdwatchers are thrilled; climate scientists less so.

UK news | Tommy Robinson was detained at Heathrow on Saturday. The far-right activist, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was held under counter-terrorism laws after riots in Southampton.

Today | Keir Starmer is expected to “outline” his plan to ban access to “high risk” social media apps for under-16s. Libby covered what that might look like last week.

Tuesday | Chief of the defence staff Richard Knighton will appear in front of the Lords’ international relations and defence committee at 11am to discuss the beleaguered strategic defense review. One worth watching.

Thursday | It’s make or break in Makerfield for Andy Burnham, as he looks to win the byelection … and then the keys to Number 10? There are also two byelections in Scotland, one of which the Guardian has called “pivotal” for the future of energy in the country.

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© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • Trump the unreliable narrator fails to force reality to match his story on Iran Andrew Roth in Washington
    A cycle of threat, detente and deadlock repeats itself wearisomely as the president’s war in Iran drags onUS politics live – latest updatesAs the story of the US-Iran war is written direct to social media, Donald Trump may be the genre’s premier unreliable narrator.Since the war began, Trump has again and again threatened Iran with fearsome consequences if Tehran doesn’t come to the table and sign a peace deal that the US president said was imminent weeks ago. And he has also repeatedly claimed
     

Trump the unreliable narrator fails to force reality to match his story on Iran

A cycle of threat, detente and deadlock repeats itself wearisomely as the president’s war in Iran drags on

As the story of the US-Iran war is written direct to social media, Donald Trump may be the genre’s premier unreliable narrator.

Since the war began, Trump has again and again threatened Iran with fearsome consequences if Tehran doesn’t come to the table and sign a peace deal that the US president said was imminent weeks ago. And he has also repeatedly claimed that an Iran deal is “close” – without any result. (A CNN tally put the number of times he’s claimed it at 38.)

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© Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

US says second day of strikes ‘completed’ – as it happened

This blog has now closed – our coverage of this crisis in the Middle East continues here

If the US genuinely wants a deal it will have to engage with Iranian demands on sanctions relief, says Danny Citrinowicz, the former head of the Iran branch of Israeli military intelligence.

Today’s exchange of strikes shows how easily both Iran and the US can slide towards another round of escalation, says Citrinowicz, who is now a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council.

If Washington is unwilling to accept that reality, it should recognize the likely alternative: continued confrontations with Iran that could eventually spiral beyond anyone’s control and lead to military conflict under less favorable conditions.

Even a limited military campaign designed to weaken Iran would not fundamentally alter Tehran’s negotiating position. It has not happened in the past, and there is little reason to believe it would happen now. Iran emerges from the latest exchange of blows convinced that it can absorb pressure and respond to attacks.”

Legal and moral responsibility of all countries in the region (especially those located along the southern shores of the Persian Gulf) to prevent the US military and Israel from using their territory or facilities to plan, organise, execute, or support hostile actions against Iran.

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© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

US-Iran peace deal remains elusive as Trump and Tehran trade conflicting claims

US president dismisses Iranian media reports agreement is close, despite earlier suggesting a deal could be signed this weekend

Prospects for an immediate end to the war between Iran and the US remained uncertain on Friday amid a chaotic series of conflicting claims and counter-claims by US and Iranian officials about ongoing negotiations.

Donald Trump seemed to distance himself from his earlier comments that suggested a preliminary agreement could be signed as soon as this weekend, with a series of angry social media posts describing the Iranians as “very dishonorable people to deal with”.

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© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

© Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP

US military says it downed Iranian attack drones – as it happened

This blog is now closed – see our latest full report on the Middle East crisis

Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) has cautioned against media speculation about a potential memorandum of understanding to end the war, particularly on claims regarding the strait of Hormuz.

IRNA reported that Iran will not surrender its control of the strategic waterway and the US will have no role in its future management.

Contrary to some bizarre claims in the media, Iran in no way makes a commitment in this text to hand over its management or to restore the strait of Hormuz to the state before the military aggression of the US and Israel. The only point mentioned is the normalisation of transit through the strait of Hormuz upon the end of the war, the establishment of maritime security by the coastal states, the end of the illegal blockade, and the removal of threats to commercial shipping by the US and Israel. At Iran’s request, the US will have no role whatsoever in the future management of the strait of Hormuz. It has been made clear that the future administration of the strait will be based on an Iranian initiative and proposal, within the framework of a matter pertaining to the countries of the region. In this framework, discussions about the future of the strait of Hormuz will not take place even in negotiations after the signing of the agreement, and Tehran will directly resolve this issue in talks with Oman.”

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© Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

© Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

© Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

Trump claims US and Iran on verge of signing peace agreement, but Tehran says no final decision made

Iranian leadership has not confirmed claim, after the US president announced that planned strikes on Iran had been cancelled

Donald Trump claimed on Thursday that Washington and Tehran were on the verge of signing a peace agreement, and announced that he was cancelling fresh missile strikes, after two days of escalating attacks on Iran that threatened to collapse the fragile ceasefire.

His comments followed a new bout of public diplomacy by social media, but were dismissed by Iran’s foreign ministry, which said a final decision on an agreement had not been reached.

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© Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/Pool/Aaron Schwartz - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/Pool/Aaron Schwartz - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/Pool/Aaron Schwartz - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock

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