Iran, US-Israel war highlights (June 6): US says Iran fired 7 missiles toward Kuwait, Bahrain after 4 drones shot down near Hormuz

According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, more than 3,500 people have been killed and over one million have been displaced since the fighting began in early March.

The violence has also affected international peacekeepers. A Serbian member of the UN peacekeeping mission was killed after a mortar shell struck a UN position in southern Lebanon. Two other peacekeepers were injured. The United Nations has launched an investigation into the attack.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the killing and called for those responsible to be held accountable.

“All attacks on peacekeepers must be promptly investigated, and those responsible must be effectively prosecuted and held accountable,” he said.

Before Hezbollah publicly rejected the deal, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun had described it as the country’s “final opportunity” to secure a comprehensive ceasefire.

He said Beirut was still waiting for Hezbollah’s response before formally notifying Washington that all sides had agreed. According to Aoun, the truce could begin within 24 hours once that process was completed.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also warned that anyone delaying or rejecting the agreement would bear responsibility for the consequences.

“Every hour that passes without implementation is an hour paid for by the south and its people,” he said

The biggest blow to the ceasefire came from Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, who rejected the agreement outright.

Calling the ceasefire “illusory”, Qassem said it amounted to “surrender, defeat and the realization of the enemy’s objectives”. He argued that the deal would force Hezbollah to stop fighting and withdraw from southern Lebanon while Israeli troops remained in control of the area.

Qassem insisted that any ceasefire must include a complete end to Israel’s military campaign and a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.

“As long as the occupation continues, the resistance will continue,” he said.

Hezbollah also made clear that it had not promised to stop responding to Israeli attacks. The group later said it had carried out rocket and drone strikes against Israeli troops near the border.

Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fresh attacks on Thursday, throwing a newly announced US-brokered ceasefire into doubt almost as soon as it was unveiled. While Washington presented the agreement as a step toward ending months of fighting, the reality on the ground looked very different. Israeli airstrikes pounded southern Lebanon, Hezbollah launched rockets and drones, and the group’s leader flatly rejected the deal

Hezbollah said it struck and destroyed an Israeli Merkava tank with a missile near Lebanon’s Beaufort Castle, a strategic hilltop site captured by Israeli forces three days ago. The Iran-backed group also claimed it targeted a newly established Israeli military logistics support centre on the outskirts of Qalaat al-Shaqif, where the castle is located.

US stocks mostly rose on Thursday as declining oil prices boosted investor sentiment, though losses in major artificial intelligence stocks kept the Nasdaq in negative territory. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 925 points, or 1.8%. Brent crude fell 2.8% to $95.10 per barrel, easing concerns about energy costs and inflation.

British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell said he was “appalled and saddened” by the death of a UN peacekeeper in southern Lebanon. In a post on X, he said the UK “strongly condemns all attacks against UNIFIL personnel” and stressed that their safety and ability to carry out their mandate “must be assured.” The comments came after a Serbian peacekeeper serving with UNIFIL was killed in a mortar attack near Marjayoun. Two other UN peacekeepers were also wounded in the incident, according to the UN force.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its latest assessment of Iran’s nuclear programme shows little change despite three months of U.S.-Israeli military action aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The watchdog reiterated calls for Iran to explain the fate of its enriched uranium stockpiles, which it says have remained unaccounted for since earlier strikes on key nuclear facilities. The agency warned that its inability to verify previously declared low- and highly enriched uranium for nearly a year is a matter of proliferation concern. “The Agency’s loss of continuity of knowledge over all previously declared nuclear material at affected facilities in Iran needs to be addressed with the utmost urgency,” the report said.

US stocks were mixed on Thursday as falling oil prices lifted broader market sentiment, though weakness in major artificial intelligence-related stocks weighed on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 gained 0.2%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 841 points, or 1.7%. Brent crude fell 2.7% to $95.21 a barrel, reversing part of this week’s gains driven by the conflict involving Iran, the United States and its allies. The decline in oil prices helped boost a majority of stocks on Wall Street, with about 70% of S&P 500 companies trading higher.

At least 3,526 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, according to the latest figures from Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. The ministry said another 10,733 people have been wounded during the same period.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it has been unable to inspect Iranian nuclear facilities affected by the June 2025 war, according to a confidential report seen by The Associated Press. As a result, the UN nuclear watchdog said it “cannot provide any information on the current size, composition or whereabouts of the stockpile of enriched uranium in Iran.” The agency also said it is unable to determine whether Iran has suspended all uranium enrichment-related activities.

