APTOPIX Iran War

The leader of Iran’s joint military command has threatened to halt trade in the Gulf region if the U.S. does not lift its blockade of Iranian ports, while U.S. Central Command says no vessels have made it past U.S. naval forces during the first 48 hours of the blockade. U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday also said the war in Iran was “very close to over" and claimed China has agreed not to provide weapons to Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. may levy secondary sanctions on financial institutions that do business with Iran. Meanwhile, mediators have made progress with efforts to resume negotiations about a ceasefire extension.

A 10-day ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed on by Lebanon and Israel has started. Barrages of gunshots rang out across Beirut early Friday as residents fired into the air to celebrate the beginning of the truce.  The two neighboring countries held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington after more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed, Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group. The truce, if it holds, could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel after weeks of devastating war that killed thousands of people and upended global markets by disrupting the flow of oil.

A 10-day ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed on by Lebanon and Israel has started. The truce could boost attempts to extend the ceasefire between Iran, the United States and Israel after weeks of devastating war. Israel has not been fighting with Lebanon itself, but rather with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group inside Lebanon. The ceasefire would begin at 5 p.m. ET Thursday. Nearly 2,200 people in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli air strikes. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s army chief met with Iranian officials in a bid to arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran.