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The Times of Israel liveblogged Wednesday’s events as they unfolded.
White House: ‘Iran’s decades of terrorism won’t continue’
After Pakistan requested a two week ceasefire and asked US President Donald Trump to extend the deadline he gave to Tehran, the White House writes on X that “Iran’s decades of terrorism won’t continue under President Trump.”
The statement is accompanied by a graphic that states “47 years of corruption, extortion, and death, will finally end.”
Earlier the White House said of the proposal from Pakistan that “a response would come” from Trump.
Saudi Arabia says aerial defenses intercepted 5 ballistic missiles amid Iran attacks
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry says its military had intercepted five missiles fired towards the kingdom’s east while Iran presses an aerial campaign against its neighbors.
The ministry’s spokesperson announces the “interception and destruction of five ballistic missiles launched towards the eastern region,” after overnight attacks the previous day hit a petrochemical complex in the eastern city of Jubail.
Trump says US to ‘suspend bombing’ of Iran for 2 weeks as talks held on ‘longterm peace’ deal
US President Donald Trump speaks about the conflict in Iran in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 6, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)
US President Donald Trump announces that he is pushing off a major bombing campaign in Iran for two weeks and that Washington has agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, subject to Tehran’s reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” Trump writes on Truth Social, less than two hours before his 8 p.m. deadline for Iran to reopen Hormuz and agree to a US proposal for ending the war was set to expire.
“This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East,” Trump writes
“We received a 10 point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated,” he adds.
“On behalf of the United States of America, as President, and also representing the Countries of the Middle East, it is an Honor to have this Longterm problem close to resolution,” Trump says.
The announcement marks the fourth time Trump has pushed back his threat to bomb Iran’s energy and civilian infrastructure sites if it doesn’t agree to his demands.
He first gave Tehran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on March 21 and has since pushed back that deadline by five days, ten days and one day respectively.
Trump’s post doesn’t mention whether the ceasefire covers Israel, which has reportedly been cautioning the US against halting strikes in Iran.
Sirens activated in Jerusalem area amid Iran ballistic missile attack
Sirens are activated in the Jerusalem area and some central Israel communities amid an Iranian ballistic missile attack that was launched right after American President Donald Trump announced a two-week truce in the US-Israel war with Iran.
Israel part of 2-week ceasefire announced by Trump, will halt strikes on Iran amid negotiations
Israel is part of the two-week ceasefire that US President Donald Trump declared and will halt strikes on Iran as diplomatic negotiations are held, two White House officials tell Reuters.
NYT: Iran has accepted Pakistan’s 2-week truce proposal, faced pressure from China to do so
Following US President Donald Trump’s announcement, the New York Times quotes three Iranian officials saying that Tehran has accepted Pakistan’s proposal for a two-week ceasefire in the US-Israel war with Iran.
The report says that alongside Pakistan’s push for a ceasefire, China intervened at the last minute “to show flexibility and defuse tensions,” while also noting concerns about the economic fallout if Trump went ahead with his threats of US strikes on Iranian energy sites and key infrastructure.
The Iranian officials cited in the report also say that new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei — who has yet to be seen publicly since being declared as his father’s successor — signed off on the truce.
Ceasefire will begin when Iran reopens Strait of Hormuz, White House official tells Axios
A White House official says a ceasefire in the Iran war will come into effect when Tehran opens the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reports after US President Donald Trump posted online that he will suspend Iran’s bombardment for two weeks.
The first round of talks between Washington and Tehran are scheduled to take place on Friday in Islamabad, Axios reports. Pakistan has been acting as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.
Responding to Trump, Iran says it will halt attacks if strikes on it stop
In an official response to US President Donald Trump’s two-week ceasefire announcement, Iran says it will stop launching attacks if strikes against it stop, according to a statement on behalf of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued by Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations,” the statement adds.
Statement on behalf of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran: pic.twitter.com/cEtBNCLnWT
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 7, 2026
Separately, Iranian state media quotes the Supreme National Security Council confirming that talks with the US will begin Friday in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, adding that the negotiations. do not signal the end of the war.
Iran says the talks, which may last up to 15 days and can be extended by agreement, aim to finalize details of its 10-point proposal, which includes provisions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief and withdrawal of US combat forces from regional bases.
IDF identifies Iranian ballistic missile fire targeting southern Israel
The IDF has identified a ballistic missile attack from Iran, targeting southern Israel.
Sirens are expected to sound soon.
It marks the second missile attack on Israel since US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran that White House officials say Israel is also part of.
No injuries reported as IDF intercepts Iranian ballistic missile launched at the south
The latest Iranian ballistic missile fired at southern Israel was intercepted, according to the IDF.
There are no immediate reports of injuries.
Iran launches ballistic missiles on central and northern Israel right after targeting the south
After sirens sounded in southern Israel due to an Iranian ballistic missile attack, early warnings are issued in central and northern Israel after the IDF detects additional launches from Iran.
White House says US holding discussions about in person talks with Iran ‘but nothing final’
Amid reports of talks set between the US and Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says in a statement, “There are discussions about in person talks, but nothing is final until announced by the president or the White House.”
Pakistani PM: US-Iran truce ‘effective immediately,’ also covers Lebanon ‘and elsewhere’
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) speaks as US President Donald Trump listens during the Gaza summit in Sharm El-Sheikh on October 13, 2025. (Photo by Suzanne Plunkett / POOL / AFP)
The prime minister of Pakistan, which has been serving as the key mediator between the US and Iran, claims that the two-week ceasefire between the sides is “effective immediately” despite continued Iranian ballistic missile attacks on Israel.
Premier Shehbaz Sharif says that in addition to Tehran and Washington “their allies” agreed to “an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere.”
He also invites both the US and Iran to Pakistan on Friday “to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes” and says he hopes the talks will “succeed in achieving sustainable peace.”
With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.
I warmly welcome the…— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 7, 2026
Rescue forces dispatched to scene of reported impact site in central Israel
Rescue forces are responding to reports of possible bomblet or other fragment impacts in central Israel following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack.
There are no immediate reports of injuries.
According to the IDF, some of the missiles launched at central and northern Israel carried cluster bomb warheads. Some of the missiles were intercepted, the military says.
The ballistic missile fired by Iran at central Israel a short while ago carried cluster bomb warhead, footage shows. pic.twitter.com/TrnMTDbFHs
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 7, 2026
Sirens due to sound again in southern and central Israel as Iranian missile attacks continue
Another ballistic missile attack from Iran has been detected by the IDF.
Sirens are expected to sound in southern Israel shortly.
Iran’s 10-point plan for ending war calls for ‘acceptance’ of uranium enrichment, removing all US sanctions
Tehran says its 10-point plan for securing an end to the war with the United States would require Washington to accept its uranium enrichment program and the lifting of all sanctions.
Claiming victory, the Islamic Republic says in a statement released alongside a list of the 10 points published by state media, that the plan would require “continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, acceptance of enrichment, lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions.”
Other key demands in the blueprint, offered through mediators in Pakistan, include US military withdrawal from the Middle East, an end to attacks on Iran and its allies, the release of frozen Iranian assets and a UN Security Council resolution making any deal binding.
“It is to be noted that the adoption of such a resolution shall render all these agreements binding under international law and shall constitute a significant diplomatic victory for the Iranian nation,” the country’s Supreme National Security Council says in a statement.
Crucially, the plan also calls for expanded Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for around a fifth of the world’s oil that has been effectively blocked to maritime traffic since the start of the five-week conflict.
The announcement comes after Pakistan made a last-minute proposal to avert massive US attacks on Iran, with Trump warning a “whole civilization will die tonight” unless a deal was agreed.
But the US president announced around 90 minutes before his deadline that Washington had received the plan and that it looked like a “workable basis on which to negotiate.”
Asked for clarity on what Trump meant by the Iranian peace proposal being “workable,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says, “President Trump’s words speak for themselves: this is a workable basis to negotiate, and those negotiations will continue.”
“The truth is that President Trump and our powerful military got Iran to agree to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiations will continue,” Leavitt says in a statement.
American military has halted all offensive operations against Iran — US official
The American military has halted all offensive operations against Iran, a US official says.
The official, who speaks on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive military operations, notes that defensive measures and operations will still be in effect.
An American defense official quoted by Axios says that the US expects some time to pass before the ceasefire order is relayed by Iran to the lower ranks of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
No immediate reports of injuries after Iranian missiles shot at central and southern Israel
No injuries are immediately reported after Iran’s small salvo of ballistic missiles on southern and central Israel.
According to the IDF, some of the missiles were intercepted and others carried cluster bomb warheads that spread bomblets over wide areas.
Rescue forces are scanning sites of possible bomblets or impacts of other falling fragments.
Israel continuing to strike in Iran despite ceasefire announcement, security official tells ToI
Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, the Israeli Air Force continues to carry out strikes in Iran, a security official tells The Times of Israel.
Iran, meanwhile, has fired several salvos of ballistic missiles at Israel since the ceasefire was reportedly supposed to take effect.
Additionally, while Pakistan’s prime minister said the ceasefire would also include Lebanon, there is no indication that Israel has halted its operations against Hezbollah as of yet.
Rubio confirms release of US journalist kidnapped in Iraq by Kataeb Hezbollah
US journalist Shelly Kittleson poses for a picture in Baghdad on March 30, 2026.(AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirms the release of American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped by the Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah militia in Iraq a week ago.
“The US Department of State extends its appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of War, US personnel across multiple agencies, and the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council and our Iraqi partners, for their assistance in securing her release,” Rubio says in a statement.
“This resolution reflects the Trump Administration’s steadfast commitment to the safety and security of American citizens, no matter where they are in the world,” he continues. “We are relieved that this American is now free and are working to support her safe departure from Iraq.”
Truce lets Iran and Oman charge fees on shipping through Strait of Hormuz — regional official
The two-week ceasefire plan includes allowing both Iran and Oman to charge fees on ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, a regional official says.
The official says Iran will use the money it raises for reconstruction. It isn’t immediately clear what Oman will use its money for.
The strait is in the territorial waters of both Oman and Iran. The world had considered the passage an international waterway and never paid tolls before.
The official, who had been directly involved in the negotiations, speaks on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
Two teens lightly wounded in Tel Sheva by Iranian cluster bomblet
A crater caused by a cluster munition from the warhead of an Iranian ballistic missile is seen in the southern city of Beersheba, April 8, 2026. (Magen David Adom)
Two teenagers are lightly injured in Tel Sheva following Iran’s latest ballistic missile attack on southern Israel, medics say.
Magen David Adom says it treated two 15-year-old boys who were hurt by a blast, apparently from a cluster submuntion.
Damage was also caused in Beersheba by another bomblet impact.
Iran continues to attack Gulf states amid lack of US and Iranian specification on when truce begins
Neither Iran nor the US has offered any time for the ceasefire to begin, with the Islamic Republic continuing to attack Israel along with the Gulf states of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Medics say 12-year-old in Tel Sheva was also wounded by Iranian cluster munition
Three boys are lightly injured by an Iranian cluster submuntion that struck the southern town of Tel Sheva, medics say in an updated toll.
Magen David Adom says it treated two 15-year-olds and a 12-year-old who were hurt by the blast and glass shards.
Several others were treated for acute anxiety, MDA adds.
Israeli official: Iran agreed to reopen Hormuz ‘without getting any of its demands it advance’
In a written statement to reporters, a senior Israeli official says that the US “coordinated in advance” with Israel on the two-week ceasefire with Iran.
According to the official, Iran “is opening the Strait of Hormuz without getting any of its demands it advance, such as a commitment for a final end to the war, reparations, the removal of heavy sanctions against it and more.”
The official says that the Trump administration told Israel that during the coming negotiations, the US will stick to its guns in demanding that Iran remove all nuclear material from the country, halt uranium enrichment, “remove the ballistic missile threat and more.”
“These are shared goals of Israel and the US,” the official insists. “Iran backed off its demands and gave in to the demand to open the straits amid the massive crushing of regime infrastructure since the outbreak of the war and particularly in recent days.”
White House claims two-week ceasefire with Iran as ‘a victory for the United States’
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 30, 2026. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)
The White House asserts that the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is a victory for Washington.
“This is a victory for the United States that President Trump and our incredible military made happen,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says in a statement.
“From the very beginning of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump estimated this would be a 4-6 week operation,” she says. “Thanks to the unbelievable capabilities of our warriors, we have achieved and exceeded our core military objectives in 38 days.”
“The success of our military created maximum leverage, allowing President Trump and the team to engage in tough negotiations that have now created an opening for a diplomatic solution and long-term peace,” Leavitt adds.
“Additionally, President Trump got the Strait of Hormuz reopened,” she says.
The channel was open before the war started, though, and Iran now says safe passage must be coordinated with its forces.
“Never underestimate President Trump’s ability to successfully advance America’s interests and broker peace,” Leavitt says.
Iran-backed militias in Iraq announce suspension of military operations for 2 weeks
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, says it will suspend its operations in Iraq and across the region for two weeks, according to a statement, in a move that follows announcements of a two-week suspension of hostilities between the United States and Iran.
Trump says Iran’s uranium ‘will be perfectly taken care of’ as he claims ‘total and complete victory’
Centrifuges line a hall at the Uranium Enrichment Facility in Natanz, Iran, in a still image from a video aired by the Islamic Republic Iran Broadcasting company on April 17, 2021, six days after the hall had been damaged in a mysterious attack. (IRIB via AP)
US President Donald Trump tells AFP that Iran’s uranium will be “perfectly taken care of” under a two-week ceasefire deal with Tehran.
“That will be perfectly taken care of or I wouldn’t have settled,” Trump says in a telephone interview when asked about what would happen to Iran’s enriched uranium.
He adds the United States won a “total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it.”
Netanyahu: Ceasefire doesn’t cover Lebanon, US told Israel it’s committed to achieving our shared goals in talks with Iran
US President Donald Trump, right, speaks to reporters as he greets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the president's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29, 2025. (AP/Alex Brandon)
Four hours after US President Donald Trump’s announcement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issues a statement welcoming the ceasefire between the US and Iran, while stressing that it does not cover Lebanon despite Pakistani mediators’ claims to the contrary.
“Israel supports President Trump’s decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks subject to Iran immediately opening the straits and stopping all attacks on the US, Israel and countries in the region,” the PMO says in a statement only issued in English.
“Israel also supports the US effort to ensure that Iran no longer poses a nuclear, missile and terror threat to America, Israel, Iran’s Arab neighbors and the world,” the statement continues.
“The United States has told Israel that it is committed to achieving these goals, shared by the US, Israel and Israel’s regional allies, in the upcoming negotiations.”
“The two-weeks ceasefire does not include Lebanon,” the premier’s office adds.
Trump: A big day for world peace, Iran can begin reconstruction process
Activists protest near the White House in Washington, Tuesday evening, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
US President Donald Trump says it is “a big day for World Peace!” as he tries to frame the two-week ceasefire as a win.
“Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else!” Trump writes on Truth Social.
“The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump says, without elaborating.
Iran has agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as part of the ceasefire but has clarified that all traffic has to be coordinated with Tehran — a departure from the prewar status quo.
Regardless, Trump says, “There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process.”
( @realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post )
( Donald J. Trump – Apr 08 2026, 12:01 AM ET )A big day for World Peace! Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else! The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of… pic.twitter.com/2W4fUMmgdW
— Fan Donald J. Trump ???????? TRUTH POSTS (@TruthTrumpPosts) April 8, 2026
“We’ll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just ‘hangin around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well,” he adds, appearing to again threaten Iran if it doesn’t fall in line.
“I feel confident that it will.”
“Just like we are experiencing in the US, this could be the Golden Age of the Middle East!” Trump writes.
Indonesia welcomes Iran ceasefire, calls for parties to respect sovereignty
Indonesia welcomes the ceasefire in the Iran war and calls on all parties to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and diplomacy, Yvonne Mewengkang, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, says.
Lapid on Iran ceasefire: ‘There has never been such a diplomatic disaster in all our history’
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid assails the prime minister over the Iran ceasefire.
“There has never been such a diplomatic disaster in all our history,” he writes on X. “Israel wasn’t even at the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our national security.”
Lapid says that while “the military carried out everything it was asked to do [and] the public showed remarkable resilience,” PM Netanyahu “failed diplomatically, failed strategically and did not meet any of the goals he himself set.”
He adds: “It will take us years to repair the diplomatic and strategic damage that Netanyahu caused due to arrogance, negligence and a lack of strategic planning.”
Reports of fresh strikes in Lebanon after Iran truce; Israel orders new evacuations
The IDF again calls on Lebanese civilians in the southern coastal city of Tyre to evacuate.
Meanwhile, several Israeli strikes are reported by Lebanese media in southern Lebanon this morning.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said overnight that the two-week ceasefire in Iran does not cover Lebanon.
“Urgent warning to the residents of the city of Tyre, specifically in Shabriha… you must evacuate your homes immediately,” army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee says on X, attaching a map showing a building that is to be targeted.
The entire city is already under a blanket evacuation order covering all of southern Lebanon, and the IDF has repeatedly ordered its residents to leave in recent weeks.
#عاجل ‼️ انذار عاجل ومتكرر لسكان مدينة صور وتحديدًا في شبريحا (العباسية)
⭕️نشاطات حزب الله الإرهابي تجبر جيش الدفاع على العمل ضده وبقوة. جيش الدفاع لا ينوي المساس بكم.
⭕️حرصًا على سلامتكم عليكم اخلاء منازلكم فورًا.
⭕لضمان سلامتكم أخلوا منازلكم فوراً وانتقلوا إلى شمال نهر… pic.twitter.com/GfqsHWQ0Oe
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) April 8, 2026
Oman says welcomes US, Iran ceasefire, urges ‘intensifying efforts’ to resolve crisis
Oman says it welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire between the US and Iran.
Oman’s foreign ministry says in a statement that it emphasizes “the importance of intensifying efforts at this juncture to identify solutions capable of resolving the crisis at its roots and achieving a permanent cessation of the state of war,” as it welcomes the ceasefire.
Germany’s Merz calls for ‘durable end to the war’
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz gives a statement at Siemens Energy plant in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang Province on February 26, 2026. (Jade Gao / AFP)
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomes the ceasefire in the Middle East war and urges a definitive end to the conflict.
The goal now is “to negotiate a durable end to the war in the next days,” he says in a statement. “This can only be achieved by diplomacy.”
He says that Germany will contribute “to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
UAE official says country ‘victorious’ after US-Iran truce
The diplomatic advisor to the United Arab Emirates president, Anwar Gargash, arrives to attend the opening ceremony of the summit on peace in Ukraine, at the luxury Burgenstock resort, near Lucerne, Switzlernand, June 15, 2024. (Denis Balibouse/Pool/AFP)
A top Emirati official says that his country has emerged victorious from the Iran war.
“The UAE emerged victorious from a war we sincerely sought to avoid,” presidential adviser Anwar Gargash says in a post on X.
“Today, we are poised to navigate a complex regional landscape with greater resources, deeper understanding, and a more robust capacity to influence and shape the future,” he adds.
Hezbollah says it has paused attacks under US-Iran ceasefire
IDF troops of the 769th 'Hiram' Brigade operate in southern Lebanon, in a handout photo issued by the military on April 6, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
Lebanon’s Hezbollah halted fire on northern Israel and on Israeli troops in Lebanon in the early hours of Wednesday as part of the US-Iran ceasefire announced earlier, three Lebanese sources close to the group tell Reuters.
Israel has continued its strikes on southern Lebanon and issued a new evacuation order for one southern city, indicating it would strike there soon, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the two-week Iran-US ceasefire would not include Lebanon.
Iran-backed Hezbollah is expected to issue a statement outlining its formal position on the ceasefire and on Netanyahu’s assertion that Lebanon is not included, the three Lebanese sources say.
Iranian drone attack in Bahrain injures two, hours after truce announcement
Two people have sustained light injuries following an Iranian drone attack in Bahrain, the interior ministry says, hours after a US-Iran truce took effect.
“As a result of the Iranian aggression, two citizens sustained minor injuries and a number of houses were damaged in the Sitra area as a result of shrapnel falling from the interception of an Iranian drone,” the Bahraini interior ministry says.
Lebanese army warns civilians not to return to villages in south Lebanon
The Lebanese army calls on civilians not to return to villages in southern Lebanon, after Israel said the ceasefire in Iran does not apply to the fighting against Hezbollah.
“In light of the regional developments and the circulation of reports about a ceasefire, the army command calls on citizens to refrain from returning to the southern villages and towns and to avoid approaching areas where Israeli occupation forces have advanced, in order to preserve their safety, especially as they may expose their lives to the danger of ongoing Israeli attacks,” the Lebanese Armed Forces says in a statement.
Overnight, the prime minister of Pakistan, who has served as the key mediator between Washington and Tehran, claimed the ceasefire in Iran would also apply to Lebanon. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement saying it does not, and this morning Lebanese media reported fresh Israeli strikes.
Pro-Iran armed factions in Iraq announce two-week halt in attacks
Pro-Iran armed factions in Iraq announce a two-week halt to their attacks on “enemy bases” in the region after the start of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran.
“The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announces the suspension of its operations in Iraq and the region for two weeks,” the alliance says in a short statement on Telegram.
European stock markets surge at open after Iran truce
European stock markets soar at the start of trading after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, with investor relief sending the Frankfurt index surging five percent.
Paris rallies 3.5 percent and London jumps three percent in initial deals, with airlines among the biggest gainers as oil prices plunge.
Macron welcomes US-Iran ceasefire, calls it a ‘very good thing’
French President Emmanuel Macron waves upon his arrival at the Seoul airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes the ceasefire between the US and Iran, calling the agreement a “very good thing.”
“We expect, in the coming days and weeks, that it will be fully respected throughout the region and will allow negotiations to take place,” Macron says at the start of a meeting of top defence and security officials.
“Our wish is to ensure that the ceasefire fully includes Lebanon,” he adds.
IDF says it has halted strikes in Iran, continues fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon
People check the damage of a coffeeshop at the site of an Israeli strike in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Wednesday, April, 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
The Israeli Air Force has not conducted any strikes in Iran since around 3 a.m., when the IDF says it carried out a wave of attacks aimed at reducing Iranian ballistic missile fire on Israel.
Meanwhile, the military says that it “continues fighting against the Hezbollah terror organization in Lebanon.”
During the wave of “extensive” strikes in Iran overnight, IAF fighter jets hit launch sites and ballistic missile launchers, “with the aim of significantly reducing and suppressing the scope of launches,” the military says.
“Israel Air Force fighter jets, directed by the Military Intelligence Directorate, struck dozens of launch sites — thereby disrupting a larger barrage of ballistic missiles that had been aimed at the State of Israel,” the IDF says in a statement.
Iran continued to fire ballistic missiles at Israel until around 3:30 a.m.
The IDF says it also struck “key” weapon production sites in several areas of Iran before the ceasefire.
“In accordance with directives from the political echelon, the IDF has ceased fire in the campaign against Iran and remains on high alert in defense, ready to respond to any violation,” the military says.
However, in Lebanon, the IDF says it “continues fighting and ground operations against the Hezbollah terror organization.”
The Home Front Command is, meanwhile, carrying out an assessment; the IDF says it will update the public if any changes are made to guidelines for civilians.
EU welcomes Iran truce, sees ‘space for diplomacy’
EU High Representative and Vice-President for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas addresses the media as she arrives for a Foreign Affairs Council to discuss Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, in Brussels, Belgium, on March 16, 2026. (Nicolas Tucat/AFP)
EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas welcomes the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran as a “step back from the brink,” creating a “much-needed” window for diplomacy.
The Pakistan-brokered truce “creates a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart shipping and create space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement,” Kallas writes on X.
“The EU stands ready to support those efforts and is in touch with partners in the region,” adds Kallas, who is due in Riyadh today for talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Gulf Cooperation Council secretary-general Jassem al-Budaiwi and others.
Egypt, Turkey, China are latest to welcome Iran ceasefire
Egypt, which in recent weeks has helped shuttle messages between the US and Iran, welcomes US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a two-week halt to military operations.
In an overnight call with US envoy Steve Witkoff, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty “expressed his deep appreciation for this important American step to give diplomacy a chance and start a serious process of American-Iranian negotiations.”
The foreign ministry says the truce is a “crucial opportunity that must be seized to pave the way for negotiations,” and says Egypt is committed to “continuing tireless efforts” along with Pakistan and Turkey.
Turkey calls for all sides to respect the ceasefire.
“We insist on the fact that the temporary ceasefire be fully implemented on the ground and hope that all sides abide by the agreement,” the foreign ministry says in a statement.
China says it “welcomes relevant parties announcing the reaching of a ceasefire agreement,” adding that it will continue to work towards restoring peace in the Middle East.
Spain says ‘unacceptable’ for Israel to continue Lebanon campaign
Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares attends the opening day of the Doha Forum, an annual diplomatic conference, in Doha on December 6, 2025. (Mahmud HAMS / AFP)
Spain’s foreign minister says it is “unacceptable” that Israel is continuing its ground campaign in Lebanon after the United States and Iran agreed on a two-week ceasefire to halt the regional war.
“All fronts must cease, and all fronts also means Lebanon. It is unacceptable that Israel’s war, Israel’s invasion of a sovereign country like Lebanon… continues,” Jose Manuel Albares tells public radio RNE.
Israeli forces entered Lebanon to drive away Hezbollah after the terror group began launching attacks on Israel in response to the war with Iran.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire as “good news” on X but said Spain would not “applaud those who set fire to the world because they show up with a bucket.”
IDF repeats general evacuation warning for southern Lebanon
The IDF reiterates its wide-scale evacuation warning for southern Lebanon, as the fighting against Hezbollah continues despite the ceasefire in Iran.
“The campaign in Lebanon continues, and the ceasefire does not include Lebanon. For your safety, we once again urge you to evacuate your homes immediately and move immediately to the north of the Zahrani River,” says army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee on X.
The IDF has repeated this warning numerous times in recent weeks.
#عاجل ‼️ انذار عاجل إلى سكان جنوب لبنان المتواجدين جنوب نهر الزهراني
????المعركة في لبنان مستمرة وحالة وقف النار لا تشمل لبنان????
????جيش الدفاع يواصل العمل ضد انشطة حزب الله الارهابية بقوة في تلك المنطقة وهو لا ينوي المساس بكم.
????ولذلك وحرصًا على سلامتكم نعود ونناشدكم اخلاء… pic.twitter.com/LbNvAZivNn
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) April 8, 2026
IDF reiterates evacuation warning for Beirut’s southern suburbs
The Israeli military reiterates its evacuation warning for the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold known as the Dahiyeh, ahead of airstrikes.
“The IDF continues to operate and attack the military infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terror organization throughout the Dahiyeh. The IDF does not intend to harm you, and therefore, for your safety, you must evacuate immediately,” warns army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee.
The Israeli Air Force has struck dozens of Hezbollah targets in the Dahiyeh in the past month, and the military has repeatedly called on Lebanese civilians to evacuate the area.
Army says no changes to Home Front guidelines yet, despite ceasefire
The IDF stresses that, as of now, there are no changes to the Home Front Command guidelines for civilians, despite the ceasefire in Iran.
“The Home Front Command is holding ongoing assessments and discussions, within which options for changes and updates to the policy are being examined,” the military says.
“No decision has yet been made on the matter,” the IDF says, adding that it will update the public when any changes are made.
Israel’s Arkia says preparing for gradual expansion of flight operations
An Arkia flight at Ben Gurion International Airport, February 25, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/FLASH90)
Israeli carrier Arkia says it is preparing for a gradual expansion of flight operations at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport following the ceasefire with Iran and expects to resume a regular flight schedule starting May 3.
