Update:
(AP) - The United States demanded Wednesday that Iran immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamic Republic closed the waterway in response to Israeli attacks against the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Iran’s move cast doubt over whether an already precarious ceasefire to end more than a month of war would hold.
The United States and Iran both claimed victory after reaching the agreement, and world leaders expressed relief, even as more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries. Israel also intensified its attacks in Lebanon, hitting several commercial and residential areas in Beirut without warning. At least 112 people were killed and hundreds were wounded in one of the deadliest days in the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.
The fresh violence threatened to scuttle what U.S. Vice President JD Vance called a “fragile” deal.
“Aggression towards Lebanon is aggression towards Iran,” Gen. Seyed Majid Mousavi, aerospace commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, wrote on X. He warned that Iranian forces were preparing a “heavy response” without revealing details.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that an end to the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire agreement with the U.S.
(AP) - Iran, the United States and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, an 11th-hour deal that headed off U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to unleash a bombing campaign that would destroy Iranian civilization. Hours after the announcement, Iran and Gulf Arab countries reported new attacks Wednesday, though it was not clear if the strikes would scuttle the deal.
All sides have presented vastly different versions of the terms. Iran said the deal would allow it to formalize its new practice of charging ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the U.S. would work with Iran to remove buried enriched uranium, though Iran did not confirm that.
Pakistan and others said fighting would pause in Lebanon, which Israel has invaded to fight Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Wednesday that the deal doesn’t cover fighting against Hezbollah. Israeli strikes hit several dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut Wednesday afternoon without warning, killing dozens and wounding hundreds of people.
The ceasefire may formalize a system of charging fees in the Strait of Hormuz that Iran instituted — and give it a new source of revenue. Iranian attacks and threats deterred many commercial ships from passing through the waterway, through which 20% of all traded oil and natural gas passes in peacetime.
Iran, the United States and Israel said they reached a deal for a two-week ceasefire, with Tehran saying it would negotiate with the United States in Islamabad beginning Friday.
Trump initially said Iran proposed a “workable” 10-point plan, but he later called the plan fraudulent without elaborating.
Trump’s threats to launch devastating strikes on Iran hit a new extreme hours before the ceasefire when he warned, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," if Iran failed to make a deal that included reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement Wednesday morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it supports Trump’s decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, but that it doesn’t include the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, where more than 1,500 people have been killed.
Here is the latest:
Vance calls agreement ‘a fragile truce’
Vice President JD Vance called the ceasefire agreement “a fragile truce” but offered no details
The vice president, who was speaking at an event in Hungary, said the deal that the U.S. struck with Iran was being misrepresented within Iran, though he didn’t offer details beyond saying the agreement included a ceasefire, plans to negotiate and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“You have people who are lying about even the fragile truce that we’ve already struck,” Vance said.
Vance did not address speculation about whether he might travel to Pakistan to personally participate in talks with Iran. Vance’s office has not comment.
Vance said Trump told U.S. representatives who will be negotiating with Iran to do so in “good faith” but warned Trump is “impatient to make progress.”
The U.S. is prepared to use “extraordinary economic leverage,” but Trump has instructed us “not to use those tools.”
“He’s told us to come to the negotiating table. But if the Iranians don’t do the exact same thing, they’re going to find out that the president of the United States is not one to mess around,” Vance said.
Vance said of Iran: “I think if they negotiate in good faith, we will be able to find a deal. That’s a big if. And ultimately, it’s up to the Iranians how they negotiate. I hope they make the right decision.”
Russia supports move away from escalation
Speaking about the ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia “from the very beginning spoke about the need for swiftly shifting this escalation onto a peaceful track, onto a track of political and diplomatic contacts, negotiations.”
Peskov said “given yesterday’s rather harsh statements from different sides, which elicited a lot of emotions around the world,” Moscow welcomed the news.
“We welcome the decision not to follow the path of military escalation further, not to carry out strikes on civilian targets,” Peskov said. “We consider this to be very important.”
The Kremlin spokesman expressed hope that “each side will be able to defend its interests not through armed intervention, but at the negotiating table.”
Pope calls ceasefire a sign of hope
At the end of his weekly general audience Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV called the ceasefire a “sign of true hope” and repeated a call for the faithful to join him in a peace prayer vigil Saturday in St. Peter’s Basilica. The previous day, the pope condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy Iranian civilization as “truly unacceptable” and said that any attacks on civilian infrastructure would violate international law. Meanwhile, Italy’s foreign minister welcomed the ceasefire as a positive sign for both peace in the Mideast and the Italian economy. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote on social media: “Iran cannot be allowed to possess nuclear weapons, and it is right that the U.S. does not bomb the civilian population.”
