Middle East Eye

Qatar confirmed indirect US-Iran talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz are ongoing, with no direct negotiations planned. A cargo ship was struck by a projectile near the strait, and its crew abandoned the vessel with one person missing. Israel and Lebanon began a seventh round of US-brokered talks in Rome, focusing on pilot zones and cessation of hostilities. The Houthis claimed a drone strike on Saudi Arabia’s Najran airport. In Gaza, a mass funeral was held for 112 Palestinians recovered from rubble two years after an Israeli airstrike.

President Trump warned that new talks are Iran's 'last chance' to avoid escalation, but Tehran denied any direct negotiations, stating it is only discussing a safe-passage mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. The IRGC attacked a US military base in Kuwait with multiple drones, and a cargo vessel was struck by a projectile near the strait. The Board of Peace conditioned any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza on Hamas's complete disarmament, as the IDF killed two senior Hamas operatives in airstrikes. Defense Minister Katz reversed his on-air dismissal of the IDF West Bank chief after settler leader backlash.

President Trump claimed new talks with Iran would begin Monday, but Tehran denied any direct negotiations, stating it is only discussing a safe-passage mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. The Knesset extended emergency IDF mobilization for two more months, while Israeli strikes killed at least 22 Palestinians in Gaza. Iran executed two men convicted of spying for Mossad.

President Trump announced he canceled a planned military strike on Iran, claiming that parameters for a deal to end the war were reached after conversations with Middle East allies. Iran denied requesting a halt, calling Trump's claim a lie. The IDF remained on high alert for possible US strikes, while Israeli strikes killed eight in Gaza despite a Hamas disarmament plan. US embassies issued alerts urging citizens to consider departing the region.

The US conducted a 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, deploying B-1 bombers for the first time, while the IRGC claimed it stopped three oil tankers from transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The US and Saudi Arabia finalized a 30-year civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, drawing Israeli objections. The Houthis attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, and Iran warned of attacks on regional infrastructure if its own is targeted.

The US launched a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, while the IRGC claimed two tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz and attacked US air defense systems in Bahrain. Israeli intelligence assessed that Iran moved thousands of centrifuges to an underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain. In southern Lebanon, Israel began a pilot withdrawal under a US-brokered safe-zone plan, and Hamas elected Khalil al-Hayya as its new political bureau chief, signaling continued alignment with Iran.

The US launched a sixth consecutive night of strikes on Iran, hitting bridges and an airport, while Iran’s IRGC claimed retaliatory attacks on US bases in Kuwait and Syria. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, and the IEA warned of growing threats to global energy security.

The US launched a fifth day of strikes on Iranian military targets and reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, while the IRGC seized at least two ships in the Strait of Hormuz and threatened regional oil routes. Iran reported seven soldiers killed in a US missile strike on an army base in Bampur. US, Israeli, and Lebanese officials agreed to move to expanded technical talks on a Lebanon framework, as Israeli artillery and airstrikes continued in southern Lebanon. In Gaza, the IDF eliminated a Hamas terrorist involved in the October 7 abduction of three soldiers and killed two Nukhba commanders in the north.

The US launched a third consecutive night of strikes on Iranian military targets, as Iran retaliated with attacks on UAE-flagged tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and US bases in Jordan and Bahrain. President Trump reversed his plan for a 20% Hormuz toll, replacing it with Gulf investment deals, while Israel and Lebanon resumed talks in Rome focused on an IDF withdrawal pilot. Houthi rebels threatened a siege on Saudi Arabia after strikes on Sanaa airport, and oil prices rose amid the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a final agreed-upon text for a US-Iran peace deal has been reached, with Tehran saying an agreement has “never been closer.” The UAE has agreed to release $10–20 billion in frozen Iranian funds as a tactical shift amid the war. Hezbollah launched multiple drone attacks on northern Israel and IDF positions in southern Lebanon, while the IDF revealed it has eliminated more than 10 Hezbollah field commanders in recent operations.

President Trump canceled a third night of strikes on Iran and announced that a deal framework had been approved, though Tehran said no final decision had been made. The IDF intercepted a drone near Metula and is poised for an offensive against Hezbollah in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon. Overnight Israeli strikes hit Gaza, and the UN reported record settler violence in the West Bank.

