EXPLAINERThe Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is extended by three weeks after White House talks with Israeli and Lebanese envoys. Published On 24 Apr 202624 Apr 2026US President Donald Trump has announced a three-week extension to the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon after talks at the White House with Israeli and Lebanese envoys.As tensions persist across the region, he said he “could make a deal right now” with Iran but is willing to wait for an “everlasting” agreement.An Israeli strike killed three people in southern Lebanon, and senior officials in Tehran have blamed Washington for stalled negotiations, citing the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.Here is what we know:In Iran
Trump’s Hormuz order: President Trump vowed the US would destroy any vessel laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as he ratchets up pressure on Iran to reopen the crucial sea passage that the US military has also blockaded.
Blockade in Hormuz disputed: Analyst Hassan Ahmadian said the US push in the Strait of Hormuz is not an “economic siege” but a cover to reposition forces “for a possible new round of conflict”.
Iran’s leaders reject division claims: President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, have denied Trump’s assertions of internal rifts, with coordinated messaging underscoring unity within Iran’s leadership.
Iran may outlast US blockade: Former US ambassador to Bahrain, Adam Ereli, said Tehran is prepared for sanctions and can store or sell oil through alternative means, warning the pressure campaign could outlast both Trump’s patience and US public support, as foreign policy goals collide with domestic political realities.
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Global responses: Pope Leo XIV has condemned the killing of protesters in Iran and called for restraint, while Marco Rubio confirmed the US will not bar Iran’s national team from the football World Cup, dismissing speculation that Washington sought to block their participation.
US aircraft carrier arrives in Middle East: The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East, the US military said, increasing the number of the massive American warships operating in the region to three.
In the US
Trump news conference: The US president claimed on Thursday that American forces could quickly “neutralise” any rebuilt Iranian mili …
