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US strikes Iranian islands as Trump talks up diplomatic progress

The United States launched limited strikes on an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, U.S. media reported, hours after President Donald Trump signaled diplomatic progress with Tehran.

The strikes, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, hit Qeshm Island, where Iranian state media reported five explosions in rapid succession.

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Trump, Vance signal progress in talks with Iran to avert renewed war

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday signaled progress in talks with Iran to avoid a return to war, as Tehran said "intensive" exchanges were underway while offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict conditions.

A deal with Tehran "could happen," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, a day before crucial U.S. midterm elections. He added that "Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible."

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Hezbollah begins distributing aid to those displaced by war

Hezbollah on Monday announced it had begun distributing financial aid to Lebanese displaced by the group's latest war with Israel, despite efforts to dry up its funding sources.

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Jordan's king says 'no security or stability' in region without Palestinian homeland

Jordan's King Abdullah II on Monday said there would be no security in the Middle East region until the Palestinians' right to a homeland is fulfilled.

"We reiterate, time and again, that there can be no security or stability in our region without upholding the Palestinian people's right to their homeland," he said at the opening of Jordan's parliament.

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Trump says 'at some point' US will have to give Iran 'the hammer'

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday reiterated his threat to resume strikes against Iran, telling a campaign rally that he may have to give Tehran "the hammer" at some unspecified time.

"And the only reason why I'm not finished with Iran is I want to be nice. I want to try and save all those lives if I can...But at some point we're going to have to give them the hammer," the 80-year-old president told supporters during a rally in Iowa ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

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Russia resumes attacks on Ukraine's Kherson region after truce ends

Russia on Monday resumed attacks on Ukraine's Kherson region, after the end of a local ceasefire in the area, the longest truce in the war raging between the neighbors since 2022.

"At around 8:00 am this morning, Russian occupiers attacked a car with a drone in the Korabelny city district" of Kherson, local authorities said in a statement, adding that a 62-year-old woman and 73-year-old man were wounded and hospitalized.

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Israel army withdraws after Hebron operation

The Israeli army has pulled back following an operation in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, launched in the wake of an attack that killed two soldiers in late October, a military official said Monday.

"This morning, following the completion of all operational activities, the soldiers withdrew from the area of operation in Hebron. Counterterrorism activities throughout Judea and Samaria continue," the official said, using the biblical name for the Palestinian territory.

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Saudi strikes on port, oil facility in Yemen wound seven

Yemen's Houthis said Monday that Saudi strikes targeted a key Red Sea port and oil facility in Hodeidah province, wounding seven people.

The Iran-backed group is fighting a Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government after a civil war reignited in one of the world's poorest countries.

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Iran says considering two-day plan to reopen Hormuz

Iran's foreign ministry on Monday said it was considering a two-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. agrees to its conditions, having previously proposed a one-week timeline.

"The possibility of implementing this plan in two days is another indication of Iran's good-faith approach. We have stated that, if Iran's demands are met, it would be possible to restore security to the Strait of Hormuz and resume the negotiating process within a short period," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, adding that the "exchange of messages is still ongoing" via mediators.

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UAE says hoping for breakthrough yet 'braced for the worst' in Iran-US war

The UAE is hoping for a breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the United States while being prepared for the worst, a senior official said on Sunday, following threats of a resumption of the Middle East war.

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