Iran blames Israel for possible end to ceasefire after attacks on Lebanon

The Strait of Hormuz has been fully closed, forcing oil tankers to turn back, reported Xinhua, quoting Iran's state-run Press TV on Wednesday.

It citied maritime tracking data as showing that an oil tanker named "AUROURA," which was heading toward the waterway's exit, had suddenly changed course near the Musandam coast and made a 180-degree turn, returning deeper into the Gulf.

The report added the maneuver occurred at one of the "most sensitive" sections of the international shipping route, between Larak Island and the Musandam Peninsula, "an area considered highly strategic due to the heavy traffic of energy shipments and its geopolitical importance."

This comes as Iran's semi-official Fars news agency said earlier in the day that the oil tankers' movements across the Strait of Hormuz had stopped concurrent with Israel's fresh deadly attacks on Lebanon.

According to Fars, after the ceasefire was achieved, Tehran allowed two oil tankers to safely cross the Strait of Hormuz.

On Tuesday, Trump said he had agreed to "suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks," adding that the decision was "subject to" Iran agreeing to the complete, immediate and safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Iran would ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz during the two-week ceasefire in coordination with its armed forces, adding that Tehran would halt "defensive operations" if attacks against it stop.

Meanwhile, Israel has launched a new airstrike targeting a building in the Tallet el Khayyat area in central Beirut, Lebanon, and caused casualties, local TV channel al-Jadeed reported Wednesday, said Xinhua.

The Israeli military said it struck a "Hezbollah commander in Beirut."

It also said that an Israeli soldier was killed and five others were injured in a combat in southern Lebanon, bringing the total death toll of Israeli soldiers killed in Lebanon since March 2 to 12.

Israel's Kan TV news reported that the one death and five injuries were resulted from an Israeli raid on Tuesday on the Lebanese village of At-Taybah as Hezbollah members opened fire at them.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military said it had completed "the largest coordinated strike across Lebanon" since the start of the regional conflict, hours after a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire came into effect. Israel has said it would comply with the ceasefire.

However, Israel and the United States said the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon, although Pakistan, which mediated the agreement, and Iran said it does.

So far, the Israeli strike on Wednesday across Lebanon has killed at least 254 people and injured 1,165 others, with densely populated neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut, among the hardest hit, according to the latest data provided by the Lebanese Civil Defense.

Meanwhile, Iran on Wednesday blamed Israel for jeopardising the fragile ceasefire in the region between the US and Iran to halt the hostilities for two weeks, warning that continued attacks on Lebanon by Israeli forces could lead to the collapse of the agreement and renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, reported ANI, quoting Iranian State Media Press TV.

According to a senior Iranian security official, the world is witnessing violations of the temporary ceasefire by Israel, noting that Israel's actions, including strikes on Lebanon, are increasing the stakes for the United States to keep the deal intact, as reported by Press TV.

"The entire world is witnessing the Zionist regime violating a fragile and temporary ceasefire and that Iran may rise to a comprehensive defence at any moment," the official told Press TV.

"By violating the ceasefire while simultaneously attacking Lebanon and Iran, this regime is raising the cost of the agreement for the United States. Now is the time for the mediating country to step in and put this aggressive regime in its place," the official added.

Israel says strikes in Lebanon to continue despite US-Iran truce

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said Wednesday that Israel will continue strikes in Lebanon "with determination," speaking after a U.S.-Iran truce took effect, reported Xinhua.

Israel said shortly after the ceasefire began that it does not consider Lebanon part of the two-week truce.

"We will continue striking the Hezbollah terror organization and will utilize every operational opportunity," Zamir said from the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, overseeing a large-scale series of strikes across Lebanon. "We will continue to strike with determination," he added.

Bahrain intercepts 6 missiles and 31 drones in last 24 hours

Bahrain said Wednesday it intercepted 6 missiles and 31 drones in the last 24 hours.

Bahrain's National Communication Center said in a statement that 194 missiles and 508 drones had been intercepted and destroyed since the beginning of the regional conflict.

Some of the latest attacks occurred after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire took effect.

Bahrain's interior ministry said this morning that a fire at one of the facilities targeted in the Iranian attack had been brought under control.

It also reported damage to several homes in the Sitra area after debris fell following the interception of an Iranian drone.

