UN chief warns Israeli strikes on Lebanon pose ‘grave risk’ to US-Iran truce
The United Nations secretary-general on Wednesday warned that ongoing Israeli military activity in Lebanon “poses a grave risk” to the fragile US-Iran truce, his spokesperson said in a statement.
“The ongoing military activity in Lebanon poses a grave risk to the ceasefire and the efforts toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. The Secretary-General reiterates his call to all parties to immediately cease hostilities,” UN chief Antonio Guterres’s spokesman said.
The Lebanese health ministry reported that 182 people were killed and 890 wounded by Israeli strikes on Wednesday.
New Polymarket accounts placed precise bets on April 7 US-Iran ceasefire
A group of new accounts on the prediction market Polymarket made highly specific, well-timed bets on whether the US and Iran would reach a ceasefire on April 7, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits for these new customers.
These bets were made even though, in the hours before a two-week ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, Trump’s rhetoric had escalated sharply and there were few signals that a ceasefire deal was imminent.
An analysis of publicly available blockchain data from Polymarket, using the crypto analytics platform Dune, shows that at least 50 accounts, or wallets, placed substantial “Yes” bets Tuesday before Trump announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post at around 6:30 p.m. ET.
Crude rises, stocks fall on fears over nascent Iran ceasefire
Oil prices climbed and stocks fell Thursday on fears over the nascent US-Iran ceasefire after Tehran threatened to resume hostilities after Israel launched a major bombardment of Lebanon.
Equity markets across the globe soared and crude plunged Wednesday after US President Donald Trump announced the two-week halt in the war, and the Islamic republic said it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz as peace talks took place.
But with the deal less than a day old, cracks were already appearing as Tel Aviv said it did not include Israel’s fight against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon as it continued attacks on its northern neighbour.
Iran announces alternative Hormuz routes
Iran announced alternative routes on Thursday for ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, citing the risk of sea mines in the main zone of the vital waterway.
The statement shared instructions for an alternative entry and exit route through the strait.
Japan’s Nikkei retreats as US-Iran ceasefire optimism fades
Japan’s Nikkei share average retreated on Thursday after a sharp rally in the previous session, as initial euphoria over a two-week fragile ceasefire in the Middle East gave way to a more cautious market outlook.
Investor sentiment weakened after Israel launched its heaviest strikes yet on Lebanon on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people and prompting threats of retaliation from Iran. Tehran also signalled it would be “unreasonable” to continue negotiations for a permanent peace deal with the United States.
The Nikkei was down 0.3% at 56,125.02, as of 0045 GMT on Thursday, and on track to snap a fourth-session rally, if the current trend persists.
Hezbollah says fired rockets towards Israel in response to ‘violation of ceasefire’
Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah said Thursday it had fired rockets towards Israel in response to its “violation” of the US-Iran truce.
It came a day after the Lebanese group said it has a “right” to respond to a deadly wave of Israeli strikes across Lebanon.
“In response to the enemy’s violation of the ceasefire agreement,” Hezbollah targeted the Israeli kibbutz of Manara near the border with Lebanon “with a rocket barrage” early Thursday, Hezbollah said in a statement.
Ceasefire is threatened as Israel expands Lebanon strikes and Iran closes strait again
A ceasefire deal to pause the war in Iran appeared to hang by a thread Wednesday after the Islamic Republic closed the Strait of Hormuz again in response to Israeli attacks in Lebanon. The White House demanded that the channel be reopened and sought to keep peace talks on track.
The US and Iran both claimed victory after reaching the agreement, and world leaders expressed relief, even as more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries. At the same time, Israel intensified its attacks on the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, hitting commercial and residential areas in Beirut. At least 182 people were killed Wednesday in the deadliest day of fighting there.
The fresh violence threatened to scuttle what US Vice President JD Vance called a “fragile” deal.
