President Donald Trump is defending his Iran war strategy, attacking critics and skeptics on Monday as 鈥淭RAITORS, ALL鈥� after a second round of talks with Iran was thrown into doubt by the U.S. Navy’s seizure of an near the . It was the first such interception since the U.S. began last week, and Iran鈥檚 military vowed to respond.
said Vice President JD Vance, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff would be going Monday to Islamabad, where Pakistani officials were preparing the venue, but Iranians made no commitment to a second round of talks with the U.S., and Vance’s motorcade was later spotted at the White House. Trump said he鈥檚 鈥渉ighly unlikely鈥� to renew the before it expires at 0000 GMT Wednesday (8 p.m. ET Tuesday.)
The escalating standoff threatened to roiling the global economy after nearly two months of fighting that Iran’s forensic chief has killed at least 3,375 people in Iran.
Israel and Lebanon meanwhile said they would join another round of talks in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, continuing their first direct diplomatic talks in decades.
Here is the latest:
Iran鈥檚 chief negotiator seems to cast more doubt on a second round of talks with the US
鈥淲e do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats,鈥� Parliament speaker Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf wrote early Tuesday morning in Tehran in a social media post on X.
He accused the United States of wanting Iran to surrender and said that on the contrary, Iran has been preparing 鈥渢o reveal new cards on the battlefield.鈥�
Oil prices rise and US stocks give back a bit of their record-breaking rally
Oil prices climbed Monday following the between the United States and Iran, but the moves were more modest than they were earlier in .
U.S. stocks, meanwhile, gave back a bit of their .
The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, climbed 5.6% to settle at $95.48 on worries that Iran could keep petroleum pent up in the Persian Gulf if it continues to block tankers from exiting the .
The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% from its all-time high for just its second drop in 14 days after the United States seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel that it said had tried to evade its blockade of Iranian ports. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 4 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3%.
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Iraq and Syria tout their reopened border crossing as an alternative oil route
Iraq and Syria have reopened a key border crossing between the two nations for the first time in more than a decade, with officials highlighting its potential for trade and oil exports.
They say it offers an alternative to the embattled Strait of Hormuz at the focus of the Iran war 鈥� though overland oil transports are far inferior to pipelines and oil tankers at sea.
At the opening ceremony on Monday, Nadia al-Jubouri, a member of Iraq鈥檚 provincial council of Nineveh, said the crossing will allow for 鈥渢rade exchange and oil transportation toward this great gate.鈥�
Iran鈥檚 foreign minister says US actions are 鈥榠ncompatible with the claim of diplomacy鈥�
Abbas Araghchi says he relayed his message in a phone call with Russia鈥檚 foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.
In a social media post, Araghchi gave no indication as to what Iran will do after the ceasefire expires Wednesday or whether Iran will return to a second round of negotiations with the U.S.
He says his country 鈥渨ill monitor the behavior of the other side and take the appropriate decision to protect its interests and national security.鈥�
Experts vary on whether US broke ceasefire with Iran
The U.S. did not violate the ceasefire because it was limited to bombing Iran, not enforcing the American blockade against Iranian-linked vessels, according to Michael O鈥橦anlon, a defense and foreign policy analyst at the Brookings Institution.
鈥淲e agreed to stop dropping bombs on them, and that鈥檚 the basic thing they wanted,鈥� O鈥橦anlon said. They U.S. still had to enforce the blockade 鈥渋f you鈥檙e going to make it mean anything,鈥� he said.
But Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and a senior defense adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said a violation is up for interpretation because there were no defined terms.
鈥淭rump announced it. The Iranians agreed. But there鈥檚 no formal agreement,鈥� Cancian said. 鈥淪o whether it broke the ceasefire or not depends on your perspective … Nothing was written down.鈥�
Trump offers mixed messages about path ahead
The U.S. president has made a series of statements Monday about next steps in the , declaring that he’s in no rush to end the conflict while also expressing confidence that more negotiations with Tehran will soon happen in Pakistan.
Trump whipsawed in telephone interviews and social media posts between measured optimism that a deal could soon be reached and warning that 鈥渓ots of bombs鈥� will 鈥渟tart going off鈥� if there鈥檚 no agreement at 0000 GMT Wednesday (8 p.m. ET Tuesday.)
鈥淚 am under no pressure whatsoever,鈥� Trump said on his Truth Social platform, 鈥渁lthough, it will all happen, relatively quickly!鈥�
UN and EU report says Gaza recovery and reconstruction will cost $71.4 billion over 10 years
The report by the United Nations and the European Union with input from the World Bank says the total includes $26.3 billion in the first 18 months to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure and support economic recovery.
The damage to physical infrastructure is estimated at $35.2 billion, and economic and social losses at some $22.7 billion since the war began following Hamas鈥� Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel, the report says.
Gaza鈥檚 economy has contracted by 84%, more than 371,000 housing units in Gaza have been destroyed, over half of Gaza鈥檚 hospitals are 鈥渘on-functional鈥� and nearly all schools are destroyed or damaged, it says.