Trump says Lebanon not included in 2-week ceasefire deal

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Lebanon is not included in the U.S.-Iran two-week ceasefire.

"That's a separate skirmish," Trump told PBS in a phone interview when asked about Israel's continued strikes on Lebanon.

He added that Hezbollah is not included in the deal and will "get taken care of too."

Oil tankers have been suspended from passing through the Strait of Hormuz following the latest Israeli attack on Lebanon, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported Wednesday.

Iran is finalizing preparations to carry out "deterrent operations" against military targets in Israel following Israel's "ceasefire violations" in Lebanon, Fars reported, citing a security and military source.

Israeli warplanes launched a series of airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, killing at least 87 people and injuring 722, officials said, with densely populated neighborhoods in the capital, Beirut, among the hardest hit.

US must choose ceasefire or continue war via Israel: Iran's FM

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the US must choose between a ceasefire or "continue war via Israel," reported ANI.

In a post on X, Araghchi said, "The Iran-U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose--ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both"

"The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments."

Tehran, Islamabad discuss Israeli violations of US-Iran truce over phone

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday exchanged views in a phone call with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir on Israel's violations of a newly-reached Tehran-Washington ceasefire, reported Xinhua.

The two sides also highlighted the necessity to continue bilateral coordination and follow up on the agreements reached in a recent phone call between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, read a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Araghchi praised the Pakistani government's "constructive and responsible" role as well as the continuous and effective efforts by Munir, a major mediator, to end the war and strengthen peace and security in the West Asia region.

Iran warns of "regret-inducing" response if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday warned that if Israel does not immediately stop attacking Lebanon, it will receive a "regret-inducing" response.

It made the announcement in a statement published on its official news outlet Sepah News after the Israeli military earlier in the day launched waves of strikes across Lebanon, killing and injuring hundreds, despite a two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

The IRGC said while only a few hours have elapsed since the announcement of the ceasefire agreement, Israel has started a "brutal massacre" in Lebanon, warning that the United States and Israel of its "regret-inducing" response if the attacks are not immediately stopped.

Ceasefire "unreasonable" given violations of Iran's 10-point proposal: Iran speaker

A bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is "unreasonable" given violations of three key clauses in Iran's 10-point proposal, Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Wednesday.

In a statement published on social media platform X, Qalibaf said the non-compliance with the ceasefire in Lebanon, an entry of an intruding drone into the Iranian airspace, and the denial of Iran's right to uranium enrichment are the three key clauses already violated.

"The very workable basis on which to negotiate has been openly and clearly violated, even before the negotiations began," he said.

Iraq reopens airspace following U.S.-Iran ceasefire

The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced on Wednesday the reopening of the country's airspace and all airports to air traffic, following a U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

In a statement, the authority declared the reopening of Iraqi airspace effective on Wednesday, "following the stabilization of the situation and the return of conditions to normal."

Under this measure, all civil flights are permitted to resume, including overflights, takeoffs, and landings at Iraqi airports, in accordance with the approved regulations and instructions, it noted.

The airspace reopening follows the announcement of a two-week ceasefire agreement reached by the United States and Iran. The truce was reached less than two hours before a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, and the two nations are scheduled to hold negotiations in Pakistan.

Iraq has closed its airspace since the United States and Israel launched a joint military strike against Iran on Feb. 28.

Iran to participate in talks in Pakistan

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Iran would be participating in the negotiations in Islamabad during his phone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a statement from the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday.

The statement said that Sharif on Wednesday held a phone conversation with Pezeshkian, during which Sharif conveyed his deep appreciation for the Iranian leadership in agreeing to the ceasefire and for accepting Pakistan's offer to host negotiations between Iran and the United States in Islamabad later this week.

For his part, the Iranian president confirmed that Iran would be participating in the negotiations in Islamabad.

Both leaders agreed to remain in close contact, said the statement.

Vance to lead U.S. team in talks with Iran

U.S. Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. team to attend in-person peace negotiations with Iran in Pakistan, which is expected to begin on Saturday morning, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday.

President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner will accompany Vance in the talks, Leavitt said at a White House press briefing.

Pakistan has proposed hosting talks between U.S. and Iranian negotiators in Islamabad as early as Friday.