Airlines are gradually restoring some flights to the Middle East as regional carriers rebuild schedules after war-related disruption, though the conflict continues to disrupt wider traffic flows.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reiterated that it is critical for inspectors to resume verification activities in Iran without further delay. The agency stressed that timely access is essential to assess the status of Iran’s declared nuclear material and facilities, particularly after the disruption caused by the June 2025 military strikes.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said a ceasefire across all fronts, including Lebanon, was Tehran’s initial condition for ending the war with the United States. The statement reinforces Iran’s long-standing position that any broader peace arrangement must also halt hostilities involving Hezbollah and Lebanon. Iranian officials have repeatedly linked progress in US-Iran negotiations to an end to Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it continues to have outstanding concerns about the possible presence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran. In its latest report, the agency said Iran has shown a “continued unwillingness” to resolve long-running safeguards issues and provide satisfactory answers to its inquiries.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reiterated that its loss of continuity of knowledge over previously declared nuclear material at Iranian facilities affected by the June 2025 military strikes remains a major concern. The agency said re-establishing a verified account of those inventories must be addressed with the “utmost urgency.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said its estimates of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles as of June 13, 2025, remain unchanged from previous reports. The agency’s assessment is based on information provided by Iran, verification activities conducted before the June 13 attacks, and estimates derived from the past operation of nuclear facilities. The finding comes as IAEA inspectors continue to face restrictions on access to key Iranian nuclear sites. The agency has said it cannot independently verify changes to Iran’s stockpile since June 13 due to the lack of in-field inspections.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran has not provided information on the status of its declared nuclear material or facilities and has not granted inspectors access to those sites for on-the-ground verification activities.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reiterated that it is “indispensable and urgent” for Iran to fully implement its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguards agreement. The agency stressed that the agreement remains in force and that its implementation “cannot be suspended” under any circumstances. The warning comes amid ongoing concerns over access to Iranian nuclear facilities and the agency’s ability to verify nuclear material and activities in the country.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the region will not achieve lasting stability unless Israel withdraws from what Tehran describes as “occupied areas” in Lebanon, according to Iranian state media. The remarks come amid growing tensions over a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan between Israel and Lebanon that Hezbollah has rejected. Iranian officials have repeatedly linked broader regional de-escalation efforts to an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah on Thursday rejected the latest ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and the Lebanese government, insisting on a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. The group’s leader, Naim Qassem, said the deal’s requirement that Hezbollah fighters leave southern Lebanon while under attack would amount to “surrender, defeat and achieving the enemy’s goals.”

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem warned that Israeli areas across the border would remain under threat as long as the Israeli military continues attacking Lebanese villages and civilians. He also rejected efforts to link Hezbollah’s military presence or redeployment to a ceasefire agreement or an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. “We fight for our land and our people rooted in our obedience to our Lord,” Qassem said in a statement.

Hezbollah rejected a ceasefire plan agreed by the Lebanese and Israeli governments in U.S.-mediated talks, as Israel kept up strikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday and said it wouldn’t be withdrawing from the south, reported Reuters.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem rejected the outcome of direct Lebanon-Israel talks, describing negotiations with Israel as “shameless” and warning that northern Israel “will not be safe” as long as Lebanese villages are being bombed and civilians are being killed. He said any ceasefire agreement must apply to all of Lebanon and include a full Israeli withdrawal from the country’s south. Qassem also rejected any attempt to link Hezbollah’s military presence to a ceasefire arrangement.

Oil prices fell following the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, as hopes were boosted for a broader agreement to end the US-Israeli war on ⁠Iran that could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trade was cautious and losses were limited. Brent futures were down $1.14, or 1.2 percent, to $96.67 a barrel at 10:22 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was ⁠down 90 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $95.12.

The US House of Representatives has approved a war powers resolution seeking to halt American military action against Iran, marking the first time such a measure has passed the chamber. The resolution cleared the House with support from four Republicans who joined Democrats, delivering a rare bipartisan rebuke to President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem warned that Israeli communities near the Lebanese border would remain under threat as long as Israeli military attacks continue against Lebanese people and villages. He also rejected efforts to link Hezbollah’s military presence or redeployment to a ceasefire arrangement or an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. “We fight for our land and our people rooted in our obedience to our Lord,” Qassem said in a statement, adding that the group seeks to ensure future generations can “live their lives independently in their homeland.”

Brent and WTI crude futures extended their losses on Thursday, falling more than 3% as traders reacted to growing optimism over a potential breakthrough in U.S.-Iran peace negotiations. Markets were also encouraged by the announcement of a conditional ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, which could reduce risks to regional energy supplies. Expectations that a broader deal could ease tensions and improve shipping flows through the Strait of Hormuz weighed on oil prices.

Hezbollah said it launched drone attacks on a gathering of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in the southern Lebanese town of al-Qantara. The Iran-backed group claimed the strike targeted Israeli forces operating in the area. Earlier, Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported that Hezbollah fighters had struck the vehicle of the head of Israel’s Northern Command in southern Lebanon. There was no immediate confirmation from the Israeli military regarding the claims.

US President Donald Trump wants to bring the conflict to an end, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears more inclined to resume military operations, according to Axios, citing two senior US officials. One US official was quoted as saying, “Sometimes Bibi doesn’t know when to stop.”