Ceasefire Between Israel and Lebanon Extended as US-Iran Diplomatic Efforts Remain Deadlocked

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has announced a three-week extension of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, even as negotiations aimed at ending the broader conflict involving Iran remain at a standstill.

The announcement came Thursday following a meeting with ambassadors from both countries. The extension was agreed despite ongoing instability, including recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon and rocket fire from Hezbollah, which was not part of the talks held in Washington.

“I think there’s a very good chance of having peace. I think it should be an easy one,” Trump said, noting that the initial ceasefire was set to expire on Sunday.

Trump, however, acknowledged that he was not in a hurry to conclude the wider war with Iran, stating that “the clock is ticking” as the United States increases its military presence in the region with the arrival of a third aircraft carrier.

“I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn’t — The clock is ticking!” he wrote on social media.

Iranian media reported blasts over Tehran shortly after the ceasefire period began, marking the first such reports in two weeks. The cause of the explosions remains unclear, although an Israeli security source told AFP that Israel was not conducting strikes at the time.

The situation has been further complicated by rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic maritime route responsible for a significant share of global oil and gas shipments. Iran has reportedly limited access through the waterway amid the conflict.

Trump has ordered the US Navy to take action against Iranian vessels suspected of laying mines, stating: “shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be… that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.”

The US Navy confirmed the deployment of the USS George H.W. Bush, joining two other aircraft carriers already in the region, bringing total American carrier presence to three.

CENTCOM also reported that US forces “carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean.”

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz escalated rhetoric further, saying: “we are awaiting a green light from the United States — first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty… and additionally to return Iran to the Dark Age and the Stone Age.”

Iran has rejected demands to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or abandon its nuclear enrichment activities, insisting that restrictions on the waterway will remain as long as US naval pressure continues.

Meanwhile, reports of possible diplomatic engagement in Pakistan remain unconfirmed, with no delegations currently confirmed to be travelling to Islamabad. Security measures have been tightened in anticipation of possible talks.

European leaders are also expected to engage regional counterparts on Friday, as concerns grow over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on global energy flows.

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