The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary 60-day ceasefire and nuclear talks deal, pending Donald Trump’s approval, Axios reports. Meanwhile, the GCC condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Kuwait, which Tehran said was retaliation for a U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas.
U.S. military aircraft are severely disrupting commercial operations at Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport, the head of the Israel Airports Authority said, warning of major flight cancellations and billions of shekels in losses.
Sharon Kedmi said the airport is operating at only one-third of its capacity due to the presence of dozens of U.S. refuelling planes, with 70% of operations restricted by military activity.
“We are at the limit of our capabilities,” Kedmi told Kan radio, adding that up to 3 million passengers could see flights cancelled this summer.
The European Union has imposed sanctions on four entities and three individuals over abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank, including what it described as extremist Israeli settlers and groups supporting them.
In a separate move, the EU also expanded sanctions on Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to include Hamas Politburo members accused of promoting, defending or justifying violence.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has instructed the IDF to seize 70% of the Gaza Strip, expanding operations beyond the terms of the current ceasefire deal.
“At this point, we are fully in control of 60% of the territory of the Gaza Strip… and my directive is to get to… 70%,” Netanyahu said at a conference hosted by the Ein Prat Leadership Academy aired by Channel 12.
After an audience member urged Israel to take “100 percent” of Gaza, Netanyahu replied that Israel was proceeding “in order,” without ruling out the possibility.
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement on a 60-day memorandum of understanding to extend the current ceasefire and begin negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear programme, Axios reported on Thursday, citing two U.S. officials.
According to the report, the proposed agreement still requires final approval from President Donald Trump before it can take effect.
The reported breakthrough follows several recent claims of diplomatic progress that failed to produce formal deals or lasting de-escalation.
Neither Washington nor Tehran has publicly confirmed the reported arrangement.
The U.S. Treasury Department said it is removing 76 people, vessels and entities from its sanctions blacklist in a move aimed at strengthening enforcement, including against Iran-related sanctions evasion.
Treasury said the delistings would reduce compliance burdens on businesses and allow authorities to focus more effectively on high-risk targets and sanctions evasion networks linked to countries such as Iran and Russia.
The department said annual sanctions listings had risen from 880 in 2017 to more than 3,000 in 2024.
The United States has warned Oman it will “aggressively” target any actors involved in facilitating tolls for the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday.
In a post on X, Bessent said any partners supporting efforts to impose a tolling system in the strategic waterway would face penalties.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. will block Iranian airlines from accessing landing slots, refuelling services and ticket sales as Washington ramps up pressure on Tehran.
In a post on X, Bessent also announced sanctions on the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the body overseeing the Strait of Hormuz.
He said only a “satisfactory outcome” in negotiations would stop the “downward spiral”.
French energy company TotalEnergies said it increased purchases of Middle East crude in March after its trading teams observed a buildup of U.S. Navy vessels near the Persian Gulf in February, according to CEO Patrick Pouyanné in an interview with Le Figaro.
Pouyanné said the decision was driven by heightened geopolitical risk assessment as maritime tensions escalated in the region.
The company did not specify volumes purchased or directly link the move to any confirmed military escalation.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States will shut down Iranian airlines’ access to landing slots, refueling services and ticket sales, according to a post on X on Thursday.
The move is part of broader U.S. pressure measures targeting Iran’s aviation sector amid ongoing tensions linked to the wider Iran conflict and sanctions regime.
No immediate response from Iranian authorities or airlines was reported.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will visit Washington on Friday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Islamabad said on Thursday.
The discussions are expected to cover bilateral ties as well as regional and global developments, according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry.
The visit comes as Pakistan pushes for a peace agreement aimed at permanently ending the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned Iran’s missile strike on a US airbase in Kuwait, calling the attack a violation of international law and regional neighbourly principles.
GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi said the bloc fully supports Kuwait in measures taken to protect its security and stability.
Iran said the strike was in response to a U.S. attack on an Iranian drone base near Bandar Abbas.
Russia on Thursday urged the United States and Iran to avoid sliding back into armed conflict and continue diplomatic talks instead, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
She added that Moscow remains ready to help remove enriched uranium from Iran, though Russia “is not imposing its initiative”.
Washington has yet to take up the proposal, which Russia says has been on the table for months.
Israel military said on Thursday that it carried out a strike in Lebanon's capital Beirut.
A Lebanese security source said the strike hit near Beirut's southern suburbs, but it was not immediately clear what the target was. Images from the area showed thick smoke billowing across buildings.
Kuwait's foreign ministry condemned Iranian missile and drone attacks on Kuwaiti territory on Thursday as a serious escalation and blatant violation of sovereignty and security.
The ministry demanded that Iran immediately and unconditionally halt the attacks, saying it held Tehran fully responsible.
U.S. forces intercepted five one-way attack drones that were launched by Iran, and prevented a sixth drone launch from an Iranian ground control site in Bandar Abbas, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in an X post on Thursday.
Tehran condemns the U.S. attack on areas in Iran's Bandar Abbas, the country's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement on Thursday.
Iran also expresses solidarity with Oman after "U.S. officials' threats", Baghaei added, following President Donald Trump's threat to blow up Oman if it did not "behave just like everybody else" in regards to the control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Euro zone bond yields rose on Thursday after the U.S. and Iran traded strikes, threatening their ceasefire agreement and pushing oil prices up around 3%.
Germany's 10-year bond yield DE10YT=RR rose 2 basis points (bps) to 3.005%.
The two-year German bond yield DE2YT=RR, which is more sensitive to European Central Bank interest rate expectations, rose 4 bps to 2.617%. Yields move inversely to prices.
The U.S. carried out what a Washington official said were strikes on an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, after President Donald Trump rejected a report he was close to a compromise deal with Tehran.
In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guard targeted a U.S. airbase on Thursday.
"Markets remain wary in the face of headlines from Iran as renewed strikes overnight render an imminent deal less likely," said Rainer Guntermann, rates strategist at Commerzbank.
"Negative headlines leave markets in limbo, preventing sustained relief dynamics."
Brent crude oil LCOc1 rose 2.5% to $96.65 a barrel.
Money markets increased their bets on rate hikes and were last pricing in just under 65 bps of tightening from the ECB this year, up from under 60 bps late on Wednesday.
European shares slipped on Thursday as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran undermined investor sentiment and dampened hopes of a near-term deal to stabilise the Strait of Hormuz.
The pan-European STOXX 600 fell 0.4% to 625.83 by 08:06 GMT, with most regional indices also trading lower as markets reacted to renewed geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East.
Energy markets were a key driver of losses, with crude oil prices jumping more than 2.5% to around $97 a barrel amidst fears of supply disruption linked to the ongoing confrontation. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, remains a focal point of concern as tensions continue to escalate.
Airlines and other fuel-sensitive stocks came under pressure, with Air France and Lufthansa both slipping around 1% as higher energy costs raised concerns over margins.
Broader market declines were partially offset by gains in the technology sector, where semiconductor stocks performed strongly. Soitec surged after reporting better-than-expected annual sales, while Infineon and STMicroelectronics also rose more than 2%.
Elsewhere, BT Group fell 2.5% following reports that the UK government may oppose increased investment from Indian billionaire Sunil Bharti Mittal, citing concerns over control of critical national infrastructure.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it targeted a U.S. airbase in response to U.S. strikes on an Iranian drone operation near the Strait of Hormuz, as Washington dismissed reports of a near-agreement to restore shipping through the key waterway. The escalation, which follows earlier ceasefire violations and rising tensions in the Gulf, sent oil prices higher and deepened uncertainty over already fragile negotiations to end the conflict.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted a U.S. airbase in response to an earlier U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas airport, warning of a “more decisive” response if attacks continue, according to state-affiliated media. The IRGC did not specify the location of the base and said responsibility for any escalation lies with the “aggressor.”
The Israeli military said sirens were activated in several areas of northern Israel due to a suspected hostile aircraft infiltration, with details of the incident still under review.
The Israeli military said it has launched strikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre as part of its ongoing operations in the area amidst escalating cross-border fighting.
