donald trump

Trump Orders U.S. Navy to Destroy Vessels Laying Mines in Hormuz

President Donald Trump on Thursday vowed the United States would destroy any vessel laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as he ratchets up pressure on Iran to reopen the crucial sea passage. "I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be... that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait ...

Lebanese President Pushes to Extend Ceasefire Ahead of Washington Talks

On the eve of talks in Washington between Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Beirut would seek an extension of the 10-day, U.S.-mediated ceasefire, which is set to expire on Sunday. The talks, set to continue on Thursday at the U.S. State Department, represent a diplomatic track that has so far paused strikes in ...

Iran Says Won't Reopen Hormuz as Long as U.S. Blockade Remains

Iran's vow not to reopen the Strait of Hormuz -- so long as a U.S. naval blockade remained in place -- was held into Thursday despite a ceasefire extension, as the Gulf nation announced the seizure of two ships trying to cross the strategic waterway. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said late Wednesday that it had also "directed 31 vessels ...

Maritime Incidents Underscore Fragility of Trump-Extended Iran Ceasefire

A series of maritime incidents occurred on Wednesday in and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, at the heart of the standoff between United States and Iran, highlighting the fragility of the truce unilaterally extended by Donald Trump with Iran. Just hours after the U.S. president announced the extension of the ceasefire, which has been in ...

Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire While Maintaining Blockade

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would hold off on new strikes against Iran at the request of Pakistani officials, effectively extending the ceasefire as diplomatic efforts continue. In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the United States agreed to delay further attacks on Iran following a request from Pakistan’s ...

Lebanese President Says Aiming to End Hostilities With Israel Talks

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that planned talks with Israel aim to end hostilities and the occupation in southern Lebanon, even as Hezbollah and its supporters rejected the negotiations. Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah has sharply criticised the Lebanese government's negotiations with Israel, which are set to enter a second ...

Will Lebanon Finally Break Its Cycle of Inaction?

As Lebanon and Israel prepare to deepen diplomatic contact amid a 10-day truce, attention is shifting to what comes next, including the fate of Hezbollah’s weapons and whether the ceasefire marks a temporary pause or a strategic shift. During the war, both President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam navigated a perilous political ...

U.S., Iran Warn Ready for War as Talks in Limbo

The United States and Iran each warned they were ready for war as the clock ticked down Tuesday on a ceasefire, with uncertainty on talks that President Donald Trump had announced would resume in Pakistan. The White House said Vice President JD Vance was ready to fly back to the Pakistani capital Islamabad, which was preparing for a second round ...

A State Decides: Lebanon's Bet on Direct Talks with Israel

For the first time in decades, the U.S. has brokered direct talks between Lebanon and Israel, beginning with a 10-day cessation of hostilities and a commitment to negotiate in good faith. Washington says lasting calm will require the Lebanese state to reassert sovereignty over non-state arms. President Donald Trump said the initiative had created ...

President Aoun Assigns Simon Karam to Head Talks With Israel

The Lebanese presidency announced that upcoming direct negotiations with Israel will be conducted through an official delegation headed by Ambassador Simon Karam, according to a statement attributed to President Joseph Aoun on X. In remarks addressed to a delegation from the “Sovereignty Front,” President Aoun stressed that Lebanon ...