Iran-US war latest: JD Vance issues warning to Tehran over ‘fragile ceasefire’ as Israel continues to attack Lebanon

General Dan Caine has claimed that 80 per cent of Iran’s air defence systems have been destroyed in a press conference this afternoon.

He said that 90 per cent of Iran’s weapons factories and more than 90 per cent of Iran’s conventional navy fleet had been destroyed.

Caine said it would take “years” for Iran to rebuild any major surface combatants.

Pete Hegseth thanked God in a speech declaring a “decisive” victory following a ceasefire between Iran and the US.

He said that the US had been guided under “divine providence” as he added: “God is good.”

Pete Hegseth has once again alleged that Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “wounded and disfigured”. It seems to support reports from The Times earlier this week that the leader is unconscious and unable to govern Iran.

America’s defence secretary further declared: “We now have a chance at real peace”.

The US had a “decisive military victory” in Operation Epic Fury, Pete Hegseth has said as he claimed that Iran “begged for this ceasefire”.

He added that Iran’s missile program is “functionally destroyed” adding that the country’s factories have been “razed to the ground”.

Pete Hegseth, America’s defence secretary and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff general Dan Caine are due to give a press conference shortly.

Yesterday’s event was cancelled. It will mark his first statements since a US-Iran ceasefire was agreed on Tuesday.

Shipowners are unlikely to return to the Gulf immediately despite the ceasefire, as risks remain elevated, an analyst said.

“The situation remains highly volatile, and despite the ceasefire, shipowners are unlikely to rush back into the Gulf to load fossil fuels,” Isaac Levi, senior analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) told The Independent.

The Israeli military ⁠said on Wednesday it ⁠had ​carried ⁠out ⁠the largest ​strikes ⁠against Lebanon’s ‌Hezbollah since this ‌war began, ‌striking ⁠the militant group’s infrastructure within the heart of ‌civilian ​areas ‌across the ⁠country.

An Indian government spokesperson has welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire, saying New Delhi “continuously advocated” for an end to the conflict.

India has, alongside the rest of South Asia, seen price rises and fuel shortages since the war began. The statement noted that the war had “already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks”.

“India has always been in favour of peace,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “We welcome all steps that lead to peace and stability.”We hope that this development in West Asia will also encourage peace efforts in Ukraine.”

There are discussions about ⁠in-person talks, but nothing is ⁠final ​until ⁠U.S. President Donald ⁠Trump ​or the ⁠White ‌House make an announcement, ‌White House spokeswoman ‌Karoline Leavitt ⁠said on Wednesday after Washington and Tehran agreed to ‌a two-week ​ceasefire.

It follows reports that ceasefire talks will be held in Islamabad on Friday.

The abrupt turnaround came only hours after the president threatened that “a whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again” unless Iran met his deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

James C Reynolds reports: