Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by 3 weeks, Trump says

President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he is not in a rush to reach a peace deal with Iran and is instead holding out for the “best deal.”

“I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now,” Mr. Trump said, saying he wants an agreement with Iran to be “everlasting.”

The president said Iran’s military was “decimated” four weeks into the war and the U.S. has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz.

“I took the country out militarily in the first four weeks,” he said. “Now all we’re doing is sitting back and seeing what deal.”

He said if Iran doesn’t want to return to the negotiating table and reach an agreement, the U.S. would resume bombing the rest of the military’s targets.

“I don’t want to rush myself,” the president said.

Asked by CBS News senior White House correspondent Ed O’Keefe about whether Americans should be prepared for gas prices to remain high as the war continues, the president said they likely will pay more at the pump “for a little while.”

“Do you know what they get for that?” he said. “Iran without a nuclear weapon.”

President Trump will now greet negotiators Thursday at the White House before Israeli and Lebanese officials meet to discuss ending the ongoing war, according to a White House official.

The negotiations, a second round following initial talks on April 14, were initially scheduled to occur at the State Department. That meeting two weeks ago as the first high-level negotiations between the two countries since 1993.

The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors are set to meet at 4 p.m. ET. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa are expected to attend the negotiations alongside Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter.

President Trump responded to critics of his indefinite pause on military action in Iran by saying he’s “possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position” and has “all the time in the World” when it comes to making a lasting peace deal.

“Time is not on their side! A Deal will only be made when it’s appropriate and good for the United States of America, our Allies and, in fact, the rest of the World,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Thursday afternoon.

On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said there was no “firm deadline” for Iran to submit a proposal for a peace deal with the United States. 

Iranian officials have been reluctant to make any deal while the U.S. continues to block ships from entering or exiting the Strait of Hormuz. Many of those leaders struck a chord of singularity in Iran’s opposition to the U.S. on Thursday evening.

“In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates.’ We are all Iranians and revolutionaries. With ironclad unity of nation and state and obedience to the Supreme Leader, we will make the aggressor regret,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on X.

Pope Leo said there needs to be “a new attitude, a culture for peace” when it comes to starting wars in a midair chat with reporters as he returned to Rome on Thursday afternoon following a lengthy trip to Africa.

“Many times when we evaluate certain situations, the immediate response is we must enter with violence, with war, attacking,” Leo said, translated from Italian. “From what we have seen, many innocent people have died.”

Leo called the situation in Iran, a war which he publicly criticized President Trump for starting, “very complex.”

“One day, Iran says ‘yes,’ the United States says ‘no,’ and vice versa. We don’t know where this is going to lead, which has created, again, this chaotic situation, critical for the world economy,” Leo said. “But there is also the entire population of Iran, of innocent people, who are suffering because of this war.”

Leo and Mr. Trump engaged in a back-and-forth over the war with Iran at the beginning of his trip to Africa. Leo expressed “deep concern” over the war and said both parties needed to “stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss.” He also condemned Mr. Trump’s Truth Social post in which he said a “whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did not agree to a ceasefire.

Trump said he was “not a big fan” of Leo and said he should not get involved in politics. 

Hours before U.S.-moderated negotiations are to begin between Israel and Lebanon, the Israeli army said it killed two apparent Hezbollah members on Thursday.

“IDF soldiers identified two armed terrorists who approached the soldiers, posing an immediate threat. Following the identification, the soldiers eliminated the terrorists in order to remove the threat,” the Israeli army said of the shooting in the Aainata area in southern Lebanon.

Despite an ongoing ceasefire, Israel has said it reserves the right to defend itself from threats by Hezbollah.

The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors are set to meet at 4 p.m. ET in Washington. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa are expected to attend the negotiations alongside Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter.

Some of the same participants met on April 14, the first high-level talks between the governments of Israel and Lebanon since 1993.

Iranian opposition figure and exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the country’s last monarch who was ousted from power almost 50 years ago, was splattered with a red liquid by a protester in Berlin Thursday.

