President Donald Trump has ranted about “grandstanding” Republicans after the House of Representatives voted to block strikes on Iran on Wednesday.
“Who would do such an unpatriotic thing.,” he fumed in a Truth Social post on Thursday. “They know where the negotiations stand. The Democrats are fueled by Trump Derangement Syndrome. They would rather have our Country fail than give me another, of many, victories. The four Republicans, that’s a whole other story - They’re GRANDSTANDERS! They should be ashamed of themselves. MAGA!!! President DJT”.
Republicans joined Democrats in the US House of Representatives to pass a resolution limiting Donald Trump's war powers. The resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, but still needs approval from the Republican-controlled Senate. The vote is largely symbolic and is likely to be ignored by the White House.
Israel said it will continue operations in Lebanon despite a ceasefire and Lebanese residents forced to flee will not be able to return, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said on Thursday.
The ceasefire contingent on Hezbollah’s surrender had been announced in a joint statement after representatives from all three countries met on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Key Points
- Trump rants about ‘grandstanding’ Republicans after they vote to block him striking Iran
- Israel to continue operations in Lebanon for now despite ceasefire, defence minister says
- Hezbollah rejects US-Lebanon deal
- Israel and Lebanon agree to ceasefire amid escalation in fighting
- Trump confirms he called Netanyahu crazy
- Israeli strikes kill eight in Gaza city
Hezbollah rejects new ceasefire in Lebanon
17:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
The pro-Iran Hezbollah movement has rejected a new ceasefire in Lebanon and Israel said it would not withdraw troops from the country, undermining US President Donald Trump's efforts to halt fighting there to forge peace with Tehran.
Iran has made a ceasefire in Lebanon a condition for any peace deal with Washington, and has suggested in recent days that it could intervene directly in support of its proxy Hezbollah if Israel keeps up or escalates attacks there.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said the ceasefire would come into force within 24 hours of all concerned parties approving it. However, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the Washington declaration, insisting "resistance will continue".
Watch: Kuwait releases footage of 'brutal Iranian drone attack' on airport terminal
16:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
Oil execs warn Trump that Iran war will cause gas prices to spike within weeks due to dwindling supplies: report
16:00 , Maira Butt
Several oil industry executives have reportedly privately warned the White House that the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz is straining global oil inventories and could lead to gas price spikes in the coming weeks.
For more than three months, Americans have been forced to confront high gas prices as a result of President Donald Trump’s war with Iran. The conflict has disrupted global oil production because Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 34 percent of the world’s oil passes.
But executives from unidentified oil companies have warned senior administration officials in recent weeks that they’re concerned prices could rise further as a result of diminishing oil supplies, four executives told Politico.
Oil execs warn Trump that gas prices could spike due to dwindling supplies: report
Exclusive: Trump spins ‘meaningless, unpatriotic’ Iran war powers rebuke after House Republicans revolt against his authority
15:30 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump on Thursday slammed Congress’ efforts to restrain him from launching new attacks against Iran without their approval and said he wasn’t concerned about the Senate joining the House of Representatives in adopting a resolution invoking the 1973 War Powers Act against him.
In a brief phone interview with The Independent, Trump said he was “not concerned” about the legislation to rein him in following a close House of Representatives vote to do the same a day earlier.
“It's a meaningless, unpatriotic waste of time, very unpatriotic to do, but that's okay — it means nothing,” he said.
Trump spins ‘meaningless, unpatriotic’ Iran war powers rebuke after House GOP revolt
Marjane Satrapi, Iranian-French cartoonist and filmmaker behind Persepolis, ‘dies of sadness’ aged 56
15:00 , Maira Butt
Marjane Satrapi, the acclaimed Iranian-French cartoonist and filmmaker behind the 2007 drama Persepolis, has died at the age of 56.
In a statement, the French presidency hailed her passing as “the loss of a leading figure of French culture and an artist devoted to freedom, whose work carried a universal message and earned her immense international acclaim”.
President Emmanuel Macron and his wife also paid tribute, saying that she was “a remarkable artist who transformed an Iranian childhood into a universal fable”.
Filmmaker behind Persepolis ‘dies of sadness’ aged 56
Watch: Trump claims US military 'wants to' wipe out' all of Iran and is 'ready to do it'
14:30 , Maira Butt
In pictures: Aftermath of Israeli strikes on Lebanon
14:00 , Maira Butt
House Republicans join Democrats in rebuke to Trump’s Iran war powers
13:30 , Maira Butt
Republicans joined Democrats in the US House of Representatives to pass a resolution limiting Donald Trump's war powers. The resolution passed by a vote of 215 to 208, but still needs approval from the Republican-controlled Senate. The vote is largely symbolic and is likely to be ignored by the White House.
