Iran-Israel War LIVE: Trump Signals Endgame, But Fighting Shows No Signs of Slowing

Iran-Israel War LIVE: Trump Signals Endgame, But Fighting Shows No Signs of Slowing

AP

Washington : Hopes rose that the Iran war could begin winding down as US President Donald Trump claimed that his government was holding productive talks with Tehran, but fighting showed no signs of slowing and Iran denied there were talks.

Trump extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, saying the US will hold off striking Iranian power plants for five more days to allow US envoys to hold talks with a “respected” Iranian leader.

Iranian officials said that the American leader had backed down “following Iran’s firm warning”.

Israeli strikes near Beirut kill 2, hit targets in southern Lebanon

March 24, 2026 1:07 pm

Dubai: An Israeli strike early Tuesday on a residential apartment in Bchamoun, around 10 kilometres southeast of Beirut, killed at least two people, according to an initial toll from the Lebanese Health Ministry. The strike wounded five others, the ministry added. The strike came without warning and hit an area outside Beirut's southern suburbs, where the Israeli military had previously issued evacuation notices. AP

Israel issues sixth missile warning on Tuesday

March 24, 2026 1:07 pm

Dubai: Israel issued another missile warning to the public for Iranian fire, the sixth warning since midnight on Tuesday. AP

Iran must think wisely' over Trump's comments about talks

March 24, 2026 1:05 pm

Dubai: A member of Iran's Parliament has warned that his nation must "think wisely" about US President Donald Trump saying talks were ongoing between Tehran and Washington. AP

South Korea to increase nuclear, coal power generation

March 24, 2026 1:04 pm

Dubai: South Korea says it will expand operations at nuclear and coal-fired power plants to reduce natural gas consumption. Kim Sungwhan, the climate and energy minister, said Tuesday that 15 of the country's 26 nuclear reactors are currently in operation and five of 11 reactors now undergoing maintenance will likely be back online by May. Kim said officials also will temporarily ease emissions-related restrictions on coal-fired plants to allow them to increase output on clear days. AP

Iran foreign minister holds talks

March 24, 2026 1:04 pm

Dubai: Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi since Monday has been talking with his counterparts in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Turkey and Turkmenistan, his office confirmed. AP

Dollar stands tall as markets turn cautious on Middle East war

March 24, 2026 11:27 am

Hong Kong: The dollar firmed slightly on Tuesday as investor sentiment turned cautious, with the war in the Middle East raging on and markets sceptical of a swift resolution even though U.S. President Donald Trump delayed the bombing of Iran's power grid. Reuters

Iran sceptical of Trump's motives in deadline extension

March 24, 2026 11:23 am

Dubai: Trump initially set a deadline of late Monday, Washington time, for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants, but on Monday he gave Tehran five more days to comply. Iran has allowed a small number of ships through the strait, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, but has said it will continue to target vessels linked to the US, Israel or its allies. Its leaders are wary of Washington's motives, in part because Tehran was in negotiations with the US before the surprise attack that started the war. Iran had also been in talks last year when the US and Israel attacked its nuclear facilities, starting a 12-day war. Trump's extension of the deadline comes as a contingent of thousands of Marines is on the way to the area, raising speculation that the US may try to seize Kharg Island, which is off of Iran's coast and vital to the country's oil network. 

The US bombed the island in the Persian Gulf more than a week ago, hitting its defences but saying it had left oil infrastructure intact. Iran has threatened if the US appears to be on the verge of landing troops it could mine the Persian Gulf, which would complicate an amphibious assault and also imperil all shipping in the area. The delay could be timed to coincide with the arrival of US Marines in the region, expected Friday, wrote the New York-based think tank the Soufan Centre in an analysis. "As Trump has in the past, he could be moving military assets into place, in this case to prepare for an invasion and seizure of Kharg Island, while using negotiations as a cover until those assets are fully combat-ready." However, the centre also noted that "Trump could be actively seeking an offramp. Whether Iran reciprocates is yet to be seen." Trump has said he has no plans to send ground forces into Iran but has not ruled it out. Israel has suggested its ground forces could take part in the war. AP

Iran hits Israel and Gulf neighbours

March 24, 2026 11:21 am

Dubai: Iran fired three waves of missiles at Israel early Tuesday, with reports of an impact in the country's north, the Israeli Home Front Command said. AP

US to continue Iran strikes, pause applies only to energy sites, Semafor reports

March 24, 2026 10:37 am

Bengaluru: The US will continue its strikes on Iran, with the pause applying only to attacks on Tehran's energy sites, Semafor reported on Monday, citing a US official, during what President Donald Trump has described as "productive" talks with unidentified Iranian officials. "The stop on attacks for five days is only on their energy sites," a US official told Semafor. "It is not on the military sites and the navy, and the ballistic missiles, and the defense industrial base. The initial initiatives of (Operation) Epic Fury will continue," he told the news agency. Reuters

Shares jittery, oil rebounds as fragile relief rally sours

March 24, 2026 10:18 am

Singapore: Stocks were on tenterhooks and oil prices rose in choppy trade on Tuesday as US President Donald Trump's postponement of the bombing of Iran's power grid proved no panacea for investors worried about the ramifications of the Middle East war. US Treasury yields pushed higher and the dollar regained lost ground, in a retracement of the relief rally that swept markets overnight after Trump added five days to his Saturday ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, citing "productive" talks Tehran. Much uncertainty remained as the world continues to grapple with an energy shock while Iran denied that it had engaged in negotiations with the US. Reuters

Airlines cancel more flights as Middle East conflict escalates

March 24, 2026 10:15 am

Global air travel remains severely disrupted after the war in Iran forced the closure of major Middle Eastern hubs, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, stranding tens of thousands of passengers. Reuters

Australia, EU seal long-awaited trade deal amid global trade tensions

March 24, 2026 8:34 am

Sydney: Australia and the European Union signed a trade deal on Tuesday that was eight years in the making, removing tariffs for almost all European goods and for nearly all exports of Australian critical minerals. The agreement comes after both sides stepped up talks in the wake of significantly higher U.S. tariffs under the Trump administration. The two sides also signed an agreement to boost security and defence ties. "The EU and Australia may be geographically far apart but we couldn't be closer in terms of how we see the world," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. "With these dynamic new partnerships on security and defence, as well as trade, we are moving even closer together." The agreement will remove over 99% of tariffs on EU goods exports to Australia, cutting 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) a year in duties for companies. EU exports to Australia are now expected to grow by up to 33% over the next decade. Reuters

Trump's claim of US, Iran talking elicits market cheers, plenty of scepticism

March 24, 2026 8:28 am

Washington: President Donald Trump started the fourth week of his war against Iran by offering the world some guarded optimism that the US could soon be winding operations down. While markets cheered the claim, Iranian officials dismissed as a ploy to buy time for a conflict that is causing economic pain around the globe. AP

Israeli jets pound Beirut's southern suburbs

March 24, 2026 8:08 am

Dubai: The Israeli military carried out overnight strikes on multiple neighbourhoods in Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday, saying it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. No injuries were immediately reported. Low-flying jets were heard over the city as the strikes took place. AP

Impact reported in northern Israel after missile warning

March 24, 2026 8:08 am

Dubai: Search and rescue teams operated at a site in northern Israel following reports of an impact, the Home Front Command said early Tuesday. The public was urged to avoid gathering in the area. The statement came some time after the Israeli military warned that missiles had been launched from Iran