Iran, Oman close to new Hormuz Strait shipping agreement

Iran and Oman are close to finalizing an agreement on new arrangements for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, under which the temporary northern and southern routes will be replaced by a new single route passing through Iran's territorial waters for two to four months, said a senior Iranian diplomat.

In an interview with the official news agency IRNA published on Wednesday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said the two sides had reached in-principle agreement on almost all relevant issues, including the entry and exit route map, following more than three weeks of consultations.

He said the potential agreement did not mean that the strait would be reopened completely.

Gharibabadi rejected US claims of negotiations with Iran, saying Tehran had received messages from Washington expressing readiness to return to commitments under the peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the two sides in June.

Meanwhile, an informed source close to the Iranian negotiating team told semi-official Fars news agency that the reopening of the strait hinges on tangible US implementation of its commitments, adding that the US Treasury Department's removal of sanctions on an Iraqi airline on Wednesday was unrelated to the Iran-US MoU.

The developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz come amid broader tensions across the Middle East, where diplomatic efforts and security challenges continue to unfold on multiple fronts.

Italian, Iranian FMs discuss Strait of Hormuz

According to the Italian Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi discussed Iran-Oman consultations over the phone.

Tajani said the situation in Lebanon was among the issues addressed during the telephone conversation.

Later, Iran's Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that Araghchi briefed Tajani on the latest developments in the diplomatic process between Iran and Oman during their call.

The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on the latest regional developments. They stressed the importance of maintaining political and diplomatic consultations, while calling for enhanced regional cooperation to help de-escalate tensions.

Israel strikes southern Lebanon amid Rome talks

One person was killed and 11 others were wounded on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a prayer hall in the southern Lebanese town of Tebnine in the Bint Jbeil district, Lebanon's National News Agency reported.

The agency confirmed that the casualties resulted from an Israeli airstrike, rejecting an earlier report that attributed the incident to the explosion of unexploded ordnance.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it launched new strikes in southern Lebanon, citing an alleged ceasefire violation by Hezbollah. It did not elaborate on the alleged violation.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli army issued an urgent evacuation warning to residents of Mansouri, a town in the Tyre district in southern Lebanon, urging them to leave the area immediately.

The strikes followed Lebanese media reports that Israeli soldiers had been injured earlier on Wednesday.

The tensions came a day after Israeli and Lebanese officials began three days of negotiations in Rome aimed at advancing security arrangements along their border and implementing a framework agreement reached in Washington in late June, according to local media. The talks, opposed by Hezbollah, are the seventh round of negotiations between the two governments.

Group of Israeli settlers illegally enter Lebanon

A group of about 10 settlement activists, all young women, illegally crossed into Lebanon from the border area near the village of Ghajar on Thursday afternoon, according to the Israeli military.

The Israel Defense Forces said that most of the activists had been located by troops and escorted back into Israel, while searches were continuing for the remaining members of the group.

The activists are expected to be handed over to police for questioning. They are members of the Uri Tzafon Movement, a Religious Zionist group that advocates establishing Jewish settlements in southern Lebanon, claiming the area is part of Jewish ancestral land.

Members of Uri Tzafon have carried out several unauthorized crossings into Lebanon in recent months, reportedly with backing from some coalition lawmakers.

Despite repeated incidents involving illegal entry into Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank, Israeli authorities have seldom brought charges against the settlement activists.

Houthis claim missile attack on Saudi oil tanker in Gulf of Aden

Yemen's Houthi group said on Wednesday it had targeted a Saudi oil tanker with a ballistic missile in the Gulf of Aden, several hours after claiming a separate missile attack on another Saudi tanker in the northern Red Sea.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the tanker, identified as "Daisy," was hit by a ballistic missile and "forced to turn back."

Sarea said the attack was part of the group's declared maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia under a "blockade-for-blockade" policy.

He said Houthi forces are closely monitoring Saudi oil tankers and will block their passage through the southern and northern Red Sea until what they call a blockade on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen is lifted.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a tanker reported hearing a loud explosion nearby while sailing in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen's southern coast on Wednesday, adding that all crew were safe.

Earlier in the day, the Houthis said they had targeted the Saudi oil tanker "Wafa" with several ballistic missiles off the Saudi port city of Yanbu in the northern Red Sea. Sarea called the strike "precise," without providing further details.

The latest claims come amid escalating tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. On July 20, the Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping in the Red Sea, citing an alleged Saudi blockade on Houthi-held areas.

The group has also claimed multiple attacks on Saudi-linked vessels, energy sites and airports, while the Saudi-led coalition has resumed limited airstrikes on key Houthi military targets in Yemen.

(With input from Xinhua)