An armed infiltrator in Hezbollah uniform was shot dead by IDF troops after crossing the Lebanon border near Ramim Ridge and opening fire. Israel issued a sweeping evacuation warning for the city of Tyre, including the Christian quarter for the first time, and carried out strikes that killed at least eight. A US Army Apache helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz; both pilots were rescued. Six countries announced new sanctions targeting Israeli settler networks in the West Bank, and France banned Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

An Israeli airstrike killed a Lebanese army general and two soldiers in southern Lebanon, which the IDF said was under review after the vehicle entered an active combat zone without coordination. In the Gulf, the US and Iran continued to exchange fire, with US forces striking Iranian radar sites and Iran launching ballistic missiles at US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. In the West Bank, a settler rampage in Huwara left nine Palestinians wounded, and an IDF soldier was filmed beating two men. The Pentagon reportedly raised its threat assessment of Israeli spying on the US to the highest level.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to renew their ceasefire and create pilot zones free of Hezbollah control, while President Trump suggested an Iran deal could be reached by the weekend despite Tehran denying progress. The US House passed a symbolic war powers resolution to limit Trump’s authority on Iran, and Kuwait released CCTV footage of the deadly Iranian drone strike on its airport.

Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed IDF troops of the 36th Division crossed the Litani River and advanced to strategic points in southern Lebanon, while the IDF struck Hezbollah targets across the south and in the Bekaa Valley. The US and Iran reached a tentative 60-day ceasefire memorandum of understanding, pending President Trump's approval, though both sides publicly disputed its contents. In Gaza, Netanyahu ordered the IDF to expand control to 70% of the Strip, violating the October ceasefire, and the IDF eliminated the deputy commander of Hamas's Gaza City Brigade. The UN added Israel to its sexual-violence-in-conflict blacklist, drawing sharp Israeli condemnation.

Prime Minister Netanyahu directed the IDF to expand control of Gaza to 70%, well beyond the terms of the existing truce, as Israeli strikes killed at least 14 in southern Lebanon. The US and Iran reached a tentative 60-day ceasefire memorandum of understanding, pending President Trump's approval, while CENTCOM denied Iranian claims of downing a US aircraft. Israel cut ties with UN Secretary-General Guterres after the UN added the IDF to a conflict-related sexual violence blacklist.

The IDF struck a Hezbollah target in Beirut for the first time in three weeks, killing at least 14 people in intensified operations across Lebanon. The US and Iran reportedly agreed on a 60-day ceasefire memorandum of understanding, pending President Trump's approval, even as both sides exchanged fire near the Strait of Hormuz. The UN is expected to blacklist Israel over sexual violence in conflict zones, prompting Israel to sever ties with Secretary-General Guterres.

Israeli warplanes struck targets in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley and Tyre overnight, while the IDF intercepted a suspected drone near Kiryat Shmona. Hezbollah claimed it forced an Israeli Heron 1 drone to retreat with a surface-to-air missile. The US is preparing a fresh round of strikes on Iran, with military staff canceling weekend leave, though no final decision has been made. Iran’s foreign minister accused the US of excessive demands in talks, as Pakistan’s army chief shuttled between Tehran and Washington. In Gaza, Israeli forces struck central refugee camps despite a ceasefire. A report revealed Iran moved billions through Binance to fund military networks.

Hezbollah launched multiple explosive-drone attacks on northern Israel on Friday, triggering sirens and reportedly causing impacts, while the IDF struck Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon. US-Iran ceasefire talks saw slight progress, with Pakistan’s army chief visiting Tehran as a mediator, but deadlock persists over uranium stockpiles and Strait of Hormuz tolls. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard resigned, citing her husband’s health, amid reports she was forced out over Iran war dissent. Freed Gaza flotilla activists alleged sexual abuse and other mistreatment in Israeli custody, which Israel denied.

The US is awaiting Iran’s response to a ceasefire proposal while Hezbollah drone and rocket attacks wounded three Israeli soldiers in the north. IDF strikes in southern Lebanon killed at least four, and US naval aircraft disabled two Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman. President Trump announced a three-day Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, and ASEAN leaders adopted measures to mitigate the economic impact of the Iran war.