Police said it appeared the liquid was tomato juice, The Associated Press reported. A suspect was detained and Pahlavi was not injured.

The incident occurred shortly after Pahlavi left a press briefing in the German capital, where he criticized the U.S.-Iran ceasefire and voiced support for continued pressure on the Iranian government.

Pahlavi has said he would like to lead a transition that makes Iran safe for the world, although how much support he has in Iran is unclear. He has lived in exile for 47 years, mostly in the U.S.

He said Thursday that “Iran is very different than Iraq or Afghanistan” and argued that “the void can be filled” if a transition is properly managed, positioning himself as someone involved in discussions about what would come after any potential regime collapse.

He said the Iranian regime is showing “a sign of weakness,” as it relies on external actors to maintain control on the streets. He also said the Iranian people are central to any potential political change, saying “it is the people of Iran who are the boots on the ground,” rejecting the idea of foreign military intervention.

Pahlavi argued that Western governments should focus on sanctions enforcement, diplomatic pressure, and support for civil society, including internet access and political prisoners.

He was in Berlin with the help of the Europe Israel Press Association.

Israel issued its most strongly worded threats to Iran since the implementation of a two-week ceasefire — now indefinitely extended by President Trump — as Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday the country’s army stood at the ready.

“Israel is prepared to renew the war against Iran,” Katz said in a video statement. “The IDF is prepared for defense and attack and the targets are marked.”

Katz issued the comments after conducting a security assessment with all of the leaders of Israel’s military.

“We are waiting for the green light from the U.S. — first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty and return Iran to the Dark Ages and the Stone Age,” Katz said in the video. “The attack this time will be different and deadly and will add devastating blows in the most painful places — that will shake and collapse its foundations.”

Mr. Trump said on Tuesday the U.S. would hold off on attacks “until such time as [Iran’s] leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.” There is no timeline for that proposal.

“The president has not set a firm deadline to receive an Iranian proposal,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday morning. “The president wants a unified response. And so, as we await that response, there’s a ceasefire with the military and kinetic strikes.” 

The U.S. blockade on the Strait of Hormuz has now redirected 33 ships, according to U.S. Central Command.

The last update by CENTCOM, on Wednesday night, said 31 ships had been redirected since the start of the blockade.

Iran has called the blockade a violation of the ceasefire agreement, while the U.S. says it will remain in place as a condition of negotiations. 

A U.S. special envoy is reportedly pushing for FIFA, professional soccer’s global governing body, to replace Iran with the Italian national team at this summer’s men’s World Cup, which the U.S. is hosting with Canada and Mexico.

Paolo Zampolli, a U.S. special envoy for global partnerships, made the suggestion to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and President Trump in an effort to repair the relationship between Mr. Trump and Italy’s prime minister, Georgia Meloni, after the president’s recent criticism of Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, according to the Financial Times.

Italy failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup, losing a playoff game to Bosnia-Herzegovina earlier this month. However, President Trump has said it would be inappropriate for Iran’s national team to take part amid the U.S.-Israeli war with the country.

“I’m an Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a U.S.-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the pedigree to justify inclusion,” Zampolli, a businessman and former modeling agent who claims to have introduced Mr. Trump to his wife Melania, was quoted as saying by the FT.

Iran’s government said in March the country would not participate in the tournament after U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but it then issued a statement Wednesday saying it did plan to participate.

Mr. Trump said on social media in March that Iran’s soccer players were “welcome … but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”

The World Cup begins on June 11 with Mexico hosting South Africa. Iran is currently scheduled to play its first match against New Zealand on June 15 in Los Angeles.

“The Iranian team is coming, for sure,” Infantino said last week.

Two Israeli soldiers have been arrested for allegedly spying for Iran, military officials announced Thursday.

The pair, both technicians in the Air Force, were arrested in March for “committing security offences for Iranian intelligence,” according to a joint statement by Israeli Police, Military Police, and the Shin Bet intelligence services.

Both were charged with passing information to the enemy, while one also faces charges of aiding the enemy in war and assisting in contact with a foreign agent. The second soldier also faces charges of contact with a foreign agent, according to a press release.

