DUBAI: Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday (Apr 8), killing hundreds of people and drawing a threat of retaliation from Iran, which suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the United States.

The warning from Iran's lead negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf, laid bare the continued volatility in the region following Tuesday's ceasefire announcement by President Donald Trump. The two sides have laid out sharply contrasting agendas for peace talks set to start on Saturday, but it was unclear whether the two-week ceasefire would hold until then.

Qalibaf said Israel had already violated several conditions of that ceasefire by ramping up its parallel war against the Iran-aligned militia Hezbollah, while the United States had violated the agreement by insisting that Iran abandon its nuclear ambitions.

"In such a situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations were unreasonable," he said in a statement.

Israel and the United States both said the two-week ceasefire did not cover Lebanon, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue.

"I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't," US Vice President JD Vance, who will lead the US delegation, told reporters in Budapest.

The two sides appeared to be far apart on Iran's nuclear program as well - one of the factors that Trump cited as the basis for war.

Trump said Iran had agreed to stop enriching uranium, which can be turned into nuclear weapons, and the White House said Iran has indicated it would turn over its existing stocks.

"The United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried ... Nuclear 'Dust'," Trump said on social media.

Qalibaf, however, said it was allowed to continue enriching uranium under the terms of the ceasefire.

Though both the United States and Iran declared victory in a five-week-old war that has killed thousands, their core disputes remained unresolved. Each side is sticking to competing demands for a deal that could shape the Middle East for generations.

Despite the uncertainty, world stock indexes surged while oil prices plunged 14 per cent to settle near US$95 per barrel, after falling as low as US$90.40.

Benchmark Brent crude remains roughly US$25 higher than before the joint US-Israel attacks began. Tehran's newly demonstrated ability to cut off Gulf energy supplies through its grip on the strait, despite decades of massive US military investment in the region, shows how the conflict has already altered power dynamics in the Gulf.

"FINGER ON THE TRIGGER"

Netanyahu said Israel had its “finger on the trigger” and was prepared to return to fighting at “any moment”.

Lebanon's civil defence service said 254 people had been killed in Israel's strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday. The highest toll was in the capital Beirut, where Israeli strikes killed 91 people, it said. Residents said some of the Israeli strikes had come without the usual warnings for civilians to evacuate.

Iran also struck oil facilities in nearby Gulf countries, including a pipeline in Saudi Arabia that has been used to bypass the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, according to an oil industry source. Kuwait, ​Bahrain and the UAE also reported missile and drone strikes.

The Strait of Hormuz remained shut to vessels sailing without a permit, and shippers said they needed more clarity before resuming transit. MarineTraffic data showed two Greek-owned and two Chinese-owned bulk carriers have passed through the strait since early Wednesday.

In a flurry of online posts, Trump announced new tariffs of 50 per cent on all goods from any country that supplies arms to Iran, though he lacks the authority to do so.

IRAN'S RULING ESTABLISHMENT SURVIVES

Crowds took to the streets of Iran overnight to celebrate, waving Iranian flags and burning those of the United States and Israel. But there was also wariness that a deal would not hold.

"Israel will not allow diplomacy to work and Trump might change his view tomorrow. But at least we can sleep tonight without strikes," Alireza, 29, a government employee in Tehran, told Reuters by phone.

The war was launched on Feb 28 by Trump and Netanyahu, who said they aimed to prevent Iran from projecting force beyond its borders, end its nuclear programme and create conditions for Iranians to topple their rulers. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said Washington had won a decisive military victory.

But so far, Iran retains both its stockpile of near-weapons-grade highly enriched uranium and its ability to hit its neighbours with missiles and drones. The clerical leadership, which faced mass protests months ago, has withstood the superpower onslaught with no sign of internal collapse.

"The enemy, in its unjust, illegal and criminal war against the Iranian nation, has suffered an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat," Iran's Supreme National Security Council said.

LOS ANGELES: As America and Israel’s war on Iran comes to a temporary halt, Pakistan has emerged as a critical conduit for peace talks.

