US-Iran war as it happened: Cracks appear in ceasefire; Israel launches record strikes on Lebanon; Iran says Strait of Hormuz closed

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has thanked Anthony Albanese for his recognition of Islamabad’s role in facilitating peace talks between Iran and the US.

Negotiators from the White House and Tehran will on Saturday meet in Islamabad to discuss Iran’s 10-point plan to bring about an end to the war.

“Thank you Prime Minister [Albanese] for your endorsement of Pakistan’s sincere efforts for peace,” Sharif said on X, in a response to a statement from Albanese which thanked Pakistan and other nations for “advancing de-escalation efforts”.

Sharif continued: “We will continue to work tirelessly with our friends and partners in our shared pursuit of lasting peace in the region.”

Australia is more than capable of deploying a ship to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe passage of vital oil and fertiliser shipments, the nation’s top military commander has said, but warned that the number of US ships in the Middle East may leave a vacuum in the Indo-Pacific.

Admiral David Johnston, chief of the Australian Defence Force, told a briefing this morning: “I am very confident we could deploy a ship into that environment if the government was to make a decision to do so.

“I have no hesitation in our ability to work in a Strait of Hormuz-type role … But perhaps what is an at least as important question is: ‘Where do our priorities lie?’

“In the context of today, you would be aware that the United States has moved enormous military capacity into the Gulf region at the moment, including a lot of capacity out of the Indo-Pacific. This is an important time for us to be present in the Indo-Pacific to maintain that regional environment that we seek to maintain.”

The federal government has so far only committed to defensive actions in the region since the war in Iran began, and ministers have reiterated that the country would not join the conflict.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this morning said the national security committee had agreed yesterday to continue the deployment of Australia’s E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft for a “period of time”.

Pakistan has shut schools and government offices for two days in the capital, Islamabad, to keep people off the roads as authorities ramp up security ahead of US-Iran talks.

Officials have imposed sweeping restrictions across the city, including blocking key roads connecting Islamabad with neighbouring Rawalpindi, the country’s fourth most populous city. Shipping containers have been placed at multiple points to restrict movement and limit public access to sensitive areas.

Islamabad appeared unusually quiet today, with many residents staying home as traffic diversions forced longer commutes between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The restrictions follow recent unrest in March, when protests by Shiite groups erupted across the country in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran. More than two dozen people were killed in those demonstrations nationwide.

AP

The foreign ministers of France and the United Kingdom have joined a growing chorus of global leaders in condemning Israel’s continued attack on Lebanon, despite yesterday’s Iran-US ceasefire.

Jean Noel Barrott said France “firmly condemn Israel’s massive strikes on Lebanon”, according to Reuters. He also said Iran must stop supporting its regional proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis.

The news agency also reported that the UK’s Yvette Cooper said: “Escalation from Israel … was deeply damaging.”

This morning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the continued strikes, echoing calls from other world leaders and the UN secretary-general.

The Israel Defence Forces said it had gained “operational control” of parts of southern Lebanon during its ground invasion.

“Over the past week, IDF soldiers ... have expanded their targeted ground operations into additional areas of southern Lebanon,” it said on Telegram.

“The brigade’s troops have established operational control of the area and continue to strike Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure sites in order to reinforce the forward defensive area.”

Israel has faced condemnation from world leaders for its continued strikes on Lebanon after the US-Iran ceasefire was signed yesterday. At least 254 people were killed in Beirut, the Lebanese capital, after the truce came into place.

Protesters have taken to the streets of major cities across the United States to condemn America’s involvement in the war on Iran, the day after a shaky ceasefire was brokered.

US Vice President J.D. Vance will lead a delegation to Pakistan where White House officials will hold direct talks with Iran even as continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon threaten to derail the fragile ceasefire struck yesterday.

Vance will be joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in Islamabad, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

The first round of talks is set for Saturday morning (Islamabad time), even as the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, falling short of a key US condition for the ceasefire and angering Trump.

Sporadic fighting continues throughout the region, including in Lebanon, where Israel launched its largest assault on the country since the start of the latest conflict, killing at least 254 people in 10 minutes, and prompting Iranian officials to say day-old truce had been violated.

Bloomberg