A 10-day ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed on by Lebanon and Israel went into effect as Friday began. The agreement 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. Hezbollah said in a statement that 鈥渁ny ceasefire must be comprehensive across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement.鈥�
Nearly by Israeli air strikes.
Meanwhile, Pakistan鈥檚 army chief met with Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday in a bid to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after .
The U.S. naval continued as U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration would ramp up economic pain on Iran with on countries doing business with it, calling the move the 鈥渇inancial equivalent鈥� of a bombing campaign.
The White House said any further talks with Iran would likely take place in the , though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations. Pakistan has after it hosted direct talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad.
Here is the latest:
Trump hails Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as 鈥榟istoric day鈥�
In two social media posts Thursday night, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Thursday could have been 鈥渁 historic day for Lebanon.鈥� In a separate Truth Social message after the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect, Trump added that he hoped the Lebanon-based, Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group 鈥渁cts nicely and well.鈥� 鈥淚t will be an GREAT moment for them if they do,鈥� Trump added.
Australia strikes deal with BP to underwrite fuel imports
BP has become a fifth company to strike a deal with the Australian government to underwrite fuel imports at prices inflated by the Iran war.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the BP deal on Friday at Viva Energy鈥檚 Geelong refinery, southwest of Melbourne, that was damaged by fire over Wednesday night. Viva on Thursday secured 570,000 barrels of diesel underwritten by the government in shipments from Brunei and South Korea at prices that might otherwise be commercially unviable.
Albanese said the damaged Geelong refinery continued to produce diesel and jet fuel at 80% capacity and gasoline as 60% capacity.
Viva chief executive Scott Wyatt expected to import fuel to make up for the shortfall in the refinery鈥檚 production.
Australia has sufficient fuel supplies contracted into May, but there are concerns that shortages could emerge in the months ahead.
Sri Lanka repatriates Iranian sailors, including torpedo attack survivors
Sri Lanka has sent home 238 Iranian sailors, including 32 who were injured in a U.S torpedo attack which sank their warship in early March.
Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Franklin Joseph said everyone except a few crew members from a second ship which later anchored in Sri Lanka were repatriated earlier this week.
A U.S submarine sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena on March 4 as it returned home after taking part in am Indian naval exercise..
Sri Lankan navy recovered 87 bodies while 32 sailors wounded in the torpedo attack were hospitalized. The second ship was brought to a southern Sri Lankan port after the crew reported technical problems.
Trump says Iran
war 鈥榞oing along swimmingly鈥�
The president said in a Las Vegas speech he was feeling pretty positive about the Iran war, despite the energy price spikes, the death and destruction and the anxiety about the future of NATO and the Middle East.
鈥淚 will say the war in Iran is going along swimmingly,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚t should be ending pretty soon.鈥�
Trump added that the war was 鈥渨as perfect鈥� as he praised the power of the U.S. military.
Reports of shelling in Lebanon continue after ceasefire goes into effect
Lebanon鈥檚 state-run National 草莓传媒 agency reported that Israeli shelling continued in the villages of Khiam and Dibbine about a half hour after the truce began.
The Lebanese Army also repeated its warning to people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home because of intermittent shelling.
Israel鈥檚 military told The Associated Press very early Friday that it was looking into reports of shelling and artillery fire in southern Lebanon.
The terms of the ceasefire, as provided by the U.S. State Department, prohibit Israel from offensive military actions in Lebanon. But they appear to leave more room for 鈥渟elf-defense,鈥� including 鈥渁gainst planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.鈥�
UN chief welcomes Israel and Lebanon ceasefire and calls on all parties to observe it
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hopes the ceasefire will pave the way for negotiations toward a long-term solution to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
Guterres commends the United States for facilitating the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, he said.
The secretary-general reaffirms U.N. support for all efforts to end hostilities and the suffering of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border, Dujarric said.
A 10-day ceasefire agreed on by Israel and Lebanon has gone into effect
A 10-day ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump and agreed on by Lebanon and Israel started at midnight.
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.
Hezbollah started firing on Israel right after the start of the Iran war. It kept up attacks focused on northern Israel communities through Thursday night, with at least eight people injured, including two seriously, according to Israel鈥檚 emergency services.
Air raid sirens were sounding in a few northern Israeli communities just minutes before the ceasefire was going into effect. Israel鈥檚 military also said late Thursday it was striking Hezbollah rocket launchers.
Trump claims Iran has 鈥榓greed to give us back the nuclear dust鈥�
The president made the assertion in an exchange with reporters before departing for an event in Las Vegas on Thursday.
