In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency in Iran, the IRGC said: \u201cShould aggression against Iran be repeated, the regional war that was promised will this time extend beyond the region, and our crushing blows in places you can scarcely imagine will reduce you to ashes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The warning comes after US president Donald Trump said <\/a>Washington could strike Iran again if no deal on a lasting settlement is reached in the coming days.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.21 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n Israeli lawmakers advance bill to dissolve parliament<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s Knesset have advanced a bill to dissolve parliament. Lawmakers on Wednesday voted to advance a bill submitted by the ruling coalition of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu which would dissolve parliament and pave the way for early elections.<\/p>\n In a preliminary reading, 110 out of the parliament\u2019s 120 lawmakers voted in favour and 0 against the bill, which will now pass to a committee before three more parliamentary readings.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The Jordanian military announced it had shot down a drone of unknown origin in its airspace on Wednesday, AFP reports.<\/p>\n No casualties were reported.<\/p>\n \u201cThis morning, the Jordanian Armed Forces engaged with a drone of unknown origin that entered Jordanian airspace and was brought down in Jerash Governorate, without any injuries,\u201d the military said of an area located around 50 kilometres (30 miles) north of the capital Amman.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.51 EDT<\/p>\n Pakistan\u2019s interior minister heading to Tehran for talks<\/p>\n Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan\u2019s interior minister, is on his way to Tehran to meet officials, Iran\u2019s Tasnim news agency is reporting.<\/p>\n This will be the second trip to Tehran in a week for Naqvi, as Islamabad continues to lead mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.41 EDT<\/p>\n The defacto blockade in the strait of Hormuz is having a knock on effect in Europe where it was today announced that the UK has relaxed strict sanctions on Russian crude due to soaring oil costs.<\/p>\n The relaxed sanctions will allow for the import of jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries amid surging costs.<\/p>\n A trade licence that came into effect on Wednesday permits the imports indefinitely and will be reviewed periodically. It comes at a time of growing concerns over the supply of certain fuels owing to the de facto blockade of the strait of Hormuz since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran.<\/p>\n For years the UK has led international efforts to put economic pressure on Russia over its war on Ukraine. On Tuesday it signed a G7 statement reaffirming its \u201cunwavering commitment\u201d to imposing \u201csevere costs\u201d on Russia. It had previously announced it would block Russian oil refined in other countries to \u201cfurther restrict the flow of funds to the Kremlin\u201d.<\/p>\n This week the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, extended a 30-day sanctions waiver allowing the purchase of Russian oil shipments already at sea, saying in a post on X that the extension would \u201cprovide additional flexibility, and we will work with these nations to provide specific licences as needed\u201d.<\/p>\n New figures show petrol prices have eclipsed the high set during the Iran<\/a> oil crisis. Relaxing sanctions will allow imports of jet fuel from India, which was previously a key supplier to the UK and Europe. Russian crude is also refined in big quantities in Turkey.<\/p>\n Full story here: <\/a><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Israeli warplanes have struck the Lebanese town of Jibchit overnight, despite an ongoing fragile ceasefire, the country\u2019s state news agency has said.<\/p>\n An additional strike reportedly targeted the vicinity of an international school in Habboush, it said<\/a>.<\/p>\n Israeli aircraft also struck the town of Kherbet Silem earlier today, while two separate raids targeted Kfara in Bint Jbeil district.<\/p>\n National News Agency (NNA) said another Israeli airstrike hit a house in the town of Toura, though no casualties were reported.<\/p>\n Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed at least 19 people<\/a>, including four women and three children, Lebanon\u2019s health ministry said, the latest in near-daily attacks from both sides that have not stopped despite a fragile, US-brokered ceasefire<\/a>.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s military did not immediately comment on the casualties or specific incidents, but said that between Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon, it had targeted more than 25 sites of Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.23 EDT<\/p>\n In the latest of our On the ground <\/a>series, which highlights in-depth Guardian video journalism from around the world, we have a video on Lebanon.<\/p>\n The Guardian travels across Lebanon<\/a> to find out how the conflict is widening divisions and affecting life across the country.<\/p>\n Watch here: <\/a><\/p>\n Meanwhile, in Israel<\/a>, the Knesset (Israeli parliament) is due to vote on a bill to dissolve itself, potentially triggering earlier elections which polls predict prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will lose.<\/p>\n The last election was in November 2022 and the next ballot is due at the latest on 27 October. If lawmakers vote to dissolve the Knesset, elections must be held within five months of the vote passing. Political pundits in Israel say elections could happen in the first half of September.<\/p>\n Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US president Donald Trump shake hands after meeting at Trump\u2019s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, in December. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst\/ReutersShare<\/a>‘Comprehensive ceasefire is of utmost urgency,’ says Xi<\/p>\n The Chinese president, <\/a>Xi Jinping<\/a>, has held talks with Russia\u2019s <\/a>Vladimir Putin<\/a> in Beijing today, where the leaders discussed conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Russia has sought to cash in on the global energy crisis and soaring gas prices triggered by the Iran<\/a> war and the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said in April after a meeting with Xi that Moscow could \u201ccompensate\u201d for China\u2019s energy shortages, but Beijing has publicly called for an end to hostilities.