Israel and Lebanon united in push to curb Iran’s influence, Israeli envoy says

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that "no tangible progress" been made in negotiations with the United States aimed at ending the regional conflict, according to remarks carried by IRGC affiliated Tasnim News.

Araghchi said communication channels with Washington remain open and messages have been exchanged regarding the need to halt attacks on Beirut. However, he said the diplomatic process had yet to produce concrete results.

A US F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over Iran in April was likely hit by a Chinese-made shoulder-fired missile, according to media reports citing US officials. The National Interest reported this in an article published on Wednesday.

NBC News reported, citing three people familiar with the matter, that investigators believe the aircraft may have been struck by a Chinese-manufactured man-portable air defense system (MANPADS).

China denied supplying military assistance to Iran, with its embassy rejecting what it called “groundless smears and ill-intentioned associations.”

US intelligence officials however reportedly assessed that Beijing may be preparing to transfer additional air defense systems to Tehran through third parties, though details of any such transfers remain unclear, the report added.

The United States, Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire framework during the fourth round of US-led trilateral talks held on June 2–3, 2026, according to a joint statement released on Wednesday.

The agreement stipulates that the ceasefire is contingent on a complete halt to Hezbollah fire and the withdrawal of all Hezbollah operatives from the South Litani sector. It also outlines plans to establish pilot zones where the Lebanese Armed Forces would assume exclusive control, excluding all non-state actors.

The statement said the steps are intended to pave the way toward a broader security and peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon, with all sides committing to continued negotiations under US mediation.

All parties also condemned regional instability and Iran’s activities in the Middle East, including support for proxy groups, according to the statement.

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved legislation seeking to compel President Donald Trump to end the Iran war, in a move Democrats and war-powers advocates framed as an effort to reassert congressional authority over the conflict, The Hill reported.

The measure passed by a 215-208 vote, with four Republicans - Representatives Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett and Warren Davidson - joining all Democrats in support.

The resolution, a concurrent measure, is largely symbolic, and its legal effect remains contested.

Persian Gulf oil producers are discussing new pipeline projects that would allow crude exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz if disruptions to shipping persist, according to comments from a senior Kuwaiti oil executive reported by the Financial Times.

Sheikh Khaled Ahmad Al-Sabah, managing director of international marketing at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, said Kuwait was in talks with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates about potential pipeline routes that could connect Persian Gulf oil production to export terminals outside the strategic waterway.

The report said Kuwait is also discussing potential oil storage facilities in Oman on the other side of the strait. Saudi Arabia and the UAE already operate pipelines that allow some oil exports to bypass Hormuz, but new projects would be needed to accommodate other producers.