- Ships through Hormuz -

Two ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Iran agreed to reopen the waterway as part of a ceasefire deal, maritime monitor Marine Traffic said.

- Kuwait, UAE strikes ongoing -

Kuwait on Wednesday reported Iranian attacks that have been ongoing from 8:00 am local time, with at least 28 drones that damaged power and desalination plants as well as oil facilities, hours after a Iran-US truce came into effect.

The United Arab Emirates also reported strikes hours after the truce was declared. "The UAE's air defences are currently engaging missile and drone attacks originating from Iran," the ministry of defence said in a statement on X.

- Lebanon strikes -

Israel renewed its strikes on southern Lebanon where it is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah, after the Israeli military warned residents of Tyre and the southern suburbs of Beirut to evacuate.

Earlier, Israel said Lebanon was not included in the US-Iran truce. France and Spain called for the ceasefire to be observed in the country, while Germany called on Israel to limit its Lebanon campaign to "self-defence."

Hezbollah said it was close to a "historic victory" against Israel.

- 'Fragile' -

US Vice President JD Vance welcomed the "fragile truce."

"If the Iranians are willing in good faith to work with us, I think we can make an agreement," Vance said during a visit to Budapest. If not, "they're going to find out that the President of the United States is not one to mess around. He's impatient. He's impatient to make progress."

- French pair home -

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday welcomed two French nationals -- Cecile Kohler, 41, and Jacques Paris, 72 -- after they returned to Paris after spending more than three years imprisoned in Iran on espionage charges.

- Global relief -

China, the European Union, Pope Leo and other major countries and groups welcomed the accord for a two-week ceasefire announced barely an hour before US President Donald Trump's deadline to obliterate Iran, which has agreed to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Turkey said both sides now had to stick to the agreement, while Spain said it was "unacceptable" for Israel to maintain its attacks in Lebanon.

Egyptian foreign minister Badr Abdelatty spoke with US envoy Steve Witkoff and "expressed his deep appreciation for this important American step to give diplomacy a chance and start a serious process of American-Iranian negotiations," the Egyptian foreign ministry said.

- 'Political disaster' -

Israel's opposition leaders criticised the ceasefire with Iran, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to achieve the war's objectives.

"There has never been a political disaster like this in our entire history. Israel was not even close to the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our national security," the country's main opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X.

- Oil drops, stocks soar -

Oil prices plunged while stocks soared after the announcement of the two-week US-Iran ceasefire.

The news pushed down crude prices, with West Texas Intermediate losing almost 20 percent and Brent as much as 16 percent.

Global equities rocketed on hopes for an end to the crisis that has jolted the global economy. Tokyo shares rose 5.4 percent. London, Paris and Frankfurt extended the global rally, while US futures soared. The ceasefire also led to a sharp drop in the dollar, which had become a safe-haven while the war raged, with the yen, euro and pound all strengthening.

- Iran attacks halted -

Israel's military said it had halted its attacks on Iran after completing overnight strikes, but emphasised it remained ready to respond to any violation of the ceasefire.

"In accordance with directives from the political leadership, the IDF has ceased fire in the campaign against Iran and remains on high alert in defence, ready to respond to any violation," the military said in a statement.

- Iraq reopens airspace -

Iraq's civil aviation authority said it was reopening the country's airspace on Wednesday following the announcement of the US-Iran ceasefire.

- Talks Friday -

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X that Islamabad would host delegations from the United States and Iran on Friday "to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes".

burs/yad