The two claimed under interrogation that “contact with the Iranian operators was severed after they refused to carry out missions involving weapons,” according to the statement. 

But “even after the connection was severed at the operator’s initiative, they did not stop trying to renew the connection, for the purpose of financial gain,” it continued.

Military prosecutors filed an indictment against the pair Thursday morning.

For several months, Israel alleges, the two soldiers were in touch with Iranian intelligence elements and, “under their guidance, carried out a variety of missions for money.” 

“One of the soldiers even passed on to an Iranian foreign agent materials from his military training relating to fighter jet systems,” according to the release.

Twenty-five Israelis and foreign residents in Israel were indicted for spying for Iran in 2025, according to Shin Bet’s annual report, published in February. It said recruitment attempts on Israelis increased by 400% compared to 2024.

A man was stabbed during an altercation at an anti-Iran war protest in London on Wednesday, according to the Metropolitan Police. 

“Five men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm,” police said in a statement. “One of these men, who is in his 40s, was taken to hospital with stab wounds where he remains.”

His wounds are not thought to be life-threatening, according to the police, and the four other men remain in custody

The incident is thought to be “the result of a dispute between individuals attending a protest,” police said. 

A video posted on social media of the aftermath of the attack showed a man sitting on the street and surrounded by police officers with several slashes across his torso, including a deep gash across his stomach.

Metropolitan Police did not give details on who the men were or the possible motive.

President Trump wrote on Truth Social that he has directed the U.S. Navy to take action against any Iranian boats placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation,” he said.

Mr. Trump added that U.S. minesweepers were clearing the strait “right now,” and he said those efforts would be ramped up.

“I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!” he wrote.

U.S. officials said a month ago that Iran had likely placed at least a dozen sea mines in the strait, using small boats that can carry two to three of the devices each.

Iran has collected its first toll revenues from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the country’s deputy speaker of parliament, after a week in which both the U.S. and Iran intercepted vessels in the contested waterway.

“The first [transit toll] revenue from the Strait of Hormuz has been deposited into the Central Bank account,” said Hamid Reza Haji Babaei Thursday.

“We will sanction anyone who tries to sanction us,” the country’s semiofficial Fars news agency quoted Babaei as saying, adding that a large amount “of the world’s oil, gas, and essential goods for Europe are under our control.”

Around 20% of the world’s crude oil supplies would typically transit the strait before the war, but it has been effectively blockaded by Iran’s threat to commercial ships for more than seven weeks, which says it has limited passage to “friendly” countries.

Alireza Salimi, a senior Iranian MP, told Tasnim News that the amount each vessel has to pay varies depending on the cargo and the level of risk involved. 

The fees already collected “are currently being deposited into a unified account and the treasury,” he said.

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon that killed a journalist on Wednesday were a “war crime,” Lebanon’s prime minister said, as a journalists’ union said rescuers were prevented from accessing the destroyed building where she was left trapped beneath rubble.

Amal Khalil, a journalist with the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, bled to death in the ruins of a building hit in an Israeli drone strike after Israeli forces’ gunfire prevented ambulance crews from reaching her “for nearly four hours,” according to Lebanon’s Union of Journalists (ULJ).

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of “war crimes” in a post on X Wednesday, saying Israel’s “targeting of media workers in the south while they carry out their professional duties” was “no longer isolated incidents, but… an established approach that we condemn and reject.” 

Photojournalist Zeinab Faraj was also wounded in the attack, the union said. 

The Israel Defense Forces denied that troops had prevented rescue teams from reaching the site of the attack and said it “does not target journalists and acts to mitigate harm to them while maintaining the safety and security of its troops.”

The U.S. military said Thursday that forces had boarded another “stateless” Iran-linked tanker that is under U.S. sanctions, far from the hotly contested Strait of Hormuz — the latest in a tit-for-tat series of commercial vessel interdictions by both nations.

“Overnight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean,” the Department of Defense said in a social media post that included video of the operation.

“We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the military added.