Read the full story below:
House Republicans join Democrats in rebuke to Trump’s Iran war powers
Hezbollah hits out at Israeli negotiations as 'shameless'
13:13 , Maira Butt
Lebanon’s Hezbollah chief has called Washington’s announcements of a ceasefire as a “roadmap to annihilate part of the Lebanese people” since it is the closest thing to a rejection.
He called negotiations with Israel “shameless”.
Trump rants about ‘grandstanding’ Republicans after they vote to block him striking Iran
12:54 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump has ranted about “grandstanding” Republicans after the House of Representatives voted to block strikes on Iran on Wednesday.
“Yesterday, in a meaningless vote, the House voted, 4 bad Republicans and all of the Dumocrats, to limit my War Powers, right in the middle of my final negotiations to end the War with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he wrote in a Truth Social post on Thursday.
“Who would do such an unpatriotic thing. They know where the negotiations stand. The Democrats are fueled by Trump Derangement Syndrome. They would rather have our Country fail than give me another, of many, victories. The four Republicans, that’s a whole other story - They’re GRANDSTANDERS! They should be ashamed of themselves. MAGA!!! President DJT”.
Iran says Hezbollah seeks Israeli withdrawal to pre-war positions in Lebanon
12:30 , Maira Butt
Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force Commander Esmail Qaani has said that the baseline demand in Lebanon is for Israel to withdraw to positions it held prior to the start of the US-Israel war on Iran, according to state media.
He added that Lebanese fighters would soon see the results of their resistance and said supporting the resistance in Lebanon was the duty of all Muslims.
Trump’s approval rating hits another new low on 500th day back in the White House
12:00 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump marks the 500th day of his second term in the White House Thursday, but the milestone coincides with a poll showing his approval rating at a new low.
The latest survey from The Economist and YouGov places Trump’s net approval rating at -25, down 1.1 points in a week, and reveals that only 35 percent of the American public approves of the job he is doing in the Oval Office, with a massive 60 percent disapproving and the remaining 5 percent unsure.
The news magazine explains that the results make the president the most unpopular U.S. commander-in-chief since it began polling in 2009.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
Trump’s approval rating hits another new low on 500th day back in the White House
Iranian drone strike ignites huge fireball at Kuwait airport
11:30 , Maira Butt
Noopur Jambhekar reports:
Kuwait officials released footage that they say shows Iranian drones striking Kuwait International Airport on Wednesday (3 June).
Video shows an Iranian drone hitting the roof of the terminal, which erupts in flames.
Kuwaiti authorities and state media said one person was killed and more than 60 others were injured.
The attack caused "severe damage" to the Terminal 1 building, the state news agency reported, citing the General Civil Aviation Authority.
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards said they did not fire at the airport, blaming the destruction on US interceptor missiles that failed to hit their targets, according to Iranian state media.
US military officials said that was not accurate and that Iranian drones targeted the airport deliberately.
Trump’s Iran gamble leaves him trapped between hawks and voters
11:00 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump finds himself increasingly cornered by both adversaries and allies over the protracted Iran conflict, a military engagement he initially presented as a swift incursion but which has since devolved into a stubborn stalemate.
The situation has grown particularly tense following a tentative agreement nearly a week ago between U.S. and Iranian negotiators to extend a ceasefire by 60 days and initiate new talks on Iran’s nuclear program, an accord awaiting Trump’s final approval.
However, Trump has demanded unspecified alterations to the agreement. Iranian officials, perhaps calculating that the Republican president is hesitant to resume bombardment after depleting key weapons systems, are showing no inclination to concede to these new demands.
Trump’s Iran gamble leaves him trapped between hawks and voters
How Iran’s ‘bazaar style’ negotiation tactic is stalling deal discussions to its benefit
10:35 , Maira Butt
Negotiations between the US and Iran over an end to the war on the country have been languishing in a stalemate for weeks as both sides remain intransigent about key issues including nuclear development and the situation in Lebanon.
The US is insistent that Tehran surrender its right to ever develop highly enriched uranium and appears to have been manoeuvring to install a government more sympathetic to Western interests.
Meanwhile, Iran has said that it will never agree to a deal that does not ensure the sovereignty of Lebanon and its borders from Israel - with Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon continuing - and has insisted on its ability to hold on to some nuclear development capabilities.
