Iran says it’s in the final stage of drafting an agreement on the waterway with Oman, while two Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon.
Here鈥檚 a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Thursday. Full coverage can be found .
Iran says it鈥檚 close to a deal with Oman
Iran鈥檚 Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, has said , which lies on the other side of the waterway, is in the 鈥渇inal stage鈥� of drafting. Speaking Wednesday, he said a joint statement will be issued 鈥渋f certain parties do not obstruct this process,鈥� apparently referring to the U.S.
The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran鈥檚 ports.
The strait is crucial to global shipping and energy supplies. Before the war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, around one fifth of the world鈥檚 oil and natural gas passed through the waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
On Thursday, all eyes were on the U.S. for the next development.
Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon as negotiators meet in Rome
Two Israeli and another four were seriously wounded in an explosion in southern , the Israeli military said Thursday. The deaths are first since a shaky truce was implemented in June between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group .
The Israeli army launched strikes Wednesday in southern Lebanon in response to what it described as Hezbollah鈥檚 violation of the ceasefire and issued a call for residents of another village to flee 鈥� the first such warning Israel has issued in Lebanon for weeks.
The escalation came as Lebanese and Israeli negotiators met in Rome to discuss implementation of the June deal under which Israeli forces are supposed to withdraw from areas they occupy in southern Lebanon, in exchange for Hezbollah鈥檚 disarmament.
UNESCO World Heritage site in Sudan is threatened by war and sand
The war in Sudan is , a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its unique and angular architecture, as preservation efforts have completely halted.
Sudan鈥檚 deadly conflict, which erupted in April 2023, has destroyed many of the country鈥檚 historical sites and museums. UNESCO warned in April that cultural and historical sites are under growing threat.
Located about 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of the capital Khartoum, Meroe comprises over 200 pyramids built between 800 B.C. and 350 A.D. as royal tombs for the Kingdom of Kush. Archaeologist Mahmoud Suleiman warned that collapses are possible at the site.
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