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US-Israel-Iran War Live News: The Iran-US conflict is increasingly spilling beyond the battlefield, putting intelligence operations, global shipping and a fragile diplomatic framework under pressure. Iran’s intelligence ministry says its security forces killed two people it claims were linked to US and Israeli intelligence agencies and arrested four others in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.
At the same time, Germany-based shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd says disruptions caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure cost it $600 million in the second quarter, underlining the wider economic impact of the conflict.
With the June 17 US-Iran memorandum of understanding approaching its expiry and Pakistan stepping up mediation, attention is again turning to whether Tehran and Washington can agree on conditions to restore safe commercial passage through the strategic waterway.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Iran Claims Two US-Israeli Intelligence Operatives Killed
Iran’s Intelligence Ministry has claimed that security forces killed two people affiliated with US and Israeli intelligence agencies during a confrontation in southeastern Iran.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported that the ministry also arrested four other people accused of attempting to enter the country to carry out operations aimed at destabilising Sistan and Baluchestan and damaging infrastructure.
The claims come as Tehran continues to focus heavily on internal security amid the wider US-Israel-Iran conflict. Iran has repeatedly accused foreign intelligence agencies of attempting to exploit instability inside the country.
However, the claims about the identities and affiliations of those killed or arrested have not been independently verified.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Hormuz Crisis Deals $600 Million Blow to Hapag-Lloyd
The economic consequences of the conflict have become increasingly visible in the global shipping industry.
German container shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz cost the company around $600 million during the second quarter. Reuters reported that the disruption contributed to a sharp decline in the company’s net profit, which fell to $83 million from $306 million a year earlier.
The company faced additional expenses for fuel, insurance, storage, rerouting and inland transportation as vessels avoided the strategic waterway.
Hapag-Lloyd said strong Asian exports and improving US demand helped offset some of the losses caused by the Middle East disruption. Its experience also highlights how the conflict around Hormuz is affecting businesses far beyond the immediate region.
The shipping company had already reported in its first-quarter results that the Hormuz blockage had disrupted cargo flows and contributed to higher operating costs.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Why the Strait of Hormuz Remains Critical
The Strait of Hormuz remains at the centre of the US-Iran standoff because it serves as one of the world’s most important maritime routes for energy and commercial shipping.
The current dispute centres on the conditions required to restore unrestricted commercial traffic.
Iran has insisted that the United States must halt its military campaign and meet other demands before Tehran fully reopens the waterway. Recent reports indicate that Pakistan is trying to bridge the gap between the two sides as the deadline for the existing agreement approaches.
The stakes are particularly high for international shipping. Any prolonged disruption can force vessels to take longer routes, increasing fuel consumption, insurance costs, freight rates and delivery times.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: MoU Deadline Adds Pressure on US-Iran Talks
A memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 provides another important deadline in the current crisis.
One of its provisions calls for safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. However, the wider agreement has struggled to produce lasting stability as military tensions continued.
With the MoU set to expire on Sunday, diplomatic efforts have gained fresh urgency.
Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator, with Pakistani officials travelling to Tehran to discuss ways to reduce tensions and restore movement through the waterway.
The latest mediation effort comes as both sides remain divided over the conditions for a broader settlement.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: Pakistan Pushes for a Way Out of the Hormuz Deadlock
Pakistan’s involvement could become increasingly important as the deadline approaches.
Islamabad is attempting to bring the US and Iran back toward negotiations while preventing another escalation that could further disrupt regional trade and energy markets. Reports published Thursday said Pakistani mediation efforts were continuing as the MoU deadline drew closer.
For Iran, reopening Hormuz without securing its demands could weaken its negotiating position. For Washington, restoring unrestricted shipping would ease pressure on global trade and energy markets.
That leaves the waterway at the centre of a difficult diplomatic calculation.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: What Happens If Hormuz Remains Closed?
A prolonged closure could increase costs across the global supply chain.
Shipping companies may have to reroute vessels, while higher insurance and fuel expenses could eventually affect freight rates and consumer prices. Hapag-Lloyd’s reported $600 million hit provides an early indication of the financial burden facing companies exposed to the disruption.
The longer the crisis continues, the greater the pressure on governments and businesses to find alternative shipping routes and secure supplies.
US-Israel-Iran War Live News: What to Watch Next
The immediate focus will remain on three developments:
- US-Iran diplomacy: Whether Washington and Tehran can overcome their differences before the MoU expires.
- Strait of Hormuz: Whether Iran agrees to restore broader commercial passage and under what conditions.
- Global shipping impact: Whether companies face further losses if the waterway remains disrupted.
For now, the combination of Iran’s latest intelligence claims, the massive financial cost to global shipping and the approaching MoU deadline shows that the Hormuz crisis remains far from resolved.