The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on Wednesday against the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, accusing it of supporting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and threatening international maritime trade.
The authority was established by Tehran to manage requests for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping routes, through which around a fifth of global oil supplies normally pass.
Iran closed the strait after the United States and Israel launched military action against Tehran on 28 February, triggering major disruption to global energy markets and raising fears over oil supply security.
In a statement, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Iran was attempting to use maritime trade as leverage.
“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash,” Bessent said.
The Treasury Department warned that any individuals or entities cooperating with the Persian Gulf Strait Authority could also face sanctions for potentially providing support or services to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The move comes after the authority published a map last week reaffirming Tehran’s claims over a broad stretch of water surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, further intensifying regional tensions over control of the strategic chokepoint.
A U.S. official told that American forces shot down four Iranian attack drones and struck a drone control station near the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch another drone. The official described the action as “measured” and “purely defensive,” saying it was intended to protect U.S. forces and commercial shipping and preserve the ceasefire that took effect in early April.
Iranian media, however, said Revolutionary Guards forces fired warning shots at vessels, including a U.S. oil tanker, attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, forcing them to turn back. Tehran accused Washington of violating the ceasefire through its latest military action.
The renewed confrontation came hours after President Donald Trump rejected Iranian reports claiming Tehran and Oman were close to an agreement to restore shipping traffic in the strategic waterway. Trump insisted that no country would control the strait, calling it “international waters.”
The developments renewed concerns over global energy supplies and pushed oil prices higher, with U.S. crude futures rising nearly 2% above $90 per barrel. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important energy corridors, previously carrying around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the conflict sharply reduced maritime traffic.
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France will become the first country in the European Union to reimburse anti-obesity drugs through its public healthcare system, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist announced on Thursday (28 May).
Ukraine will acquire 20 new Swedish Gripen E fighter jets and receive 16 older C/D models next year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Thursday (28 May), in a move aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s air force.
A fire tore through a girls’ boarding school dormitory in Kenya’s Rift Valley overnight, killing at least 16 students and injuring dozens more, authorities said on Thursday (28 May).
Senior U.S. State Department officials spent three days in Georgia meeting ministers, opposition figures and Church leaders as Washington intensifies its strategic engagement across the South Caucasus.
Chinese investigators have uncovered hidden tunnels, missing worker trackers and fake underground walls during an initial investigation into the country’s deadliest mining disaster in more than 15 years.
Dozens of people were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Tuesday, Lebanese officials said, straining a fragile ceasefire agreed between the countries in April. The attacks came as Iran accused the U.S. of violating a separate ceasefire with strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
The new AnewZ documentary, TARGET: Yerevan, builds its explosive case on exclusive, secret recordings originally published by Minval Politika.
The visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Armenia marks one of the clearest signs yet of Washington’s growing interest in the South Caucasus.
The U.S. and Iran have reportedly reached a preliminary 60-day ceasefire and nuclear talks deal, pending Donald Trump’s approval, Axios reports. Meanwhile, the GCC condemned Iran’s missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Kuwait, which Tehran said was retaliation for a U.S. strike near Bandar Abbas.
The Islamic Revolution’s Guards Corps of Iran (IRGC) said it carried out a retaliatory attack on a U.S. airbase in the early hours of Thursday. The airbase was used to target a ground control station on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport in Hormuzgan Province, which faces the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.N. human rights office said Israeli forces may be committing unlawful killings near the military armistice line in Gaza, after data showed that roughly a third of verified Palestinian deaths since the October truce occurred close to the boundary area.
Hamas has confirmed the death of its armed wing chief, Mohammad Odeh, who was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City, according to the Israeli military and Gaza health officials.
Dozens of people were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon on Tuesday, Lebanese officials said, straining a fragile ceasefire agreed between the countries in April. The attacks came as Iran accused the U.S. of violating a separate ceasefire with strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
At least 31 people were killed and 40 injured in Israeli air attacks on southern and eastern Lebanon, Beirut's government said on Wednesday, in one of the heaviest days of bombing in weeks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's army was stepping up operations in Lebanon.
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