Hezbollah giving mediators opportunity to secure ceasefire
A Hezbollah official says the militant group backed by Iran is giving a chance for mediators to secure a ceasefire in Lebanon.
In the meantime, the official said, “We have not announced our adherence to the ceasefire since the Israelis are not adhering to it.”
He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.
Israel has said the agreement reached to halt the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran does not extend to its war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, although Pakistan, which mediated the agreement, said the two-week cessation of hostilities included Lebanon.
The Hezbollah official said the group will not accept a return to the pre-March 2 status quo, when Israel carried out near-daily strikes in Lebanon despite a ceasefire being nominally in place since the last full-blown Israel-Hezbollah war ended in November 2024.
“We will not accept for the Israelis to continue behaving as they did before this war with regards to attacks,” he said. “We do not want this phase to continue.”
375 people detained in Abu Dhabi
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates said police have detained 375 people across the capital, Abu Dhabi, over the course of the war.
Abu Dhabi police said the people are from various countries and were detained for filming and “disseminating false information” on social media.
It said the cases have been referred to prosecutors for allegations of violating the UAE’s laws aimed at “protecting the society.”
Gulf countries have cracked down on people who have filmed impacted sites throughout the war, with hundreds detained, including migrant workers.
Lebanese president and Kuwait hope ceasefire leads to comprehensive settlement
Lebanon President Joseph Aoun said he hopes the two-week agreement is a “first step” toward final and comprehensive agreements for regional crises.
Israel and the Hezbollah militant group are at war in Lebanon and Israel denies they are part of the agreement, while mediators Pakistan and Egypt as well as France say Lebanon is included.
“The President affirmed the Lebanese state’s ongoing efforts to ensure regional peace encompasses Lebanon in a sustainable manner, based on the principles agreed upon by the Lebanese people” Auon’s statement said.
He called on Israeli forces to withdraw from Lebanese territory and for Hezbollah and other non-state groups to disarm.
“The complete sovereignty of the state over all its territory, its liberation from any occupying presence, and the exclusive right to declare war and peace and to use legitimate force, solely in the hands of its constitutional institutions.”
Separately, Kuwait said it hopes the ceasefire will lead to a “comprehensive and permanent settlement.”
The fforeign ministry in Kuwait, which is one of the nations that has been most impacted by Iranian attacks, called for adhering to the ceasefire to pave the way for dialogue between the warring parties, according to the state-run Kuwait News Agency.
Pakistan says Iran confirms attendance at talks with US
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Wednesday that Iran has confirmed it will attend talks with the United States on Friday in Islamabad.
It was not immediately clear who would represent Tehran at the negotiations.
Sharif’s office said he spoke for more than 45 minutes with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, thanking Iran’s leadership for agreeing to a ceasefire and accepting Pakistan’s offer to host the talks.
Pezeshkian thanked Pakistan for its efforts and conveyed his best wishes to the country’s people, the office said.
Saudi Arabia calls for unrestricted transit through Strait of Hormuz
Saudi Arabia welcomed the ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran and called for unrestricted opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Riyadh supports efforts to achieve a permanent deal that addresses “all issues that have resulted in instability and insecurity over the past decades.”
The statement called for keeping the Strait of Hormuz open according to U.N. agreements governing international waterways “without any restrictions.”
Iran says Lavan Island refinery came under attack after ceasefire announced
An oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island came under attack Wednesday, hours after a ceasefire in the war was announced, Iranian state television reported.
The report said the attack came at 10 a.m.
It added that firefighters were working to contain the blaze but no one had been hurt.
It did not say who launched the attack.
Kuwait reports drone attacks targeting oil and power facilities
Kuwait’s military said it has responded to an “extensive wave” of drone attacks targeting oil and power facilities despite the ceasefire announcement.
The military said it engaged 31 drones that targeted the oil-rich county since 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The attacks caused significant damage at oil and power facilities and water desalination plants.
UAE says air defenses are firing at incoming Iranian missile barrage
The United Arab Emirates said Wednesday afternoon its air defenses were firing at an incoming Iranian missile barrage.
The UAE did not elaborate on where the attack was happening.
The announcement came hours after Iran, the U.S. and Israel reached a two-week ceasefire in the war.
Hezbollah legislator warns of response if Israel does not adhere to ceasefire
Hezbollah legislator Ibrahim Al-Moussawi has warned of a response from Iran and its allies if Israel “does not adhere to a ceasefire.”
