Iran denied it was in talks with Washington, despite claims by Trump to the contrary.

Iran says it's in the final stage of drafting an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz waterway with Oman, while two Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon. Here’s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Thursday.

The secretary of state said progress has been made in the Iran-Oman talks but that no final agreement has been reached, adding, "We're hoping that ‌will happen very ‌shortly."

The US has used up nearly 80% of interceptors for a key missile defense system, according to sources, as mediators seek to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table. Follow for live updates.

Crude prices rose Wednesday after Yemen's Houthis claimed they had struck a Saudi Arabian oil tanker in the Red Sea.

Scott Bessent, America’s treasury secretary, said that Iran could agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “today or tomorrow”. The price of Brent crude, the oil benchmark, fell by 4% following his comments to CNBC.

Iran is escalating military pressure, proxy attacks and indirect diplomacy through Oman to push the US towards concessions over the Strait of Hormuz while denying President Donald Trump's claims of direct negotiations.