EXPLAINER
The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is extended by three weeks after White House talks with Israeli and Lebanese envoys.
Published April 24, 2026
US President Donald Trump has announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon following talks at the White House with Israeli and Lebanese envoys.
As tensions persist in the region, he said he “could make a deal right now” with Iran but is willing to wait for a deal “forever.”
An Israeli strike killed three people in southern Lebanon, and senior officials in Tehran have blamed Washington for the stalled negotiations, citing the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
This is what we know:
In Iran
- Trump's order in Hormuz: President Trump vowed that the United States would destroy any ships laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as pressure mounts on Iran to reopen the crucial sea passage that the US military has also blocked.
- Blockade in Hormuz disputed: Analyst Hassan Ahmadian said the US advance in the Strait of Hormuz is not an “economic siege” but a cover to reposition forces “for a possible new round of conflict.”
- Iran's leaders reject claims of division: President Masoud Pezeshkian, the speaker of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the head of Iran's judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, have denied Trump's claims of internal divisions and sent coordinated messages underscoring unity within Iran's leadership.
- Iran can survive the US blockade: Former US ambassador to Bahrain Adam Ereli said Tehran is prepared for sanctions and may store or sell oil through alternative means, warning that the pressure campaign could outlast Trump's patience and US public support as foreign policy goals clash with domestic political realities.
war diplomacy
- Global responses: Pope Leo XIV condemned the killing of protesters in Iran and called for restraint, while Marco Rubio confirmed that the United States will not exclude Iran's national team from the soccer World Cup, dismissing speculation that Washington attempted to block its participation.
- US aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East: The USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East, the US military said, increasing to three the number of massive US warships operating in the region.
in the united states
- Trump press conference: The US president stated Thursday that US forces could quickly “neutralize” any rebuilt Iranian military capabilities, without signaling any urgency in a long-term deal: “Don't rush me.”
- For the first time, Trump said clearly that the United States would not use a nuclear weapon on Iran, days after intense speculation about what he might do, when he threatened to wipe out Iranian civilization in a social media post that was widely condemned for its apparent genocidal intent.
- US politicians seek protection for Iranians: More than a dozen Democrats are urging the Trump administration to suspend the deportation of Iranians, warning that nearly 12,000 students and others could face persecution or conflict if they are forced to return, and calling for immediate protection for those who cannot return home safely.
In Israel
- Israel awaits 'green light': Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel was “prepared to resume the war” and was waiting for the green light from Washington to return Iran to “the Stone Age.”
- Israel denies Iran attack: An Israeli security source told AFP on Thursday that no airstrikes were being carried out in Iran, after Iranian state media reported that air defense systems had been activated over the capital Tehran.
- Hezbollah fires on northern Israel: Hezbollah said Thursday it fired rockets into northern Israel, accusing the country of violating the ceasefire. “In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the Israeli enemy's violation of the ceasefire and its attack on the town of Yater in southern Lebanon,” Hezbollah “targeted the settlement of Shtula with a barrage of rockets,” the group said.
In Lebanon
- Israeli attack kills three people: The Lebanese Health Ministry said an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed three people, despite a 10-day ceasefire that has now been extended for three weeks.
- Beirut store owner reflects divisions: A store owner in Beirut laughed off questions about Israeli-Lebanese talks in Washington and told Al Jazeera he feared repercussions for speaking out, underscoring the deep divisions in Lebanon, where some see negotiations as necessary while others back Hezbollah's armed resistance as the only way forward.
Oil and global markets
- Oil prices rise: Brent crude surpassed $106 a barrel following vessel seizures in the Strait of Hormuz, rising almost five percent to $106.80 by 0100 GMT after rising above $100 for the first time in two weeks.