Arkia says it is working on plans to expand its flight schedule amid expectations that current restrictions on the number of passengers on aircraft departing from Israel and flight frequencies will be gradually eased in the coming days through May 2.
Throughout April, Arkia says it will operate flights to the following destinations: Athens, Larnaca, Rome, Vienna, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Bangkok, New York and Budapest.
“We are working in full coordination with all regulatory bodies to gradually increase the supply of flights and the number of passengers,” says Arkia CEO Oz Berlowitz. “At the same time, it is important to emphasize that the existing outline is still affected by the security situation and temporary agreements, and at present, this is only a short-term arrangement.”
“Ben Gurion Airport continues to operate under capacity restrictions due to security activities, and therefore changes and adjustments will be made in accordance with developments,” Berlowitz adds.
The Israel Airports Authority says it is conducting ongoing assessments with all relevant authorities and is awaiting directives from security officials and the Transportation Ministry.
Currently, the number of takeoffs and landings at Ben Gurion Airport is restricted to one per hour, and the number of passengers allowed on departing aircraft is limited to a maximum of 100 people. Arriving flights are operating without passenger quantity restrictions.
Pope Leo praises Iran war ceasefire after criticizing Trump threat
Pope Leo XIV blesses faithful as he starts his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Pope Leo praises the two-week ceasefire in the Iran war, hours after calling US President Donald Trump’s threat against the population of Iran “unacceptable.”
The pope, who has emerged as an outspoken critic of the war in recent weeks, says he welcomes the announcement of the ceasefire with satisfaction and urges continued negotiation to bring a full end to the regional conflict.
“In light of these past hours of great tension for the Middle East and for the whole world, I welcome with satisfaction… the announcement of an immediate two-week truce,” Leo, the first US pope, says in his weekly audience.
“Only through a return to negotiation can an end to the war be achieved,” he says.
Leo, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has been ramping up his criticism of the US-Israeli war against Iran. After Trump threatened Iran on Tuesday that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if the country did not meet US demands for a truce, Leo told journalists that the threat was “truly unacceptable.”
Thailand confirms 3 deaths from last month’s attack on vessel in Strait of Hormuz
The three crewmen on the Thai-flagged vessel that was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz last month have died, Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow says at a press conference.
Thailand said 20 crew members were rescued by the Omani navy after the attack, which caused an explosion in the stern of the ship and a fire in the engine room.
Army says Hamas explosives expert killed in Gaza strike
A Hamas explosives expert was killed in an Israeli strike in the Gaza Strip on Monday, the military says.
According to the IDF, Muhammad Dawad was “an expert in engineering and producing explosive devices,” and “led and advanced dozens of terror attack plans against IDF troops during the war.”
“The terrorist posed a real threat to our forces and was targeted in a precise strike,” the IDF adds.
Kuwait, UAE say they are under attack by Iranian drones, missiles despite ceasefire
Kuwait says its air defenses are intercepting a wave of Iranian drones launched since 8 a.m. (0500 GMT), according to the army. The army says some drones targeted vital oil facilities, power stations and water desalination plants, causing major infrastructure damage.
At the same time the Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates says its own air defenses are “engaging with missile and drone attacks originating from Iran.”
It is unclear why Iran is launching attacks despite the hours-old truce.
Lebanon’s president says wants to include country in ‘regional peace’
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun gestures to journalists at the Presidential Palace, in Baabda, east of Beirut, Lebanon, May 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomes the two-week ceasefire agreed by the United States and Iran, saying he hopes his country will be included in the regional truce.
Aoun says Beirut has “continued efforts to ensure that the regional peace includes Lebanon in a stable and lasting manner,” according to a statement from the presidency.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said earlier that the truce excluded his country’s fight with the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, with Israeli strikes continuing to hit the country.
First ships pass through Strait of Hormuz since ceasefire — monitor
Two ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Iran agreed to reopen the waterway as part of a ceasefire deal, maritime monitor Marine Traffic says.
“The Greek-owned bulk carrier NJ Earth crossed the Strait at 08:44 UTC, while the Liberia-flagged Daytona Beach transited earlier at 06:59 UTC, shortly after departing Bandar Abbas at 05:28 UTC,” MarineTraffic says on X.
Hamas says Iran truce is ‘significant step’ in ‘diminishing American hegemony’
A senior Hamas official hails the ceasefire that halted the joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran, calling it a “significant step” in curbing American hegemony in the Middle East.
“The ceasefire… is undoubtedly a significant step toward diminishing American hegemony in the region and paves the way for the imminent demise of the illegitimate entity,” says Bassem Naim, a Hamas political bureau member, referring to Israel.
“The will of the free peoples, ready to pay the price for freedom and independence, has triumphed. Congratulations to the people and leadership of Iran, and our condolences to all the martyrs,” he says in a statement.
Vance says Trump is ‘impatient’ about progress on Iran
US Vice President JD Vance speaks at Mathias Corvinus Collegium in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP)
US President Donald Trump is “impatient” about making progress toward ending the Iran war and has instructed his negotiating team to engage the Iranians in good faith, Vice President JD Vance says.
Speaking at an event in Budapest during his trip to Hungary, Vance says a deal is possible if Iran negotiates sincerely, but cautions that while some parts of the Iranian system are approaching the talks constructively, others are not. He describes the situation as a “fragile truce.”
“The President of the United States has told me, and he’s told the entire negotiating team, secretary of state, the special envoy Steve Witkoff, he said, go and work in good faith to come to an agreement,” Vance says.
“He’s impatient. He’s impatient to make progress. He has told us to negotiate in good faith, and I think if they negotiate in good faith, we will be able to find a deal. But that’s a big if, and ultimately, it’s up to the Iranians how they negotiate. I hope they make the right decision,” Vance says.
Israir says prepping to expand flights amid ceasefire
An Israir flight takes off from Ben Gurion International Airport, outside of Tel Aviv, August 25, 2024. (Yossi Aloni/ Flash90/ File)
After Arkia, Israeli carrier Israir says it is also gearing up to expand its flight operations amid expectations that current air traffic restrictions at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport will be eased following the overnight declaration of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran.
Israir is preparing to gradually increase flight frequencies and the number of passengers on departing aircraft, subject to the policy and guidelines by the Transportation Ministry and relevant aviation authorities.
Over the coming weeks, Israir expects to operate flights to a variety of destinations, including Athens, Larnaca, Budapest, Tbilisi, Batumi, Rome, Berlin and Rhodes.
Iran says oil refinery on Lavan Island hit by airstrikes this morning
Iran says that an oil refinery on Lavan Island was hit by airstrikes this morning.
“Around 10 a.m…. the facilities of Lavan Oil Refinery, located on Lavan Island, were subjected to a cowardly attack by the enemies,” Iran’s National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company says in a statement carried by the Mehr news agency.
No casualties are reported, the statement adds.
BREAKING: Heavy airstrikes hit Iran’s Lavan oil refinery on Lavan Island in Persian Gulf pic.twitter.com/VXYxW9zlUs
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) April 8, 2026
Hezbollah claims it’s ‘on threshold of a historic victory,’ but civilians should not return south
Vehicles drive through an army checkpoint in the al-Qassimyah area as they head towards southern Lebanon early on April 8, 2026, after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire (Kawnat HAJU / AFP)
The Hezbollah terror group calls on Lebanese civilians not to return to areas of Lebanon that the IDF ordered to be evacuated, “before the official final announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon.”
“Today we stand on the threshold of a great historic victory, which will be achieved thanks to the sacrifices of the fighters, the blood of the martyrs, and your unmatched steadfastness and patience,” Hezbollah says in its first statement since the ceasefire in Iran.
“We call on you in these decisive moments for more patience, steadfastness and waiting, and not to go to the villages, towns and targeted areas in the south, Beqaa [Valley], and the southern suburbs of Beirut before the official final announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon,” it says.
Israel has said that the ceasefire in Iran does not cover Lebanon, and the fighting against Hezbollah continues.
Hezbollah legislator warns of response if Israel does not adhere to ceasefire
Lebanese lawmaker Ibrahim Al Moussawi after a parliament session in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Hezbollah legislator Ibrahim Al-Moussawi has warned of a response from Iran and its allies if Israel “does not adhere to a ceasefire.”
“The agreement includes Lebanon, according to its terms, and Iran insisted on this inclusion,” Al-Moussawi tells local television channel Al-Jadeed.
Israel has denied Lebanon’s inclusion in the agreement and said it will continue strikes against the terror group. Pakistan, France and Egypt, which helped mediate the deal, all have asserted Lebanon’s inclusion.
Lebanese media reports Israeli strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs
Lebanese media reports a series of Israeli airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Earlier, the IDF reiterated an evacuation warning for the area, a Hezbollah stronghold.
‘We are not broken,’ Frenchman back from Iran says at Elysee
French nationals Jacques Paris (L) and Cecile Kohler (R) who were freed by Iran after three and a half years in detention speak to the press as they are hosted by French President at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on April 8, 2026 (Tom Nicholson / POOL / AFP)
A Frenchman who spent almost four years detained in Iran says after his return that he and his fellow detainee are “not broken” and would speak out about their ordeal.
“For us, this is a fresh start. We’re not broken,” Jacques Paris, 72, says at the Elysee Palace after he and Cecile Kohler, 41, met President Emmanuel Macron.
“We kept our hopes up right to the end,” says Kohler.
Iran says it attacked Kuwait, UAE after strikes on its oil facilities
Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates after airstrikes against oil facilities on Iran’s Lavan island on Wednesday morning, state television reports.
“Missile and drone attacks on the Emirates and Kuwait have taken place a few hours after the targeting of Lavan island oil facilities in Iran,” IRIB says in a report.
State TV also quotes the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company as saying the Lavan Oil Refinery facility on the island “was subjected to a cowardly attack” at 10 a.m. (0630 GMT).
IAF says it carried out largest wave of strikes on Hezbollah since fighting started
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on a building in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
The Israeli Air Force says it has just completed its largest wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon since the start of the fighting, targeting 100 sites within 10 minutes.
According to the IDF, the targets hit in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon included Hezbollah command centers and other military infrastructure.
The military says that among the targets were intelligence headquarters and offices used by Hezbollah to plan attacks on IDF troops and Israeli civilians; infrastructure of Hezbollah’s rocket and naval units; and assets of the terror group’s elite Radwan Force and aerial unit.
“This is the largest attack carried out against Hezbollah’s infrastructures since the start of Operation Roaring Lion,” the military says.
The IDF says that most of the sites were located “within the heart of the civilian population, as part of Hezbollah’s cynical exploitation of Lebanese civilians as human shields in order to safeguard its operations.”
Ahead of strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs and areas of southern Lebanon, the IDF issued evacuation warnings for Lebanese civilians.
Trump: Iran won’t enrich uranium, will dig up uranium stockpile; US lifting sanctions
US President Donald Trump speaks about the conflict in Iran in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 6, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)
US President Donald Trump asserts that Iran will not be allowed to enrich uranium and claims that the US will work with Iran to dig up its stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium.
There is no indication that Iran has agreed to comply with either of these points, and they are likely to be subject to negotiations that are slated to begin on Friday.
“The United States will work closely with Iran, which we have determined has gone through what will be a very productive Regime Change!” Trump writes in a Truth Social post, even though the Islamic Republic has not fallen.
“There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) nuclear ‘dust,'” he adds, referring to the results of the June 2025 strikes on Iran’s nuclear enrichment sites.
“It is now, and has been, under very exacting satellite surveillance (space force!). Nothing has been touched from the date of attack.”
“We are, and will be, talking tariff and sanctions relief with Iran,” he reveals.
In a subsequent post, Trump adds, “A country supplying military weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately. There will be no exclusions or exemptions!”
Back in the first post, Trump says, “Many of the 15 points have already been been agreed to.”
He notably appears to make Washington’s 15-point plan for ending the war the basis of negotiations with Iran, even though his post announcing the ceasefire said Iran’s 10-point response would be the basis for talks.
Wizz Air says no flights to Israel until at least April 27
Hungarian low-cost airline giant Wizz Air further extends the suspension of flights to and from Israel through April 27, as Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport remains closed to foreign carriers following the recent ceasefire that halted the joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran.
Wizz Air extends flight suspensions from the previously announced date of April 20. Israel’s airspace has been shut to foreign airlines since February 28, when the war with Iran broke out. Following the overnight declaration of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, Israeli regulators and aviation authorities are considering a gradual easing of air traffic restrictions at Ben Gurion Airport.
Wizz Air says it is “committed to the Israeli market and to Israeli customers and continues to closely monitor developments.”
“The flight schedule may be adjusted as the situation evolves,” Wizz Air says in a statement. “The safety and security of the passengers, the crew, and the aircraft remain at the top of the company’s priorities, which is in contact with all the relevant authorities and with the passengers who are affected by the situation.”
WATCH: US Defense Secretary Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine hold briefing on ceasefire declaration
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine are holding a briefing following the declaration of a ceasefire with Iran overnight.
Watch it here live:
IDF says will continue to strike Hezbollah, ‘no compromise’ on north’s security
The wide-scale Israeli attacks against Hezbollah across Lebanon a short while ago are not “closing strikes,” and the fighting against the terror group continues, according to the IDF.
Earlier, the IDF said it bombed around 100 Hezbollah sites in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon within 10 minutes. The wave of strikes was given the internal codename “Eternal Darkness.”
“We will continue to strike the Hezbollah terror organization and seize every opportunity. We will not compromise on the security of northern residents. We will continue to attack without pause,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is quoted as saying by the military during the strikes.
The military says the massive wave of strikes was planned regardless of the ceasefire in Iran, and the timing is coincidental. The strikes were carried out after various “operational conditions” were considered optimal, according to military officials.
The IDF says it will continue its campaign against Hezbollah until told otherwise by Israel’s political leadership.
