US-Israel-Iran War Ceasefire News Live Updates: ‘Our math is different’, Iran warns Gulf countries of ‘fourfold’ retaliation after Trump threat
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THE TIMES OF INDIA | Apr 27, 2026, 10:46:20 IST
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US-Israel-Iran War Ceasefire News Live Updates: ‘Our math is different’, Iran warns Gulf countries of ‘fourfold’ retaliation after Trump threat

US President Donald Trump has extended the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon by three weeks following White House talks, saying the agreement could open the door to a wider peace settlement and possible direct meetings between the leadership of both nations.

Trump described the Oval Office discussions as productive and historic, saying senior American officials, including JD Vance and Marco Rubio, met top Israeli and Lebanese representatives. He said he hopes to soon host Benjamin Netanyahu and Joseph Aoun in Washington, signalling a potential diplomatic breakthrough between neighbours that have rarely engaged directly.

The extension is aimed at calming a volatile border that has seen repeated exchanges of fire involving Hezbollah. Despite the announcement, fresh violence broke out almost immediately. Rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, according to Israeli officials, who said their defence systems intercepted the projectiles. Israel then carried out retaliatory strikes on launch sites and militant targets in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese officials reported injuries, including civilians hurt in artillery shelling in Yater, and fatalities in the Nabatieh region following separate Israeli airstrikes. Hezbollah later claimed responsibility for some rocket launches, saying they were retaliation for earlier Israeli attacks.

Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said peace with Lebanon was achievable and “not a pipe dream,” but argued that Hezbollah remains the main barrier to stability. He accused the group of repeatedly dragging Lebanon into war and preventing diplomatic progress. Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad thanked Washington for facilitating talks and called the moment historic.

Rubio echoed concerns about Hezbollah, saying the people of Lebanon deserve to live in a peaceful and prosperous country, but that armed organisations operating independently of the state continue to block that path. Israeli officials similarly say Hezbollah’s military capability remains the chief threat to communities in northern Israel.

Alongside the Israel-Lebanon developments, Trump also made new remarks on Iran. He refused to reveal what was found aboard a vessel intercepted while travelling from China to Iran, describing the materials as “top secret.” Trump further warned Tehran against using mines in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.

In another development, Rubio said the United States would not prevent Iran from taking part in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, clarifying that any security concerns would relate to accompanying personnel rather than players.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei praised domestic unity and said Iran’s enemies had suffered a setback. President Masoud Pezeshkian also rejected claims of internal division.

With the ceasefire now extended but clashes ongoing, the coming weeks may determine whether diplomacy gains ground or the conflict deepens further.
11:22 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: Iran foreign minister expected to return to Pakistan, state media reports
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to return to Pakistan following his visit to Oman this weekend, according to Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Araghchi had earlier said he left Islamabad for Oman on Saturday after a “fruitful visit”, adding that he did not meet any US negotiators during his time in the Pakistani capital, as cited by CNN.
11:20 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: Araghchi holds calls with his Egyptian and Turkish counterparts
Abbas Araghchi and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty “discussed and exchanged views on issues related to diplomacy and ceasefire, as well as the latest regional developments," IRNA reported.

The agency added that Araghchi also held a call with Turkey's Hakan Fidan, though it did not provide further details.

Meanwhile, Anadolu Agency reported that the talks between Fidan and Araghchi “focused on the latest developments in the negotiation process between Iran and the United States”.
10:46 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: Iran won't negotiate under pressure, says President Pezeshkian
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Iran will not enter into negotiations under pressure, threats, and siege, Mehr News Agency reported on Sunday.

During his telephonic conversation with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pezeshkian, criticized continued violations and coercive behaviour by the US during both the negotiations and the ceasefire period, the Mehr News Agency report revealed.

The Iranian President stated that actions related to Washington's so-called maritime restrictions on Iran constitute a clear breach of the ceasefire understandings and are inconsistent with the United Nations Charter. Such measures, he said, together with threatening rhetoric, have heightened doubts regarding the US commitment to the diplomatic process.

Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's determination to defend its national security, and warned of all possible consequences of any renewed confrontation by the US and Israel for both regional and global stability.

