DIRECT. War in the Middle East: China calls for a lasting ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as possible"

A fragile truce, but renewed. As part of negotiations in Washington (United States), Lebanon and Israel have agreed to extend the ceasefire for a period of 45 days, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced on X. And this in order to “enable further progress”he hopes. Despite this truce, which came into force on April 17, the Israeli army continued to strike Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. “The State Department will relaunch the political side of the negotiations on June 2 and 3”poursuit Tommy Pigott. “In addition, a security component will be launched at the Pentagon on May 29 with the participation of military delegations from the two countries”. Follow our live stream.

• Iran is allowing more ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, state television says. An improvement in the Strait of Hormuz? Iranian state television said on Friday May 15 that the Islamic Republic was now allowing more ships to use this strategic passage for the hydrocarbon trade. “This indicates that many countries have accepted the new legal protocols that Iran and the naval forces of the Revolutionary Guards have established”said a journalist from state television. “The Strait of Hormuz is open, except for ships belonging to countries at war against us”the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs had said a few hours earlier. The area has been almost paralyzed by Tehran since the start of the war in the Middle East on February 28, causing a global energy crisis.
• Tehran says it wants “reach a negotiated solution”. “We are striving to maintain the ceasefire in order to give diplomacy a chance”said Abbas Araghtchi, head of Iranian diplomacy, during a press conference on Friday. The Minister of Foreign Affairs says he has “received messages” of the United States saying it was ready to continue negotiations.
• The “Charles-de-Gaulle” “advanced towards the Arabian Sea”. The French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and its escort “passed the Suez Canal” on Wednesday, Alice Rufo, Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Armed Forces, declared to the press on Friday. “He’s in the zone.”more “not in the Strait of Hormuz”insists the minister, who recalls that “the position of France” East “completely defensive and in compliance with international law”.
• New Israeli strikes in Lebanon. The Tire sector, in southern Lebanon, was targeted after calls from the Israeli army to evacuate several villages in this region, according to an AFP correspondent. A new sequence of peace negotiations between Israel and Lebanon opened Thursday in Washington, and is due to continue on Friday. The ceasefire in force since April 17, which does not prevent strikes by Israel and Hezbollah, will soon expire.
• China calls for a lasting ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible”. “Sea lanes must be reopened as soon as possible as requested by the international community”declared the Chinese Foreign Ministry regarding the Strait of Hormuz, shortly before the end of a visit to China by American President Donald Trump. “A comprehensive and lasting ceasefire must be established as soon as possible”also claimed the Chinese authorities.
• An Israeli soldier killed in Lebanon. Sergeant-chef Negev Dagan, aged 20 years, “fell in combat in southern Lebanon”wrote the army in a press release. In total, 20 Israelis have been killed in Lebanon since the start of the war on March 2, 19 soldiers and a contract worker working for the army.