On Wednesday (Apr 8), US President Donald Trump agreed to stop bombing Iran for two weeks, in exchange for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Instead of negotiating directly with Tehran, Washington appeared to rely on Islamabad as a key intermediary passing messages between the two sides.

It may seem surprising that Pakistan is playing peacemaker, given that the country is currently embroiled in a conflict with Afghanistan. But for those who have tracked Pakistan over time, its mediation role in the Iran war is predictable.

A VALUABLE CONVENOR

Islamabad’s diplomacy has long been remarkably versatile. Pakistan had strong relations with the US during the Cold War because of its anti-Communist stance, and Chinese backing since the Indo-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971.

The United States leveraged Pakistan’s access to China at a time when Washington lacked direct engagement with Beijing. At America’s behest, Pakistan facilitated secret diplomacy involving Henry Kissinger, culminating in Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 visit to meet Mao Zedong – a geostrategic breakthrough that reshaped the Cold War balance.

Since Mr Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, Pakistan has made a concerted effort to re-engage the United States. This reflects a desire to repair ties strained after US forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, in part because of covert Pakistani support to the Taliban. But Islamabad is also seeking to hedge against deepening US-India cooperation, which has intensified over the past quarter-century in response to China’s rise.

To that end, Pakistan has invested heavily in lobbying and diplomatic outreach in the US. These efforts appear to have paid dividends, securing high-level engagement with the Trump administration on issues ranging from critical minerals to emerging technologies. Islamabad was also quick to praise Mr Trump’s role in de-escalating last year’s brief India-Pakistan crisis – an assessment New Delhi disputes.

Mr Trump later hosted Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House for a private meeting. Though there was no official readout, discussions likely included sensitive regional issues, potentially including Iran.

Pakistan has coordinated with China on potential diplomatic pathways for the Iran war. Beijing has a strong interest in de-escalation, as it remains the primary buyer of Iranian oil exports, much of which transits through the Strait of Hormuz. Chinese leaders appear to view Pakistan as a useful intermediary that can leverage its ties with Washington to help facilitate dialogue.

PAKISTAN’S TIES WITH THE MIDDLE EAST

In recent years, Pakistan has sought to balance relationships in the Middle East. In 2025, it signed a mutual defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, signalling a willingness to support the kingdom’s security in the event of external threats.

While not a formal treaty, the deal is significant given Pakistan’s status as the only Muslim-majority country with nuclear weapons – raising persistent speculation about whether it could, in extremis, extend deterrence assurances to close partners.

At the same time, Pakistan’s relations with Iran have largely held. Although the two sides exchanged limited strikes along their shared border in 2024, both governments have generally sought to manage tensions diplomatically. Frictions persist, particularly over cross-border Baloch militant and separatist groups operating on both sides of the frontier, but neither side has an interest in sustained escalation.

Although Islamabad’s relations with Israel remain poor, it also has close relations with other Middle Eastern states – including Egypt, Oman, Qatar, and Türkiye – that have also sought to mediate the Iran war. But it was Pakistan, not any of them, who Mr Trump credited on Wednesday, capping off one of the greatest diplomatic coups in recent memory.  

To be sure, Washington and Tehran have agreed to merely pause hostilities for the next two weeks, and the space for diplomacy to achieve a broader deal remains exceedingly narrow. But Pakistan and China’s peace initiative offers a serious roadmap towards a negotiated settlement of the dispute, and finally a return to the status quo ante. A more lasting deal may be appealing when both sides take into account the costs of a prolonged, expanded war.

DIPLOMACY AMID SHIFTING ALLIANCES

Pakistan’s role as an intermediary is not an anomaly – it is a preview. In an era defined less by rigid alliances and more by overlapping networks of influence, countries like Pakistan – comfortable operating across Western, Chinese, and Muslim political spheres – are increasingly indispensable. 

Islamabad’s diplomatic win underscores a broader shift in global politics: Influence is no longer measured solely by military power or formal alliances, but by access, relationships and credibility across divides.

If anything, Pakistan’s mediation role is not a one-off – it is a sign of the future of crisis diplomacy. In a might-makes-right world order, middle powers need to do what they can to stay relevant, such as seizing opportunities to bridge adversaries.

