US-Iran War News Highlights: Marco Rubio says US won’t do anything to undermine Gulf security

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington intends to work directly with the Lebanese government as diplomatic efforts continue to stabilise the region. "We're going to deal directly with the Lebanese government," Rubio said.

Addressing regional security, Rubio added that "You can't end hostilities in the region if Iranian proxies are launching missiles," he said.

Rubio also weighed in on discussions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. "No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway, that's existing international law," he said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Iran has unveiled the funeral schedule for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the opening phase of US and Israeli strikes earlier this year, reported Al Jazeera citing Iranian state media.

According to the report, the funeral ceremonies will begin in Tehran on July 4 and continue until July 6, before moving to the holy city of Qom for commemorative events on July 7. Khamenei will be buried on July 9 in Mashhad, his birthplace and one of the country's most important religious centres.

Iranian authorities have declared public holidays in Tehran during the main funeral events to facilitate public participation. Officials said they expect around 20 million people to attend the ceremonies in the capital.

The funeral was initially planned for March but was postponed because of the conflict that followed the US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

A man kisses the portrait of Irans late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, displayed for sale at a market ahead of the Islamic month of Muharram, in Srinagar on Monday. (ANI Photo)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has called for an end to what he described as Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon as a new round of US-mediated talks takes place in Washington.

In a statement published by the Lebanese presidency, Aoun said recent developments had validated Beirut's decision to pursue negotiations. "The developments of the past few days have proven the correctness of our choice to go to negotiation, for it is the only path relied upon at the level of the entire world to achieve national goals and restore all rights," he said.

Aoun expressed hope that the fifth round of talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials would be "decisive" in securing Lebanon's objectives, including the restoration of full sovereignty and state authority across its territory.

"Today we say that we will accept nothing less than the end of the Israeli occupation in southern Lebanon and the collapse of foreign mandates together," he said. Aoun added that the country's only path forward is through state institutions and national sovereignty.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

11 India-bound vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Iran finalised a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the conflict in West Asia, reported news agency PTI citing the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The MEA said it is closely monitoring developments in the region given the waterway's strategic importance to global energy supplies and trade. The update comes amid continuing discussions over navigation and security arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz following recent US-Iran negotiations.

The ministry noted that amid the US decision to suspend sanctions on Iranian petroleum products under the agreement, India's approach to energy procurement remains guided by national interest and that it will continue to assess developments as the diplomatic process unfolds.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, condemned the latest deadly shooting in southern Lebanon and warned that violations of the ceasefire could complicate ongoing negotiations.

Speaking to reporters, Bahreini said Lebanon is an integral part of the broader diplomatic framework and that developments on the ground could affect the entire process.

“Lebanon is an unquestionable part of the agreement, and whatever happens in Lebanon affects the whole process,” he said.

The Iranian envoy also called on the United States to use its influence over Israel. “It is the United States that should use all its leverage against Israel to make it stop attacks against Lebanon,” he added.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

A man with a Hezbollah flag drives past a damaged building following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in the town of Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, Monday, June 22. (AP Photo)

A man walks past a welcoming billboard featuring Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, center, with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, right, and Shehbaz Sharif along a roadside in Islamabad, Pakistan, Tuesday, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo)

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for an official visit to Pakistan, according to the CNN. The Iranian delegation was received by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials.

The visit comes a day after Pakistan and Qatar said the latest round of US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland had produced encouraging progress, including agreement on a roadmap towards a broader deal.

In a statement, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the two countries share "strong brotherly ties" rooted in history, faith and culture, and extended a warm welcome to the Iranian delegation.

The visit is expected to focus on bilateral cooperation, regional developments, implementation of understandings reached during recent diplomacy and Pakistan's continuing role in facilitating dialogue between Tehran and Washington.

(With inputs from CNN)

(Photo: X/@ForeignOfficePk)

Hezbollah said Israeli forces opened fire on a group of civilians in southern Lebanon, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire, reported Al Arabiya English.

The group said civilians came under fire in the south of the country, where tensions have persisted despite efforts to maintain a truce and ongoing diplomatic initiatives involving the United States and regional mediators.