He further emphasized that Iran remains committed to building and strengthening relations with all neighbouring countries, including those along the southern shores of the Persian Gulf, based on good neighbourliness and mutual respect. He expressed hope that these states will also work collectively to promote regional peace and security, independent of external interference.
10:45 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: New strikes reported in Lebanon after six killed in south of country
Lebanese state media reported a series of new Israeli strikes in the country's south on Saturday night, after attacks earlier in the day killed six people despite a recently extended ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah

The new attacks followed orders from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the military to "forcefully attack Hezbollah targets" after the army accused it of breaching the truce.
09:38 (IST) Apr 26
US intercepts sanctioned merchant vessel in Arabian Sea, Central Command says

US Central Command said ​it intercepted ​a merchant vessel trying to ​get through the blockade of Iran on Saturday. The ‌ship, ⁠identified as ⁠the Sevan, was part of ​a 19-vessel "shadow fleet" transporting Iranian oil and gas ​products to foreign markets, the US military said.

Central Command ​said it was intercepted ⁠in the ‌Arabian Sea by ​a ​US Navy helicopter from ⁠the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney and ​was "currently complying with US military ​direction to turn back to Iran under escort."
09:22 (IST) Apr 26
'I don't think so': Trump on relation between Correspondents' Dinner shooting with Iran war
When asked whether the assailant has any relation with Iran, US President Donald Trump says, "I don't think so, but you never know. We're going to know a lot. We have the best people in the world working on it, and we're going to know a lot."
08:44 (IST) Apr 26
Shooting incident won't deter me from win in Iran war, says Trump
07:50 (IST) Apr 26
Trump cancels Pakistan talks trip, says Iran war on hold
US President Donald Trump cancelled his envoys' trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran on Saturday, saying there was no point "sitting around talking about nothing" but adding the war would not immediately resume.

Trump said he scrapped the visit after being unimpressed with Tehran's negotiating position, adding that a revised proposal followed within minutes of his decision.

"They gave us a paper that should have been better and -- interestingly -- immediately, when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes, we got a new paper that was much better," he told reporters, without elaborating.

The White House had said Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff were heading to Pakistan for talks with Iran aimed at moving "towards a deal" but Trump told Fox News he had scrapped the trip.

"We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you're not going to be making any more 18-hour flights to sit around talking about nothing," the president said he had told his team.

Asked separately whether the cancelation meant a return to hostilities, Trump said: "No, it doesn't mean that. We haven't thought about it yet."
07:48 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: UAE President, NSA Ajit Doval hold talks on regional stability in Abu Dhabi
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

According to Al Jazeera, during the meeting, both sides discussed regional stability and ongoing geopolitical developments in West Asia. The meeting focused on security concerns, economic interests, and coordination amid evolving tensions in the region following the fallout of the Israel-Iran war.

Earlier on April 20, Doval visited Saudi Arabia as part of India's outreach to the Gulf. The visit, undertaken on the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, included meetings with senior Saudi leadership, including ministers handling energy and foreign affairs, as well as security officials.

During an inter-ministerial briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that Doval held high-level discussions with the Saudi Energy Minister, Foreign Minister, and his security counterpart.

"On the directions of the Prime Minister, our outreach to countries in the Gulf continues. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval paid an official visit to Saudi Arabia on the 19th of April. During his visit, he held meetings with the Energy Minister and the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, as well as his counterpart. These meetings were helpful to exchange views on regional issues and enhance bilateral ties," Jaiswal said.
06:48 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: 'Naval blockade continues to be fully implemented,' says US Navy
US military forces continue to enforce "US sanctions and fully implement the blockade against ships entering or departing Iranian ports," US Central Command said on social media.

In a post on X, the US Central Command said that 37 vessels have been redirected since the start of the blockade, noting a merchant vessel named Sevan, intercepted in the Arabian Sea earlier Saturday by the US forces, is currently "complying with US military direction to turn back to Iran under escort."

US President Donald Trump announced on April 12 that the US Navy would begin blocking ships trying to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz. His decision came after the first round of US-Iranian talks on April 11 and 12 in Islamabad, Pakistan, failed to produce a peace deal.
05:44 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: 'It could take months to clear underwater explosives from Strait of Hormuz,' experts say
US President Donald Trump says the US Navy is clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a vital sea route for oil shipments whose disruption is increasingly threatening the global economy.

Sweeping for underwater explosives could take months despite a tenuous ceasefire between the United States and Iran in the weekslong war, experts say. Any future claims that the US cleared the waterway where 20 per cent of the world's oil typically passes might fail to convince commercial freighters and their insurers that it is finally safe.

Seeking out mines is one of the latest tactics announced by the Trump administration to get traffic moving again through the strait as rising energy prices and wider economic effects pose a political risk.