Trump gets defensive on Iran strategy
In a pair of social-media posts, the U.S. president lashed out at Democrats 鈥� calling them 鈥淭RAITORS, ALL鈥� 鈥� and the media for their criticism and skepticism about his handling of the war in Iran.
Trump accused Democrats of doing 鈥渆verything possible鈥� to hurt the administration on Iran and he stressed that he wouldn鈥檛 be rushed into a deal 鈥渢hat is not as good as it could have been.鈥�
鈥淭his is being perfectly executed, on the scale of Venezuela, just a bigger, more complex operation. The result will be the same,鈥� Trump wrote, insisting that 鈥渢ime is not my adversary.鈥�
Lebanese official confirms next meeting with Israel set for Thursday
A Lebanese official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, confirmed Monday that the next second scheduled session for direct talks between Israeli and Lebanese officials will take place in Washington Thursday.
The ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel to the U.S. met last week, the first such direct, face-to-face talks to take place in decades. The Lebanese official said the second session will focus on solidifying the 10-day truce currently in place between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and on the logistics and timing of wider negotiations that will take place at a later date over the two countries鈥� relations.
The two countries have had a rocky and often hostile relationship since Israel鈥檚 inception in 1948. Like the majority of Arab countries, Lebanon has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
Israeli airstrike wounds six people in southern Lebanon
The Lebanese Health Ministry said Monday鈥檚 strike hit the southern village of Qaaqaait al-Jisr.
Since a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday, there have been several Israeli strikes. Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Hezbollah group said it detonated explosives Sunday in an Israeli convoy inside Lebanon.
The U.S. State Department said Thursday that according to the ceasefire agreement, Israel reserves the right to defend itself 鈥渁t any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.鈥�
Despite ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon kill several people the army says were militants
The Israeli military said the two separate strikes in southern Lebanon on Monday killed an unspecified number of people who the army said had approached its soldiers in a threatening manner.
There was no immediate comment from Lebanese authorities or from the Hezbollah militant group.
Israel has launched multiple airstrikes since a 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon took effect Friday. Israel says the people it targeted were violating the truce by operating in what it calls a 鈥淔orward Defense Area鈥� in territory that Israeli forces still occupy. The ceasefire text published by the U.S. State Department does not mention such an area.
The military said Monday鈥檚 strikes took place in Bint Jbeil, a village that saw fierce fighting before the ceasefire, and in the Litani area.
EU hosts Palestinian peace conference as it seeks greater sway in the Middle East
Europe turned its attention to the Palestinians on Monday as the election defeat of Israel ally gives new momentum to efforts addressing and the occupied .
More than 60 nations sent representatives to Brussels for talks with Palestinian representatives on stability, security and long-term peace.
The European Union has largely been on the sidelines in the Middle East despite being the and backing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The 27-nation bloc is also Israel鈥檚 top trading partner and a major buyer of Israeli weapons.
In the West Bank, Palestinians say Israel has used the cover of the Iran war to , as settler attacks surge and the military imposes on movement, citing security.
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Vance is at the White House, not Pakistan
Reports based on Trump saying to The New York Post that Vice President JD Vance was en route to Pakistan were off by several thousand miles.
The vice president鈥檚 motorcade pulled up to the White House at roughly 11 a.m. EST on Monday, meaning that he has not left for Islamabad for talks regarding the Iran war.
US official confirms it will host another round of Israel-Lebanon talks this week
A second round of direct talks would come as uncertainty mounts over the prospects for an end to the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict and the Iran war.
The U.S. official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the talks between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States would take place on Thursday at the State Department.
The official did not say who the U.S. would be represented by, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the first round last week. The main U.S. interlocutor between Israel and Lebanon has been U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.
鈥淲e will continue to facilitate direct, good-faith discussions between the two governments,鈥� the official said.
鈥� By Matthew Lee in Washington
Trump says he鈥檚 鈥榟ighly unlikely鈥� to prolong ceasefire with Iran that鈥檚 set to expire this week
Trump told Bloomberg 草莓传媒 that he鈥檚 鈥渉ighly unlikely鈥� to renew the two-week ceasefire announced on April 7.
The president also said that the Strait of Hormuz would continue to be blockaded until the U.S. and Iran reach an agreement on the war.
US military says it has directed 27 ships back to Iranian ports during the blockade
The U.S. military鈥檚 blockade of Iranian-linked ships has focused on vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports. It鈥檚 an attempt to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint in the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world鈥檚 oil normally flows.
The U.S. attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel over the weekend that it said had tried to evade its blockade. Iran鈥檚 joint military command has vowed to respond.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is preparing for a new round of talks between the United States and Iran two days before a tenuous ceasefire is set to expire
Israeli official says talks with Lebanon to resume in Washington
The official says the countries are resuming their historic diplomatic dialogue on Thursday.
The ambassadors of the two countries met in Washington last week for the first direct diplomatic talks in decades. The Israeli official says the same representatives will join Thursday鈥檚 talks.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the behind-the-scenes talks. There was no immediate confirmation from the U.S. or Lebanon.
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah opposes the talks, but is observing a 10-day ceasefire announced last week.