IDF denies involvement in alleged strikes today on Iranian oil refinery
The IDF denies any involvement in the reported strikes targeting an oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island this morning.
Iran has claimed that in response to a “cowardly attack” on the Lavan Oil Refinery, it launched missile and drone attacks on Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran’s defense-industrial base ‘completely’ destroyed, Pentagon chief Hegseth says
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 8, 2026 (Mandel NGAN / AFP)
The US war against Iran has “completely” destroyed the country’s ability to build missiles or other sophisticated weaponry, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says.
“We finished completely destroying Iran’s defense-industrial base, a core pillar of our mission,” Hegseth tells reporters. “They still shoot… here and there… but they can no longer build missiles.”
He describes Operation Epic Fury as “a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield” and says “one of the world’s greatest militaries” was destroyed in less than 40 days.
Iran “accepted the ceasefire under overwhelming pressure,” knowing that US was “locked and loaded” on energy and other targets it had no means to defend, Hegseth says.
“They know this agreement means they will never, ever possess a nuclear weapon.”
There is now a chance for “real peace and real deal,” he says, and warns that the “War Department… stand ready in the background to ensure Iran upholds every reasonable term.”
He thanks Israel “for being a brave, capable, and willing ally on this battlefield. The rest of the world and the rest of our so-called allies saw what real capabilities look like. They should take some notes.”
US forces ‘ready’ if Iran ceasefire ends, top US general says; ‘a ceasefire is a pause’
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (L) looks on as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 8, 2026 (Mandel NGAN / AFP)
The US military is prepared to resume attacks on Iran if ordered by President Donald Trump, the top US general says.
“Let us be clear, a ceasefire is a pause, and the joint force remains ready, if ordered or called upon,” General Dan Caine tells a press conference.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also warns that “we stand ready in the background to ensure that Iran upholds” the terms of the truce agreed to on Tuesday.
Hegseth says Hormuz is open; senior Iranian official says Tehran will open strait in ‘limited’ manner tomorrow or Friday
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, left, looks toward Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, as they speak to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says that the Strait of Hormuz is open and the US military would be “hanging around” in the Middle East to ensure Iran complies with the ceasefire.
However, a senior Iranian official involved in talks with the US tells Reuters Iran could open the Strait of Hormuz in a limited and controlled way tomorrow or Friday ahead of a meeting between US and Iranian officials in Pakistan, implying it was not open yet.
“If an understanding on a framework for talks is reached, the strait could be opened “limited, under Iran’s control,” the official says.
“Coordinating with Iranian military will be mandatory for all ships. Still the ceasefire is fragile, however, we prefer lasting peace but Iran has no fear to return to war if the US wants go the same way.”
IDF says 50 fighter jets dropped 160 bombs on 100 Hezbollah targets in 10 minutes
First responders stand beside wreckage at the site of an Israeli airstrike that struck an apartment building in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
The large wave of Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah across Lebanon involved 50 fighter jets dropping some 160 bombs on 100 targets within 10 minutes, according to the military.
The wave of strikes was given the internal codename “Eternal Darkness.”
The IDF said it bombed around 100 Hezbollah command centers and other military infrastructure in Beirut, the Beqaa Valley and southern Lebanon during the strikes.
World leaders urge ‘swift and lasting end’ to Iran war in coming days
LONDON — Leaders of Britain, Germany, Japan, Canada and other European countries say that the goal must be to negotiate “a swift and lasting end to the war” in Iran within the coming days, following a US-Iran ceasefire.
“Our governments will contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz,” the joint statement says.
Saudi oil pipeline hit in Iranian attack despite truce
Illustrative: A general view of Saudi Arabia oil tanks at a plant in Haradh, about 280 kilometers (170 miles) southwest of the eastern oil city of Dhahran, March 22, 2006. Two pumping stations on a major Saudi oil pipeline were attacked by drones on May 14, 2019, halting the flow of crude along it, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline was hit in an Iranian attack despite a declared ceasefire, and damage was being assessed, while other facilities were also targeted, an industry source tells Reuters.
The pipeline is the only outlet for Saudi crude exports after Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Hegseth: US allies should ‘take some notes’ from ‘brave, capable’ Israel
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says American allies should “take some notes” from Israel in terms of being an ally in the war against Iran.
“To our Israeli allies, thank you for being a brave, capable and willing ally on this battlefield. The rest of the world and the rest of our so-called allies saw what real capabilities look like. They should take some notes,” he says at a press conference.
Lebanese PM calls on country’s allies to help halt Israeli strikes
A handout photo released by the Lebanese Government Press Office on March 2, 2026 shows Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam speaking at the end of the ministerial council at the Presidential Palace of Baabda, east of Beirut. (Handout / Lebanese Government Press Office / AFP)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam calls on his country’s friends to help put an end to Israeli attacks following a series of deadly strikes across the country targeting the Hezbollah terror group.
In a statement, Salam says that while Beirut “welcomed the agreement between Iran and the United States and intensified our efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, Israel continues to escalate its attacks.”
“All of Lebanon’s friends are called upon to help us stop these attacks by all available means,” he adds, after Israeli strikes that Lebanon’s health ministry said killed dozens of people and wounded hundreds more.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
UAE says 17 Iranian missiles, 35 drones targeted country since ceasefire declaration
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The United Arab Emirates says that 17 Iranian missiles and 35 drones had targeted its territory despite a US announcement of a two-week ceasefire with the Islamic Republic.
“Blatant Iranian attacks since the ceasefire took effect have reached 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones, and the air defences have successfully dealt with them,” the UAE’s defense ministry says in a statement on X.
الدفاعات الجوية الإماراتية تتعامل مع الصواريخ الباليستية والجوالة والمسيرات الإيرانية.
UAE Air Defences engaged Iranian
Ballistic and Cruise Missiles and UAVs Attacks#وزارة_الدفاع #وزارة_الدفاع_الإماراتية#MOD#UAEMinistryOfDefence pic.twitter.com/Mybc4oiPWa— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) April 8, 2026
Katz says ‘hundreds of Hezbollah operatives’ targeted by IDF, Naim Qassem’s ‘turn will also come’
Defense Minister Israel Katz at a vote on the state budget in the Knesset, March 30, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Defense Minister Israel Katz says the IDF’s large wave of strikes in Lebanon this afternoon targeted “hundreds of Hezbollah operatives.”
“Hundreds of Hezbollah operatives were targeted in surprise strikes at headquarters across Lebanon, in the largest concentrated blow Hezbollah has suffered since the pager operation,” he says, referring to the exploding pager attack that targeted Hezbollah members in 2024.
Katz says Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem was warned that “Hezbollah would pay a very heavy price for attacking Israel on behalf of Iran, and his personal turn will also come.”
Lebanon’s health ministry reports that the Israeli strikes killed dozens and wounded hundreds more.
IDF says Hezbollah is shifting operations out of Beirut’s Dahiyeh to other parts of city
Firefighters and residents gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
The Israeli military says Hezbollah has left its stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, known as the Dahiyeh, and instead is “repositioning toward northern Beirut and mixed areas in the city.”
“Following IDF operations in the Dahiyeh, Hezbollah realized that the terror stronghold it had established is no longer a safe place for it, and therefore began moving out of it,” says Lt. Col. Ella Waweya, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokeswoman.
She warns Lebanese civilians that “the destruction that Hezbollah brought upon the Dahiyeh will move with it as well.”
“Hezbollah terror operatives, there is no safe place for you. The IDF will continue to pursue you and operate with great force,” Waweya adds.
Sirens sound in north, possibly marking first Hezbollah attack since last night
Sirens sound in the northern border city of Kiryat Shmona and surrounding towns, warning of rocket fire from Lebanon.
It potentially marks the first attack by Hezbollah on Israel since last night.
Earlier, three sources close to the terror group told Reuters that Hezbollah halted its fire on northern Israel and Israeli troops in southern Lebanon as part of the US-Iran ceasefire.
US, Iran mulling ‘joint’ toll system in Hormuz, Trump claims to ABC: ‘It’s a beautiful thing’
The United States and Iran are mulling a “joint venture” to charge tolls on the Strait of Hormuz, ABC correspondent Jonathan Carl says US President Donald Trump told him.
“We’re thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It’s a way of securing it — also securing it from lots of other people,” Trump is quoted as claiming to the correspondent. “It’s a beautiful thing.”
No other US official has indicated that such a plan is under discussion.
This morning, I asked President Trump if he’s okay with the Iranians charging a toll for all ships that go through the Strait of Hormuz, he told me there may be a Joint US-Iran venture to charge tolls:
“We’re thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It’s a way of securing it —…
— Jonathan Karl (@jonkarl) April 8, 2026
IDF: Attempted interception of suspected drone triggered sirens in north
The rocket sirens that sounded in the northern border city of Kiryat Shmona a short while ago were activated due to the attempted interception of a suspected drone.
The interceptor missiles triggered the rocket sirens, according to the military.
The IDF says the results of the interception are under review.
Sirens that sounded in north were false alarm
No Hezbollah drone was detected on the northern border, according to the IDF, after sirens sounded in Kiryat Shmona and nearby towns.
Interceptor missiles were launched following what the IDF says was a “false identification.”
The interceptors triggered sirens warning of rocket fire.
‘Donald Trump, you came out looking like a duck,’ far-right MK posts, then deletes, on X
Far-right Otzma Yehudit MK Tzvika Fogel posts, then deletes, a post mocking US President Donald Trump over the declared ceasefire with Iran.
“Donald Trump, you came out looking like a duck,” Fogel writes in Hebrew, then later deletes, but not before screenshots of the post spread on social media.
????שרשור פנינים מהעבר – צביקה פוגל????
ח״כ הכושל, צביקה פוגל, צייץ ומחק את הציוץ המצורף. הוא שכח שהאינטרנט זוכר הכל.
ריכזתי עבורו חומרים שהאינטרנט זוכר, שיוציאו אותו ברווז ????@tzvikafoghel@toibyzu pic.twitter.com/GJRlYZzmdc— Tomer Balan (@tomer_balan) April 8, 2026
UN envoy in Iran to support ‘comprehensive and durable’ end to war
WASHINGTON — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s personal envoy has arrived in Iran as part of a regional tour aimed at backing “a comprehensive and durable resolution” to the Iran war, the United Nations says.
Jean Arnault will hear Iranian perspectives “on the way forward” and reiterate Guterres’ commitment to support a peaceful settlement, a spokesperson says in a statement.
Arnault also called on all leaders to “choose the path of peaceful resolution and the protection of civilians,” the spokesperson adds.
The veteran UN diplomat, named as Guterres’s envoy on the conflict last month, left for the Middle East on Monday, but the United Nations has not detailed all of his planned stops.
Iranian media reports Tehran weighing ‘deterrent operations’ against Israel over Lebanon strikes
Lebanese army soldiers and first responders look up at an Israeli drone flying overhead at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Iran is considering “deterrent operations” against Israel, claiming that it violated the ceasefire by attacking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, an informed security source tells the IRGC-linked Fars news agency.
Pakistan, which mediated the two-week ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran, claims that the agreement includes Lebanon, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has disputed this.
US, Iranian delegations will arrive in Pakistan for talks on Friday, Pakistani PM says
Delegations from the United States and Iran will be arriving in Pakistan for talks on Friday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi raises alleged “ceasefire violations” by Israel in a call with the commander of the armed forces of Pakistan, which mediated the fragile US-Iran truce, an Iranian ministry statement says.
Araghchi “discussed the Zionist regime’s violations of the ceasefire in Iran and Lebanon,” referring to Israel, in a call with the powerful Pakistani military leader Field Marshal Asim Munir, the statement says.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Sirens warn of rocket fire in Galilee communities
Sirens warning of rocket fire sound in the Galilee.
The alerts are activated in the border communities of Shtula and Netua.
Shipping sources say Iran threatening ships trying to pass Hormuz
A man walks along the shore as oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz, seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
LONDON — The Iranian navy threatened ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without Tehran’s permission with destruction, adding that transit through the waterway remained shut, according to several shipping sources.
“Any vessel trying to travel into the sea … will be targeted and destroyed…” the message says.
The US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has claimed that the key waterway is open, while a senior Iranian official involved in talks with the US tells Reuters Iran could open the Strait of Hormuz in a limited and controlled way tomorrow or Friday ahead of a meeting between US and Iranian officials in Pakistan, implying it is not open yet.
Reuters and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Rocket fired from Lebanon hits open area in north; no injuries reported
A rocket launched from Lebanon at the Galilee a short while ago struck an open area, according to the IDF.
No injuries are reported.
Sirens had sounded in the border communities of Shtula and Netua.
It marks the first Hezbollah attack on Israel since last night. Earlier, three sources close to the terror group told Reuters that Hezbollah halted its fire as part of the US-Iran ceasefire.
Iran halts Hormuz traffic over Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Iranian media says
Iran has halted the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz over Israel’s strikes in Lebanon, the Fars news agency reports.
Fars reports that two oil tankers were allowed to pass through the strait this morning after the ceasefire between Iran and the US took effect.
“Simultaneous with Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz has been stopped,” the agency reports.
Trump says in-person talks with Iran will happen ‘very soon’
US President Donald Trump looks on as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, right, speaks about the conflict in Iran in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, April 6, 2026. (Kent Nishimura / AFP)
US President Donald Trump says in-person talks with Iran will happen “very soon,” the New York Post reports.
In an interview with the Post, Trump says Vice President JD Vance might not attend the talks due to security concerns.
Trump says Lebanon and Hezbollah not included in Iran ceasefire
US President Donald Trump says Lebanon was not included in the two-week ceasefire deal with Iran, in comments to PBS.
“Yeah they were not included in the deal,” he says, when asked on the matter.
When asked why not, Trump responds: “Because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal. That’ll get taken care of too. It’s alright.”
Asked if he is okay with Israel’s ongoing strikes against the Iran-backed terror group, Trump says: “It’s part of the deal — everyone knows that. That’s a separate skirmish.”