<\/p>\n \u201cA comprehensive ceasefire is of utmost urgency, resuming hostilities is even more inadvisable and maintaining negotiations is particularly important,\u201d Xi told Putin during talks today, according to Chinese state media.<\/p>\n Chinese president Xi Jinping shakes hands with Russian president Vladimir Putin during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photograph: Alexander Kazakov\/Reuters<\/p>\n Putin highlighted the economic ties between Russia and China, saying: \u201cThe driving force behind economic cooperation is Russian-Chinese collaboration in the energy sector.<\/p>\n \u201cAmid the crisis in the Middle East, Russia continues to maintain its role as a reliable supplier of resources, while China remains a responsible consumer of these resources.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.56 EDT<\/p>\n IRGC warns renewed war could extend beyond Middle East<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to extend a renewed war beyond the Middle East if the US resumes attacks against Tehran.<\/p>\n The warning came after Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran again<\/a> if it did not accept a deal to end the conflict.<\/p>\n In a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim news agency in Iran, the IRGC said: \u201cShould aggression against Iran be repeated, the regional war that was promised will this time extend beyond the region, and our crushing blows in places you can scarcely imagine will reduce you to ashes.\u201d<\/p>\n The warning comes after US president Donald Trump said <\/a>Washington could strike Iran again if no deal on a lasting settlement is reached in the coming days.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.21 EDT<\/p>\n A South Korean oil tanker is passing through the strait of Hormuz, marking the first such case involving a Korea-managed ship since the Iran<\/a> war began.<\/p>\n \u201cConsultations with Iranian authorities were completed, and the vessel began sailing yesterday. It is passing through the strait very cautiously,\u201d South Korea\u2019s foreign minister, Cho Hyun, said, according to the Seoul-based Yonhap news agency.<\/p>\n He added that the vessel was carrying 2m barrels of crude oil.<\/p>\n Yonhap reported that the tanker began sailing in waters near Qatar yesterday after receiving passage approval from Iran a day earlier. Citing officials, the news agency said no transit fees were paid to Iran for the safe transit of the vessel.<\/p>\n The passage came nearly two weeks after the South Korean-operated HMM Namu was struck by \u201ctwo unidentified aircraft\u201d in the strait, causing a fire and leaving one of the vessel\u2019s 24 crew members with minor injuries.<\/p>\n The Panama-flagged cargo vessel, operated by South Korean shipping firm HMM Co, arrived in Dubai after the incident for investigation.<\/p>\n Iran has denied responsibility, with its embassy in Seoul saying it \u201cfirmly rejects and categorically denies any allegations regarding the involvement\u201d of its forces. Seoul strongly condemned the attack and said it hoped to identify those behind it through an investigation.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Opening summary: US and Iran trade threats<\/p>\n Welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Donald Trump warned the US may strike Iran again<\/a> \u2013 a day after he said he had held off a major assault in hopes of a peace deal \u2013 but Tehran\u2019s army threatened to open \u201cnew fronts\u201d if he went ahead.<\/p>\n Trump told reporters at the White House that he had been just \u201can hour away\u201d from relaunching Washington\u2019s attacks on Iran<\/a> before postponing the order, after weeks of a fragile ceasefire and talks to end the war, which began on 28 February.<\/p>\n The decision apparently followed a further peace proposal submitted by Tehran via Pakistan<\/a>, which has mediated, and may have been motivated by the reluctance of allies, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, to see hostilities resume.<\/p>\n A woman walks near a billboard with an image of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, Iran. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour\/Reuters<\/p>\n \u201cYou know how it is to negotiate with a country where you\u2019re beating them badly. They come to the table, they\u2019re begging to make a deal,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI hope we don\u2019t have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit. I\u2019m not sure yet.\u201d<\/p>\n Oil prices eased on the apparent positive signals from the White House, with Brent crude falling to $110 a barrel, before regaining much of its losses.<\/p>\n In response to Trump, Iran\u2019s army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia warned the Islamic republic would \u201copen new fronts against\u201d the US if it resumed its attacks.<\/p>\n He added that Iran\u2019s military had used the ceasefire as an opportunity \u201cto strengthen its combat capabilities\u201d.<\/p>\n Here are the other main developments:<\/p>\n The US Senate has advanced a war-powers resolution<\/a> that would end the Iran war unless Trump obtains Congress\u2019 authorisation. The vote on a procedural measure to advance the resolution was 50 to 47, as four of Trump\u2019s fellow Republicans voted with every Democrat but one in favour. Three Republicans missed the vote.<\/p>\n The Israeli military launched a series of strikes across Lebanon, killing 19 people<\/a>, according to the Lebanese health ministry. One strike, in the town of Deir Qanun al-Nahr in the Tyre district, killed 10 people including three children and three women, the ministry said.<\/p>\n The Israeli army in turn said that it intercepted a drone fired from Lebanon. Israel and Lebanon\u2019s central government have twice extended a US-brokered ceasefire, but Israel says it does not apply to its attacks on Hezbollah.<\/p>\n![\"Lebanon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779272532_686_1920.jpg\")
Lebanon divided: Hezbollah, Israel and the cost of resistance \u2013 videoShare<\/a><\/p>\n