Derek Grossman is Founder and Chief Analyst of Indo-Pacific Solutions, a geopolitical consultancy on the region. He is also Professor of the Practice of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Southern California.

ANKARA, Türkiye: Turkish security forces have arrested nearly 200 people in a nationwide sweep one day after a shootout outside Israel's consulate in Istanbul, Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said Wednesday (Apr 8).

Gurlek posted on X that officers had arrested 198 suspects in a simultaneous operation in 34 provinces against "the terrorist organisation Daesh", another name for the Islamic State group.

A gunman was killed and two others wounded in Tuesday's shootout with police outside the consulate, with two officers lightly wounded.

Twelve of those arrested have been placed in pre-trial detention, including the two wounded gunmen, who were hospitalised, according to the justice ministry.

No group has claimed responsibility for Tuesday's shootout.

Turkish media reports said the gunman who was killed was a 32-year-old man linked to IS.

The interior ministry said he had ties to a "terrorist organisation", and that the two wounded gunmen were brothers with links to drug trafficking.

BLOODSTAINED GROUND

Footage of the shootout showed one of the attackers armed with an automatic rifle, dressed in beige cargo pants and carrying a backpack.

Officials said the attackers arrived in a rented vehicle from Izmit, about 86 kilometres (50 miles) from Istanbul.

Two police officers intervened and were wounded.

Witnesses said the shootout lasted at least 10 minutes.

The shootout took place in the Levent business district, situated on the European side of Istanbul.

There were no Israeli diplomats at the mission at the time of the shootout, as most have been evacuated since the Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas in Israel that set off the Gaza war.

Israel said it would not be cowed after the incident, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the "treacherous attack" and vowed to fight "all kinds of terrorism".

In December, IS members opened fire on police in Yalova, about 90 kilometres southeast of Istanbul, killing three officers and wounding nine.

Turkish police have stepped up nationwide raids against IS militants, rounding up 125 suspects after that attack.

IS has carried out other deadly attacks in Turkey, including one at a nightclub in Istanbul that killed 39 people in 2017.

GENEVA: The scale of the killing in Israeli strikes on Lebanon Wednesday (Apr 8) is "horrific", the UN rights chief said, urging the international community to help end the unfolding "nightmare".

At least 182 people were killed and 900 more were wounded in Lebanon Wednesday after Israel launched a wave of strikes unprecedented in the current war, according to the latest Lebanese health ministry toll.

Volker Turk, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the attacks, saying the numbers killed and injured were appalling.

"The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific," he said in a statement.

"Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians."

Mass casualties have been reported, and hospitals overwhelmed, the statement added.

A UN Human Rights team at the site of a strike in Beirut described a scene of devastation, with several dead bodies amid the rubble.

"PROMPT INVESTIGATIONS"

International humanitarian law spells out clearly that civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, said Turk.

"Each and every attack must comply with international humanitarian law fundamental principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions to protect civilians," he said.

"These principles are non-negotiable, and must always be respected, whatever the circumstances of armed conflict.

"There must be prompt and independent investigations into all alleged violations, and those responsible brought to justice."

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on Mar 2 when Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Turk also deplored Hezbollah's missile and drone attacks on northern Israel, and urged both parties to stop immediately.

More than a million people have been displaced in Lebanon by the conflict, and Israel has launched a ground invasion in the south.

"The scale of such actions, coupled with statements by Israeli officials indicating an intention to occupy or even annex parts of southern Lebanon, is deeply troubling," said Turk.

"The international community must act quickly to help bring an end to this nightmare.

"Efforts to bring peace to the wider region will remain incomplete as long as the Lebanese people are living under continuing fire, forcibly displaced, and in fear of further attacks."

NEW YORK: Oil and gas prices plunged, stock markets soared and the dollar retreated Wednesday (Apr 8) after the United States and Iran agreed to a temporary ceasefire that could lead to the Strait of Hormuz reopening.

"A wave of relief has hit financial markets after threats of a devastating escalation of the war were replaced by a temporary truce," said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.