The US also has blockaded Iran's ports and seized ships tied to Tehran, but the president said Saturday he had instructed his envoys not to travel to Pakistan for the latest ceasefire talks after Iran's top diplomat left Islamabad. (AFP)
04:57 (IST) Apr 26
Iran war news: 'No direct talks unless US lifts naval blockade,' says Iran's Pezeshkian
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has delivered a firm "no" to direct negotiations with the United States as long as the current naval blockade remains in place.

According to Press TV, in a significant telephone conversation with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday, Pezeshkian asserted that Iran will not be coerced into a deal through "pressure or threats."

President Pezeshkian emphasised that the primary obstacle to peace is not a lack of dialogue, but the "hostile actions" currently being enforced by Washington.

During the conversation, the Iranian President stressed that "Iran will not enter into negotiations under pressure, threats, or blockade...As long as hostile actions and pressures of the US do not stop, rebuilding trust and progress in the path of dialogue would remain difficult."

He called on the US to demonstrate its seriousness by removing the military and economic barriers that have characterised the recent escalation.

"Our advice to the US is to first remove obstacles, including the naval blockade, in order to resume dialogue and provide a platform for resolving issues," he added.

The call comes at a critical juncture in the eight-week-long conflict, following the failure of high-level peace talks in Islamabad and a subsequent U.S. naval blockade that has choked Iranian ports since April 13.
04:31 (IST) Apr 26
Iran war news: IDF strikes 'Hezbollah facility' in southern Lebanon
03:51 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: Trump claims Iran sent new peace proposal but he rejected it
Amid the stalled negotiations with Iran, US President Donald Trump said the Iranians sent over a new peace proposal, but that it “could have been better,” and rejected it.

“They gave us a paper that could have been better, and interestingly, immediately when I cancelled it, within 10 minutes we got a new paper that was much better,” Trump said to reporters on Saturday before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from Florida.

The president wouldn't offer specifics about what was in the latest proposal other than saying “they offered a lot.” But he stressed that one of his conditions is that Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump said he cancelled the latest rounds of negotiations with Iran because it was “a lot of travelling” and because his negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, “weren't meeting with the leader of the country.”
03:25 (IST) Apr 26
Iran war news: Trump again praises Pakistan PM Sharif, army chief Munir
Pakistan is terrific. I think the field marshal (Asim Munir) is fantastic, and I think the prime minister (Shehbaz Sharif) of Pakistan is great. They'd like to see something happen: Donald Trump
02:51 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: 'We have all the cards,' says Donald Trump
I'll deal with whoever runs the show... but there's no reason to wait 2 days, have people traveling for 16, 17 hours... When they want, they can call me, we have all the cards. That whole deal is not complicated: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon: Donald Trump
02:13 (IST) Apr 26
Iran war news: Israel conducts fresh strikes in Lebanon, reports local media
Lebanese state media reported a series of new Israeli strikes in at least four different locations in the country's south on Saturday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his military to attack Hezbollah following alleged ceasefire breaches.

The state-run National News Agency reported a pair of strikes in quick succession in a town in Bint Jbeil district, another on a town in Tyre district, and strikes on two more towns in Nabatieh district.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it had "struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure used for military purposes across southern Lebanon", and would "continue to operate decisively against threats." (AFP)
01:47 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: Iran's Araghchi to return to Pakistan after visiting Oman
Iran FM to head back to Pakistan after Oman visit: state media (AFP)
01:22 (IST) Apr 26
Iran war news: Six killed in Israeli strikes in south Lebanon

Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes on Saturday in the country's south killed six people, despite a ceasefire that was extended this week in the war between Israel and militant group Hezbollah.

"Two Israeli enemy strikes, on a truck and a motorbike, in the town of Yohmor al-Shaqeef in the Nabatieh district killed four people," a ministry statement said.

It later reported that an "Israeli enemy airstrike on the town of Safad al-Battikh, in the Bint Jbeil district, resulted in two fatalities and 17 injuries".

Israel's military said it "eliminated" three Hezbollah operatives on Saturday who were driving "a vehicle loaded with weapons", as well as another one riding a motorcycle, and two more armed members of the group elsewhere.

It also said it identified two projectiles launched from Lebanon, decrying "a blatant violation of the ceasefire understandings" by Hezbollah, and later intercepted another "suspicious aerial target".

Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it targeted an Israeli army vehicle in south Lebanon in retaliation for the attack on Yohmor al-Shaqeef. (AFP)
00:47 (IST) Apr 26
Iran war news: 'Presented framework to prermanently end US war,' says Iran FM Araghchi after Pakistan visit
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday said that Tehran has shared a framework aimed at "permanently ending" the ongoing conflict with the United States in West Asia, outlining its position during discussions with the Pakistani leadership here.

In a post on X, following his departure from Islamabad after a day of high-level meetings with the Pakistani leadership, Araghchi said that Iran had shared its position on a workable framework to permanently end the war and added that it remains to be seen whether the US is genuinely committed to diplomacy.

"Shared Iran's position concerning a workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy," the Iranian FM said in his post.

This comes after the Iranian delegation, led by Araghchi, departed Islamabad on Saturday evening after a day of high-level meetings with the Pakistan leadership, leaving Pakistan's ambitious claims of brokering a US-Iran peace deal as part of the second round of negotiations in tatters.

The delegation left the Pakistani capital after delivering an "official list of demands" to Pakistani leaders for the US and Israel in order to achieve a complete solution to the conflict in West Asia.
00:05 (IST) Apr 26
US Iran war: Shehbaz Sharif speaks with Iran's Masoud Pezeshkian after bid to mediate US-Iran truce falls short
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he spoke by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday after US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad were called off and reaffirmed his country's readiness to help resolve the conflict.

"Pakistan remains committed to serve as an honest and sincere facilitator - working tirelessly to advance durable peace and lasting stability in the region," Sharif wrote on X. (AFP)
23:57 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Netanyahu orders IDF to strike Hezbollah 'forcefully' after Iran-backed group 'violates' truce
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday ordered the military to strike Lebanon's Hezbollah hard after what the army said was a string of ceasefire violations.

According to a brief statement from his office, the premier "ordered the IDF to forcefully attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon", after the military said the Iran-backed group had violated a ceasefire that was extended earlier this week.

Several hours earlier, in several separate statements, the military said it had "eliminated more than 15 terrorists in southern Lebanon", including three who were driving a vehicle "loaded with weapons."

It also accused the militants of "launching explosive drones toward IDF soldiers" in the Qantara area that "detonated" near the troops but caused no injuries.

Troops had also found "an anti-tank missile cache in a Hezbollah weapons storage facility" and an underground shaft containing Kalashnikov rifles, it said. (AFP)
23:45 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Netanyahu instructs military to attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the military to attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon forcefully, Reuters reported.
23:30 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Iran issues fresh warning to US
Iran Embassy in South Africa warned that Tehran is prepared for the 'largest missile strike in history' if there are any signs of attacks by US.

In a post on X, it wrote: "Iran has prepared for the ‘largest missile strike in history’ against Israel and U.S. bases in West Asia, to be launched immediately upon detecting any signs of an attack."
23:16 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Controlling Hormuz is Iran’s 'definitive strategy', says IRGC
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that controlling the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for global oil and gas supplies, is Iran’s “definitive strategy” in the war with the United States.

“Controlling the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining the shadow of its deterrent effects over America and the White House’s supporters in the region is the definitive strategy of Islamic Iran,” the IRGC said in a statement on its Telegram channel
22:53 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Araghchi arrives in Oman
Abbas Araghchi arrived in Oman, the second leg of his three-country diplomatic tour.
22:36 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Three Israeli raids hit Lebanon’s Kunin
Israeli warplanes have launched three consecutive air strikes on the town of Kunin, in the Bint Jbeil district of southern Lebanon, according to the National News Agency.

22:18 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: 'Fruitful visit' - Iranian FM hails his visit to Pak
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi applauded his recent visit to Pakistan calling it a 'fruitful visit'. In a post on X, he wrote: 'Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and brotherly efforts to bring back peace to our region we very much value.Shared Iran's position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy.'
22:01 (IST) Apr 25
'Too much time wasted on travelling': Trump rants on Truth Social post as Iran skips talks

US President Donald Trump in a post on Truth Social wrote, "I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going is Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians. Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their “leadership.” Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!"


21:42 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: IDF eliminates 15 Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon
The Israel Defense Forces have eliminated more than 15 Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon.

“A short while ago, IDF soldiers of the 36th Division struck and eliminated three Hezbollah terrorists who were driving in a vehicle loaded with weapons. An additional terrorist riding a motorcycle in southern Lebanon, south of the Forward Defense Line, was also eliminated,” the IDF said.

“Earlier today, IDF soldiers from the Golani Brigade and the Multidimensional Unit identified two armed Hezbollah terrorists in the Litani area, south of the Forward Defense Line," according to the IDF.

