LIVETrump says Iran ceasefire and Strait of Hormuz deal could be reached within a weekLast updated: June 02, 2026 | 07:37Gulf News ReportDonald Trumpiran nuclear programmehezbollahIsraelLebanonUS-Israel-Iran warUS blockade tightens grip on Iran as ships diverted and tensions with Israel riseAFP US President Donald Trump said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend the ceasefire with Iran could be reached “over the next week.” He also said he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to pull troops back from Beirut and spoke with Hezbollah representatives, who agreed to halt attacks on Israeli forces. However, Netanyahu said Israel would continue striking if Hezbollah targets Israeli cities and that operations in southern Lebanon would proceed as planned. Lebanese officials meanwhile said Hezbollah had accepted a US-backed ceasefire proposal. Follow our live coverage for the latest updates.HighlightsSHOW MORE07:37 AM, 2 June 2026Asian stocks swing on mixed signals over Middle East
Equities fluctuated as investors assessed the likelihood of a Middle East peace agreement as US-Iran talks stuttered, while Donald Trump and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu gave mixed signals over ending Israel's attacks in Lebanon.While Wall Street ended with more tech-led records, traders took a breather in Asia following a recent strong run-up, with attention also turning to the release of US jobs data at the end of the week.With uncertainty continuing to hang over the crisis, Asian equity traders moved cautiously after a healthy, tech-fuelled run-up that has pushed some markets to record highs.Seoul, which has been at the forefront of the rally this year, dropped almost two percent, while Tokyo was off more than one percent, having also hit fresh new peaks.Shanghai, Sydney and Wellington were down, though there were gains in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta.That came on the back of records for all three main indexes on Wall Street that came as chip titan Nvidia rocketed more than six percent after unveiling a powerful laptop chip for Windows machines.Traders are also awaiting the release of key US jobs figures on Friday, which should provide a fresh snapshot of the US economy as rising energy prices sends inflation rising.They will also be the first under new Federal Reserve boss Kevin Warsh after he last month replaced Jerome Powell, who was constantly rebuked by Trump for not cutting interest rates enough.07:23 AM, 2 June 2026UN Security Council presses Israel over Lebanon escalationAt an emergency UN Security Council meeting on Monday, most members — with the exception of the United States — called for Israel to pull its forces out of southern Lebanon and avoid further escalation, according to The New York Times.The session, convened at France’s request, came amid rising tensions and mass displacement in Lebanon, where tens of thousands fled their homes as shelters became overcrowded following warnings of imminent Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs.The day also saw Israel advancing further into southern Lebanon, fuelling fears of a widening military operation and deepening panic across the country.Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.07:18 AM, 2 June 2026Iran warns US, Israel of severe consequences over Lebanon attacksEbrahim Azizi, chair of Iran’s parliamentary national security committee, has warned of serious repercussions for Israel and US forces in the region if Israeli strikes in Lebanon continue.In a post on X, he said: “If the attacks against Lebanon do not stop completely, the consequences will be severe for the Zionist regime and US forces in the region.”He added: “They are fully aware that this is not an empty threat, and we are prepared for a military response.”07:00 AM, 2 June 2026Israel military says intercepted projectiles from Lebanon
