US-Israel-Iran War Live News Updates: Asian Stocks Rebound After Trump Hints End To War; US Warns EU To Pass Trade Deal

Speaking to the Financial Times, Andrew Puzder, the US ambassador to the EU said the energy component of the deal, signed at President Donald Trump’s Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, could be jeopardised if the bloc sought to alter other provisions of the agreement. "I don’t know what will happen with respect to energy if they don’t go forward with the agreement,” Puzder said. 

"I think the United States will continue to want to do business with Europe, but just the terms may not be as favourable. The environment certainly won’t be as favourable,” he said, noting that American energy exporters have alternative buyers elsewhere.

Asian benchmarks mostly rebounded on Tuesday, echoing cautious relief that swept through Wall Street after President Donald Trump said the United States has talked with Iran about a possible end to their war. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 added 1.1% in morning trading to 52,093.02, recovering some of the losses it suffered the previous day.

Toyota Motor Corp's stock price gained 1.1% in morning trading after it announced overnight that it was investing $1 billion in its Kentucky and Indiana auto plants. That's part of a plan to invest up to USD 10 billion in the US over the next five years that the Japanese automaker announced in November. Japanese manufacturers have been eager to show their contribution to American jobs and economic growth.
 

US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said nothing concrete could be said as of now over the reports claiming that US Vice President JD Vance, US Special Presidential Envoy for Peace Missions, Steve Witkoff and Businessman and former Senior Advisor to the President of the United States, Jared Kushner, will meet with Iranian officials in Islamabad. In response to an ANI query, Leavitt said that it should not be deemed as final until it is formally announced by the White House.

Asian countries are turning to coal as the Iran war disrupts oil and gas shipments. India is burning more coal to meet higher summer demand. South Korea has lifted caps on electricity from coal. Indonesia is prioritising using its domestic supply. Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam are boosting coal-fired power.

Burning more coal risks worsening smog in major cities, slowing the transition to renewable energy and increasing the region's planet-warming emissions.

Trump said his administration has been negotiating with Iran “for a long time” and he believes a deal is close. But he didn't clarify who's been involved in the talks. Iran's parliament speaker and foreign minister denied again Monday that any such negotiations have happened.

“They want peace,” Trump said. “They've agreed they will not have a nuclear weapon, you know, et cetera, et cetera, but we'll see.”

In his remarks in Memphis on Monday, Trump said there's a “very good chance” of a deal this week. He credited his threat to blow up Iranian power plants, which he then paused for another five days. “Then we're going to see where that takes us,” he said.

(Source: AP)

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says the war against Hezbollah must end with a “fundamental change” that includes control of Lebanon up to the Litani River, roughly 30 kilometers north of the Israeli border.

“The Litani must be our new border with the state of Lebanon,” he told members of his Religious Zionism party on Monday, comparing it to boundaries Israel has set in Gaza and the Golan Heights.

Israel already has sent thousands of troops into southern Lebanon as it moves to push Hezbollah militants north. Smotrich leads a small ultranationalist party and is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policy-making Security Cabinet.

(Source: AP)

Netanyahu says Israel will continue to strike Iran and Lebanon as the US considers a ceasefire. Netanyahu says he spoke to Trump, who told him "there is a chance" to leverage battlefield gains into an agreement that realises the war's objectives. "At the same time, we continue to strike, both in Iran and in Lebanon," he said. "There's more to come. We will protect our vital interests in any situation."

The Israeli military carried out overnight strikes on multiple neighbourhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday, saying it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. No injuries were immediately reported.

Low-flying jets were heard over the city as the strikes took place. The military had earlier renewed evacuation warnings for several neighbourhoods, as tens of thousands of residents had already fled the area.

Large fires and plumes of smoke were seen rising across the southern suburbs following the strikes. Israeli strikes have so far killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon and displaced around 1 million others, according to Lebanese authorities.

A semiofficial Iranian news agency close to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard reported early Tuesday that two energy sites had been struck by airstrikes, reports AP.

Search and rescue teams operated at a site in northern Israel following reports of an impact, the Home Front Command said early on Tuesday.

The public was urged to avoid gathering in the area. The statement came some time after the Israeli military warned that missiles had been launched from Iran toward Israel.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine had "growing evidence" Russia was providing intelligence support to Iran amid the ongoing war in the Middle East. Speaking in his nightly address, Zelenskyy said Moscow was trying to help the Iranian regime "stay afloat" and prolong the conflict with the United States and Israel. He also said Kyiv had intelligence that Russia "may" be preparing for a "massive strike" on Ukraine soon.

US Secretary Rubio spoke today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The two officials discussed the current situation in the Middle East. The Secretary and Minister agreed on the importance of continuing to work together to advance mutual priorities, US Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.

Trump said, "We are now having really good discussions. They started last night, a little bit the night before that. I think they're very good. They want peace. They've agreed they will not have a nuclear weapon, et cetera. But we'll see...Hopefully, we can make a deal that's good for all of us, including the Middle Eastern allies that have been very good to us, including Israel, which has been a great partner in this fight. But we'll see what happens. I think there's a very good chance we're going to end up in a deal..."

US President Donald Trump said, "We've annihilated their defence industrial base, eliminating their Navy. We eliminated their Air Force. We eliminated all of their air defence.  Everything. We eliminated their leaders. Then the second set, 88 people, met to pick a new leader. And they're now extinguished. And then they're meeting again. But now nobody wants to be the leader. It's one of the few political jobs that nobody wants anywhere in the world. Nobody wants it.  It's a very dangerous job. My job is dangerous, too, but their job is worse.  In other words, we're systematically dismantling the regime's ability to threaten America. They're not threatening us anymore. As Commander-in-Chief, it's my sacred responsibility to protect our country from all threats..." 

US President Donald Trump extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, saying the US will hold off striking Iranian power plants for five more days.

Trump said US envoys have been holding talks with a “respected” Iranian leader, and Iran wants “to make a deal.” Iranian officials denied any such negotiations, and declared that the American leader had backed down “following Iran's firm warning”.