US-Iran war LIVE Updates: US negotiators reach final stage of Iran truce deal, final nod awaited from Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he has directed the military to expand its control over the Gaza Strip to 70 per cent of the territory, indicating a further escalation despite the fragile ceasefire that has been in place since October 2025.

Speaking at a conference in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu said Israeli forces currently control nearly 60 per cent of Gaza.

“We are currently squeezing Hamas,” Netanyahu said in remarks broadcast by Israel’s Channel 12. “My directive is to move to 70 per cent. We’re squeezing them from all sides.”

Israel is cutting all contact with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the country’s ambassador announced on Thursday, calling it “outrageous” that Israel had been blacklisted over allegations related to sexual violence in conflict zones.

“We are done with this secretary-general,” Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said in a video posted on X.

The announcement comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and the United Nations over criticism and allegations linked to the ongoing conflict in the region.

US and Iranian negotiators have reportedly finalised a 60-day memorandum of understanding aimed at extending the ongoing ceasefire and initiating discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to a report by Axios.

However, the proposed agreement is still awaiting final approval from US President Donald Trump, Axios reported, citing two American officials and a regional source involved in the mediation efforts.

The temporary deal is said to focus on maintaining calm between the two countries while creating diplomatic space for broader negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear activities and regional security concerns.

World markets fell on Thursday after the US military said it carried out additional defensive strikes against Iran. Oil prices jumped more than USD 2 per barrel, reversing the sharp decline seen a day earlier.

In early European trading, Germany’s DAX was little changed at 25,175.63, while France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.4 per cent to 8,172.84. Britain’s FTSE 100 dropped 0.9 per cent to 10,416.62.

Futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were both down 0.1 per cent. US officials said forces under Central Command shot down four Iranian one-way attack drones that were seen as a threat near the Strait of Hormuz.

The Israeli military pounded Lebanon's fourth-largest city today, killing at least eight people in its ongoing military escalation against the Hezbollah group ahead of crucial talks in Washington. Several others were injured in the strikes, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency. Meanwhile, an Israeli soldier in northern Israel was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack, the military said.

Iran has expanded restrictions on the distribution of news content from the country, directing international news outlets to restrict use of their content by Israeli media. A directive issued Tuesday to a group of international news outlets based in Tehran specified mandatory language to be included on "all submitted content, including photos, videos, reports, and other media productions".

Kuwait said it faced a missile and drone attack Thursday as the shaky ceasefire in the Iran war was again challenged after the United States conducted strikes targeting Iran and Tehran said it responded with an attack of its own.Kuwait's military made the announcement, without providing further details on what had been targeted.

Iranians began to regain internet access on Wednesday after authorities ended a month-long shutdown. But users said service was slow and spotty in some areas, with apps like YouTube and Instagram heavily restricted, as they were before the cutoff began during nationwide protests in January. Authorities justified the outage as a military imperative after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28. Their decision to lift some restrictions this week came as negotiators appeared to be closing in on a more permanent truce. But many Iranians feared access could be cut off again at a moment's notice.

The United States on Wednesday (local time) imposed sanctions on Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), accusing Tehran of using the body to "extort" commercial vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz and "funnelling" revenue to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The move, announced by the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), adds the PGSA to the Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list as part of the US President Trump's administration's intensified "Economic Fury" campaign aimed at increasing pressure on Iran amid ongoing regional tensions.

The International Stabilisation Force for Gaza was announced with great aplomb at the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace in February. The American general tapped to lead the 20,000-strong force said it would ensure "future prosperity and enduring peace" after the devastating Israel-Hamas war. Three months on, he still has no force to lead as none of the five countries that pledged troops have come through with any significant contributions.

CBS News reported that the US military shot down four Iranian drones and hit a ground control station in Bandar Abbas preparing to launch a fifth. A US official described the actions as defensive and aimed at preserving the fragile ceasefire.

An "informed military source" told Tasnim that IRGC naval forces fired at a US tanker that attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with its radar switched off, AP reported. US forces were then said to have fired toward a scorched area near Bandar Abbas, causing no injuries or damage.

US President Donald Trump reiterated his commitment to securing a favourable ceasefire deal, saying he is not concerned about midterm election pressure. He also insisted that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to all as part of ongoing negotiations.

Despite drone interceptions and retaliatory actions, US officials told CBS News the ceasefire with Iran remains in place. They stressed the strikes were calibrated to prevent escalation rather than trigger further conflict.

An "informed military source" told Tasnim that IRGC naval forces fired at a US tanker that attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz with its radar switched off. US forces were then said to have fired toward a scorched area near Bandar Abbas, causing no injuries or damage.

Local media reported that Iranian naval forces warned four vessels trying to enter the Gulf without prior coordination. After the ships allegedly ignored initial alerts, Iranian forces fired warning shots which prompted them to retreat.

Iranian and US forces traded fire near the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran claimed its naval units confronted vessels attempting to cross the waterway without coordination, as per Iran's media. Tasnim reported that explosions heard in the area were linked to this exchange, with no casualties or damage.