Israel says the talks are aimed at disarming Hezbollah and reaching a peace agreement with Lebanon.
鈥� By Josef Federman
US and allied forces kick off combat drills with Philippines as China objects
The United States and the kicked off their annual display of allied military might on Monday, aimed at deterring aggression in Asia, despite Washington鈥檚 preoccupation with the .
More than 17,000 American and Filipino military personnel will participate in the weekslong exercise, which includes mock battles and live-fire maneuvers facing the and the .
Nearly 10,000 U.S. military personnel will participate. 鈥淩egardless of the challenges elsewhere in the world, the United States focus on the Indo-Pacific and our ironclad commitment to the Philippines remains unwavering,鈥� Marine Lt. Gen. Christian Wortman said in the opening ceremony.
China has objected. 鈥淯nilateralism and military bullying have already brought profound disasters to the world,鈥� Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun warned, without mentioning the United States.
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Trump snaps at critique that Israel dragged him into Iran war
In the lead-up and throughout the seven-week war, Trump has faced criticism from the left and from some of his own supporters that he followed Israel鈥檚 lead into launching the conflict.
But Trump on social media is blaming the media for pushing what he claims is a false narrative.
鈥淚srael never talked me into the war with Iran, the results of Oct. 7th, added to my lifelong opinion that IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,鈥� Trump posted.
Still no commitment by Iran for Round 2 talks with US
The office of Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he spoke Monday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, urging sustained diplomacy to address pending issues.
The Pakistan Foreign Office statement did not mention whether they discussed Iran resuming talks with the US in Islamabad, but said officials agreed to remain closely engaged going forward.
Trump says Vance is en route to Pakistan, but it鈥檚 not clear where the VP actually is
The New York Post quoted Trump in an interview claiming that Vice President JD Vance is headed to Pakistan for negotiations on the Iran war, along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who is Trump鈥檚 son-in-law.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e heading over now,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l be there tonight.鈥�
But it鈥檚 not quite clear if Trump was speaking more broadly or if the claims about Vance are accurate. Administration officials have in response to questions declined to confirm if Vance is, in fact, midair on the way to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
Top Catholic leader in Israel condemns defacing of statue of Jesus in Lebanon
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on Monday expressed 鈥減rofound indignation and unreserved condemnation鈥� of the defacing of a statue of Jesus Christ by an Israeli soldier in Lebanon, saying the act 鈥渃onstitutes a grave affront to the Christian faith.鈥�
The Israeli military confirmed on Sunday that images showing an Israeli soldier smashing the head of a toppled Christ statue with a sledgehammer were genuine, setting off a wave of condemnation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had launched a criminal investigation into the soldier鈥檚 actions. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described it as 鈥渟hameful鈥� and apologized 鈥渢o every Christian whose feelings were hurt.鈥�
In a statement from Jerusalem, The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, headed by Pizzaballa, called for 鈥渋mmediate and decisive disciplinary action, a credible process of accountability, and clear assurances that such conduct will neither be tolerated nor repeated.鈥�
UAE arrests people over alleged ties to Iran
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates arrested members of a unit with alleged ties to Iran, the state鈥檚 media reported.
The UAE-run WAM news agency reported Monday that those arrested had extremist views and were part of a 鈥渢errorist鈥� unit, holding secret meetings, threatening internal security, planning to share sensitive location information and trying to recruit people to join suspicious foreign groups.
Dubai has previously shut down the city-state鈥檚 Iranian Hospital and Iranian Club, institutions that date back to the time of the shah.
What captaining an oil tanker in the Mideast is like right now
Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri helms the Palau-flagged Sea Moon in one of the world鈥檚 most volatile maritime corridors, where the U.S.-Israel war with Iran has disrupted global trade and left some crews stranded and exposed to attacks.
The hostilities are not new for al-Jubouri, an Iraqi who has worked these seas during decades of upheaval, including the Iran-Iraq War and the 1991 Gulf War. Once again, he finds himself operating in high-risk waters, as military strikes threaten vessels seeking to navigate through choke points like Bab el-Mandeb and the Persian Gulf.
鈥淲e鈥檙e sailing over a ball of fire,鈥� he said, speaking to The Associated Press by phone as he guides the ship from the Gulf of Aden toward the Gulf of Oman to unload oil at Ras Isa port in Yemen.
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Israel condemns a soldier defacing a statue of Jesus in Lebanon
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned an Israeli soldier filmed defacing a statue of Jesus Christ during operations in Lebanon, saying he was 鈥渟tunned and saddened鈥� by the soldier鈥檚 actions.
Photos surfaced on Sunday of a soldier smashing the head of a toppled statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer. The Israeli military overnight confirmed the images were genuine, setting off a wave of condemnation. Netanyahu said Israel had launched a criminal investigation into the soldier鈥檚 actions. The Israeli military also said it was assisting the community to restore the statue.
The military did not immediately confirm where or when the incident took place. The Israeli military controls a large swath of southern Lebanon, reaching some 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Israeli border, and has not allowed residents to return.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a staunch Christian, said Israel must take action against the 鈥渙utrageous act.鈥�
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