After U.S.-hosted talks at the White House, President Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The extension followed a second round of negotiations in Washington attended by Israeli and Lebanese representatives and senior U.S. officials. Trump said the agreement came after an Oval Office meeting that included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. envoys to Israel and Lebanon, and “high ranking representatives of Israel and Lebanon.” The initial U.S.-brokered 10-day truce began April 16.
Trump linked any broader deal to conditions on Iran, urging Tehran to cut off funding to Hezbollah. He reiterated that the U.S. would not use nuclear weapons in a war with Iran, calling the idea “stupid” and saying a nuclear weapon “should never be allowed to be used by anybody.” He also warned Americans to expect higher gasoline prices “for a little while” as negotiations continue.
Despite the truce extension, exchanges and tense incidents along the Israel-Lebanon front continued. Hezbollah said it fired rockets into northern Israel after accusing Israel of violating the truce and targeting the Lebanese town of Yater; Israel reported intercepting launches that crossed from Lebanon. Earlier the same day, an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed three people, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The body of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was recovered after an Israeli drone strike; Lebanese officials and a journalists’ union said rescue access was impeded, while the Israel Defense Forces said it does not target journalists and denied preventing rescue teams.
On ground engagements, Israel said it killed two alleged Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon after they allegedly approached IDF troops and posed an immediate threat. Israel’s defense minister warned the country was prepared to renew the war against Iran if given a U.S. “green light,” saying the IDF stood ready to resume offensive operations.
At sea, tensions over the Strait of Hormuz escalated as U.S. forces enforced a naval blockade of Iranian ports and redirected dozens of vessels. U.S. Central Command reported 33 ships had been turned around under the blockade. U.S. forces boarded several Iran-linked or “stateless” tankers in the Indian Ocean and elsewhere, saying they were interdicting vessels subject to sanctions. Iran has seized commercial ships in the strait and released footage it said showed IRGC commandos boarding vessels, and Tehran announced it had begun collecting transit tolls from ships passing through the strait, with fees varying by cargo and risk.
The disruption to shipping has reshaped trade routes and raised costs. Many shippers rerouted to the Panama Canal and paid steep premiums for earlier transit slots; auction prices surged and one reported case cited an extra $4 million paid to secure passage. The uncertainty helped push oil prices higher, with Brent crude near $107 a barrel and U.S. crude above $97, each up roughly 1.5% amid concerns about the conflict and shipping routes.
President Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill” small boats placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz and that minesweepers were being deployed to clear the waterway. He asserted the U.S. has “total control” of the strait and characterized Iranian military assets as “decimated” by U.S. operations so far, while adding he does not want to rush negotiations and seeks a lasting deal.
Washington also expanded pressure on Iran-linked militias: the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program offered $10 million for information on the leader of an Iran-backed Shiite militia in Iraq accused of attacking U.S. personnel and diplomatic facilities. Separately, Israeli authorities arrested two Air Force technicians accused of spying for Iran; prosecutors said the technicians passed military materials to Iranian intelligence.
The conflict’s diplomatic and public fallout has been felt globally. Pope Leo called for a “new attitude” toward war and urged an end to the spiral of violence, prompting public comments exchanged between the pope and Trump. Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi was doused with a red liquid at an event in Berlin but was unharmed; he used the incident to press for sanctions enforcement and support for civil society in Iran. In the Philippines, officials said 15 Filipino seafarers aboard two ships seized by Iran were “safe and unharmed.” In London, a stabbing at an anti-Iran war protest hospitalized a man and led to five arrests.
U.S. Navy leadership also shifted: Navy Secretary John Phelan left his post effective immediately, and Undersecretary Hung Cao was named acting civilian leader of the Navy as the service plays a central role in regional operations.
Diplomatic shuttle efforts continue. Ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon met in Washington to negotiate the extension, and U.S. officials said secondary talks and consultations with regional and international partners are ongoing. White House officials said there was no firm deadline for Iran to submit a peace proposal and that the president wanted a unified Iranian response before proceeding.
The situation remains volatile and fluid. Ceasefire extensions and talks have reduced some immediate large-scale hostilities between Israel and Lebanon, but skirmishes, strikes, and maritime confrontations persist. Key unresolved issues include Iran’s role and demands, enforcement of maritime access, the status of Hezbollah and other militias, and broader regional stability. U.S. officials and international partners continue to press for negotiated steps to expand and stabilize the temporary pause while preparing contingency plans should diplomacy falter.