- US and Iran negotiating possible 60-day ceasefire extension.
- Lebanon’s PM defends direct talks with Israel despite strikes.
- Two Lebanese soldiers injured in Israeli drone strike.
- US reiterates capability to resume war with Iran.
Reported By: Roshni Majumdar | Richard Connor with AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters
We’re looking at developments related to a possible framework for an end to the Iran war and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Multiple news outlets reported earlier this week that US and Iranian negotiators had reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and launch negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
But the final text of the emerging document known as the memorandum of understanding is yet to be decided.
President Donald Trump met with top aides for two hours on Friday and the meeting concluded without clarity on the next steps.
The New York Times and Axios have reported that the US president asked for several amendments to the document and has sent it back to Tehran for its consideration.
Before the meeting, Trump had said on Truth Social that Iran must agree to never have a nuclear weapon or bomb, that the Strait of Hormuz be reopened for unrestricted shipping traffic “in both directions” and that any mines in the strait be “terminated.”
Lebanese PM Slams Israel’s Airstrikes, Defends Direct Talks
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has warned that Israel will not be able to ensure its security through a “scorched-earth policy.”
His remarks on Saturday came after renewed Israeli airstrikes against what it says are Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Israel has intensified its bombing campaign this week, killing dozens of people.
Despite the strikes, the prime minister defended the decision to directly negotiate with Israel. Senior military commanders from both nations met in Washington DC on Friday, with more talks scheduled for next week.
Israeli and Lebanese officials also met in the US capital in April, when they signed a ceasefire which was extended in mid-May.
Salam said the talks were “the least costly path” for Lebanon.
His comments come after two Lebanese soldiers were seriously injured in what the Lebanese military described as an Israeli drone strike.
Separately, Lebanese television station LBC reported at least three deaths, though those casualties have not been officially confirmed.
Two Lebanese Soldiers Seriously Wounded In Israel Strike, Lebanon Says
Two Lebanese soldiers sustained serious injuries in an Israeli airstrike on Saturday, a day after military officers met for talks in Washington.
The soldiers were “targeted inside a vehicle by a hostile Israeli drone” near the southern city of Nabatieh, the Lebanese military said.
According to a report by Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), Israel also hit several targets in the south of the country, including near the historic Beaufort castle.
Earlier on Saturday, Israel had ordered new evacuations in southern Lebanon.
A wave of Israeli airstrikes in recent days has killed hundreds of people in Lebanon and displaced thousands.
Despite a truce being in place since April, the cross-border fire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia has continued, with both sides accusing each other of violating the ceasefire.
Hezbollah is based in Lebanon, but not subordinate to the Lebanese government.
The militia opposes the talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials, which are due to continue next week.
WATCH: Iran Reconnects To The Internet
After one of the longest internet blackouts in modern history, Iranians are coming back online — but only partially. DW has heard from people inside Iran and asks why Tehran is easing access now.
IN DEPTH: Oman Stuck Between Trump And Tehran
US President Donald Trump said if Oman attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz in conjunction with Iran, the US would launch a military strike against it.
The country at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula is one of the most important mediators between Washington and Tehran. So why did Donald Trump threaten the sultanate?
Israel Orders New Evacuations In Southern Lebanon
Israel’s military has issued evacuation warnings for residents of seven villages in southern Lebanon ahead of planned strikes on Hezbollah targets.
Military spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed the army was “compelled to take decisive action” following alleged ceasefire violations, naming villages including areas near Nabatieh.
The warnings signal a further escalation in cross-border tensions despite a truce intended to halt the fighting.
Hegseth: US ‘More Than Capable’ Of Resuming War With Iran
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States had enough weapons to restart the war against Iran if needed.
“Our ability to recommence if necessary … we are more than capable, our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe, because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions,” he said on Saturday while addressing a defense conference in Singapore.
Hegseth said the United States had a global obligation to ensure that Iran does not develop nuclear weapons.
Regarding the ongoing discussions of a potential ceasefire, Hegseth said that any deal with Iran would be a good deal.
US Praises ‘Productive’ Talks Between Military Officials From Israel, Lebanon
Military officials from Israel and Lebanon held “productive” talks in Washington on Friday, Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s second-in-command, wrote on X.
“Today at the Pentagon, I hosted military delegations from Israel and Lebanon for the security track supporting the ongoing peace talks between their two countries,” Colby wrote.
He added that the meeting would complement upcoming diplomatic discussions.
“We held productive military-to-military discussions which will inform the Department of State-led political track next week,” he wrote.
Talks between senior Israeli and Lebanese officials have been ongoing since April. However, the talks are complicated by the fact that Iran-backed Shiite militant group Hezbollah, Israel’s target, is not participating and has refused to accept their results.
Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.
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