A few minutes after the Pentagon briefing wrapped I spoke with President Trump briefly to ask about the latest with Iran: pic.twitter.com/tW0nYD1Vcs
— Liz Landers (@ElizLanders) April 8, 2026
Israel set to announce plans for full operations to resume at Ben Gurion Airport as early as midnight
Airplanes depart from the Ben Gurion International Airport during the US-Israel war with Iran, March 16, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
Israel is expected to announce a plan for a full return of flight operations at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport from as early as midnight tonight, following the recent ceasefire that halted the joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran, an aviation official tells The Times of Israel.
A Transportation Ministry announcement on the full resumption of flight schedules at Ben Gurion Airport is expected to be this evening, the aviation official says.
With the outbreak of war with Iran on February 28, Israel’s airspace was shut to most commercial traffic. Over the past month, a restricted emergency flight schedule was permitted to operate solely by Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, and Israir.
Security cabinet reportedly set to convene this evening amid truce with Iran
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a security cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on December 11, 2025. (Ma’ayan Toaf/GPO)
The security cabinet is set to convene this evening after a ceasefire was declared in the war with Iran, Hebrew media outlets report.
Hebrew media outlets do not report a specific time for the meeting.
Kuwait reports ‘severe’ damage to key energy facilities after Iranian drone attack
Illustrative: Smoke rises from an area of Kuwait's international airport after a reported drone strike on April 1, 2026. (AFP)
CAIRO, Egypt — Kuwait’s Interior Ministry reports “severe material damage” at several vital facilities of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and the energy and water resources ministry after an Iranian drone attack today.
The ministry says fires broke out in some of the attacked sites, which it said include oil facilities, three power stations, and water desalination plants.
Report: Mojtaba Khamenei pushed for deal with US during final ultimatum hours
A man holds a poster of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during the funeral procession of Gen. Ali Mohammad Naini, a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and one of his comrades Amir Hossein Bidi in Tehran, Iran, March 21, 2026. Falco
US and Israeli officials learned Monday that Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had instructed negotiators to move toward a deal for the first time since the war began, Axios reports.
The development came as US President Donald Trump was publicly threatening that “a whole civilization will die” if Iran did not agree to his demands for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Axios, US forces in the Middle East and Pentagon officials spent the final hours of Trump’s ultimatum preparing for a massive bombing campaign on Iranian infrastructure, amid uncertainty over Trump’s intentions.
“We had no idea what was going to happen. It was wild,” one defense official is quoted as saying.
Talks on Monday were described by a source as “chaotic,” with Pakistani mediators relaying proposals between US envoy Steve Witkoff – who reportedly called Iran’s 10-point counter-proposal “a disaster” – and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Egyptian and Turkish officials are also said to have worked to bridge gaps.
By Monday night, mediators had reportedly secured US approval for an updated proposal for a two-week ceasefire, with Khamenei – who sources say was actively involved – holding the final say.
“Without his green light, there wouldn’t have been a deal,” one source tells the outlet.
Khamenei’s decision to allow negotiators to pursue a deal is described by two sources as a “breakthrough,” though his involvement remained highly secretive amid Israeli assassination threats, with communications carried out via intermediaries.
Axios reports that Araghchi also played a central role in advancing the talks and persuading Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders to accept a deal. At the same time, China, too, encouraged Tehran to pursue a ceasefire deal.
Iran reportedly tells mediators talks with US conditional on Lebanon ceasefire
Iran has informed mediators with the US that it will only participate in talks in Pakistan if the current ceasefire includes Lebanon, people familiar with the matter tell The Wall Street Journal.
Iran has told the mediators have said it will continue to attack its neighbors, including Israel, and reverse its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, if the IDF continues to strike Hezbollah in Lebanon, the sources say.
US President Donald Trump has said the ceasefire reached overnight with Iran does not include Lebanon.
Lapid says Netanyahu ‘deceived the citizens of Israel, deceived his partners’ in Iran war, caused ‘strategic debacle’
Opposition Yair Lapid leads a Yesh Atid faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, March 23, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
In a scathing critique of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid calls the war with Iran a “diplomatic disaster on a scale I do not recall ever seeing.”
“In a few hours, a day, two days, or whenever he feels he can emerge from the bunker, Benjamin Netanyahu will stand before the State of Israel and try to sell you on the idea that the campaign in Iran was a success. That will be a complete lie. The army did amazing work; the best air force in the world carried out everything asked of it and more,” he says.
By contrast, he says, “Netanyahu led us into a strategic debacle. Nothing less. What we saw was a disgraceful combination of arrogance, irresponsibility, lack of planning, negligent staff work, zero handling of the home front, and lies sold to the Americans that damaged the trust between our two countries.”
“Of all the possible outcomes, Netanyahu delivered the worst one: the regime in Iran was not defeated, the nuclear threat was not removed, and the ballistic missiles and Hezbollah’s missiles remain aimed at every home in Israel,” he adds.
“The prime minister deceived the citizens of Israel, deceived his partners, and, through a series of theatrical press conferences, sold the public a strategic plan that did not exist,” he charges.
“This war was managed as if the citizens of the State of Israel were the government’s cannon fodder. No sheltering solutions, no educational plans, no compensation plans, no plan for Ben Gurion Airport – nothing! Zero concern for the citizens,” he says.
“What happened is that Netanyahu went to war under ideal conditions, but with absolutely no idea how to end it. On the battlefield, we won; on the diplomatic front, it is a total defeat,” Lapid charges. “In the words of King Pyrrhus: “One more such victory, and we are lost.”
The Democrats chairman Yair Golan, meanwhile, critiques the assassination of Iran’s then-supreme leader ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of the war as a “mistake that did not contribute to Israel’s security,” in an interview with Army Radio.
It marks a turnaround from the beginning of the war, when Golan called the killing of Khamenei “a dramatic and meaningful step.”
Israel unhappy with lack of input on US-Iran ceasefire, was only told at late stage, opposes inclusion of Lebanon in terms – report
US President Donald Trump, right, speaks to reporters as he greets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the president's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29, 2025. (AP/Alex Brandon)
Israeli officials were dissatisfied with the very late notice they received ahead of yesterday’s US-announced ceasefire agreement, the lack of consultation, and specific elements of the deal, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing mediators and a source familiar with the matter.
According to the report, Israel was only informed at a late stage that the deal had been finalized. “The extent of the consultation was President Trump calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shortly before the cease-fire was announced,” the Journal reports, citing a White House official. Netanyahu then agreed to participate, it says.
Netanyahu’s office does not immediately respond to a request for comment. An Israeli official said yesterday that the US had “coordinated in advance” with Israel on the “temporary ceasefire.”
Mediators reportedly say Israel objected to aspects of the agreement, the Journal says, notably the inclusion of Lebanon, which Israel considers a separate arena from Iran.
Four hours after Trump’s announcement, Netanyahu’s office issued a statement welcoming the ceasefire, while stressing that it does not cover Lebanon despite Pakistani mediators’ claims to the contrary.
Similarly, the IDF said that it had halted strikes on Iran, but that it “continues fighting against the Hezbollah terror organization in Lebanon.”
Lebanon says 89 killed in Israeli strikes, 700 wounded
Rescuers and Lebanese soldiers gather on a destroyed building hit in an Israeli airstrike in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — A spokesperson for Lebanon’s health ministry tells Reuters that Israel’s strikes across Lebanon had killed “89 martyrs and wounded 700 people.”
The spokesperson says 12 medics were among the dead in southern Lebanon.
The figures do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
IAF resumes strikes on Beirut, Lebanese media reports
Lebanese media reports that the Israeli Air Force has resumed strikes on Beirut.
Footage purportedly from the Tallet Khayat neighborhood, outside of the Hezbollah Dahiyeh stronghold, shows that a building partially collapsed as a result of a strike.
مشاهدٌ من الغارة استهدفت تلة الخياط في بيروت pic.twitter.com/WO9mGYwHnc
— Lebanon Debate (@lebanondebate) April 8, 2026
Report: Trump didn’t express opposition to continued IDF targeting of Hezbollah in call with PM
During US President Donald Trump’s overnight Tuesday-Wednesday phone call to inform Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the Iran ceasefire, the Israeli premier reportedly asked whether it would cover Lebanon.
Trump, in response, did not express opposition to continued Israeli operations against Hezbollah, Channel 12 reports.
Trump has, since the Iran ceasefire, told reporters that it does not cover Lebanon, while Iran and Pakistani mediators have insisted otherwise.
Abu Dhabi police arrest nearly 400 people over footage, ‘disinformation’
Police in the emirate of Abu Dhabi have arrested nearly 400 people for filming or “spreading misinformation” during the Middle East war, which saw Tehran launch a campaign of strikes on the Gulf.
This was the latest batch of arrests announced by the emirate as Gulf countries crack down on footage and posts related to Iran’s attacks during the conflict triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
“Abu Dhabi Police announced the arrest of 375 individuals of various nationalities for filming different locations and spreading misinformation related to current events on social media platforms,” police say in a statement on X.
They have been referred to the Public Prosecution, it adds.
Similar measures have been taken across the United Arab Emirates and the wider Gulf region, as Iran hits US assets but also civilian infrastructure, including landmarks, oil and gas facilities, airports and residential areas.
The Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran’s attacks in response to the US-Israeli military campaign, with attacks on the region continuing despite a fragile two-week ceasefire.
White House: 10-point plan published by Iran not the one approved by US
A US official says that a 10-point plan published by Iran is not the same set of conditions that were agreed to by the White House as the framework basis for pausing the war and future negotiations.
“The document being reported by media outlets is not the working framework,” the senior official says on condition of anonymity.
The official gave no further comment, saying, “We’re not going to negotiate in public out of respect for the process.”
The statement adds to concerns over the fragility of the truce declared late Tuesday — hours before a deadline set by President Donald Trump for Iran to meet US demands or face what he called an end to its “whole civilization.”
Trump himself weighs in on the issue in a seething Truth Social post.
“Numerous agreements, lists, and letters are being sent out by people [who] have absolutely nothing to do with the USA/Iran negotiation. In many cases, they are total fraudsters, charlatans, and WORSE,” Trump writes.
“They will be rapidly exposed after our federal investigation is completed,” he says. It’s unclear what authority Trump has to probe such matters.
“There is only one group of meaningful ‘POINTS’ that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these negotiations,” he says.
“These are the POINTS that are the basis on which we agreed to a CEASEFIRE. It is something that is reasonable, and can easily be dispensed with,” Trump adds.
Trump said Wednesday in his declaration of a two-week truce for further negotiations that “we received a 10-point proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
Iranian state media then published a 10-point plan that notably included continued Iranian control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, an end to international sanctions on the country, and “acceptance” of uranium enrichment.
You started the war, but Iran will set the conditions for its end.
Iran's 10-point conditions that the US has accepted as "workable":
The US is fundamentally committed to:
???? Non-aggression
???? Continuation of Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz
???? Acceptance of enrichment…— Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) April 8, 2026
These items would run contrary to Washington’s public statements about what it wants Iran to do.
CNN reported on a 10-point plan published by Iran’s National Security Council, leading Trump to falsely claim it was “made up” by a Nigerian news site.
US embassy warns citizens in Iraq after ‘attacks’ by Iran-backed groups
The US embassy in Baghdad has warned citizens of further attacks after it said Iran-backed armed groups hit a diplomatic support centre at the airport.
“Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran conducted multiple drone attacks in the vicinity of the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center and Baghdad International Airport on April 8,” the embassy says in a statement on X.
“They may intend to conduct additional terrorist attacks against US citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq,” it adds, advising citizens against traveling in Iraq by plane.
Lebanon says reopening main Syria border crossing closed over Israeli threat
Lebanon has announced the reopening of the Masnaa border crossing with Syria starting Wednesday evening, state media says, after it had been closed for several days due to an Israeli threat to target it.
“The Masnaa crossing will be reopened as of 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) today, with strict measures in place to ensure the safety of passenger and cargo traffic, and equipped with the necessary tools to prevent any smuggling operations,” the state-run National News Agency (NNA) says.
An informed Lebanese government source had earlier told AFP that “intensive efforts were made by both Lebanon and Syria to spare the crossing from the Israeli strike.”
Israel threatened on Saturday to target the crossing, accusing Hezbollah of using it “for military purposes and smuggling of combat equipment”, though it ultimately did not carry out the strike.
The crossing was closed on both sides as a precaution after being evacuated.
The Masnaa crossing is the main gateway between Lebanon and Syria, making it a vital trade route for both countries and Lebanon’s principal overland link to the rest of the region.
The decision to reopen the crossing comes as Israel pressed its strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, despite announcing its support for a two-week truce between Iran and the United States.
IDF says recent airstrike in Beirut targeted Hezbollah member
The IDF says its airstrike in Beirut a short while ago targeted a member of Hezbollah.
It says further details will be provided later.
Footage published by Lebanese media showed that a building in the Tallet Khayat neighborhood, outside of the Hezbollah Dahiyeh stronghold, partially collapsed as a result of the strike.
توسعت الغارات الإسـ.ر.ائيلية على بيروت لتشمل مناطق جديدة، واستهدفت «تلّة الخياط» المنطقة المعروفة بأنّها تحتوي مركز «تلفزيون لبنان» ومنازل عدد من رؤساء الحكومة السابقين#الأخبار#لبنان pic.twitter.com/qvjvsIBxEF
— جريدة الأخبار – Al-Akhbar (@AlakhbarNews) April 8, 2026
Italy accuses Israeli forces of firing at UN convoy vehicle in Lebanon
Israeli forces fired warning shots at a convoy of Italian UN peacekeepers in Lebanon on Wednesday, damaging at least one vehicle but causing no injuries, the Italian government says.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto says the incident was “unacceptable,” while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says the government was seeking clarification from the Israeli ambassador.
“To reiterate, Italian soldiers in Lebanon are not to be touched,” Tajani tells parliament.