How Iran’s ‘bazaar style’ negotiation tactic is stalling deal discussions
Hezbollah rejects Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement
10:09 , Maira Butt
Hezbollah has told Lebanon’s president that it rejects a ceasefire agreement between the country and Israel.
The group demanded that Israel withdraw completely from Lebanon.
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz has said that strikes on the country, including Beirut, will continue in the fighting.
Ben-Gvir calls Lebanon ceasefire a 'serious mistake'
09:27 , Maira Butt
Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Thursday called the ceasefire a “serious mistake” and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should bring it to the cabinet for a vote.
Ben-Gvir said that Hezbollah would not withdraw its fighters from the area south of the Litani River and that the Lebanese Armed Forces were incapable of forcing Hezbollah to comply.
“The Lebanese state is a partner of Hezbollah,” he said. “In practice, Hezbollah will only grow stronger, and instead of defeating it, Israel is accepting its very existence.”
Iran's Khamenei warns against divisions after 'enemy's defeat on battlefield'
08:59 , Maira Butt
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that Iran's enemies, having been defeated on the battlefield, are now seeking to undermine public resilience and sow internal divisions in a message to the nation read on his behalf on Thursday.
Khamenei called for national unity in the face of those threats and said any action that created pessimism or frustration among the public amounted to helping the enemy.
The message was read during ceremonies marking the anniversary of the death of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ruhollah Khomeini, as well as a major Shi'ite holiday.
Khamenei has not been seen in public since he was injured in a US-Israeli strike that killed his father on 28 February.
Trump says definition of ceasefire is different in Middle East
08:27 , Maira Butt
President Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed questions on whether the shaky ceasefire with Iran is holding by suggesting that the definition of a ceasefire is different in the Middle East region.
Asked whether the ceasefire is still in place after Iran fired missiles against targets in Kuwait, Trump replied that there was “a reason” for the exchange of fire.
“We've been hitting them pretty hard, a little bit, so there is a reason for certain things, and there's usually a reason that sometimes makes sense. Some, but they did something for not a big deal. We got it, we nipped it in the bud very quickly, as we do with the greatest military in the world, but some people would say they were slightly provoked because we took a strong action for a different reason, so they were reciprocating,” he said.
The Independent’s White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:
Trump describes Iran ceasefire as ‘shooting in a moderate manner’
Watch: US House votes to limit Trump’s war powers
07:54 , Maira Butt
Israel to continue operations in Lebanon for now despite ceasefire, defence minister says
07:28 , Maira Butt
Israel will continue its operations on the ground in southern Lebanon for the time being and Lebanese residents forced from their homes by Israel would not be able to return, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday.
His comments came a day after Lebanon and Israel said they had agreed to implement a ceasefire during talks in Washington. The deal is contingent on a cessation of fire from militant group Hezbollah.
In a statement, Katz said troops would remain in its so-called security zone in southern Lebanon, including in the area of Beaufort Castle, a 900-year-old fortress captured by Israel on Saturday.
He said Israel would continue to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the area” while Israel had “freedom of action, backed by the United States, to strike in Beirut in response to attacks on Israeli communities and territory.”
Watch: Kuwait releases footage of 'brutal Iranian drone attack' on airport terminal
07:10 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Inflation and ICE fears threaten to dampen World Cup economic benefits in US
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
When the U.S. last hosted the World Cup in 1994, the event drew unexpectedly large crowds. At that time, football wasn’t as popular among Americans as it is now, so expectations for attendance had been fairly low.
So as the U.S. prepared to host the World Cup again in 2026, expectations for tourism were high.
But in the run-up to this year’s World Cup, the ongoing war in Iran has resulted in soaring inflation and high fuel prices, neither of which bodes well for tourism or event attendance.
Recent tourism reports indicate there will be fewer hotel reservations than anticipated due to reduced international travel confidence and a growing uncertainty related to U.S. immigration policies, geopolitical instability, tariffs and inflation.
More here.
Inflation and ICE fears threaten to dampen World Cup economic benefits
House Republicans join Democrats in rebuke to Trump’s Iran war powers
06:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
A handful of Republicans joined Democrats on Wednesday and bucked President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson to rein in the president’s power to further prosecute his war in Iran.
The House passed the War Powers Act resolution 215-208. The move came after four Republicans defected to the Democratic side.
Under U.S. law, the president must withdraw troops within 60 days of a military engagement unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of military force. The president must also inform Congress within 48 of committing armed forces into action.
More here.
House Republicans join Democrats in rebuke to Trump’s Iran war powers
Israeli strikes kill eight in Gaza city
06:31 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Israeli attacks in Gaza killed at least eight people, the civil defence agency in the Hamas-run Strip said.“At least eight martyrs as a result of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City at dawn,” spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal told AFP.
He said seven were killed in strikes on residential buildings and one in the Al-Shati refugee camp to the west of Gaza City
Iran’s fortress island with an underground ‘missile city’ threatening US troops in Hormuz
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The US military launched fresh strikes on a fortified Iranian island near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday as diplomacy slowed and Iran restarted attacks on its neighbours.
US Central Command said the military attacked a ground control tower on Qeshm Island in “self-defence”, claiming Iran had tried and failed to attack Kuwait and Bahrain with missiles.
Residents reported hearing early morning explosions on the 558sq mile stretch off the mainland, which has been used throughout the conflict to attack ships passing through the closed waterway.
More here.
Inside Qeshm: How Iran’s fortress island holds the key to the Strait of Hormuz
Funeral held for victims of Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon
06:13 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Trump does not commit to timeline for ending Iran war
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US president Donald Trump has remained noncommittal about a timeline for settling the Iran conflict, saying the Strait of Hormuz might stay blocked through the Labour Day holiday on 7 September.
He has insisted that Iran stop any efforts that could lead to a nuclear weapon and that the strait be reopened for shipments of oil and natural gas."I don't know. I mean, I think it could be (closed through Labour Day), but I think it's unlikely. I think that we'll have it. I think this will resolve itself fairly quickly," Trump said.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his late father, is "involved" in peace talks, Trump added."They have a lot of respect for him," the president said.
Oil falls as Lebanon and Israel agree to implement ceasefire
05:39 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Oil prices eased this morning as Israel and Lebanon's ceasefire agreement boosted hopes for a broader deal to end the US-Israeli war with Iran, while the US House approved a resolution seeking to curb president Donald Trump's war powers.
Brent futures were down 67 cents, or 0.69 per cent, at $97.14 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 62 cents, or 0.65 per cent, to $95.4.
Bahrain arrests 15 for 'working for Iran'
05:28 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Bahrain has arrested 15 people for allegedly working as field operatives for Iran's Revolutionary Guard, the home ministry said.
The suspects have been accused of carrying out incitement directives aimed at influencing citizens, particularly the youth, and pushing them towards illegal activities, the ministry added.
Trump 'tells aides he will end Iran ceasefire if Tehran kills US troops'
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
President Donald Trump has told aides privately that he would consider ending the ceasefire with Iran if Tehran kills American troops, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Trump's remarks on avoid renewal of a full-scale war comes as the US and Iran traded a series of air strikes over the past week, testing an already fragile ceasefire between both nations.
"The president’s reluctance to reignite the war suggests he might be willing to withstand smaller flare-ups for weeks—or even months—to avoid a broader conflict in the Middle East," the WSJ reported.
Trump confirms he called Netanyahu crazy
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US president Donald Trump has acknowledged calling Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu "crazy" in an expletive-filled phone exchange over fighting in Lebanon, while the US was trying to negotiate an end to hostilities with Iran.
In an interview broadcast yesterday, Trump was asked whether he had called the longtime Israeli leader "effing crazy" and accused him of ingratitude, paraphrasing a report by Axios.
"I did," Trump told the "Pod Force One" podcast. "I wouldn't say angry. I was a little bit perturbed at his constantly fighting with Lebanon, you know."Trump went on to say he and Netanyahu get along very well.
According to the Axios report, which cited an unidentified US official, Trump said to Netanyahu in a call on Monday: "You're f****** crazy. You'd be in prison if it weren't for me. I'm saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this."
Trump said in the interview: "At some point, I said, Bibi, we got to stop this. We got to stop it."
Trump says ‘there would be no Israel’ if not for him after clash with Netanyahu
04:30 , Maira Butt
Donald Trump has claimed that “there would be no Israel” if not for him, as he denied he had been “tricked” into the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The US president and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently had a furious call over the war, according to an Axios report, with Trump said to have called his counterpart “crazy”.
In a wide-ranging interview with the conservative podcast Pod Force One released on Wednesday, Trump pushed back at suggestions he had been manoeuvred into starting the war three months ago.
“I’m the one that started it”, the president insisted. “I started it because we can’t let them [Iran] have a nuclear weapon. If there wasn’t me there would be no Israel right now”.
Read on...
Trump says ‘there would be no Israel’ if not for him after clash with Netanyahu
Indian national killed in Kuwait airport strike
04:27 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
An Indian national was killed after Kuwait's main airport was struck with drones yesterday, which wounded dozens of others and forced the closure of the airfield.
