Iran-US war latest: US denies Tehran claim that warship struck by missiles as tensions rise in Strait of Hormuz

We earlier heard from US treasury secretary Scott Bessent, who was speaking about US efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz, and called for China’s assistance.

In the interview, Mr Bessent added that gas prices are affecting Americans but they are expected to come down quickly when the conflict of Iran ends.

The US is opening of the Strait of Hormuz and help is on the way, Mr Bessent said in an interview with Fox News.

A Spirit pilot was left “overwhelmed” by a rival airline’s gesture after his final flight before retirement was cancelled.

The airline found itself in bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in less than two years with jet fuel prices soaring because of the Iran war.

The Israeli military has ordered residents to evacuate the municipalities of Qana, Debaal, Qaaqaait al-Jisr and Srifa in southern Lebanon.

Those asked to flee must move at least 1,000m away from their residences to open areas, the Israeli military said this morning.

The warning comes after reports that Israeli forces bombed the towns of Khiam and Qantara overnight.

Israeli forces also dropped flares over Braachit during the night and shelled the outskirts of the towns of Safad El Battikh, Yater, Majdel Selm, and Chaitiyeh, according to state media.

European nations have “gotten the message” from Donald Trump and are now ensuring that agreements on the use of military bases are being implemented, Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said on Monday.

Trump has accused some Nato nations of not doing enough to support the United States in the Iran war, and announced on Friday plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany.

“Yes, there has been some disappointment from the US side, but Europeans have listened,” Mr Rutte told reporters at a European Political Community summit in Armenia.

“They are now making sure that all the bilateral basing agreements are being implemented,” he said.

Nato member Spain has said that military bases on its territory cannot be used for the war with Iran.

But Mr Rutte said other Nato countries such as Montenegro, Croatia, Romania, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Britain, France and Germany were implementing requests for the use of bases and other logistical support.

A brutal new poll shows America disapproving of President Donald Trump on several key issues – and slamming the president for his handling of rising prices.

Sunday’s Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll shows Trump underwater on several key issues. On the Iran war, 66 percent disapprove of his handling compared to 33 percent who approve.

But it was the economy where Trump is now being hammered with high disapproval ratings.

We’ve reported in the last few days about the urgent hospitalisation of imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi.

Ms Mohammadi requires urgent specialised medical care to treat a life-threatening heart condition, her brother has now said.

She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while in prison for her campaign to advance women’s rights and abolish the death penalty in Iran.

In late March, she suffered a suspected heart attack and was taken to a hospital in northwestern Iran on May 1 amid rapidly deteriorating health, her family has said.

“She is suffering from terrible headaches, nausea and chest pain. That is what we are very worried about, her heart,” her brother Hamidreza Mohammadi said in an interview from his home in Norway.

The provincial hospital where she is being treated cannot provide her adequate care, he said.

We’ve heard from German foreign minister Johann Wadephul, who has expressed confidence that there would not be any shortfall in Nato’s deterrence capability in Europe.

His comments came after Washington announced that it would be drawing down troops in Germany.

“We must understand this as a renewed call to develop and deploy our own capabilities more quickly. There is absolutely no way around it,” said Mr Wadephul at a press conference in Athens.

Berlin needs to seek close dialogue with the US on which decisions have definitely been taken, he added.

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates sent an emergency phone alert on Monday warning of potential missile threats.

The warning asked residents to immediately seek a safe place and await further instructions, witnesses said.

A second message was sent soon afterwards to declare that the situation was safe and residents can resume normal activities.

It was the first alert to be sent by the authorities in recent weeks.

We’ve heard from US treasury secretary Scott Bessent, who has been speaking to Fox News.

He says that Washington will be watching to see whether China steps up its diplomatic efforts to pressure Iran into opening the Strait of Hormuz.

He told the US channel’s ‘America’s Newsroom’ that he would urge the Chinese government to assist in US efforts to open the Strait – a call that has previously been made by other officials in the US.

Germany has said that there had been no “definitive cancellation” by the US of a plan devised under former president Joe Biden to deploy a battalion with long-range ​Tomahawk missiles to Germany.

The comment comes after Washington announced last week that it would reduce its military presence in ⁠Germany by 5,000 soldiers, which was widely interpreted to include cancellation of the planned deployment of weapons.

“We’re not talking about a definitive cancellation,” the defence ministry spokesperson said, adding that the weapons were “meant to be stationed (in Germany) and may well still be.”

He said that in any case, there were already plans underway by European nations to procure weapons systems that would fill the gap.

The Pentagon announced the drawdown from Germany, its largest European base, on Friday, ‌as a rift over the Iran war and tariff tensions placed further strain on relations between the U.S. and Europe.

The long-range ​fires had been due to form a significant extra element of deterrence against Russia while Europeans developed such long-range missiles themselves.