An Italian convoy from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was carrying personnel from the town of Shama to Beirut when it was targeted by warning shots fired by the Israeli Defense Forces, Crosetto says in a statement.
The convoy immediately stopped and returned to base.
Speaking to parliament earlier, Tajani says only one vehicle had been damaged, but Crosetto speaks of “minor damage to the vehicles.”
“It is unacceptable that Italian soldiers deployed under the UN flag, tasked exclusively with guaranteeing peace and stability, should be exposed to risky situations by the Israeli army,” Crosetto adds.
There is no immediate comment from the IDF.
Italy currently has 754 troops in UNIFIL, the second-largest contingent after Indonesia’s 755, according to UN figures published March 30.
Pakistan PM says US-Iran ceasefire violations reported, urges restraint
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says that violations of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran “have been reported” and pressed countries to respect the truce.
“Violations of ceasefire have been reported at (a) few places across the conflict zone which undermine the spirit of peace process,” Sharif says on X.
“I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a lead role towards peaceful settlement of the conflict.”
Violations of ceasefire have been reported at few places across the conflict zone which undermine the spirit of peace process. I earnestly and sincerely urge all parties to exercise restraint and respect the ceasefire for two weeks, as agreed upon, so that diplomacy can take a…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 8, 2026
Hezbollah says it has ‘right’ to respond to wave of Israeli strikes in Lebanon
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Hezbollah says it has a “right” to respond to Israel’s deadly wave of strikes across Lebanon, which authorities said left at least 89 people dead and more than 720 wounded.
“We affirm that the blood of the martyrs and the wounded will not be shed in vain, and that today’s massacres, like all acts of aggression and savage crimes, confirm our natural and legal right to resist the occupation and respond to its aggression,” the Iran-backed terror group says in a statement.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Iran’s FM raises Israel’s alleged ‘ceasefire violations’ in Lebanon with Pakistan
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivers a speech at a United Nations conference on February 17, 2026. (Valentin Flauraud / AFP)
TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi raises alleged “ceasefire violations” by Israel with Pakistani mediators, an Iranian ministry statement says.
Araghchi “discussed the Zionist regime’s violations of the ceasefire in Iran and Lebanon,” referring to Israel, in a call with the powerful Pakistani military leader Field Marshal Asim Munir, the statement says.
Reports from Iranian media and Al Jazeera, citing Iranian officials and well-informed sources, say Tehran was prepared to withdraw from the ceasefire and retaliate over Israel’s bombardments of Lebanon.
“Iran will withdraw from the agreement if Israel continues to violate the ceasefire in its attack on Lebanon,” Iran’s Tasnim news agency reports, citing a well-informed source.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vows on Telegram to “punish Israel for the atrocities it has committed in Lebanon and violating ceasefire conditions.”
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Netanyahu to give statement to press at 8 p.m., his office says
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will give a press statement at 8 p.m. this evening, his office says.
The premier’s address will be live, but he will not take questions from reporters.
UN ‘strongly condemns’ Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon
Rescuers search for victims in a destroyed building that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations “strongly condemns” Israel’s latest wave of strikes targeting the Hezbollah terror group across neighboring Lebanon, a spokesperson says, lamenting the loss of civilian lives.
“The United Nations strongly condemns the strikes by Israel across Lebanon that resulted in significant civilian casualties,” says Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“We continue to call on all sides to avail themselves of diplomatic channels, cease hostilities,” and use the new US-Iran ceasefire as an opportunity to prevent further loss of life, he adds.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Iran Guards threaten response if Israel does not cease Lebanon ‘aggression’
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warn that they will respond if Israel does not cease attacks on Lebanon as deadly strikes killed dozens of people, a day after a ceasefire was agreed between the United States and Iran.
“We issue a firm warning to the United States, which violates treaties, and to its Zionist ally, its executioner: if the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfill our duty and deliver a response,” the Guards say in a statement carried on state TV, using a reference to Israel.
Israel says the US-Iran truce does not include Lebanon, which was drawn into the war after Iran-backed group Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel.
US nuclear weapons expert says Iran’s Farsi version of its 10-point plan includes extra phrase demanding ‘the acceptance of Iran’s uranium enrichment’
President of the Institute for Science and International Security David Albright, left, accompanied by Former State Department Director of Policy Planning Jake Sullivan speaks during a hearing on Iran before the House Foreign Affairs Committee at Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
In the developing dispute and confusion surrounding the ostensible 10-point Iranian proposal cited by US President Donald Trump yesterday as a workable basis for negotiation, US nuclear weapons expert David Albright highlights a critical difference between Iran’s published English version of the 10 points and what he says is Iran’s Farsi version.
Albright, the founder of the non-governmental Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), says that while the first point in the English version provides only for “A binding guarantee that the US and allies will not strike Iran again,” a key phrase is “tacked onto” that first point in the Farsi version: “namely the acceptance of Iran’s uranium enrichment.”
“So, Iran’s English version of its 10 point plan makes no mention of nuclear, but its Farsi version, likely approved by the leadership, reiterates the same unacceptable enrichment condition,” Albright underlines.
“These will be tough negotiations, made even harder by Iran’s other non-starter demands,” Albright predicts. “The ceasefire may only be a brief interlude between military conflicts.”
Iran’s first of its 10 point plan in English: A binding guarantee that the U.S. and allies will not strike Iran again
But in Iran’s Farsi version, a key phrase is tacked onto its first point namely the acceptance of Iran’s uranium enrichment.
So, Iran’s English version of its…
— David Albright (@DAVIDHALBRIGHT1) April 8, 2026
Staff Sgt. Touvel Yosef Lifshiz, 20, killed in clash with Hezbollah in south Lebanon
Staff Sgt. Touvel Yosef Lifshiz, 20.
An Israeli soldier was killed, and five others were wounded during a clash with Hezbollah gunmen in southern Lebanon yesterday, the military announces.
The slain soldier is named as Staff Sgt. Touvel Yosef Lifshiz, 20, of the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion, from Beit She’an.
According to an initial military probe, the Golani soldiers identified several Hezbollah operatives in their area of operations on Tuesday afternoon, hours before a ceasefire was announced between the US, Israel and Iran.
Israel and the US say that the two-week truce does not cover Lebanon, while Iran and Pakistani mediators have said otherwise.
During an exchange of fire, Lifshiz was killed, an officer was seriously wounded, and four other troops were lightly and moderately injured.
The IDF says troops are working to locate and eliminate the Hezbollah operatives.
Lifshiz is the 12th soldier to be killed amid the renewed fighting against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon raises Wednesday death toll from Israeli strikes to 112, with 837 wounded
At least 112 people were reportedly killed and 837 more were wounded in Lebanon on Wednesday after Israel launched its largest wave of strikes against Hezbollah since the war began.
“The Israeli enemy’s airstrikes on numerous Lebanese areas, reaching the capital Beirut, have led, in an updated non-final toll, to 112 martyrs and 837 wounded,” the Lebanese health ministry says in a statement that doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.
IRGC warns it will ‘deliver a response’ if Israel continues strikes on Lebanon
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warns it would respond if Israel did not cease attacks on Lebanon, as deadly strikes killed dozens of people, a day after a ceasefire was agreed between the United States and Iran.
“We issue a firm warning to the United States, which violates treaties, and to its Zionist ally, its executioner: if the aggression against beloved Lebanon does not cease immediately, we will fulfill our duty and deliver a response,” the Guards say in a statement carried on state TV, using a reference to Israel.
Home Front Command says it is easing restrictions in north; lifting nearly all of them in rest of country
The Home Front Command says it is easing its wartime guidelines in most parts of the country as the ceasefire with Iran appears to hold, allowing schools to reopen.
In northern Israel, some restrictions will remain amid the threat of Hezbollah’s rocket fire from Lebanon, but educational activities will still be permitted under certain conditions.
As part of the changes, communities on the Lebanon border, in most of the Golan Heights, Upper Galilee, and Haifa Bay area, will be allowed to hold educational activities only inside bomb shelters.
Gatherings in those areas are permitted up to 50 people outdoors and 200 indoors, and workplaces are allowed to operate if an adequate shelter can be reached in time.
In the rest of the country, nearly all restrictions have been lifted, allowing schools and workplaces to operate as usual. However, gatherings are limited to 1,000 in many areas.
The changes will take effect starting tomorrow at 6 a.m., the military says.
WATCH: Netanyahu giving press statement after truce with Iran
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is giving a press statement, a day after the announcement of a ceasefire with Iran.
Transportation Ministry announces Israel to fully reopen airspace at midnight
The Transportation Ministry announces that Israel will fully reopen the country’s airspace and resume regular operations at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport starting at midnight tonight.
Following the overnight ceasefire that halted the joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran, the Transportation Ministry says it is working with the Israel Airports Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority on fully returning to full operations at Ben Gurion Airport.
A formal announcement has been issued to foreign airlines and leading regulators regarding the return to normal operations at Ben Gurion Airport, the Transportation Ministry says.
Flight operations will resume at the Herzliya Airport tomorrow morning, and on Sunday, operations will be restarted at Eilat’s Ramon Airport in the country’s south.
The return of flight operations at Haifa Airport in the country’s north will be considered only toward the end of the week, depending on an assessment of the security situation, the Transportation Ministry says.
Netanyahu: We accomplished ‘massive achievements’ in the war, ‘Israel is stronger than ever’
In a video statement hours after a ceasefire between the US and Iran was announced, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanks the Israeli public for their resilience.
“We accomplished together massive achievements,” he says, “our fighters on the front, and you in the rear.”
He says the “bottom line” of the campaign is that “Israel is stronger than ever, and Iran is weaker than ever.”
Sa’ar doubts Iran ceasefire will hold up: ‘Nothing is over yet’
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar casts doubt on the US-Iran ceasefire, saying significant gaps remained between the two adversaries.
“Nothing is over yet,” Saar says in an interview with the Kan public broadcaster. “I don’t see how it is possible to bridge the positions of the US and Iran.”
Netanyahu: We have more goals to complete and are ready to resume fighting at any time; ‘the finger is on the trigger’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement, April 8, 2026. (GPO screenshot)
Israel “has more goals to complete,” says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement after a ceasefire between the US and Iran is announced.
“We will achieve them,” he promises, “either through agreement, or through renewed fighting.”
Israel, he says, “is ready to return to fighting at any time.”
“The finger is on the trigger,” he warns.
WATCH: White House delivers briefing on the Iran war
The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt delivers a briefing on the Iran war.
Netanyahu insists US did not surprise him with ‘temporary ceasefire’
The “temporary ceasefire” between the US and Iran was done “in full coordination with Israel,” insists Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“They did not surprise us at the last minute,” he says.
He stresses that “this is not the end of the campaign. This is a station in achieving all of the goals of the campaign.”
Iran is entering negotiations with the US when it is weaker than ever, he says, and claims that Tehran is opening the Strait of Hormuz after giving up all its demands — the lifting of sanctions, reparations, the permanent end of the war, and a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Settlers attack Palestinians with beatings and pepper spray across West Bank
Settlers attacked a woman with pepper spray in the village of Burin, in the Nablus area, in recent hours, Palestinian media outlets report.
Outlets also report that settlers beat two young men near the village of Einabus, also in the Nablus area, and that in the South Hebron Hills, settlers were filmed attacking two boys aged 11 and 13.
Additionally, overnight, soldiers and settlers were documented entering a village in the South Hebron Hills. It is alleged that they attempted to steal livestock and assaulted one of the residents. The IDF has not yet responded.
مجموعة من المستعمرين المسلحين هاجمت الرعاة في مسافر يطا، واعتدت بالضرب على الطفلين الشقيقين محمود ومحمد فريد حمامدة، قبل أن تحاول سرقة أغنامهم pic.twitter.com/UwIrRpSRAj
— Wafa News Agency (@WAFA_PS) April 8, 2026
In the middle of the night, soldiers and settlers in uniforms raided the village of Kharaba, tried to break into a sheep pen to steal livestock, and beat a youth on his head and chest. pic.twitter.com/JMDmlveotp
— מחוץ לעדר/ kivsa shchora (@masafering) April 8, 2026
Israeli hospitals moving above ground after truce with Iran
Sheba Medical Center's underground facilities. (Courtesy of Sheba Medical Center)
Departments at Clalit hospitals that were operating in underground facilities are now being relocated to their original locations in a planned and phased manner, in accordance with Health Ministry guidelines, a spokesperson says.
In the north, including Haifa, hospitals will remain at a reduced level of activity, in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines and local situation assessments.
A Rambam Health Care Campus spokesperson says that the hospital’s departments will remain underground for now.
Sheba Medical Center’s Director of the Gynecology and Maternity Division, Prof. Shalev Mazaki-Tovi, says that the department is now moving above ground “after 40 days and 40 nights and after more than 1000 deliveries” in the underground facilities during the war with Iran and Hezbollah.
“We are able to go above ground and to provide our patients with suitable normal conditions to have their delivery,” he says. “Honestly, we are very happy, and we are excited to go back to our routine.”
Deri says opposition critiquing war for ‘short-term political gain,’ hails ‘immense achievements’
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri attends a vote on the 2026 state budget in the Knesset, March 29, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri slams the opposition for criticizing the government in the wake of the United States’ announcement of a ceasefire with Iran, accusing it of harming the state in pursuit of political goals.
“It is unfortunate to see former prime ministers, defense ministers and chiefs of staff working against the state to achieve short-term political gain,” Deri says — calling it clear that the war had yielded “immense achievements alongside our American allies” and arguing that “anyone acting to create a false impression of defeat proves that politics matters more to them than patriotism.”
In a press conference earlier this evening, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid called the war with Iran a “diplomatic disaster on a scale I do not recall ever seeing.”
Meanwhile, Culture and Sports minister Miki Zohar (Likud) calls on Israel to “go all the way in Lebanon” and not be deterred by Iranian threats — arguing that “terrorism is defeated with strength” and “not through negotiations.”
