Trump sees 'progress' in Israel-Lebanon talks as Hezbollah rejects ceasefire

Iran has launched multiple drones towards the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reports

Iran has launched multiple drones towards the Strait of Hormuz, CNN reported on Friday, citing a U.S. official who also said at least four drones were shot down by U.S. aircraft

Trump tells NBC News that Iran has 21% to 22% of its missiles left

"They have some missiles, they have some drones. I would say percentage wise, maybe 21-22% of their missiles. It's a lot of missiles, but it's not what it was when we first attacked," Trump was quoted as saying.

U.S. energy secretary says lower gas prices will ultimately take resolution with Iran

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Friday that lowering gasoline and diesel prices will ultimately take a resolution with Iran to get more oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Putin says he wants oil prices to be balanced amidst U.S. war against Iran

Russia wants oil prices on global markets to be balanced and stable amid the U.S. war against Iran, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

Speaking at Russia's annual economic forum, Putin said that the reduction in oil supplies was causing concern in the market, but that Russia was participating in OPEC+ in order to balance the market.

U.S. to add 40 mln barrels to SPR after Iran conflict ends, energy secretary says

The United States will add 40 million barrels to its strategic petroleum reserve after the conflict in Iran is over, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Friday in an interview on Fox Business.

U.S. says it has issued new Iran-related sanctions

The United States imposed new Iran-related sanctions on Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department's website showed.

Iran backs Hezbollah amid peace talks

Iran has reaffirmed its support for Hezbollah and insisted that any wider peace agreement with the United States must include a ceasefire in Lebanon and an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. 

"This war will end only when it ends in Lebanon as well," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, adding that "the end of the war on Lebanon must be accompanied by the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they have occupied''.

Iranian official criticises Germany after failed UN Security Council bid 

Iranian Official has criticised Germany after it failed to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, calling the outcome a sign of growing international dissatisfaction.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the vote as a 'stark rebuke,' linking it to Berlin’s stance on the Gaza conflict and its support for Israel.

Germany has expressed disappointment over the result but says it will continue to engage in international diplomacy through the United Nations.

• Read more: ​Germany says support for Ukraine, Israel may have hurt UN Security Council bid

European stocks flat as Middle East tensions weigh on markets

European shares are trading flat as investors remain cautious over ongoing tensions in the Middle East, with markets on track to end the week slightly lower.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index is broadly unchanged in early trading and down around 0.3% for the week so far.

Concerns over a lack of progress in U.S.-Iran diplomacy and uncertainty around the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire are keeping oil prices elevated, with Brent crude hovering near $95 a barrel.

Technology stocks are leading losses, falling after a strong two-month rally, while chipmakers such as Infineon and Aixtron are among the biggest decliners.

Investors are also focusing on rising eurozone inflation, which has increased expectations that the European Central Bank will raise interest rates next week.

Middle East conflict pushing millions into hunger, UN says 

The Middle East conflict is pushing millions of people closer to hunger, as rising fuel and transport costs drive up food prices while funding shortfalls force aid agencies to scale back assistance, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.

Joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February triggered a regional conflict stretching across the Gulf and into Lebanon, disrupting key shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, forcing vessels to reroute and sharply constraining global energy flows and supply chains.

In March, the WFP forecast as many as 45 million people could fall into acute food insecurity if oil prices remained around $100 per barrel through June. That scenario is now unfolding, the agency said, with benchmark crude prices staying above that level since early March.

Households in Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka are among the most seriously affected and face mounting pressure due to higher fuel costs, food price spikes, income losses and disrupted trade.

UN doubles Lebanon aid appeal as war drives surge in humanitarian needs 

The United Nations (UN) has doubled the amount of money it says it needs to help Lebanon meet surging humanitarian needs, as the war enters its fourth month.

Lebanon was drawn into the wider regional war in early March when the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militia fired rockets at Israel in solidarity with Iran, which was under U.S.-Israeli attack, prompting a major Israeli air and ground campaign.

Since 2 March, more than 3,500 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to Lebanese authorities, whose data does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Israel says 26 of its soldiers and four ​civilians have been killed in Hezbollah attacks since March.

The UN is launching a fresh aid appeal with the Lebanese government to seek an additional $331.5 million to reach 1.4 million people, bringing the total appeal to $639.9 million.

So far, it has received $185.9 million as of 31 May. 

"In the past three months, communities across Lebanon have faced an appalling situation due to the escalation of hostilities," UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza said, pointing to high casualties, widespread displacement and extensive damage to infrastructure.

"The toll on civilians is alarming and worsening by the day."

France sees no summer fuel supply risks, minister says

France faces no fuel supply concerns ahead of the summer travel season.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said there is "no major concern on supply" of either jet fuel or petrol. However, he warned that "there is the question of cost, of course", he told French broadcaster CNews/Europe 1 on Friday.

Iran says U.S. and Israel responsible for child deaths in Gaza and beyond

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, accused the United States and Israel of killing children in Gaza, the West Bank, Iran's Minab and elsewhere around the world.

“For what crime are innocent children being killed?” Baghaei asked in a social media post.

“From Gaza and the West Bank to Beirut, Minab, Lamerd, Tehran, and many other places across Iran and the world, wherever children have perished under the bombs and missiles of the United States and the Israeli regime, the truth is the same: no military objective, no political interest, and no security pretext can ever justify the slaughter of children,” he wrote.

“Children are neither parties to war nor tools of it. They are the living conscience of humanity. Every child killed or maimed is a burial of a part of our shared humanity.”

Trump says progress being made in Israel-Lebanon talks 

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he believed progress was being made between Israel and Lebanon and that Lebanon "deserved peace", despite fresh setbacks to efforts aimed at ending the conflict.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and added: "I actually spoke to Hezbollah about it." He said he believed progress was being made after years of tensions.