Middle East crisis live: Iran says ceasefire ‘practically meaningless’ as US and Iran exchange strikes

The US has confirmed that it carried out a strike on Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel M/T Jalveer, which according to Central Command (Centcom) was violating the blockade.

Centcom alleged that the ship was attempting to transport Iranian oil through the Gulf of Oman.

According to Centcom, it is the third vessel attacked by the US in the Gulf this week – after the Marivex and Settebello vessels were struck previously.

India’s shipping ministry said all 20 Indian crew members were safe after the Jalveer ship sent a distress call while off Oman’s port of Shinas after a fire broke out, according to Reuters.

Saudi Arabia has lifted its five-year import ban from Lebanon – which marks a significant step in improving relations between countries in the Gulf region and Lebanon.

The ban was introduced in 2021 and initially was only for Lebanese fruits and vegetables, citing drug smuggling concerns. It later extended to all Lebanese products after Lebanon’s information minister at the time criticized Saudi Arabia’s actions in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that the reversal of the ban at the order of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came as a result of “positive steps taken by the Lebanese state.”

The current government of Lebanon, which came to power last year with promises of reform, has sought to rebuild ties with the Gulf countries.

Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan has called on the United States and Iran to halt their new round of attacks, saying it risked an “escalation” in the Middle East war.

“The reciprocal attacks that began two days ago raise fears of an escalation,” Fidan told a press conference during a visit to Sofia. “We recommend that the parties halt their mutual attacks and resume negotiations.”

This comes as Pakistan, a key regional mediator, also said it was “deeply concerned” by the recent escalation in the Middle East.

Tahir Andrabi, foreign ministry spokesperson, said all parties should “adhere to the understanding reached on the ceasefire and end hostilities to widen the space for dialogue and diplomacy.”

A tanker with 20 Indian crew members on board was hit in a suspected US strike off the coast of Oman, Reuters reports.

If confirmed, it would be the third vessel carrying an Indian crew hit by US forces this week.

Three Indian seafarers were killed after a US strike on the oil tanker Settebello off Oman’s coast on Tuesday, an Indian official said (see post at 08:06). On Monday, an Indian crew of the sanctioned Marivex oil tanker put out a distress call after the ship was hit by a US missile.

In today’s incident, India’s shipping ministry said all 20 Indian crew members were safe after the Guinea-Bissau flagged Jalveer sent a distress call while off Oman’s port of Shinas after a fire broke out, according to Reuters.

The ship was attacked by the US navy, Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters.

The US Central Command did not immediately comment on the report. It previously said the Marivex and Settebello failed to follow directions as US forces enforced the American blockade on Iranian ports.

These images from the newswires show the aftermath of an Iranian drone attack in Bahrain, where authorities say an 11-year-old girl was injured:

Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), a government agency set up on 5 May to oversee transit through the strait of Hormuz, announced the key waterway is “closed until further notice”, blaming US strikes in the region.

In a statement carried on Iranian media, the PGSA said: “Due to the tensions created by the US aggression forces in the region and the announcement by the Iranian armed forces last night, the strait of Hormuz will be closed until further notice.

”Applicants who have received a pass are asked to be patient and await further guidance from the PGSA.”

The announcement came shortly after an Iranian official accused the US of striking a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman this morning.

Reza Shahidian, governor of Sirik in the southern Hormozgan province, located on the stores of the strait of Hormuz, said the ship was “carrying essential goods” when it was hit while travelling from an Omani port, according to Iranian media.

He added that the crew had been rescued and taken to Oman.

Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the strait will be “closed to all vessels”, a claim which the US Central Command rejected, saying commercial ships continue to transit in and out of the strait.

The US has launched a wave of strikes across southern Iran for a second consecutive day. Although there have been several breaches since a ceasefire was agreed between the two sides in April, the attacks this week – launched after the downing of a US helicopter over the strait of Hormuz – represent the most serious and extensive breakdown of the truce to date.

Here, Jonathan Yerushalmy explains what led to the attacks, what officials are saying and whether the deal can survive:

Some media reports suggest negotiations between the US and Iran are ongoing despite strikes launched by both sides this week.

Talks to reach a deal are still on track after overnight negotiations, CNN reported, citing a diplomatic source with knowledge of the situation.

This was followed by a report by Reuters that efforts to reach a preliminary deal have intensified as negotiators discuss a mechanism to release frozen Iranian funds, Iranian sources and a European official told the news agency.

Reuters quoted one of the Iranian sources saying: “Iran wants $6b to $12b of its frozen funds to be released to Tehran, while Washington wants to release funds in stages for humanitarian goods and rejects returning funds to Iran outright.”

The Iranian foreign ministry has condemned the latest US strikes on Tehran, saying the attacks have rendered the ceasefire as “practically meaningless”.

In a statement carried by Iranian media, the ministry said:

The illegal and criminal attacks by the US in recent hours are not only a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental rules of international law regarding respect for national sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, but have also rendered the ceasefire [of 8 April] practically meaningless.”

The Jordanian military said its air defence systems intercepted 20 missiles launched from Iran this morning, according to the state-run Petra news agency.

“At dawn on Thursday, Jordanian air defence systems and the Royal Jordanian air force intercepted and shot down 20 missiles that had been launched from Iran towards the Azraq area in Zarqa governorate,” a statement quoted a military official as saying, referring to an area about 50 miles east of the capital Amman.

“The interception resulted in the fall of missile debris in the area, but no injuries or material damage were reported,” the statement added.

The Pakistani foreign ministry said the country will continue with mediation efforts to end the war despite an escalation in hostilities between the US and Iran.

“Pakistan remains deeply concerned at the situation in the region marked by recent escalation. We appeal to the parties to adhere to the understanding reached on the ceasefire,” the ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, told reporters in a briefing today.

“Pakistan reaffirms its support for the peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues. We are of the view that diplomacy and dialogue should be the guiding principles for achieving a negotiated settlement of all contentious issues in accordance with the rights and responsibilities of the relevant parties.”

Bahrain’s interior ministry said an 11-year-old girl was injured from falling debris after Iranian drones were intercepted by air defences in the capital Manama and Hamad Town.

The incident also damaged several vehicles and homes, the ministry said in a post on X, with pictures showing scorched cars and buildings.