In-person learning to resume in most schools in Israel after wartime restrictions eased
Parents pick up their children at the end of the school day at an elementary school in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council after the army and Education Ministry approved the partial resumption of studies in areas where the risk of missile fire is relatively low and schools have protected spaces, March 16, 2026.(Tsafrir Abayov/Flash90)
In-person learning is expected to resume tomorrow morning for most schools in Israel, after the IDF Home Front Command eased its wartime safety restrictions following the two-week ceasefire declared last night.
Even before the guidelines were updated, the Education Ministry notified many municipalities that they are free to reopen schools following the Passover break, according to Hebrew outlets.
The ministry reportedly indicated it would allow localities to delay the shift back to in-person learning should they request more time to prepare.
Nevertheless, many cities and towns in central Israel have already announced that schools will reopen tomorrow morning, including Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Givatayim, Rishon Lezion, and other neighboring locales. Mevaseret Zion, near Jerusalem, will reopen schools tomorrow.
Most localities in the Sharon region, including Herzliya, Hod Hasharon, Kfar Saba, Pardes Hanna-Karkur and Hadera, have also announced they will reopen schools in full.
Amid continuing rocket fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon, schools in northern communities are expected to operate under tighter conditions. The Home Front Command announced this evening that educational activities will be restricted to bomb shelters in communities on the Lebanon border, in most of the Golan Heights, Upper Galilee, and the Haifa Bay.
Before restrictions were eased, the Haifa municipality announced it had not yet made a decision on in-person learning and would defer to the Home Front Command’s instructions.
Beersheba, the largest city in southern Israel, has decided to reopen schools tomorrow, as well as the coastal city of Ashkelon. Dimona and Yeruham have decided not to reopen tomorrow, according to Channel 12 News.
Exiled son of shah says Iranians still need to ‘free ourselves of this regime’
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriela Passos)
PARIS, France — The son of Iran’s ousted shah says Iranians still needed to free themselves of their religious rulers after Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
“What remains constant in our struggle as Iranians is to free ourselves of this regime,” Reza Pahlavi, whose father Mohammad Reza was brought down by the 1979 Islamic revolution, tells French broadcaster LCI.
Netanyahu: Trump and I ‘undermined foundations’ of Iranian regime
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement, April 8, 2026. (GPO screenshot)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turns to the intimate cooperation between the US and Israel in the war against Iran, saying that it is unprecedented.
Netanyahu stresses that he and Trump speak every day, and laugh at reports that there is tension in the relationship.
Turning to “President Trump, Donald, my friend,” Netanyahu thanks him for “your leadership, and your friendship.” The close friendship “is changing the face of the Middle East,” he says.
The two went to war together to remove an existential threat to Israel and to the entire free world, argues Netanyahu. “That mission, we are carrying out. We are carrying it out step by step, goal by goal.”
If Israel didn’t initiate the two campaigns against Iran in the past year, he claims, Iran “would have achieved a nuclear weapon long ago.”
Netanyahu says that Israel pushed away the dual nuclear and ballistic missile threat.
Israel “undermined the foundations” of the regime, says Netanyahu.
Listing the achievements of the war, Netanyahu says that Israel destroyed Iran’s “missile machine” — Iran can’t build new ones, and their store of missiles is dwindling.
Israel also hit Iran’s nuclear program hard, including factories for building centrifuges and nuclear scientists. He stresses that all of Iran’s enriched uranium will be taken out of the country, “either through agreement, or by renewed fighting.”
He says that Israel also smashed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ sources of funding. The campaign destroyed Iran’s navy, missile bases, military aircraft, and command centers.
“We hit the regime’s apparatus of repression hard,” he says.
Israel also killed senior regime officials, Netanyahu says.
Lebanese army closing last bridge over Litani River after Israeli threat to target it
A photograph taken on March 23, 2026, shows the Litani River and the aftermath of the Israeli airstrike that targeted the Qasmiyeh bridge, located on a main highway linking villages in the Tyre district with others further north, in southern Lebanon. (Kawnat HAJU / AFP)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Lebanese army announces that it was closing a vital bridge in southern Lebanon, after receiving an “Israeli threat to target it.”
This is the last bridge linking the north and south of the Litani River in the Tyre area, where thousands of families remain despite Israeli evacuation warnings.
Since the start of the war with Hezbollah on March 2, Israeli airstrikes have destroyed seven bridges over the Litani, which divides southern Lebanon into two parts. Israel accuses Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah of using the bridges for transport.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
White House: War succeeded in setting back Iran’s ability to stockpile weapons by years
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt declares that last night’s ceasefire between the US and Iran is a “victory” for the US.
She reiterates at a press briefing that the 38 days of Operation Epic Fury are within the four-to-six week timeline that the White House gave at the beginning of the war.
Leavitt says the US “has achieved and exceeded those core military objectives.”
While different US officials offered varying war aims, the White House, in more formal lists to the public, stated that they were destroying Iran’s navy, destroying Iran’s missile program, ceasing its support for proxies and preventing it from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Leavitt then says that Iran’s ability to build and stockpile weapons has been “set back by years” — an effective recognition that the capability has not been destroyed completely.
Leavitt says the US destroyed the vast majority of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers and long-range attack drones, in another acknowledgement that Iran still has some missile launchers and drones in its arsenal — something proven by the continued attacks on Gulf neighbors in the hours since the ceasefire was announced.
She reiterates that Iran’s navy and air force have been destroyed in the war.
“Iran’s ability to fund and support its terrorist proxies has been greatly reduced,” she says, stopping short of claiming that Tehran’s ability to back proxies has been completely dismantled.
Still, Leavitt claims that “Iran can no longer distribute weapons to its proxies in the region.”
“Most importantly, Iran will not be able to acquire nuclear weapons,” Leavitt says, even though Iran still has its stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium.
She says that before the operation, Iran was rapidly expanding its stockpile of ballistic missiles in order to create a shield that would allow it to rush toward a nuclear bomb.
“But their murderous and evil plans have been blown up quite literally and figuratively — along with their military, their nuclear program, and most of their senior leadership, including the former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,” she says,
Leavitt acknowledges the 13 US soldiers who were killed during the war and stresses that their sacrifices were not in vain.
Netanyahu: Today Hezbollah suffered its greatest blow since 2024 beeper operation
Because of the power and determination it showed during the Iran war, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel is “creating new alliances with countries in the region.”
Netanyahu says that he insisted that the “temporary ceasefire” with Iran will not include Hezbollah in Lebanon, “and we are continuing to strike it with force.”
Today, says Netanyahu, Israel hit Hezbollah with the biggest blow it has suffered since the beeper/walkie-talkie operation in September 2024. “We attacked 100 targets in 10 minutes, in places that Hezbollah was certain were immune.”
Netanyahu tells residents of northern Israel that “we are committed to returning security to you.”
He boasts that Israel has “security zones” deep inside of enemy territory in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza, where Israel “is strangling Hamas from every side.”
IDF spokesman says military exceeded goals and objectives in Iran war
Smoke rises following strikes on Tehran on April 7, 2026. (ATTA KENARE / AFP)
IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin says the military “met all the goals and objectives set for it, and even exceeded them” during the war in Iran.
“We set out for Operation Roaring Lion to severely damage the Iranian terror regime and remove existential threats to Israel over time. We significantly struck all of its systems and capabilities, eliminated its leadership, damaged its command and control systems, eliminated many of its commanders, and severely hit its military industries, ballistic missile array, economic targets, and nuclear targets,” he says in a press conference.
The Democrats party leader Golan calls Netanyahu ‘dangerous for Israel’; Gantz: Campaign not at an end
Yair Golan, head of the opposition’s left-wing The Democrats party, calls Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “dangerous for Israel,” arguing that he has failed to achieve even “a single one” of Israel’s strategic goals and that the Iranian regime “is coming out of the war stronger strategically than it entered it, with the upper hand.”
“Netanyahu’s political and strategic failure is even more serious. He has left Israel outside the negotiating room. Israel has lost the ability to influence and strengthen its national security. Decisions about our security have been taken away from the Israeli government and are being made over its head,” Golan says— claiming that Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah will be able to “rebuild and come out stronger in the next round” because Tehran closed a deal with US President Donald Trump.
“As long as this government is in place, Israel will not be secure. Netanyahu committed a crime against Israel’s security. He cannot continue to be in charge next time,” says Golan.
In further opposition criticism, opposition Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz says the ceasefire announcements “hold no significance; only the results we will see in the coming days and months.”
“This campaign must not end without an agreement for the destruction or removal of uranium, the cessation of ballistic missile production, and Iran halting the arming of its proxies,” he says, calling on Israel to “reserve for itself, in any future agreement, the freedom of action against any Iranian rehabilitation attempt, continue to act against Hezbollah and hold southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed and the threat to the residents of the north is removed.”
El Al preparing return to regular flight schedule after truce with Iran
An El Al plane takes off at Ben Gurion International Airport, outside of Tel Aviv, March 5, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
Israel’s flag carrier El Al says it is gearing up to return to a regular schedule by gradually increasing flight frequencies from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport as wartime air traffic restrictions are lifted following the ceasefire that halted the joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran.
The announcement comes after the Transportation Ministry confirms that Israel will fully reopen the country’s airspace and resume regular operations at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport starting at midnight tonight. The country’s airspace has been shut to most commercial traffic since February 28, when Israel and the US launched a major joint military strike on Iran.
From midnight tonight, El Al will operate departing flights at full passenger capacity without any of the restrictions that were in place during the war with Iran, the airline says.
Starting next week, El Al plans to operate flights in a full-aircraft format to about 30 destinations. List of flight destinations next week includes Athens, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, Budapest, Batumi, Tbilisi, Rome, Frankfurt, Munich, Larnaca, Lisbon, Madrid, Moscow, Milan, Bucharest, Prague, Vienna, Warsaw, Zurich, and London. Long-haul destinations include Bangkok, Phuket, Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.
White House: Secret proposal US received from Iran is ‘workable basis on which to negotiate’
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insists that Iran only agreed to a ceasefire yesterday because it could not tolerate the continued US-Israeli bombing campaign.
“As the president said, we have received a proposal from the Iranians that has been determined to be a workable basis on which to negotiate,” Leavitt says during a press conference.
She again calls out news outlets reporting what Iranian state media has said were the contents of the 10-point proposal for a long-term deal with the US. Leavitt says the Iranian state media proposal is different from the one Tehran actually sent to the US yesterday.
The press secretary notes that Iran had sent a 10-point proposal to the US earlier on Wednesday that was “fundamentally unserious” and “literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump.”
She doesn’t specify whether that was the proposal reported by Iranian media, but reiterates that a subsequent offer from Iran on Wednesday is the one that the US is taking more seriously.
Iran has yet to weigh in on the confusion.
“The president’s red lines, namely, the end of Iranian enrichment in Iran, have not changed,” Leavitt says. The 10-point proposal published by Iranian state media included a recognition of Tehran’s right to enrich.
“The president will only make a deal that serves in the best interests of the United States of America, and his negotiating team will focus on this effort over the next two weeks, so long as the Strait of Hormuz remains open with no limitations or delays,” she says. There have been reports of continued delays at Hormuz over the past day.
Al Jazeera journalist reportedly killed in Gaza; IDF spokesman says he was ‘a terrorist in every sense’
An IDF strike killed Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Washah while he was in a vehicle in western Gaza City, media outlets in the Strip report.
The IDF has not yet issued an official statement on the killing, but Arabic-language IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee writes on X that “this is not a journalist, but a Hamas terrorist in every sense of the word,” alongside past images of him holding a weapon.
لحظة استهداف الجيش الإسرائيلي للصحفي محمد وشاح وفريقه. pic.twitter.com/mvEH4JNVE9
— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) April 8, 2026
"الصحفي" محمد وشاح. لم يكن صحفيًا بل إرهابيًا حمساويًا بكل معنى الكلمة https://t.co/U2q1mqOWXz
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) April 8, 2026
Turkey detains nearly 200 people after attack outside Israeli consulate
Police officials gather outside the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 7, 2026, following a shootout between gunmen and police. (Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkey says it carried out operations against the Islamic State across the country today, detaining nearly 200 people, a day after three armed attackers launched an extended gun battle with police outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek, in a post on X, says legal proceedings on suspects had begun and that operations against IS, the designated terrorist group, “will proceed meticulously.”
Ankara had not yet named a group it deemed responsible for yesterday’s attack, which left one assailant dead and the other two wounded.
US: Iran state media reports on retaliatory closure of Hormuz are false
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt departs after speaking with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The White House claims that Iranian state media reporting that Tehran has closed off the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Israel’s strikes in Lebanon is false.
“This is a case of what they’re saying publicly is different. Privately, we have seen an uptick of traffic in the Strait today,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt says during a press briefing.
“The president’s expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly and safely,” she continues. “It has been relayed to him privately that that is what’s taking place and these reports… are false.”
White House: Trump’s threats against Iran civilization produced ‘results’
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The White House defends US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric threatening to “destroy” Iranian “civilization,” claiming that it is what brought Iran to the table yesterday.
“I understand the questions about the president’s rhetoric, but what the president cares most about is results, and in fact, his very tough rhetoric and his tough negotiating style is what has led to the result that you are all witnessing today,” Leavitt claims during a press briefing.
Leavitt is then asked whether the world should take Trump seriously, given that he has four times pushed off deadlines that were previously said to be final.
“The world should take his word very seriously… It was the Iranians who backed out, not President Trump,” she responds.
“He said that they would face very grave consequences… if they did not agree to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and what did they do last night? They agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”
The White House has denied reporting suggesting otherwise.
Leavitt: US relayed to parties that Lebanon is not covered by Iran truce
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly confirms the US position that Lebanon is not covered by Washington’s ceasefire with Iran.
“Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. That has been related to all parties involved in the ceasefire,” Leavitt says during a press briefing.