His comment to local television channel Al-Jadeed is the first from the militant group in Lebanon after the U.S. and Iran reached a ceasefire agreement mediated by Pakistan.
Iran-backed Hezbollah joined the war after firing rockets toward Israel on March 2 in solidarity with Tehran. Hezbollah has not issued an official statement since the ceasefire but also has not yet claimed any strikes on Israel.
Israel has denied Lebanon’s inclusion in the agreement and said it will continue strikes against the small country. Pakistan, France and Egypt, which helped mediate the deal, all have confirmed Lebanon’s inclusion.
“The agreement includes Lebanon, according to its terms, and Iran insisted on this inclusion,” Al-Moussawi said.
Iran’s allies elsewhere, notably the Iraqi umbrella group the Islamic Resistance, announced it would halt its attacks.
Macron says ceasefire ‘fully includes Lebanon’
French President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire agreement between the U.S., Israel and Iran “fully includes Lebanon,” which is in opposition to the stance taken by Israel as it continues an offensive there against the militant group Hezbollah.
Macron said the inclusion of Lebanon in the deal is “a good and even essential thing.”
“What we are witnessing today, both from what we have seen with the strikes and the occupation of southern Lebanon, cannot be a long-term solution, we know that,” Macron said.
Macron unsuccessfully backed Beirut’s earlier efforts to de-escalate and push back against an Israeli ground invasion that has displaced more than 1 million people.
Zelenskyy uses Middle East ceasefire to call for halt to Ukraine conflict
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used the ceasefire in the Middle East to again call for a halt to fighting in Ukraine.
“A ceasefire is the right decision that leads to ending the war,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X, adding that an agreement which “paves the way for diplomatic efforts” would save lives and stop the destruction of cities.
“Security must be guaranteed, and the interests of every nation must be taken into account when defining post-war arrangements,” Zelenskyy said, calling for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Ukraine has “always called for a ceasefire” in the war with Russia and Kyiv would respond in kind if Moscow stops its strikes, he said.
Ceasefire efforts in Ukraine have yielded no results, with both sides continuing long-range strikes.
Egypt says Israel must stop attacking Lebanon
Egypt has called for Israel to immediately stop attacks on Lebanon as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s two-week ceasefire declaration in the region.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that “the situation in Lebanon remains critical.”
“This declaration of a cessation of military operations must be reflected in Israel immediately ceasing its repeated attacks on brotherly Lebanon,” it said.
Tel Aviv residents are cautious about ceasefire
Residents of Tel Aviv, Israel, are taking news of the ceasefire with a grain of salt
“A lot is unclear, the feeling is sour,“ Zamir Bakal told The Associated Press, adding, “we’re looking forward positively and hope that good things will come out of it.”
After another night disrupted by a blaring missile warning after the announced ceasefire, some residents were jogging on the city’s long promenade and playing beach volleyball.
Yehuda Raveh said he believes Israel will be “in a slightly better position” if the agreement extends to the fighting with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, but he added, “we did not solve our problems.”
Dan Tzivoni decried what he sees as Israel’s lack of political independence, saying Israel “became a little bit a puppet of the United States” and claiming it doesn’t know how to translate “very impressive military achievements” into political achievements.
Nizan Yogev sounded optimistic despite the tentative nature of the announcement, saying, “A temporary agreement will become permanent, and we will return to routine.”
Iraq reopens airports and airspace
Iraq’s Civilian Aviation Authority chief Bankin Rekani said the country’s airports and airspace have reopened following the ceasefire between the U.S., Israel and Iran.
He made the announcement hours after the two-week cessation of hostilities mediated by Pakistan went into effect.
Airspace and flights throughout the region have been disrupted by the war. Baghdad and Irbil’s international airports were shuttered and the latter faced threats and attacks.
Displaced Lebanese wait for ceasefire clarity
Families displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah war scrambled to pack belongings in hopes of returning home after Pakistan said the Iran war ceasefire would include Lebanon.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed his country’s military would press on in Lebanon.
At a displacement camp along Beirut’s waterfront, families whiplashed by the conflicting statements expressed confusion and despair.
“We’re just stuck,” said Fadi Zaydan, 35. “We can’t take this anymore, sleeping in a tent, not showering, the uncertainty.”
His family set out Wednesday for the coastal city of Sidon, where he said they would wait before venturing further south to their abandoned home in Nabatieh.
Others said they expected Israel to escalate operations against Iran-backed Hezbollah even as guns fell silent elsewhere.
“Israel isn’t going to give up,” said Shadi Chehadeh, 47, who fled his southern village of Zefta to sleep in his car in Beirut. “They want our land.”
