explainer
The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended for three weeks after the White House met with Israeli and Lebanese envoys.
Published April 24, 2026
US President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension to the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon after meeting with Israeli and Lebanese envoys at the White House.
As tensions persist across the region, he said it was “possible to reach a deal now” with Iran, but he was prepared to wait for a “permanent” deal.
Three people were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, and senior Tehran officials blame the United States for stalling negotiations due to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports.
Here’s what we know:
in iran
Trump’s Hormuz order: President Trump has vowed that the United States will destroy any ships that lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as President Trump ramps up pressure on Iran to reopen a vital seaway that the U.S. military has also blocked. Blockade of Hormuz debated: Analyst Hassan Ahmadian said the US move into the Strait of Hormuz was not an “economic siege” but a cover to redeploy forces “in preparation for a possible new conflict”. Iranian leaders deny claims of division: President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Berger Ghalibaf, and Iranian Attorney General Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei have rejected President Trump’s claims of internal rifts in a coordinated message highlighting unity within Iran’s leadership. Iran could prolong the U.S. blockade: Former U.S. ambassador to Bahrain Adam Eleri said Tehran was prepared for sanctions and had alternative means to store and sell oil, warning that the pressure campaign could outlast both President Trump’s patience and the support of the American public as foreign policy goals collide with domestic political realities.
war diplomacy
World reaction: Pope Leo US aircraft carrier arrives in Middle East: The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush has arrived in the Middle East, increasing the number of giant US warships operating in the region to three, the US military announced.
in the US
Trump press conference: The US president insisted on Thursday that the US military could quickly “neutralize” Iran’s rebuilt military capabilities, suggesting there is no urgency to a long-term deal. “Please don’t rush.” For the first time, President Trump has vowed that the United States will not use nuclear weapons against Iran. It comes days after intense speculation that the United States would use nuclear weapons on Iran, when President Trump threatened to erase Iranian civilization in a social media post that was widely condemned as having clear genocidal intent. US politicians seek protection for Iranians: More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers are calling on the Trump administration to suspend deportations of Iranians, warning that about 12,000 students and others could face persecution or conflict if they are forced to return home, and calling for immediate protection for those who cannot return home safely.
in israel
Israel is waiting for a ‘green light’: Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel is “ready to resume war” and is waiting for a green light from Washington to return Iran to the “Stone Age”. Israel denies Iranian attack: Israeli security sources told AFP on Thursday that no airstrikes had been carried out in Iran, following Iranian state media reports that air defense systems had been activated over the capital Tehran. Hezbollah shells northern Israel: Hezbollah said Thursday it had fired rockets into northern Israel, accusing the country of violating a ceasefire. The group said Hezbollah “targeted the Shtura settlement with a volley of rockets” “in order to protect Lebanon and its people and in response to ceasefire violations and attacks on the town of Etaa in southern Lebanon” by Israel’s enemies.
in lebanon
Three killed in Israeli airstrike: Lebanon’s Health Ministry says three people have been killed in an Israeli airstrike in south Lebanon, despite a 10-day ceasefire being extended for three weeks. Beirut shopkeeper reflects division: A Beirut shopkeeper laughed off questions about Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington, telling Al Jazeera that he feared repercussions for speaking out, underscoring the deep divisions in Lebanon, with some believing negotiations are necessary and others supporting Hezbollah’s armed resistance as the only way forward.
Oil and the world market
Oil prices rise: Brent crude rose nearly 5% to $106.80 a barrel by 1 a.m. Japan time, after rising above $106 a barrel for the first time in two weeks, following retaliation for the ship seizure in the Strait of Hormuz.