If true, it would be a major concession from Iran, and would lock in a key demand of the U.S. to end the conflict.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that鈥檚 way underground because of the attack we made with the B-2 bombers,鈥� said Trump, using a term he鈥檚 adopted as shorthand for the roughly 970 pounds of enriched uranium buried under Iranian nuclear sites damaged by U.S. strikes on the country last year.
Iran has repeatedly insisted that it doesn鈥檛 seek a nuclear weapon and that its program is for peaceful proposes. Neither Iran nor countries acting as intermediaries in the conflict have talked about what would be a major breakthrough.
Pressed by a reporter on what is he waiting for to move forward, Trump offered that it was 鈥渧ery complicated.鈥�
He added, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we鈥檙e waiting. I think we鈥檙e moving very fast. It could happen pretty quickly.鈥�
The White House did not respond to follow-up queries about whether Iran has agreed to give up its enriched uranium, under what terms and to whom it would be surrendered. Trump has previously made claims about Iran鈥檚 nuclear program that have turned out to be imprecise.
UN envoy says Israel will react to any Hezbollah threats and hold its positions southern Lebanon during ceasefire
Ambassador Danny Danon told U.N. reporters Thursday that the 10-day ceasefire will be 鈥渃hallenging鈥� because of Hezbollah, which said after the ceasefire announcement that continuing Israeli occupation grants Lebanon the right to resist.
Danon said Israel believes in direct negotiations with Lebanon, but knows this is a complex issue for the Lebanese government because of Hezbollah.
Israel鈥檚 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered to go to Washington 鈥� where the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon met earlier this week 鈥� for negotiations, the ambassador said.
鈥淲e will come to any meeting to promote peace, but I cannot speak for the Lebanese government. We know that they are under pressure and threats from Iran,鈥� Danon said.
Iran remains 鈥榗autiously optimistic鈥� about negotiations with the US, its UN envoy says
Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said the Islamic Republic welcomes and supports diplomatic efforts to bring a 鈥渟ustainable end to this unlawful and unwarranted war,鈥� including by Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, China and Russia.
鈥淒espite our deep mistrust of the United States, stemming from its repeated betrayal of diplomacy, we nevertheless enter the negotiation in good faith and remain cautiously optimistic,鈥� he told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday.
鈥淲e believe that should the United States adopt a rational and constructive approach and refrain from advancing demands that are inconsistent with international law, this negotiation can lead to a meaningful outcome,鈥� Iravani said.
He spoke at an assembly meeting in support of vetoes by Beijing and Moscow of a U.N. Security Council resolution backed by the U.S. and Gulf nations aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Hezbollah warns displaced people not to rush back home
The Lebanese militant group called on people to exercise restraint and refrain from returning to areas in south and eastern Lebanon and Beirut鈥檚 southern suburbs that have been hit hard by Israeli strikes 鈥渦ntil the situation becomes fully clear.鈥�
The Lebanese army issued similar warnings, urging people not to rush back to those areas after the 10-day ceasefire kicks in at midnight Beirut time.
Previous ceasefires saw tens of thousands of people clogging roads as they attempted to drive back to check on homes and belongings in the first hours of the truce.
More than 1 million Lebanese people have been displaced during the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah.
UAE official says Iran is viewed as the 鈥榤ain enemy鈥�
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the UAE鈥檚 president, said Gulf states have a different view of Iran, seeing it as the 鈥渕ain enemy鈥�, citing its missile and drone attacks despite.
鈥淲e are fully aware of the position of many Arab societies in viewing Israel as the primary enemy, but the view in the Gulf states may be different… Iran is the one that attacked the Gulf states with thousands of missiles and drones, and for this reason we do not trust it, and we view it as a primary enemy,鈥� he said during a media briefing Thursday at Dubai Press Club.
Gargash added that the UAE has questions over Iran鈥檚 nuclear program as well as its ballistic missiles and drones, and said that just as Tehran is seeking guarantees and reparations for war damage, the UAE also wants assurances that such 鈥渃owardly鈥� attacks will not happen again.
Flurry of diplomacy to get to ceasefire in Lebanon
The 10-day ceasefire that Israel and Lebanon agreed to came about following a meeting between the nations鈥� ambassadors and a flurry of subsequent phone calls from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a White House official.
After the talks Tuesday in Washington that included Rubio, Trump spoke Wednesday evening with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who agreed to a ceasefire with certain terms, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Rubio then called Lebanon鈥檚 president, Joseph Aoun, who got on board. Trump then spoke with Aoun, and again with Netanyahu.