"The terrorists were eliminated in an Israeli Air Force strike guided by the soldiers,” the IDF added.

Israel’s military said the terrorists that were eliminated “posed a threat to the IDF soldiers operating in southern Lebanon.”
21:28 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: 'Not making an 18-hour flight to go' - Trump cancels Witkoff, Kushner trip to Pakistan for US-Iran talks
US President Donald Trump told Fox News that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will no longer be heading to Pakistan for talks with Iran.

Trump said it’s not worth the US delegation making the 18-hour flight to Pakistan when the talks are not going to happen. He added that the Iranians can call the US at any time they want.

"I've told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, 'Nope, you're not making an 18 hour flight to go there. We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you're not going to be making any more 18 hour flights to sit around talking about nothing’," Trump said.

21:20 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Hezbollah says Israeli vehicle hit in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah has issued a statement saying it targeted and hit an Israeli vehicle in the town of Qantara.
20:49 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Lebanon death toll from Israeli attacks rises to 2,496 since March 2
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health announced on Saturday that the death toll from Israeli attacks has risen to 2,496, with 7,725 people injured since the escalation of this latest war on March 2.
20:30 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Iranian delegation departs Islamabad
Iran’s delegation, which includes FM Abbas Araghchi, has departed Islamabad after holding high-level meetings all day, Al Jazeera reported.

The delegation delivered its official list of demands for ending the US-Israeli war to Pakistani leaders before departing, he said.
20:19 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Pakistan PM lauds ‘warm’ meeting with Iran’s Araghchi
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has hailed the meeting with Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi as the “most warm, cordial exchange of views on the current regional situation”.

“We also discussed matters of mutual interest, including the further strengthening of Pakistan–Iran bilateral relations,” he said on X.
19:40 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Iran FM to visit Oman as US officials have yet to arrive in Pakistan; no direct talks planned with Washington

Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are expected to lead the US negotiation team, are travelling to Pakistan today, although the US has declined to say when they are due to arrive.

Iran's foreign minister Araghchi is said to be heading to Oman and Russia after his meetings in Pakistan, Guardian reported.

It is not clear whether he will stay in Pakistan for Witkoff and Kushner’s arrival, although Iran has previously ruled out direct negotiations, citing the continuation of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
19:28 (IST) Apr 25
Iran US war: Iran says it will not meet US officials over war talks as US delegation heads to Pakistan - Reuters
As US negotiators are heading to Pakistan, Iran said that its officials did not plan to meet the Americans to discuss ending the war. Tehran said its concerns would be conveyed to a mediator, Reuters reported.
19:11 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Rocket attack launched from southern Lebanon towards Israel
Israel’s army said that alert sirens were activated in the “Menara, Margaliot, and Misgav Am areas”.
18:58 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Israel confirms ceasefire violation with Lebanon
Israeli war room in a post on X said that ceasefire violation is confirmed. It added, "Two projectiles were launched towards Israeli communities from Lebanon. One was intercepted while the other fell in an open area."
18:25 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Aragachi, Sharif meeting ends in Islamabad
The meeting between Iran's foreign minister Abbas Aragachi and the Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ended in Islamabad, Al Jazeera reported.
18:12 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Traffic through Strait of Hormuz remains low
Traffic through the choked Strait of Hormuz remains significantly lower than pre-war levels, CNN reported.

Only a handful of vessels appear to have traversed the crucial waterway so far today, according to tracking data.
17:52 (IST) Apr 25
Iran US war: Iranian military ‘ready and determined’ to defend country if US blockade continues
Iran’s military wanred the US that it will experience the “reaction of Iran’s powerful armed forces” if the blockade of Iranian ports continues, the Tasnim news agency reported.

Hazrat Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters stressed that the armed forces possess “greater power and readiness than before to defend sovereignty, territory, and national interests, which the country’s army experienced part of this power and offensive capability during the Third Imposed War”.

“We are ready and determined, while monitoring the behaviour and movements of enemies in the region and continuing to manage and control the strategic Strait of Hormuz, to inflict even heavier damage on the American Zionist enemies in case of another aggression”, it added.
17:40 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Four killed in Israeli strikes on south Lebanon: Health ministry
At least four people were killed after an Israeli strike targeted South Lebanon, health ministry said. This comes despite a ceasefire that was extended this week in the war between Israel and militant group Hezbollah, AFP reported.