Kuwait's defence ministry said it destroyed over a dozen missiles and a similar number of drones from Iran. Authorities said 63 were wounded, including passengers and workers, and some suffered serious injuries.
India's embassy in Kuwait later confirmed that the person killed was an Indian national.
What did Israel and Lebanon discuss during US-led talks?
04:00 , Rachel Dobkin
Representatives from Israel, Lebanon and the United States met Tuesday and Wednesday for talks, which resulted in a ceasefire agreement.
During the talks, Israel reaffirmed that its security could only be achieved through the disarmament of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group that has been trading attacks with Israel.
“It emphasized the importance of direct negotiations under the leadership of the United States to resolve all outstanding issues and achieve durable peace and security”, according to a joint statement from Israel, Lebanon and the US issued Wednesday.
Lebanon maintained that there was an “urgent need” to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah during the talks.
It “reaffirmed the necessity for mutual respect of internationally recognized borders, the urgent need for full implementation of the cessation of hostilities, underscoring the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty”, according to the statement.
Watch: Trump claims US military wants to 'wipe out' all of Iran and is 'ready to do it'
03:00 , Rachel Dobkin
Israel and Lebanon agree to ceasefire amid escalation in fighting
02:07 , Rachel Dobkin
Israel and Lebanon have agreed on a ceasefire as fighting has escalated with Hezbollah.
The ceasefire was announced in a joint statement after representatives from Israel, Lebanon and the US met on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A pause in fighting “is contingent on a complete cessation of Hizbollah fire and the evacuation of all Hizbollah operatives from the South Litani Sector”, the statement read.
Hizbollah is another spelling of the Iran-backed Lebanese militia, Hezbollah.
Watch: Video released by Iranian military shows missiles and drones launched in new exchange of fire
Thursday 4 June 2026 00:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Trump says he 'will get' Iran's enriched uranium
Wednesday 3 June 2026 23:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump has repeated his desire to obtain Iran's enriched uranium.
The US president said that under a deal being discussed with Iran, "we will get" Tehran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which has been a major sticking point in negotiations.
"As it stands now, we will go in at some time in the not too distant future," he said.
Trump describes Iran ceasefire as ‘shooting in a moderate manner’ in bizarre press conference
Wednesday 3 June 2026 22:30 , Rebecca Whittaker
President Donald Trump on Wednesday dismissed questions on whether the shaky ceasefire with Iran is holding by suggesting that the definition of a ceasefire is different in the Middle East region.
Asked whether the ceasefire is still in place after Iran fired missiles against targets in Kuwait, Trump replied that there was “a reason” for the exchange of fire.
Read more here:
Trump describes Iran ceasefire as ‘shooting in a moderate manner’
Watch: Trump describes ceasefire as 'shooting in a moderate manner' as both sides trade strikes
Wednesday 3 June 2026 22:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Trump describes Iran ceasefire as 'shooting in a moderate manner' in bizarre press conference
Wednesday 3 June 2026 21:36 , Rebecca Whittaker
Donald Trump described the Iran ceasefire as “shooting in a more moderate manner,” after being asked if the ceasefire with Iran was still on.
Speaking in the Oval Office he said: “Well, you know, there's a reason for everything, and we hit them pretty hard the night before, and actually this last night.
“And when it was explained to me, I said, all right, we've been hitting them pretty hard, a little bit, so there is a reason for certain things, and there's usually a reason that sometimes makes sense.
“Some, but they did something for not a big deal. We got it, we nipped it in the bud very quickly, as we do with the greatest military in the world, but some people would say they were slightly provoked because we took a strong action for a different reason, so they were reciprocating.
“It's a different part of the world, you know. I'd say in that part ceasefire is when you're shooting in a more moderate manner.”
Qeshm: Iran’s fortress island with an underground ‘missile city’ threatening US troops in Hormuz
Wednesday 3 June 2026 21:15 , Rebecca Whittaker
The US military launched fresh strikes on a fortified Iranian island near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday as diplomacy slowed and Iran restarted attacks on its neighbours.
US Central Command said the military attacked a ground control tower on Qeshm Island in “self-defence”, claiming Iran had tried and failed to attack Kuwait and Bahrain with missiles.
Read more here:
Inside Qeshm: How Iran’s fortress island holds the key to the Strait of Hormuz
Pictured: Funeral of a man who was killed along with his son and daughter in Israeli strike
Wednesday 3 June 2026 18:15 , Rebecca Whittaker
