Kuwait claims attack by Iran; Saudi says vital pipeline damaged

US President Donald Trump appears to be casting doubt on the effectiveness of the ceasefire that has halted the Iran war.”Iran is doing a very poor job, dishonourable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz,” he wrote on his social media site.

“That is not the agreement we have!” The post came after Trump posted earlier that “There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait – They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!”

The White House supports reopening the strait as part of the ceasefire deal, but says that Trump opposes Iran’s military, which continues to control the waterway, from seeking to raise revenue by charging tolls on passing ships.

Earlier, in a potential boost to West Asia ceasefire efforts, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he authorised direct negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible” aimed at disarming Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants and establishing relations between the neighbours.

The two countries have technically been at war since Israel was established in 1948, and Netanyahu later stressed that there was no ceasefire between them.

In a video statement, he said Israel will keep striking Hezbollah until security is restored in northern Israel.