US war latest: Israel accused of violating ceasefire with Lebanon just hours after it comes into effect

The truce follows a heavy bombing campaign by Israel against targets it says are linked to Hezbollah
Israel has committed several violations of a ceasefire in Lebanon that took effect at midnight , the Lebanese army has said hours after Donald Trump hailed the “historic” truce .

Several villages in southern Lebanon were struck by intermittent shelling, the army added, calling on citizens to hold off on returning to southern villages and towns.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond.

The 10-day ceasefire had come into affect just hours earlier, following weeks of conflict including intense Israeli bombardment and ground invasion in the south, and attacks on northern Israel by Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said “good things are happening”, amid hopes that the truce could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran , the US and Israel after weeks of war.

But Hezbollah said that any truce must apply "across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement", while Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it does not include withdrawing Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.

UK police charge three people for arson attack on Persian media organisation
Three people have been charged by UK police following an attempted arson attack at the offices of a Persian media organisation in north-west London, the Metropolitan Police said.

Oisin McGuinness, 21, Nathan Dunn, 19, and a 16-year-old boy have been charged with arson with intent to endanger life.

Officers on patrol were told at about 8.30pm on Wednesday that an “ignited container” had been thrown towards the site in Wembley, landing in a car park where the fire immediately went out.

It is understood the offices of Volant Media, the parent company of Persian news channel Iran International, were targeted.

There were no injuries and no damage was reported.

The three people charged are British nationals and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Friday, Scotland Yard said.

UK in ‘worst-case scenario’ planning for food shortages as a result of Iran war
The UK could see shortages of key supermarket goods this summer if the Iran war continues, a leaked government document has revealed.

Officials have put together contingency plans for a “reasonable worst-case scenario”, highlighting that the closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping route could lead to carbon dioxide shortages.

The secret analysis – first reported by The Times – was codenamed “Exercise Turnstone” and was run by the government’s emergency committee, Cobra.

Our political correspondent Millie Cooke and business and money editor Karl Matchett report:
Watch: Trump says Israel-Lebanon deal possible as Hezbollah ceasefire takes shape
European countries have capacity to clear mines in Hormuz, French Defence Minister says
European countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and France have mine clearance capacity which could help secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz, French defence minister Catherine Vautrin told French TV station TF1 on Friday.

“There are capabilities to provide fully supported escort services – that is to say, in no way offensive, of course – for ships to ensure safe passage through the strait; that is what will be debated today in Paris,” she added.

France and Britain are set to chair on Friday a meeting of around 40 countries aimed at signalling to the United States that some of its closest allies are ready to play a role in restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait typically carries about 20 per cent of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flows, once conditions allow.

Lebanese army says Israel has committed 'a number of violations' of ceasefire hours after it began
The Lebanese military has recorded "several Israeli attacks" and "intermittent shelling targeting a number of villages" in southern Lebanon, just hours after a 10-day ceasefire between the two countries came into effect.

In a statement, the army called on citizens to "exercise caution in returning to the southern villages and towns, amid a number of violations of the agreement." It had earlier warned people to avoid returning to areas of southern Lebanon despite the new truce.

Pakistan says progress made in mediation between US and Iran
A Pakistani source involved in mediating between the US and Iran just told Reuters there had been progress in backdoor diplomacy, and that an upcoming meeting between the two sides could result in the signing of ​an agreement.

The two sides would first sign a memorandum of understanding followed by a comprehensive agreement within 60 days, the agency reports.

"Detailed agreement comes later.

Both sides are agreeing in principle.

And technical bits come later," the source said.

Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir had been holding talks in Tehran since Wednesday and had made progress on "sticky issues," the source said.

Trump says Iran has agreed to hand over enriched uranium as deal talks resume
US president Donald Trump says Iran has agreed to hand over its enriched uranium and that fresh talks could resume as early as this weekend.

Speaking at an event in Las Vegas, Trump said the two sides were "very close" to a deal and claimed the war was going "swimmingly" and should be ending soon.

He said Iran had agreed not to obtain a nuclear weapon and would turn over what he called the "nuclear dust" – enriched uranium believed to be buried underground following US-Israeli airstrikes.

Iran has not commented on the claims.

“They've agreed to give us back the nuclear dust,” Trump told reporters.

“There’s a very good chance we’re going to make a deal.”
“They’ve agreed to almost everything,” Trump said.

“They got to get to the table with a pen.”
He added that the deal would also include “free oil” and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump also said he was not sure an extension to the ceasefire with Iran, due to expire in five days, was necessary.

Trump says Iran war ‘going along swimmingly’
France and Britain chair talks on Hormuz mission for when conflict ends
France and Britain are chairing a meeting of around 40 countries in Paris today aimed at planning a defensive multinational mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz once the conflict ends.

The meeting, attended in person by Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, German chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, will address the safety of more than 20,000 stranded seafarers and trapped commercial vessels, as well as outline military options including mine-clearance, intelligence sharing and naval escorts.

The initiative does not for now include the US or Iran, though European diplomats said any realistic mission would ultimately need to be coordinated with both.

Britain, France and others have said joining Washington's blockade on Iranian ports, imposed on Monday, would amount to entering the war, but have signalled willingness to help keep the strait open once a lasting ceasefire is in place.

"It can involve intelligence sharing, mine-clearance capabilities, military escorts, information procedures with neighbouring countries and more," a senior French official told Reuters.

"The resources deployed will naturally depend on the situation."
Britain said today's talks would feed into a multinational military planning meeting next week.

China has been invited but it was not immediately clear whether it would attend.

UN chief welcomes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
António Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, has welcomed the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.

“I hope this will pave the way for negotiations towards a long-term solution to the conflict & contribute to ongoing efforts toward a lasting & comprehensive peace in the region”, he wrote on X Thursday night.

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies