- Iran keeps US waiting -

Iran questioned the seriousness of US diplomacy after naval clashes in the Gulf, and kept Washington waiting on its response to the latest American proposal for a deal to extend the truce and launch peace talks.

On Saturday there was no public sign of Iran's reply to the proposal, despite US President Donald Trump saying late Friday he expected to receive it during Friday night.

- UK sends warship -

The UK said it will send a destroyer to the Middle East ahead of any international mission to help protect shipping in the key Strait of Hormuz.

The mission is to be co-led by Britain and France, which have previously emphasised it would be separate from the US war deployment in the region.

- Strikes near Beirut -

Lebanese official media reported a new Israeli strike outside Beirut, moments after two strikes on a highway linking the capital to the country's south.

Both areas are outside traditional strongholds of Iran-backed Hezbollah and came despite a ceasefire in the Iran-backed group's war with Israel.

Hezbollah separately said it targeted "a gathering of Israeli enemy army soldiers" in northern Israel with a drone in response to repeated Israeli attacks.

- Bahrain arrests -

Bahrain's interior ministry said security services dismantled an organisation accused of links to Iran's Revolutionary Guards and arrested 41 of its suspected members.

Sunni-ruled Bahrain, which has a large Shia population and houses a major US military base, was hard-hit by Iranian attacks on the Gulf.

- Iran to go to World Cup -

Iran's football federation said its men's national team will take part in the 2026 World Cup this summer, but demanded that joint hosts the United States, Mexico and Canada agree to its conditions amid the Middle East war.

The Iranian football federation (FFIRI) president Mehdi Taj on Friday laid out 10 conditions, including: visas being granted; respect for the national team's staff, Iran's flag and national anthem; as well as demands for high security at airports, hotels and routes to the stadiums where they will play.

- Seafarers' anguish -

Many of the thousands of seafarers stuck on board ships bottled up in the Gulf for more than two months are traumatised by drones and missiles and face grave mental suffering, maritime charities warn.

"They see drones flying, they see missiles flying, and then we see instances where the ships get hit," said Gavin Lim, head of the Crisis Response Network for the Sailors' Society, a UK-based seafarers' charity.

"You can imagine that anxiety and fear building up. 'Are we just bait? Are we going to be a victim so that someone can make a point?'"

- Hormuz control like 'atomic bomb' -

"The Strait of Hormuz represents an opportunity as precious as an atomic bomb," said Mohammad Mokhber, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader, on Friday.

"Indeed, having in one's hands a position that allows you to influence the global economy with a single decision is a major opportunity."