Pakistani mediators and Iran have insisted that Lebanon is, in fact, covered by the ceasefire, while Israel has argued otherwise.
Leavitt notes the statement issued last night by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in which he expressed his support for the Iran ceasefire while asserting that Israeli attacks on Hezbollah would continue.
Leavitt says Netanyahu has assured Trump that Israel “will continue to be a helpful partner throughout the course of the next two weeks” of negotiations with Iran.
Asked whether the US would eventually like to see Lebanon covered by the ceasefire, Leavitt dodges, but says the matter will likely be discussed by the parties moving forward.
Bennett slams government for leaving Israel exposed to ‘vengeful Iran’ after truce
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett attends the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem, on February 17, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Former prime minister Naftali Bennett joins the chorus of opposition voices criticizing the government over the ceasefire with Iran, arguing in a live television announcement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had failed to achieve the war’s goals, and this “will leave Israel facing a vengeful Iran,” which will be even more determined to go nuclear.
“The reason why so many people feel disappointed tonight is that the leadership sold us illusions,” he continues. “All their empty promises have exploded in our faces. Unfortunately, each of us sees with our own eyes that Hamas is getting stronger. Hezbollah and Iran are standing on their own two feet, and this is happening because a government that dismantles Israel from within cannot defeat the enemy from without.”
By postponing action against Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas for years, the government has allowed them to “balloon to monstrous proportions,” he adds, calling for the establishment of a state commission of inquiry and the immediate conscription of the ultra-Orthodox.
Vance will lead US negotiating team at 1st round of talks in Islamabad on Saturday — White House
US Vice President JD Vance speaks during a press conference at the former Carmelite Monastery in Budapest, Hungary, April 7, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP)
Vice President JD Vance will lead the US negotiating team in talks that will take place in Islamabad on Saturday morning, the White House announces.
Vance will be joined by US President Donald Trump’s top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, press secretary Karoline Leavitt says during a press briefing.
Previous reports had claimed the talks would be on Friday and that Vance may not attend for security reasons.
Asked about security concerns regarding sending Vance to Pakistan, Leavitt says the administration fully trusts the US Secret Service to keep the vice president and the entire negotiating team safe.
Iran is said to prefer Vance to lead negotiations on behalf of the US, accusing Witkoff and Kushner of misrepresenting Tehran’s positions. Vance is also one of the only administration officials who is reported to have opposed launching the war against Iran.
Leavitt does not say whether the negotiations will be direct or through mediators, as the Iranians tend to prefer.
UAE says Iran should pay ‘damages and reparations’ for attacks on Gulf countries
An Emirates aircraft prepares for landing as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 16, 2026 (AFP)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The UAE says that Iran should pay for damage caused by its Gulf attacks, adding that it was seeking clarification on how the ceasefire will ensure Tehran ceases hostilities and reopens the Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE “is seeking further clarification on the agreement’s provisions to ensure Iran’s full commitment to an immediate cessation of all hostilities in the region and the complete and unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,” its foreign ministry says in a statement.
Iranian attacks “necessitate a firm position, including ensuring that Iran is held accountable and fully liable for damages and reparations,” it adds.
IDF says it killed ‘suspicious terrorist’ who crossed Gaza ceasefire line, approached troops
The IDF says troops killed a “suspicious terrorist” who crossed the Gaza ceasefire line in the Strip’s north earlier today.
The suspect was identified approaching reservists of the 205th “Iron Fist” Armored Brigade, “in a manner that posed a threat to them,” the army says, adding that the troops “eliminated” him.
Police preparing to reopen Jerusalem holy sites after Iran truce
Ultra-Orthodox men pray outside the closed Western Wall, as they face the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem on March 2, 2026. (John Wessels/AFP)
Police are preparing to reopen holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City for prayer and public gatherings tomorrow, in light of the two-week ceasefire declared last night.
This evening, the Home Front Command loosened its wartime safety guidelines, allowing for public gatherings in Jerusalem without limitations.
Following the announcement, Jerusalem District police are set to allow worshipers and visitors to gather in the Old City starting Thursday morning.
The Old City has been a focal point of controversy during the fighting with Iran, raising questions about freedom to worship during times of war.
Earlier this week, Jewish religious leaders filed a petition in the High Court of Justice demanding that restrictions be eased on public gatherings at the Western Wall and Temple Mount. Judges subsequently heightened the number of people permitted at the sites from 50 to 100.
Last month, police sparked international outcry after barring the Latin Patriarch from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday. Police later reached an agreement with the Latin Patriarchate allowing for limited Christian prayer at the site.
During the latter half of Ramadan, law enforcement shut Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount, leading Muslims to pray en masse outside the Old City walls on Friday mornings. Police violently dispersed several of these gatherings, citing Home Front Command regulations.
Police say they are expecting a large influx of people in the Old City tomorrow and, as such, are planning to deploy hundreds of officers to the area.
UN rights chief decries ‘horrific’ scale of death in Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon
GENEVA, Switzerland — The scale of the killing in Israeli strikes on Lebanon is “horrific,” the UN rights chief says, urging the international community to help end the unfolding “nightmare.”
“The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific,” Volker Turk says in a statement. “Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians.”
The IDF said the strikes, the largest in Lebanon since the beginning of the war, targeted Hezbollah sites and operatives.
White House appears to walk back from Trump desire to impose tolls on ships in Hormuz
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, April 8, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt appears to walk back US President Donald Trump’s comments expressing interest in charging tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
“It’s something that the president has floated, but the immediate priority of the president is the reopening of the strait without any limitations, whether in the form of tolls or otherwise,” Leavitt says during a press briefing.
She also confirms China’s involvement in the negotiations yesterday that resulted in a two-week ceasefire. “There were conversations that took place between top levels of our government and China’s government. The president has great respect for President Xi and a great working relationship with him and with that country. He looks forward to visiting China in just a few weeks.”
Leavitt is asked about Trump’s claim earlier today that Iran will “dig up” its stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium and whether that is something Tehran has actually agreed to do.
“This is on the top of the priority list for the president and his negotiating team as they head into these next round of discussions,” Leavitt responds.
She is pressed again on whether Iran has actually indicated that it is prepared to hand over the uranium stockpiles, and Leavitt responds, “They have.”
Leavitt delivered another sharp rebuke of NATO allies, echoing Trump’s sentiment that they “failed” during the crisis.
“It’s quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks,” Leavitt says, adding that the issue will be discussed later today during Trump’s meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Top Iran official says negotiations with US ‘unreasonable’ after alleged violations of 10-point framework
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accuses the US of violating three components of a 10-point proposal for long-term peace that Iran submitted on Tuesday and questions whether planned negotiations are even worthwhile given the circumstances.
In announcing a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran yesterday, US President Donald Trump said he accepted the 10-point proposal submitted by Iran as a basis for negotiations on a long-term deal.
Iranian state media later published what it claims are the contents of Iran’s 10-point proposal.
The US has insisted that the proposal published by Iranian state media is different than the one Tehran submitted on Tuesday. However, the White House has declined to publicize what it says was the actual Iranian offer.
“The deep historical distrust we hold toward the United States stems from its repeated violations of all forms of commitments — a pattern that has regrettably been repeated once again,” Ghalibaf says in a statement posted to X.
“As the president of the United States has clearly stated in his Truth, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s 10-Point Proposal is a ‘workable basis on which to negotiate’ and the main framework for these talks,” the Iranian parliament speaker says. “However, three clauses of this proposal have been violated so far.”
The first is a clause in the 10-point plan stipulating that Lebanon be covered by the ceasefire. Ghalibaf points to comments to that effect by Pakistan’s prime minister, who helped broker the deal. Israel and the US have claimed otherwise, as IDF strikes against Hezbollah have continued.
Ghalibaf then points to what he says is another clause barring further violations of Iran’s airspace and says that a drone did just that earlier today
He claims that “the entry of an intruding drone into Iran airspace” constituted a second violation.
Lastly, Ghalibaf points to Trump’s remarks after the ceasefire announcement in which he insisted that Iran won’t be able to enrich uranium. The parliament speaker claims that the sixth clause of Iran’s 10-point proposal recognized “Iran’s right to enrichment.”
It’s unclear which 10-point proposal Ghalibaf is referring to — or whether Iran did indeed submit a different offer privately on Tuesday.
However, the three clauses mentioned by Ghalibaf are included in the 10-point proposal published by Iranian state media, albeit not in the order listed by the parliament speaker.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 8, 2026
Netanyahu convenes security cabinet amid fresh ceasefire with Iran
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently convening his security cabinet, the office of an attending minister tells The Times of Israel.
Al Jazeera condemns killing of its journalist whom IDF accused of being Hamas commander
DOHA, Qatar — Qatar-based Al Jazeera condemns the killing of one of its journalists — whom the military has accused of being a terrorist — in an Israeli strike on Gaza, calling the death “a deliberate and targeted crime.”
“Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns the heinous crime of targeting and killing Al Jazeera Mubasher correspondent Mohammed Wishah, following a strike on the vehicle in which he was travelling west of the Gaza Strip,” the network said in a statement.
The channel said it “affirms that his killing was not a random act but a deliberate and targeted crime intended to intimidate journalists,” adding it “holds Israeli occupation forces fully responsible.”
The IDF has said Wishah is a Hamas commander and has shared past images of him holding a weapon.
Iran says safe passage through Hormuz must be coordinated with IRGC
A woman holds the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran while standing near a billboard that reads, 'The Strait of Hormuz remains closed,' in Tehran, Iran, April 5, 2026. (AFP)
CAIRO, Egypt — Iran’s ports and maritime organization says that safe passage routes through the Strait of Hormuz have been designated and must be used by ships in coordination with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Student News Network reports.
The organization says that the safe entry path is from the Sea of Oman toward the north of Larak Island, while the safe exit path from the Gulf passes south of Larak Island and toward the Sea of Oman.
VP: Iran thought Lebanon was part of truce due to ‘legitimate misunderstanding,’ but we never agreed to that; Israelis offered ‘to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon’
US Vice President JD Vance speaks at Mathias Corvinus Collegium in Budapest, Hungary, April 8, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP)
US Vice President JD Vance says a “legitimate misunderstanding” led Iran to believe that Lebanon was covered by the two-week ceasefire announced yesterday, even though Washington never agreed to such terms.
“This comes from a legitimate misunderstanding. I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, [but] we never made that promise. We never indicated that was going to be the case,” Vance tells reporters before boarding a plane back to the US from Hungary.
“What we said is that the ceasefire would be focused on Iran, and… on America’s allies — both Israel and the Gulf Arab states,” Vance claims.
“That said, the Israelis… offered… to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful,” he adds.
Israel has given no public indication that it is prepared to restrain its operations in Lebanon, and in fact, launched the largest wave of strikes on Wednesday since the war began.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart… over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them… That’s ultimately their choice,” Vance says.
In addition to Iran, Pakistan — which helped broker the ceasefire — has also insisted that the truce covers Lebanon, while the US and Israel have argued otherwise.
He didn’t specify whether the administration would be willing to see Iran continue enriching uranium for civilian purposes but said, “The more that they’re willing to give us, I think the more they’re going to get things out of this negotiation.”
Vance was asked to respond to a claim by Iran’s parliament speaker that the US has violated three components of Tehran’s 10-point proposal for a longterm agreement, which US President Donald Trump said would serve as the basis for upcoming negotiations to make the ceasefire permanent.
“If he’s frustrated about three issues, that actually means that there’s a lot of agreement,” Vance says.
He also questioned whether Ghalibaf had misunderstood elements. “I actually wonder how good he is at understanding English, because there are things that he said that, frankly, didn’t make sense” in the context of the negotiations.
Fresh Israeli strikes reported in south Beirut
Lebanese media reports fresh Israeli strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
The IDF has not immediately commented, but earlier reiterated an evacuation warning for the Hezbollah stronghold.
غـ ـ ـارة عنـ يفة على الضاحية pic.twitter.com/vDlJPNrn8B
— مصدر مسؤول (@fouadkhreiss) April 8, 2026
Two Palestinians reportedly wounded by settler gunfire in northern West Bank
Two Palestinians were wounded by settler gunfire in the Tayasir area in the northern West Bank, Palestinian media outlets report.
No further details on the incident are currently available.
A new outpost was recently established in the area, which is designated as Area A — territory where Israelis are prohibited from entering and where the Palestinian Authority has full control under the Oslo Accords.
Pezeshkian says halt to fighting in Lebanon was key condition for ceasefire with US
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian takes questions from the media at a press briefing in New York, September 26, 2025. (Angelina Katsanis/AP)
TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says that a Lebanon ceasefire was one of the key conditions of the Islamic Republic’s 10-point plan for securing an end to the Middle East war, the ISNA news agency reports.
Pezeshkian tells French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in a phone call that Tehran’s “acceptance of the ceasefire is a clear sign of Iran’s responsibility and serious will to resolve conflicts through diplomacy,” ISNA says.
He adds that “establishing a ceasefire in Lebanon has been one of the key conditions of Iran’s 10-point plan.”
Trump weighs pulling troops from NATO countries over lack of Iran war support — WSJ
US President Donald Trump, right, meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during a meeting on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2026. (AP/Evan Vucci)
The Trump administration is considering a plan to punish some members of the NATO alliance that he believes were unhelpful to the US and Israel during the Iran war, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing administration officials.
The proposal would involve moving US troops out of NATO member countries deemed unhelpful to the Iran war effort and stationing them in countries that were more supportive of the US military campaign, the report adds.
Reuters cannot immediately verify the report.
Lebanon raises Wednesday death toll from Israeli strikes to 182, with 890 wounded
First responders and firefighters rescue an injured man from a destroyed building that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. (AP/Emilio Morenatti)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon’s health ministry says Israeli strikes today killed 182 people and wounded 890, adding that the updated toll was not final.
The ministry reports that 1,739 people have been killed and 5,873 wounded in Lebanon since the start of the Israel-Hezbollah war on March 2.
The toll doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
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