The most widely traded oil contracts fell some 15 per cent to around US$95 a barrel, after more than a month of conflict that killed thousands and hammered global markets.

But on Wednesday, investor relief sent markets soaring, with Wall Street's three main indexes climbing more than 2.5 per cent.

Europe's main continental bourses all closed up more than three per cent. Frankfurt led the way with a five per cent gain while London gained 2.5 per cent, held back by weak oil companies.

Earlier, Tokyo stocks jumped 5.4 per cent and Chinese indices rose around three per cent.

The dollar, a safe haven in times of market turmoil, slid against the euro, yen and British pound as investors returned to riskier assets.

But traders warned that the euphoria could be short-lived. Both sides have threatened to resume hostilities if the two-week pause does not lead to an agreement.

"In reality, the markets are not pricing in peace but a window for negotiation," said John Plassard of Cite Gestion.

"And that is precisely the issue: In two weeks, either this window will lead to a lasting agreement, or it will only postpone and amplify the energy shock that everyone fears," he said. 

Fractures of the deal started to emerge as Israel launched its heaviest bombardment of Lebanon since Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah joined the war in early March, killing at least 112 and wounding hundreds across the country, according to authorities.

Angelo Kourkafas, investment strategist at Edward Jones, described Wednesday's financial market response as "a big relief rally" but indicated more bumps were likely.

"Every development in this war has been pretty much unpredictable and we still ... remain in a headline-driven market," he told AFP. "Potentially, there's going to be more volatility."

Oil prices remain much higher and equity prices lower than before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28.

"I don't think we're going to (quickly) go back to the levels we were at before the war," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB traders. "Energy infrastructure across the Gulf has been targeted."

Maritime monitor Marine Traffic noted that two ships had transited the waterway since Iran agreed to reopen it, through which about 20 per cent of the world's oil passes.

But one major German shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd, said it was too early for its trapped ships to leave the Gulf.

Shipping journal Lloyd's List estimated that around 800 ships have been stuck in the Gulf since the end of February.

The International Air Transport Association said that it would take months for jet fuel supplies and prices to normalize.

"Should talks falter or activity through the strait remain subdued, oil prices and the dollar could reverse course fairly quickly," said Matthew Ryan, head of market strategy at global financial services firm Ebury. 

Shares of oil producers fell sharply while airlines were among the biggest beneficiaries.

LOS ANGELES: A dealer dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" who sold the drugs that killed Friends actor Matthew Perry was jailed for 15 years by a California court on Wednesday (Apr 8).

Jasveen Sangha, 42, was one of five people charged over the death of the beloved Canadian-American actor, who was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his luxury Los Angeles home in 2023.

Sangha, who is a dual citizen of the United States and Britain, has been in federal custody since August 2024.

Perry, 54, had openly struggled for decades with addictions, but had appeared to colleagues to be beating his demons when he died.

His death set off waves of grief among generations of Friends fans and sparked a police probe that uncovered a ring of suppliers and enablers, including medical doctors who were callously profiting from the pain of a man they should have been helping.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who admitted four counts of distribution of ketamine in the weeks before Perry's death, was ordered to serve 30 months in jail when he was sentenced last year.

Another doctor, Mark Chavez, was ordered to be confined at home and told to do hundreds of hours of community service.

Plasencia bought ketamine off Chavez and sold it to the American-Canadian actor at hugely inflated prices.

"I wonder how much this moron will pay," Plasencia wrote in one text message.

Prosecutors said addict Perry was paying over US$2,000 per vial of ketamine; his dealers paid a fraction of that.

Sangha worked with a middleman, Erik Fleming, to sell 51 vials of ketamine to Perry's live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa.

Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that she had supplied, including on Oct 28, 2023, when he administered at least three shots of Sangha's drugs, which killed the actor.

When Sangha heard news reports about Perry's sudden death, she tried to cover her tracks.

"Delete all our messages," she instructed Fleming.

When investigators raided Sangha's home in North Hollywood, they found methamphetamine, ketamine, ecstasy, cocaine, and counterfeit Xanax pills, as well as a money counting machine, a scale, and devices to detect wireless signals and hidden cameras.