- Trump says Iran deal 'very possible' -

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war was "very possible" following "very good talks" over the past day.

"We've had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it's very possible that we'll make a deal," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

- US stocks break records, oil tumbles -

World oil prices dove Wednesday and US stock markets rallied on fresh hopes for an end to the war in the Middle East, as Trump said a deal with Iran was "very possible".

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq, two of the major US stock indices, finished at records for the second consecutive day, while international oil benchmark Brent North Sea finished down 7.8 percent at $101.27 a barrel.

- Hezbollah commander killed -

A senior commander from Hezbollah's elite force was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, a source close to the group said.

At least 11 other people were killed in strikes across the south and east, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

- Ship violating Iran port blockade disabled -

A US Navy warplane fired on and disabled the rudder of an oil tanker that tried to break Washington's blockade of Iranian ports, the US military said on Wednesday.

US forces warned the Iranian-flagged ship that it was in violation of the blockade but its crew "failed to comply," so a US F/A-18 Super Hornet "disabled the tanker's rudder by firing several rounds from (its) 20mm cannon gun," Central Command said in a post on X.

- Macron calls UAE strikes 'unjustified' -

France's President Emmanuel Macron told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday that attacks on Emirati civilian infrastructure and ships near the Strait of Hormuz were "unjustified".

"I expressed my deep concern about the ongoing escalation and condemned the unjustified strikes against Emirati civilian infrastructure and several ships," Macron said on X after the discussion.

- French aircraft carrier heads for Gulf -

France's aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle was on Wednesday heading towards the southern Red Sea to pre?position for a possible mission to restore navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the presidency said.

Its redeployment sends "a signal that not only are we ready to secure the Strait of Hormuz but that we are also capable of doing so," the presidency added.

- Iran reviewing US proposal -

Iran foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said a US proposal to end the war is still "under review" by Tehran, local media reported.

Tehran will convey its views to key mediator Pakistan after "finalising its views", Baqaei told the ISNA news agency.

- Israel vows to 'dismantle' Hezbollah' -

Israel's army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir vowed to dismantle Hezbollah and said the military was prepared to launch a new offensive against Iran if needed.

"We will seize every opportunity to deepen the dismantling of Hezbollah and continue weakening it," Zamir said while visiting soldiers near the Lebanese town of Khiam.

- Iran seeks China's help -

Tehran is looking forward to China's support for a "new post-war" regional framework following its conflict with the United States, said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a post to X.

- Trump threatens worse bombing -

Trump on Wednesday threatened to resume bombing Iran if it did not agree to a deal to end the war.

"If they don't agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," Trump said in a social media post.

- Pakistan PM 'hopeful' -

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif -- a key mediator between the Iran and the United States and Israel -- said Wednesday he was "hopeful" the current momentum on negotiations would lead to peace in the region.

burs-jgc/sla

A.P. MOELLER-MAERSK