Day 40 | US & Iran agree to last-minute ceasefire

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Read more: Day 41 | US-Iran truce hangs in balance

The Lebanese Civil Defense reported 254 deaths in today’s 'Israeli' airstrikes, while the Ministry of Health said the preliminary toll reached 182 dead and 890 injured.

According to Fars News Agency, the Strait of Hormuz is fully blocked, forcing oil tankers to reverse course amid rising regional tensions.

The scale of the killing in 'Israeli' strikes on Lebanon Wednesday is "horrific", the UN rights chief said, urging the international community to help end the unfolding "nightmare".

"The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific," Volker Turk said in a statement. "Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians."

The UAE said Wednesday that Iran should pay for damage caused by its Gulf attacks, adding that it was seeking clarification on how the ceasefire will ensure Tehran ceases hostilities and reopens the Strait of Hormuz.

The UAE "is seeking further clarification on the agreement's provisions to ensure Iran's full commitment to an immediate cessation of all hostilities in the region and the complete and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz", its foreign ministry said in a statement.

Iranian attacks "necessitate a firm position, including ensuring that Iran is held accountable and fully liable for damages and reparations", it added.

An aide to Hezbollah’s secretary-general was killed in an airstrike targeting Beirut, according to reports.

An 'Israeli' soldier was killed and five others wounded during a clash with Hezbollah gunmen in southern Lebanon, hours before a ceasefire was announced between the US, 'Israel', and Iran.

The incident marks the latest casualty amid renewed fighting, with 'Israel' and the US noting that the two-week truce does not cover Lebanon, despite statements from Iran and Pakistani mediators.

'Israel' “has more goals to complete,” says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement after a ceasefire between the US and Iran is announced.

“We will achieve them,” he promises, “either through agreement, or through renewed fighting.”

'Israel', he says, “is ready to return to fighting at any time.”

 
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warn that they will respond if 'Israel' does not cease attacks on Lebanon as deadly strikes killed dozens of people, a day after a ceasefire was agreed between the United States and Iran.

“We issue a firm warning to the United States, which violates treaties, and to its Zionist ally, its executioner: if the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfill our duty and deliver a response,” the Guards say in a statement carried on state TV, using a reference to 'Israel'.

'Israel' says the US-Iran truce does not include Lebanon.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has officially reopened its national airspace to all incoming, outgoing, and transit air traffic, according to a statement issued by the Civil Aviation Affairs and cited by the Bahrain News Agency (BNA). The resumption of flight operations comes after a prolonged period of airspace closure driven by severe regional security threats.

Ghada Dayekh, a reporter for Sawt Al-Farah radio station, was found dead after an 'Israeli' airstrike struck a building in the southern city of Tyre on Wednesday.

The 'Israel' attacks on Lebanon is not covered by a temporary ceasefire deal between Washington and Tehran, US public broadcaster PBS quoted President Donald Trump as saying Wednesday.

"They were not included in the deal," Trump said, according to a social media post by PBS News Hour correspondent Liz Landers. He added that it was "because of Hezbollah."

"That'll get taken care of too," he reportedly said, adding: "That's a separate skirmish."

Iran has informed mediators that it will not participate in upcoming talks in Pakistan unless a ceasefire is reached in Lebanon, according to sources cited by The Wall Street Journal.

• Iran attacked Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, disrupting the Kingdom's sole remaining oil export route following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
• IRGC claimed responsibility for the strike on Yanbu facilities, which experts warn will severely worsen the ongoing global energy crisis.

An Iranian military strike has targeted a critical Saudi Arabian oil pipeline responsible for transporting crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea for export, according to a Reuters report citing an industry source on Wednesday. 

The attack threatens to severely impact global energy markets, as the targeted infrastructure served as the Kingdom's sole remaining export outlet following Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Pipeline flows expected to drop

The strategic East-West pipeline typically transports approximately seven million barrels per day from Saudi Arabia's eastern oil production centers to the Red Sea port city of Yanbu. 

An industry source warned that oil flows are expected to be significantly affected by the recent attack, with technical teams currently working to assess the full extent of the damage. 

Energy experts caution that this severe disruption could exacerbate what is already being described as the world's worst energy crisis, which has been characterized by stalled global shipments and soaring energy prices.

IRGC claims strikes on Yanbu facilities

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released an official statement on Wednesday claiming responsibility for the assault. The IRGC stated it launched coordinated missile and drone strikes against several regional targets, specifically citing hits on what it described as American oil company facilities located in Yanbu.

Prior to this latest escalation, Saudi Aramco utilized two million barrels per day domestically, leaving roughly five million barrels for international export.

Recent shipping data indicated that loading operations at Yanbu had successfully maintained an average of 4.6 million barrels per day—operating near its maximum facility capacity—despite previous attacks that targeted the same oil hub on March 19.

'Israel' has launched its largest attack against Lebanon so far in the war, using 50 fighter jets and 160 bombs in just ten minutes.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced talks between US and Iranian officials in Islamabad on Friday, though reports conflict over whether US VP JD Vance will attend, with President Trump saying in-person talks are expected soon.

US President Donald Trump says in-person talks with Iran will happen “very soon,” the New York Post reports.

In an interview with the Post, Trump says Vice President JD Vance might not attend the talks due to security concerns.