Meanwhile, the State Department worked with both governments to formulate a memorandum of understanding for the truce.
Iran鈥檚 parliamentary speaker says Lebanon 鈥榠ntegral part鈥� of regional ceasefire
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made these remarks on Iranian state television after meeting Pakistan鈥檚 army chief Gen. Asim Munir in Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 10-day truce between Lebanon and Israel in a bid to end the war between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group.
Iran, Hezbollah鈥檚 key patron and ally, has included ending the war in Lebanon as one of its conditions in its talks with Washington, mediated by Pakistan.
There was no mention about resuming in-person talks with Washington, as both sides gear up for a second round of talks.
US details ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon
The 10-day halt to the fighting that will begin later Thursday can be extended if there鈥檚 progress in talks to reach a lasting peace agreement and Lebanon 鈥渆ffectively demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty,鈥� the State Department said.
President Donald Trump announced the truce following talks held in Washington this week. Israel hasn鈥檛 been fighting with Lebanon itself but rather with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group inside Lebanon.
In the statement that the U.S. says was agreed to by Lebanon and Israel, there is a provision to allow Israel to defend itself 鈥渁t any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.鈥� Hezbollah has said it will respond to any strikes by Israel.
But otherwise, Israel 鈥渨ill not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets, including civilian, military, and other state targets,鈥� the statement says.
Trump says he could go to Pakistan to sign deal if agreement is reached with Iran
The president once again claimed progress is being made in talks with Iran and suggested he could be involved in the signing of a peace agreement, if one is reached.
鈥淚f the deal is signed in Islamabad, I might go,鈥� said Trump, who heaped praise on Pakistani Prime Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistani Army for their role as mediators in the U.S.-Iran talks.
鈥淭he field marshal has been great. The prime minister has been really great in Pakistan, so I might go. They want me.鈥�
Foreign minister says Portugal is open to ensuring maritime navigation remains free in the Strait of Hormuz
Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Thursday his country鈥檚 prime minister will participate in a conference on Friday co-hosted by the French and British leaders on setting up a mission to ensure freedom of navigation through the strait after the Iran war ends.
But Rangel said a decision on Portugal鈥檚 contribution to such a mission won鈥檛 be taken 鈥渂efore we know exactly what is at stake鈥� because the mission plan is still unclear.
He said the Portuguese 鈥渇ully understand the value of freedom of navigation鈥� because they have been 鈥渘avigators for centuries.鈥�
鈥淪o let鈥檚 go to the meeting, let鈥檚 see what are the plans,鈥� Rangel said after talks with Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos.
Trump says he has 鈥榯o do what鈥檚 right鈥� as he pushes back against Pope Leo XIV on Iran war
Trump isn鈥檛 worried that his taunting of Pope Leo XIV might offend his voters.
鈥淚 have to do what鈥檚 right 鈥� the pope has to understand that,鈥� Trump told reporters. 鈥淚 have nothing against the pope. His brother is MAGA all the way.鈥�
The U.S. president has maintained that the Iran war is about stopping that country from developing a nuclear weapon and he criticized that country鈥檚 leadership for killing its own people as he objected to the papal emphasis on peace.
The president added that he鈥檚 鈥渟ure the pope is a great guy,鈥� yet he suggested Pope Leo XIV was naive about geopolitics.
鈥淭he pope has to understand that this is the real world,鈥� Trump said.
Trump suggest he鈥檚 open to extending Iran ceasefire
The 14-day ceasefire is set to expire April 22, but Trump said it鈥檚 possible that the deadline to make a deal could be pushed out further.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e close to a deal would I extend?鈥� Trump said in an exchange with reporters. 鈥淵eah, I would do that鈥�
Netanyahu says Israeli troops will remain in an expanded security zone in south Lebanon despite ceasefire
Israel鈥檚 Netanyahu says Israeli troops will remain in an expanded security zone in south Lebanon despite a ceasefire.
He said troops will remain in a10-kilometer deep zone, 鈥渕uch stronger, more extensive and more continuous than before.鈥�
鈥淭hat is where we are, and we are not leaving.鈥�
Hezbollah, in commenting on the ceasefire, had said continuing Israeli occupation grants Lebanon the right to resist.
