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China's top envoy tells Iranian counterpart 'comprehensive ceasefire' is needed

China's foreign minister called for a comprehensive ceasefire in the Iran war and said his country was "deeply distressed" by the conflict that has lasted two months.

Wang Yi made the comments Wednesday after meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was visiting Beijing for the first time since the war with the U.S. and Israel started Feb. 28.

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French shipping firm says container ship 'target of attack' in Hormuz

A container ship owned by French shipping company CMA CGM was the "target of an attack" in the Strait of Hormuz, the major shipping firm said on Wednesday.

"The CMA CGM San Antonio was the target of an attack yesterday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in injuries among crew members and damage to the vessel," the shipping firm told AFP, adding those injured had been evacuated for treatment.

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Israel ready to deploy 'entire air force' against Iran if needed

Israel's new air force chief Major General Omer Tischler said on Tuesday that Israel was prepared to deploy its entire fleet of fighter jets against Iran if necessary.

He spoke weeks into a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East war, which erupted when Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran in February.

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Iran Guards vow 'firm response' if ships diverge from declared Hormuz corridor

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned on Tuesday that they would respond firmly to any ships that diverge from the Islamic republic's approved route through the Strait of Hormuz.

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Iran's renewed UAE attacks draw new reality in the Gulf

Hours after the UAE's top oil executive said the country had "emerged stronger" from war and as thousands attended an Abu Dhabi summit to boost the local economy, phones across the country were alerting that missiles were incoming.

The first attacks since a truce came into effect last month were a stark reminder of its fragility, dampening hopes of a quick return to normality, with Iran imposing a new reality: should the United States or Israel strike, the UAE would be the one to pay.

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Israel army chief says ready to 'respond with force' if attacked by Iran

Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said on Tuesday that the army was prepared to respond "with force" to any attack by Iran.

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Iranian foreign minister to leave Tuesday for China talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Beijing on Tuesday for talks, the foreign ministry said, amid stalled negotiations with the United States to end the Middle East war.

"During the visit, he will meet his Chinese counterpart (Wang Yi) to discuss bilateral ties and regional and international developments," the ministry said in a brief statement.

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Trump urges Iran to 'do the smart thing' 

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran Tuesday to "do the smart thing" and make a deal, saying even as a Middle East ceasefire teetered that he did not want to kill more Iranians.

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UAE air defenses 'actively engaging' Iran missiles, drones

The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday its air defenses were engaging missiles and drones coming from Iran for the second consecutive day, weeks into a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East war.

"UAE air defense systems are actively engaging with missiles and UAV threats," the defense ministry said in a statement on X, adding that they had "come from Iran".

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US says Iran ceasefire 'certainly holds', downplays Monday's attacks

The United States is "not looking for a fight" over the Strait of Hormuz and its ceasefire with Iran still holds, but any attack on commercial shipping will be met with a "devastating" response, the Pentagon chief said Tuesday.

The warning from Pete Hegseth came on the second day of a U.S. effort to facilitate the transit of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had closed in response to the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.

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