Iran has refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz despite the U.S.-Iran ceasefire President Trump extended indefinitely this week, calling the U.S. Naval blockade of its ports and Iranian-linked ships a violation of the agreement.

Tehran’s forces have also seized two commercial ships in the strait as tension between the countries mounts.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon said U.S. forces had interdicted the Iran-linked “stateless sanctioned M/T Tifani” crude oil tanker in the Indo-Pacific Command’s area of responsibility, which includes the vast Indian Ocean.  

A Philippine government agency said Thursday that 15 Filipino seafarers onboard two container ships currently being held by Iran were “safe and unharmed” and “their families have been informed and are receiving government support.”

The statement was the first confirmation from a non-Iranian entity that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard forces had seized the two cargo ships the previous day in the Strait of Hormuz.

The country’s Department of Migrant Workers said that ten Filipinos were onboard the Epaminondas, and five on the MSC Francesca, the two ships the IRGC said it seized Wednesday for breaching its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has released dramatically-edited video of what it claims to be its forces boarding and seizing two of three commercial vessels intercepted in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.

The U.K. military’s Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) reported incidents involving three cargo ships in the contested waterway, while the IRGC claimed to have seized two of them.

The strait, a vital conduit for global energy supplies, has been largely blocked for more than seven weeks due to Iran’s threat to ship, which it lifted briefly but then reimposed after President Trump imposed a U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports and ships. Both sides have been intercepting vessels in tit-for-tat brinkmanship in the run-up to a possible second round of direct peace talks in Pakistan.

In the IRGC video posted Wednesday, masked fighters speed toward the colossal container ship MSC-Francesca in a gun boat and climb a ladder – rifles slung over their backs – up its hull.

The video then shows another so-called “fast-boat” laden with soldiers approaching the cargo ship Epaminodes, followed by clips of IRGC fighters on board a ship, opening a door and walking up stairs, rifles raised, though it is not clear which vessel they are on.

Earlier in the week, the U.S. military’s Central Command released two videos of American forces intercepting an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the region as part of its blockade.

 Ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon are set to meet in Washington on Thursday to hold a second round of peace talks, with their tenuous 10-day ceasefire currently due to expire over the weekend.

The Israeli army and Iran-backed militia Hezbollah have accused each other of breaching the truce almost since it began. The Lebanese national news agency reported Wednesday that Israeli strikes had killed two people, adding to the more than 2,000 killed by Israel since early March, according to health authorities.

Israeli officials say Hezbollah has killed 23 people since the IDF assault on the group intensified in tandem with the war in Iran.

The initial U.S.-brokered ceasefire began on April 16 at 1700ET.

The body of a Lebanese journalist killed in an Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon on Wednesday has been pulled from under the rubble hours after the attack.

The daily Al-Akhbar newspaper confirmed that its reporter, Amal Khalil, was killed in the strike on the southern village of al-Tiri.

Information Minister Paul Morcos also confirmed Khalil’s death.

Khalil had been covering the Israel-Hezbollah war since it started in October 2023 and had been reporting from different parts of southern Lebanon on the hostilities.

Earlier on Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, called on the international community to immediately pressure the Israeli army to allow the rescue of Khalil.

Navy Secretary John Phelan is leaving his role effective immediately, chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Wednesday.

The Navy’s new acting civilian leader will be Undersecretary of the Navy Hung Cao, according to Parnell. Cao is a Navy veteran who ran for Senate in 2024 as the GOP’s nominee in Virginia, losing to Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine.

The Department of the Navy — which oversees naval forces and the Marine Corps — is losing its top civilian official while the Navy plays a key role in the war with Iran. 

A temporary ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has been in place for about two weeks, but the U.S. has continued enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports at President Trump’s direction. The president and other administration officials have also suggested that the Navy could offer escorts to oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz at some point.

Phelan is the latest high-profile official to depart the federal government in recent months.

Read more here.

U.S. Central Command said Wednesday night that U.S. forces have directed a total of 31 vessels to turn around or return to port as part of the blockade against Iran. That’s two more from the previous tally CENTCOM had sent out earlier in the day.