The allegation follows earlier reports from Lebanon that two people were killed in the Nabatieh al-Fawqa area. Israel's military has maintained that its forces are acting against threats near troops deployed in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah has repeatedly accused Israel of breaching the ceasefire, while Israeli officials insist their forces retain freedom of action against what they describe as immediate security threats.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed developments in southern Lebanon and the wider region following recent US-Iran talks in Switzerland.

According to the Lebanese presidency, the two leaders reviewed the situation in southern Lebanon after the ceasefire announcement and discussed possible next steps to help preserve stability.

A key focus of the conversation was the future of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), whose mandate is set to expire as the mission approaches the end of its operations in Lebanon at the start of 2027.

The Lebanese presidency said several European countries have expressed interest in maintaining forces in the international operational area following UNIFIL's withdrawal, a proposal supported by Beirut.

Macron said France would consult with partner countries and work to establish "the necessary framework for any international participation" before the withdrawal deadline.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron (right). (Photos: AP)

Iran and Oman have established a joint committee to discuss issues related to the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said following talks in Muscat, CNN reported.

Posting on Telegram, Qalibaf said the committee was formed during the Iranian delegation's visit to Oman and that further details would be announced in a joint statement, as per the report.

Earlier, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said he held "constructive discussions" with Qalibaf on the recent US-Iran memorandum of understanding, particularly provisions related to the Strait of Hormuz. "We affirmed commitment to international law and toll-free safe passage," Albusaidi said in a post on X.

The development comes as shipping companies remain cautious about transiting the waterway amid uncertainty over the implementation of the US-Iran agreement and concerns about maritime security.

Traffic through Hormuz has gradually increased in recent days, though it remains below pre-conflict levels. Iran and the US have also agreed to establish a hotline for the strait aimed at preventing and resolving misunderstandings involving vessels passing through the chokepoint.

(With inputs from CNN)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (left) and Iran's Parliamentary Speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf during high level peace talks with the US in Switzerland on June 21.

The Israeli military said it carried out a strike in the Ali al-Taher area of southern Lebanon, claiming the targets were fighters who posed a threat to Israeli soldiers operating in the area, Al Jazeera reported.

In a statement, the military said it had "struck armed terrorists" near its forces and would continue acting against what it described as immediate threats, the report said.

Ali al-Taher is located in the Nabatieh al-Fawqa area, where Lebanon's state-run National News Agency earlier reported that two people were killed by Israeli forces.

The strike comes amid continued tensions in southern Lebanon despite ongoing ceasefire efforts and US-led diplomatic initiatives aimed at preventing a renewed escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Islamabad for an official visit, Al Jazeera reported citing Iran's state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.

Araghchi travelled to Pakistan after a visit to Oman, where he held talks with Omani officials on regional issues, including the Strait of Hormuz. He was received in Islamabad by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other senior officials.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is also expected in Pakistan as part of the visit, which comes days after US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland and amid Islamabad's growing role in regional diplomacy.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, left, shakes hands with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prior to a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran, Pakistan and Qatar at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, Sunday June 21. (AP Photo)

A second person has died after being shot by Israeli forces in the southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, reported Al Jazeera citing Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.

The agency reported that the man succumbed to injuries sustained in an earlier shooting, bringing the death toll from the incident to two.

The deaths come amid continued tensions in southern Lebanon despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to preserve a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

A woman collects her kids toys and belongings from her destroyed house following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in the village of Maifadoun, southern Lebanon, Monday, June 22. (AP Photo)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel must reduce its reliance on US military support and build a stronger domestic arms industry to confront future security challenges, The Times of Israel reported.

Speaking to reserve combat officers in Gush Etzion in the West Bank, Netanyahu said Israel needs “its own independent weapons-production system” and must manufacture more of its own armaments.

“I greatly appreciate the support we have received from our American friends. But today I say: We need our own independent weapons-production system. We must manufacture our own armaments,” he said.

Netanyahu linked the push for military self-sufficiency to Israel’s ongoing confrontation with Iran and allied groups across the region.

“We are now confronting Iran and its proxies. We have struck them hard. It is not over yet, but it depends on our strength,” he said.

(With inputs from The Times of Israel)