Here is the latest on Lebanon and the Iran war today:
- President Trump said on social media that he spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that they agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, set to begin at 5 p.m. ET Thursday. Israel’s ongoing assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon has threatened the ceasefire in the wider Iran war.
- Top Pakistani officials are visiting Iran and other regional nations — and possibly returning to Washington soon — as they race to orchestrate a new round of U.S.-Iran talks in the coming days. Mr. Trump has voiced optimism that the war will end soon, and that the next, still-to-be-scheduled round of talks will yield “amazing” results.
- The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to most commercial shipping traffic due to Iran’s threats and despite an ongoing U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports aimed at forcing a reopening. The tanker gridlock is keeping global oil and gas prices high, and keeping pressure on all parties to the conflict to find a solution.
- Iran “cautiously optimistic”– Tehran is “cautiously optimistic” about its negotiations on ending hostilities with the United States, the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations said Thursday, expressing hope for a “meaningful outcome.”
- House votes down latest effort to rein in Trump’s military action in Iran– The latest vote in the House to block President Trump from taking further military action against Iran narrowly failed Thursday as the war approaches its third month and the off-ramp remains uncertain.
- Lebanon 10-day ceasefire- President Trump said in a Truth Social post that he spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and that they each agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, set to begin later Thursday.
- “I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel,” he wrote. “These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST.”
- tate Marco Rubio to work with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine to help “Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE.”
- The president said he will also be inviting Netanyahu and Aoun to the White House for talks.
