President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran that is contingent on Iran fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz and halting attacks on U.S., Israeli and regional targets. The pause, arranged with Pakistan acting as intermediary, is intended to create a window for negotiations in Islamabad under terms both sides said could be extended by mutual agreement.
Ceasefire and diplomacy
– Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistani mediators were credited with brokering the truce. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said peace talks would begin in Islamabad on Friday and allocated two weeks for talks, extendable by agreement. Pakistan also said the truce would cover fighting in Lebanon and asked the U.S. to extend the president’s earlier deadline by two weeks to allow diplomacy to proceed.
– Iran released a statement saying its 10-point proposal had been accepted in principle and that the deal allows it to maintain coordination over the Strait of Hormuz, describing “safe passage” to be coordinated with Iran’s armed forces. U.S. officials, however, said they had only confirmed the two-week ceasefire and Iran’s reopening of the strait as conditions.
– White House officials said Israel agreed to the broad contours of the ceasefire, and U.S. envoys, Pakistani and Israeli leaders were reported to have been involved in closing the deal.
Military and security developments
– Despite the ceasefire announcement, Israeli strikes continued in southern Lebanon, including near Tyre, and Lebanon’s army warned displaced residents not to return south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Lebanon was not part of the two-week truce agreed by Washington and Tehran, a comment that appeared to conflict with Pakistan’s account.
– Pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq announced a two-week halt to attacks on “enemy bases” following the ceasefire.
– In the days before the truce, U.S. and Israeli strikes targeted Iranian infrastructure such as railways, bridges and military installations on Kharg Island and elsewhere. Israel said it damaged maritime detection systems and facilities linked to sea-skimming cruise missiles and air defenses; the IDF acknowledged strikes on railway lines and bridges used by the IRGC.
– Iran reported civilian casualties from recent strikes, including at least 18 dead in Alborz Province, and state media said a Tehran synagogue was “completely destroyed” in an attack; Israeli officials said they regretted collateral damage after targeting a senior commander’s facility.
– Tehran mobilized calls to protect infrastructure, urging youths to form human chains around power plants, and the IRGC’s cyber unit warned it would end “self-restraint” in cyber operations and threatened long-term disruptions to Gulf oil flow.
– Authorities warned Iranians to avoid trains amid threats to rail infrastructure. Separately, a container ship was reported struck near Kish Island and explosions were reported near Kharg Island after U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Regional incidents and reactions
– Explosions were reported in Bahrain after the ceasefire announcement; the interior ministry reported minor injuries and damage from intercepted Iranian drones. Attacks attributed to Iran were reported in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail industrial area and on a Thuraya satellite firm in the UAE, causing some civilian injuries.
– Iraq reopened its airspace after having closed it earlier because of the conflict. Kuwait imposed an overnight curfew as a precaution. The U.S. State Department advised Americans to reconsider participation in this year’s Hajj because of regional risks.
Humanitarian and hostage developments
– American journalist Shelly Kittleson, kidnapped in Iraq last week, was reported released; an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq said she was freed on the condition she leave the country, and U.S. and Iraqi sources confirmed her release.
– Lebanon has experienced heavy displacement and civilian casualties from fighting with Hezbollah and Israeli strikes; Lebanon’s health ministry reported more than 1,500 people killed in Israeli strikes.
Economic and market impact
– Markets reacted strongly to the ceasefire news: oil prices plunged (WTI fell more than 14% and Brent more than 13% at one point) and U.S. stock futures rose, though prices remained above prewar levels. The International Air Transport Association warned jet fuel supplies and prices could take months to normalize even if the Strait of Hormuz stays open.
International diplomacy and U.N.
– Russia and China vetoed a watered-down U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, blocking a measure that had been repeatedly weakened to try to win their support.
– Pakistani officials were credited with mediation and Iran said the talks would be held in Islamabad. The White House said discussions about in-person talks were ongoing but not finalized.
U.S. political and public reactions
– President Trump posted praise for the deal, calling it “a big day for World Peace!” and outlining hopes for reconstruction and renewed commerce. Earlier, he had set an 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on power plants and bridges, and his prior warnings — including that a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not comply — drew widespread condemnation.
– Senate and House Democrats criticized Trump’s threats and rhetoric and urged restraint and diplomacy; some called for congressional action. Senate Republicans were divided, with Sen. Lindsey Graham calling for congressional review while expressing caution about ceasefire details. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged actions to end the war and other lawmakers urged Congress to reconvene. A religious leader, identified here as Pope Leo XIV, publicly condemned the threats and urged rejection of attacks on civilian infrastructure.
– White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the ceasefire as a U.S. victory, saying the military campaign created leverage for diplomacy and credited the president with reopening the strait.
Other notable items
– Iran’s Supreme National Security Council presented a 10-point plan reportedly including demands such as withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from the region and lifting primary and secondary sanctions — items the U.S. has not confirmed.
– U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces launched one-way attack drones into Iran and emphasized such drones are integrated into offensive and defensive operations.
– Civilian infrastructure damage across Iran includes power transmission and substation outages and strikes on bridges and rail lines. Iran warned that further escalation could expand to other key shipping lanes, like the Bab el-Mandeb, via allied groups if the situation deteriorates.
Outlook
– The two-week truce creates a limited window for talks in Islamabad with Pakistan as host and mediator. Whether the ceasefire holds depends on Iran’s coordination over the Strait of Hormuz, the cessation of attacks, and the responses of regional actors. Key contradictions remain — notably Israel’s statement excluding Lebanon from the truce versus Pakistan’s claim it was included — and many details beyond the strait’s reopening and a temporary halt to violence remain unclear. Markets and regional security will hinge on progress in the upcoming negotiations and compliance on the strait reopening.