LIVE War in the Middle East: New Israeli strikes in Lebanon…

Israel carries out new strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday after ordering the inhabitants of nine villages to evacuate, despite the extension of a month and a half of the truce during negotiations between the two countries the day before in Washington.

“Israeli Defense Forces have begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas of southern Lebanon,” the Israeli army said in a statement.

Lebanon welcomed Friday the 45-day extension of the ceasefire with Israel, decided at the end of discussions organized in Washington between the two countries. In a press release relayed by the Lebanese presidency, Beirut estimated that this extension of the truce could offer respite to the population and contribute to the strengthening of state institutions thanks to security support from the United States.

The Lebanese authorities, however, insisted on the need to put in place an independent mechanism and American guarantees to ensure a “progressive and verifiable” process and avoid the failures observed during previous agreements.

Traveling to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, Narendra Modi called for preserving a “free, open and secure” Strait of Hormuz, while the conflict in the Middle East continues to cause tensions on energy markets.

Iran’s blockage of the maritime passage has led to a rise in gas and fuel prices, a particularly sensitive situation for India, which is heavily dependent on energy imports from the Gulf. Narendra Modi also considered that respect for international law remained “essential”.

From New Delhi, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran had received new messages from Washington signaling a desire to continue discussions on the conflict in the Middle East. “We have again received messages from the Americans indicating that they are willing to continue discussions and maintain contacts,” he said on the sidelines of a BRICS meeting.

These comments come after the criticisms made on May 10 by Donald Trump, who described the Iranian response to the American proposal aimed at ending the war as “totally unacceptable.”

Aboard Air Force One on Friday, upon returning from his trip to China, Donald Trump affirmed that Xi Jinping shared a firm line on the Iranian nuclear issue and on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. “He is firmly convinced that they should not have nuclear weapons,” the American president said of Iranian leaders.

Donald Trump also indicated that his Chinese counterpart wanted “the Strait” of Hormuz, a strategic maritime passage controlled by Iran, to be reopened.

Lebanon welcomed Friday the 45-day extension of the ceasefire with Israel, decided at the end of discussions organized in Washington between the two countries. In a press release relayed by the Lebanese presidency, Beirut estimated that this extension of the truce could offer respite to the population and contribute to the strengthening of state institutions thanks to security support from the United States.

The Lebanese authorities, however, insisted on the need to put in place an independent mechanism and American guarantees to ensure a “progressive and verifiable” process and avoid the failures observed during previous agreements.

Traveling to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, Narendra Modi called for preserving a “free, open and secure” Strait of Hormuz, while the conflict in the Middle East continues to cause tensions on energy markets.

Iran’s blockage of the maritime passage has led to a rise in gas and fuel prices, a particularly sensitive situation for India, which is heavily dependent on energy imports from the Gulf. Narendra Modi also considered that respect for international law remained “essential”.

From New Delhi, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Tehran had received new messages from Washington signaling a desire to continue discussions on the conflict in the Middle East. “We have again received messages from the Americans indicating that they are willing to continue discussions and maintain contacts,” he said on the sidelines of a BRICS meeting.

These comments come after the criticisms made on May 10 by Donald Trump, who described the Iranian response to the American proposal aimed at ending the war as “totally unacceptable.”

Aboard Air Force One on Friday, upon returning from his trip to China, Donald Trump affirmed that Xi Jinping shared a firm line on the Iranian nuclear issue and on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. “He is firmly convinced that they should not have nuclear weapons,” the American president said of Iranian leaders.

Donald Trump also indicated that his Chinese counterpart wanted “the Strait” of Hormuz, a strategic maritime passage controlled by Iran, to be reopened.