"Two Israeli enemy strikes, on a truck and a motorbike, in the town of Yohmor al-Shaqeef in the Nabatieh district killed four people," a ministry statement said.

17:29 (IST) Apr 25
Watch: Locals in Pakistan said they are hopeful of US-Iran peace talks
17:16 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Pak minister says meeting held to discuss regional developments amid ongoing war
Pakistan’s foreign affairs minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said that a meeting has been held to discuss the latest regional developments in the Middle East war.

During the meeting, Dar reiterated that Pakistan is facilitating Iran-US talks for achieving peace and stability in the region and beyond. In a statement shared on X, the ministry said, "Pakistan will continue with its efforts in this regard”.

Ishaq Dar also “underlined that Pakistan’s official policy statements on Iran-US facilitation process are only those issued by official sources,” read the statement, adding that any comments made by unnamed Pakistani officials or sources “do not reflect Pakistan’s official position”.
17:03 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran news: Iran warns US forces of consequences over continued blockade in the region
Iran's top military command said that US forces will face Tehran's reaction if they continue their 'blockade and piracy in the region', Iranian state TV reported.
16:42 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Iran's FM delivers demands to Pak; US envoys enroute for peace talks
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has delivered both the Tehran's demand and their reservations about the US demands, Reuters reported citing a Pakistani source.
16:19 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: Israeli forces demolish buildings in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon
16:07 (IST) Apr 25
US Iran war: Qatar condemns Iraq's drone attack on Kuwait
Qatar condemned in the 'strongest terms' the targeting of two northern land border posts belonging to Kuwait after drones were launched from Iraq.

In a statement, the Qatari foreign ministry said the attack was a “blatant violation of Kuwait’s sovereignty and a serious threat to regional security and stability.”

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses the need for Iraq to assume its responsibilities to prevent the recurrence of such attacks. The Ministry reaffirms Qatar’s full solidarity with Kuwait and its support for all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty and security,” the statement added.
15:48 (IST) Apr 25
Iran war news: US envoys head to Pakistan for Iran war talks
US envoys heads to the Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Saturday to kickstart a new round of peace negotiations with Iran, although Iranian state media said Tehran's envoys had no immediate plans to hold face-to-face talks.

As Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner set off for Islamabad, the White House said they would hold an "in-person conversation" with Iranian representatives.

Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday and met Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief and a key figure in the country's mediation efforts.

Sealing a deal to end the Middle East war remains a thorny proposition, even as urgency mounts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Witkoff and Kushner would be in Pakistan "to engage in talks... with representatives from the Iranian delegation".
"The Iranians reached out, as the president called on them to do, and asked for this in-person conversation," Leavitt said, adding that the talks would "hopefully move the ball forward towards a deal".

Leavitt said Vice President JD Vance, who led a first round of negotiations in Islamabad two weeks ago, would not be joining for the time being, but was on "standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary".

Iranian state television said Araghchi has no plans to meet with the Americans, and Islamabad would serve as a bridge to "convey" Iranian proposals.
71 More Updates
US President Donald Trump has announced a three-week extension of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon after high-level talks at the White House, calling the development a “historic moment” and expressing hope that leaders from both countries could soon meet in Washington.

Trump said senior US officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, met delegations from Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office. He added that the truce extension could create space for broader peace negotiations and possibly direct engagement between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter described peace with Lebanon as “not a pipe dream,” saying there were no core disputes that could not be solved. Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad also welcomed the talks, describing them as a rare diplomatic opportunity.

However, hostilities continued despite the announcement. Fresh exchanges erupted between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, with rockets launched from southern Lebanon toward northern Israel. Israel said its air defence systems intercepted the projectiles before retaliatory strikes targeted missile launchers and militant infrastructure. Lebanese authorities also reported casualties in separate Israeli attacks.

US officials have increasingly linked any long-term peace arrangement to curbing Hezbollah’s military presence in Lebanon. Rubio said the Lebanese people deserve peace and prosperity, but that armed groups operating outside state authority remain a key obstacle.

The ceasefire extension comes amid rising regional tensions involving Iran. Trump refused to disclose details of a ship intercepted while travelling from China to Iran, describing the cargo as “top secret.” He also warned Tehran against deploying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, calling such a move “very foolish.”

Separately, Rubio said the United States would not block Iran from participating in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, despite speculation over possible replacement scenarios.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei praised national unity, saying “a fracture has occurred in the enemy,” while President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed suggestions of internal division.

The next three weeks are expected to be crucial, with diplomacy offering hope even as military risks remain high.