President Trump said late Wednesday that U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East will remain in place until any agreement with Iran is reached and fully implemented.
His remarks came amid a shaky start to a two-week ceasefire. Israel continued strikes in Lebanon that killed hundreds on Wednesday; Gulf Arab states reported drone and missile attacks on refineries and power plants; and there were reports that Iran had halted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane that handles about 20 percent of the world’s oil and goods. Markets reacted to the uncertainty on Thursday, erasing some of the prior day’s gains as oil prices rose and stocks dipped. Brent crude traded around $97 per barrel, up roughly 2.4 percent.
Trump warned that strikes on Iran would resume if Tehran did not comply with what he called ‘the REAL AGREEMENT reached.’ He posted on Truth Social that ‘If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the Shootin’ Starts, bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.’ He also stressed that the deal would bar nuclear arms and keep the Strait of Hormuz open and safe.
The White House denied reports that Iran had closed the strait, called the claims false, and noted an uptick in traffic there on Wednesday.
Peace talks to resume amid confusion over ceasefire terms
High-level talks between the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to begin Saturday in Islamabad, brokered by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government helped mediate the two-week ceasefire. The White House said Vice President J.D. Vance will lead the U.S. delegation.
But major disagreements remain about the framework for the negotiations. Iran is insisting on a 10-point plan that includes full control over the Strait of Hormuz, removal of sanctions and recognition of its right to enrich uranium. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran’s 10-point proposal was ‘literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump.’ Trump earlier described an Iranian plan as ‘workable.’
A central dispute is whether the ceasefire covers Lebanon. Israel’s prime minister’s office said the Israeli government supports Trump’s two-week suspension of strikes against Iran but that the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon. Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif had announced the ceasefire would also take effect in Lebanon.
Hezbollah maintains the U.S.-Iran ceasefire does include Lebanon, warning that ‘if the Israeli enemy does not adhere’ to it, no party will feel bound and there could be a regional response, including from Iran. Tehran condemned continued assaults on Lebanon and said the U.S. must work to stop them. Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said ‘the ball is in the U.S. court,’ sharing the Pakistani statement that referenced Lebanon.
When asked why Lebanon was excluded, Trump echoed Israel’s position, saying it was because of Hezbollah and adding that the matter ‘will get taken care of too.’
Lebanon mourns after deadly Israeli attacks
Lebanon declared a national day of mourning Thursday after the deadliest day of the current Israeli offensive. Lebanon’s civil defense reported more than 250 people killed Wednesday when Israeli strikes hit densely populated residential areas far from known Hezbollah positions, including along Beirut’s Corniche promenade. More than 1,160 people were reported wounded.
Israel said it carried out its largest single assault so far, striking Beirut with about 100 strikes in 10 minutes on Wednesday. Evacuation orders were issued for suburbs and central areas were also struck. The capital has swelled with people fleeing fighting in the south, which has displaced more than a million residents.
On Thursday Israel struck a bridge in Lebanon and Hezbollah, which had largely held fire on the first day of the ceasefire, launched rockets into northern Israel. The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed outrage over attacks in densely populated urban areas. An Israeli military spokesperson, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, accused Hezbollah of operating amid civilians and using warnings to their advantage.
Strait of Hormuz: uncertain status and stalled shipping
Trump has emphasized that any deal depends on free movement through the Strait of Hormuz to ease the global energy crunch. The strait is the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and carries about a fifth of global oil shipments.
Before the conflict, Iran allowed roughly 120 to 150 ships per day to transit. In recent weeks that traffic has largely halted. Despite a clause in the ceasefire calling for Iran to reopen the strait for safe passage, more than a hundred ships remained effectively stalled after Tuesday’s announcement.
Accounts of the strait’s status are inconsistent. Iran said it suspended transit operations in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon; the White House rejected reports of a closure and said any such step would be unacceptable. Even where officials signaled the route might be open, many shipowners, insurers and crews opted to stay put out of caution. Iran also warned it could attack vessels transiting without permission.
Erik Broekhuizen, a U.S.-based ship broker and energy consultant, noted concern about Iran’s decentralized military command, saying: ‘You don’t really know who to talk to, who is in charge, and whether all the sort of regional commanders have gotten the memo that the strait is open and they should stop attacking vessels.’
More than 20 ships have been attacked by Iranian forces since the war began, and operators are scrambling to understand a new Iranian fee system and how payments would be collected. Analysts say several oil tanker operators reported paying at least $1 million to transit. An English-language VHF broadcast warned the hundreds of ships in and around the strait that they need permission before attempting to pass.
Contributors: Lauren Frayer in Beirut and Jackie Northam in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report.