Pete Hegseth claims ‘Iran begged for this ceasefire’: Live

US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth claimed today that Iran begged for a ceasefire

At a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth added that Trump achieved ‘victory with a capital V.’

At least 13 people, including three girls, have been killed in Israeli strikes across Lebanon.

A strike on a funeral in the cemetery in the Bekaa Valley village of Shmestar killed at least 10 and injured four, Lebanon’s national news agency reported.

And in the coastal down of Adloun, an Israeli strike killed three girls.

The IDF launched dozens of simultaneous attacks today, so the death toll is expected to rise.

The UAE today said that Iran has fired 17 missiles and 35 drones at it, despite last night’s ceasefire announcement.

The nation’s defence ministry said on X: ‘Blatant Iranian attacks since the ceasefire took effect have reached 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones, and the air defences have successfully dealt with them.’

Lebanon’s prime minister Nawaf Salam has called on his nation’s allies to help stop Israel’s strikes.

He said in a statement that while Beirut welcomes ‘the agreement between Iran and the United States and intensified our efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, Israel continues to escalate its attacks.’

Salam added: ‘All of Lebanon’s friends are called upon to help us stop these attacks by all available means.’

Iran is reportedly demanding fees to be paid in cryptocurrency from oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The FT reports that Iran is seeking to extract $1 per barrel that passes through the chokepoint.

Iran is also keen to monitor each vessel passing through for weapons.

Vessels belonging to German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd’s will not resume transiting the Strait of Hormuz for now as the situation remains ‘tense’ despite the ceasefire.

A spokesperson for Hapag-Lloyd told German media that ‘based on our current risk assessment, we will continue to refrain from transiting the strait.’

‘Whether the announced reopening will actually hold will become clear in the coming days,’ he said.

A Hapag-Lloyd vessel in the Gulf caught fire last month after being hit with shrapnel. The blaze was put out and no crew members were injured.

Six Hapag-Lloyd vessels are currently in the Gulf, according to the company, among the hundreds that have been stranded since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran in February.

‘We are continuously and very carefully assessing when transit will be possible again,’ the spokesman said.

At least 50 vessels operated by German companies, with about 1,000 seafarers on board, are trapped, according to the German shipowners’ association.

A senior Iranian official involved with talks with the US told Reuters that the Strait of Hormuz could open as soon as tomorrow, ahead of a diplomatic meeting in Islamabad.

The source said that if an understanding on a framework for talks is reached, the strait could be opened in a ‘limited’ fashion ‘under Iran’s control.’

They added: ‘Coordinating with Iranian military will be mandatory for all ships. Still the ceasefire is fragile, however, we prefer lasting peace but Iran has no fear to return to war if the US wants go the same way.’

Iran’s ambassador to the UN said his nation will approach peace talks with caution.

Ali Bahreini said: ‘We ​are not putting any trust in the other ​side. Our military forces ​are keeping their ​preparedness…but meanwhile, we will go ​for negotiations to see how serious the other side is.’