Middle East

The BBC is the first international broadcaster to report from the Strait of Hormuz, revealing how Iranians at the heart of the crisis are living through a fragile ceasefire. An agreement made last month to end the war between the US and Iran has been under threat because of renewed …

Several sites around the coastal city of Bushehr have been damaged or completely destroyed since 9 March, images show. Military buildings and government facilities including aircraft hangars, ammunition storage, dockyards, piers, and missile launch sites have been visibly damaged, according to Janes, with the affected sites belonging to both the …

The funeral ceremonies are taking place less than three weeks after Iran and the US signed a preliminary agreement to end the war and reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, through which 20% of global oil and gas shipments pass. The two countries also gave themselves two months to …

Trump is fond of saying that he’s achieved regime change in Iran. Vali Nasr doesn’t disagree, but says this has actually worked to Tehran’s advantage. “A whole new generation has taken over,” he says. “They have a very clear agenda. They managed the war and now they’re going to manage …

Iran has begun several days of public mourning and funeral processions for its former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, more than four months after he was killed in strikes launched by the US and Israel. The former Ayatollah’s body will lie in state in Tehran’s Grand Mosalla from Friday, ahead …

A bomb blast at a crowded cafe in central Damascus has killed at least six people and injured 22 others, Syrian state media say. The interior ministry said an explosive device was planted inside the cafe, which is located only 100m (330ft) from the Palace of Justice, a major government …

The desperation of patients haunts Gaza’s hospitals – their exterior walls eaten away by gunfire and Israeli strikes, the health-care system inside them still unrepaired. Eight months after the ceasefire deal instructed that “full aid” be sent into the Gaza Strip, aid workers say the continued lack of essential medicines …

On Sunday night, a US official said both sides would “stand down for now”, and that vessels could “move freely” in and around the strait. Technical talks would also “continue on all areas of the MoU”, the official added. The next day, Iran’s deputy foreign minister and lead technical negotiator, …

The US and Iran have agreed to “stand down” following an exchange of strikes over the past few days, media reports say citing a US official. It comes after several attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz, culminating in both nations accusing each other of violating their ceasefire. The …

Israel and Lebanon have signed a framework agreement in Washington after days of negotiations brokered by the US. The deal, details of which remain unclear, is something of a victory for the Trump administration, which is itself embroiled in complex negotiations with Iran following the extension of a ceasefire between …

The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused the planned evacuation of more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship passing through the waterway was attacked. IMO chief Arsenio Dominguez said several boats had already been evacuated, but the agency wanted to ensure that …

The BBC’s Dan Bush is traveling with Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he seeks to reassure Gulf allies over the Iran deal aimed at ending the war. The trip is intended to address regional concerns and maritime security. Here’s what Rubio hopes to achieve and why these stops are …

Fibre-optic drones have become Hezbollah’s primary weapon against Israeli soldiers and civilians, along both sides of the Lebanese border, and are now seen as the biggest threat there, as fighting continues six weeks into a supposed ceasefire. One Israeli soldier was killed and two others injured in a drone attack …

The extent of damage caused to US facilities is difficult to quantify, but a May estimate by the Pentagon put the total cost of Operation Epic Fury at $29bn, external – with much of that likely to be spent on “repair or replacement costs for equipment” destroyed in the conflict. …

The United States and Iran have both signalled that they would prefer not to go back to the war that has been on hold since the ceasefire was announced on 8 April. Neither side has allowed the steady drumbeat of military exchanges between them to end the talks being mediated …

It was fitting that Iraq secured a place at the 2026 World Cup by beating Bolivia in Mexico, the location of their first ever appearance on the global stage back in 1986. Karim Allawi was a player 40 years ago as the Lions of Mesopotamia lost all three games against …

Even without the danger posed by the missiles and mines, the 1,600 ships that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) estimates to be stuck on the wrong side of the Strait of Hormuz are unable to leave. Days after the war began, Iran shut the narrow waterway – the only way …

Ordinary Iranians’ reactions to the latest exchange reflect the wider debate. Some see Iran’s actions as a justified response. One BBC Persian audience member said: “Iran joining the conflict to defend Lebanon is loyal and right. Since the nuclear deal, Iran hasn’t broken international laws, and this attack was in …

The Indian crew of a sanctioned oil tanker urged authorities to “please help” after the ship was hit by a US missile off Oman on Monday, saying it was on fire and sinking in a distress call shared with BBC Verify. US Central Command (Centcom) said the ship, Marivex, had …

While most Israelis see all of Jerusalem as their united capital, Palestinians want the east as the capital of their hoped-for, future, independent state. The current Israeli government has pledged “to bury” the idea of Palestinian statehood – and is taking steps accordingly. According to the UN, some 200 Palestinian …