President Donald Trump said a deal to end the Iran war could come 'soon' and called on Hezbollah to hold its fire as a 10-day truce between Lebanon and Israel took effect. The remarks signal Washington's active engagement in managing both the Iran conflict and the Lebanon front simultaneously. Trump's public confidence in a near-term agreement adds diplomatic pressure and sets a visible benchmark for negotiations. A weekend meeting between the two sides is reportedly possible, raising the stakes for what any preliminary framework might look like. The simultaneous ceasefire in Lebanon, if it holds, removes one variable from a volatile regional picture and could create space for broader talks. Hezbollah's compliance with the truce is the immediate operational test. Analysts and markets watching Middle East risk will focus on whether the weekend contact produces any substantive joint statement or agreement in principle. Breakdown on either front would reset the diplomatic timeline sharply.
Venezuela's earthquake death toll has reached 1,430 with the US Geological Survey warning fatalities could top 10,000, placing it among Latin America's deadliest in a century. US military planes are landing in Caracas, Washington is mobilising $150 million in aid, and rescue teams from 17 countries are on the ground.
Iranian armed forces attacked a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, briefly halting traffic through the waterway. The strike threatens a fragile US-Iran arrangement and could push shipping insurance costs and oil prices higher.
The US has struck Iran, with President Trump citing an Iranian attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz as justification. The action raises immediate risks for global oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints.
The US struck ten Iranian targets on the second consecutive day of military action, putting a fragile ceasefire under serious pressure. The escalation raises immediate risks for Gulf shipping, global oil supply, and regional stability.