Trump calls Israel-Lebanon ceasefire 鈥榲ery exciting鈥� opportunity
鈥淚 had a great talk with both of them today,鈥� Trump said of this conversations with Aoun and Netanyahu. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to be having a ceasefire, and that鈥檒l include Hezbollah.鈥�
Trump in an extended exchange with reporters said also that he expected that Aoun and Netanyahu would meet in the next week or two, before saying the White House meeting between the Mideast leaders could happen in the next four or five days.
The president added that he was open to visiting Lebanon 鈥渁t the right time.鈥�
Trump says $4 a gallon gas 鈥榥ot very high鈥� given importance of stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon
The U.S. president played down prices at the pump averaging $4.09 a gallon nationwide, saying the cost wasn鈥檛 so great relative to the risk of evening higher prices tied to keeping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.
鈥淲ell, they鈥檙e not very high, if you look at what they were supposed to be in order to get rid of a nuclear weapon,鈥� Trump told reporters about gas prices before a planned trip to Las Vegas.
The president repeated a past claim that he thought the war with Iran would have driven energy costs much higher.
Gas prices are up roughly 29% from a year ago, according to AAA.
Netanyahu says he has agreed to 10-day ceasefire in bid 鈥榯o advance鈥� peace efforts with Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has agreed to a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.
In a video statement, Netanyahu said he was taking the step in an attempt 鈥渢o advance鈥� peace efforts with Lebanon.
Israel and Lebanon opened negotiations this week in Washington aimed at forging a peace agreement. The Hezbollah militant group, which has been fighting Israel for six weeks, has said it opposes the dialogue.
鈥淲e have an opportunity to make a historic peace agreement with Lebanon,鈥� Netanyahu said.
Italian premier hails Israel-Lebanon ceasefire as 鈥榚xcellent news鈥�
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni greeted the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon as 鈥渆xcellent news,鈥� achieved 鈥渢hanks to the mediation of the United States.鈥�
She added that the ceasefire must be fully respected, singling out Hezbollah 鈥渇or having started this conflict,鈥� and expressed hope that it would create conditions for talks leading 鈥渢o a full and lasting peace鈥� between Israel and Lebanon.
Italy has the second-largest contingent of U.N. peacekeepers serving in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah reacts to ceasefire announcement
Hezbollah said in a statement that 鈥渁ny ceasefire must be comprehensive across all Lebanese territory and must not allow the Israeli enemy any freedom of movement.鈥�
Israel offered no official comment on Trump鈥檚 announcement.
Hezbollah added that 鈥淚sraeli occupation on our land grants Lebanon and its people the right to resist it, and this matter will be determined based on how developments unfold,鈥� a stance that could complicate the ceasefire.
Israel has staged a ground invasion in southern Lebanon, where its forces have been engaged in fierce battles with Hezbollah militants in the border area. It is unclear whether Israel would withdraw some or all of its forces as part of the truce.
鈻�
Northern Israeli leaders criticize proposed Lebanon ceasefire
Two local leaders in northern Israel criticized a proposed ceasefire with Lebanon, warning it would leave communities vulnerable.
Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council, said agreements may be signed in Washington but 鈥渢he price is paid here in blood, in destroyed homes and shattered communities.鈥�
He warned that a ceasefire without strict enforcement against Hezbollah and a buffer zone up to the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (18.64 miles) north of the Israeli border, would amount to 鈥渨aiting for the next massacre.鈥�
Eitan Davidi, head of the Margaliot moshav, called the move 鈥渁 surrender鈥� and 鈥渁 political defeat.鈥� He told the N12 news site it was made without coordination with northern residents and contradicts the stated goal of dismantling Hezbollah鈥檚 capabilities.
China鈥檚 UN envoy calls US blockade of Strait of Hormuz 鈥榓 dangerous and irresponsible move鈥�
Ambassador Fu Cong said the strait 鈥渟hould be safeguarded鈥� for international navigation and called on Iran to take 鈥榩roactive measures鈥� to open the waterway, used to ship about 20% of the world鈥檚 oil.
鈥淭he issue of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is a spillover effect of the conflict in Iran,鈥� he said. 鈥淥nly a complete ceasefire can fundamentally create conditions for easing the situation.鈥�
Fu told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday that Beijing is engaged 鈥渋n intensive mediation with all parties to actively promote talks for peace鈥濃�� and an end to the war in Iran.
The 193-member world body was meeting to hear China and Russia explain why they vetoed a Security Council resolution backed by the U.S. and Gulf nations aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Fu claimed the resolution would have given 鈥渁 carte blanche for the continuation of aggressive actions and further escalation鈥� rather than de-escalate the conflict and promote negotiations.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
