Iran defence minister speaks to Pakistani counterpart after Trump's 'shoot & kill' order in Hormuz
US President Donald Trump has extended the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon by three weeks following White House talks, saying the agreement could open the door to a wider peace settlement and possible direct meetings between the leadership of both nations.
Trump described the Oval Office discussions as productive and historic, saying senior American officials, including JD Vance and Marco Rubio, met top Israeli and Lebanese representatives. He said he hopes to soon host Benjamin Netanyahu and Joseph Aoun in Washington, signalling a potential diplomatic breakthrough between neighbours that have rarely engaged directly.
The extension is aimed at calming a volatile border that has seen repeated exchanges of fire involving Hezbollah. Despite the announcement, fresh violence broke out almost immediately. Rockets were launched from Lebanon into northern Israel, according to Israeli officials, who said their defence systems intercepted the projectiles. Israel then carried out retaliatory strikes on launch sites and militant targets in southern Lebanon.
Lebanese officials reported injuries, including civilians hurt in artillery shelling in Yater, and fatalities in the Nabatieh region following separate Israeli airstrikes. Hezbollah later claimed responsibility for some rocket launches, saying they were retaliation for earlier Israeli attacks.
Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter said peace with Lebanon was achievable and “not a pipe dream,” but argued that Hezbollah remains the main barrier to stability. He accused the group of repeatedly dragging Lebanon into war and preventing diplomatic progress. Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad thanked Washington for facilitating talks and called the moment historic.
Rubio echoed concerns about Hezbollah, saying the people of Lebanon deserve to live in a peaceful and prosperous country, but that armed organisations operating independently of the state continue to block that path. Israeli officials similarly say Hezbollah’s military capability remains the chief threat to communities in northern Israel.
Alongside the Israel-Lebanon developments, Trump also made new remarks on Iran. He refused to reveal what was found aboard a vessel intercepted while travelling from China to Iran, describing the materials as “top secret.” Trump further warned Tehran against using mines in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
In another development, Rubio said the United States would not prevent Iran from taking part in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, clarifying that any security concerns would relate to accompanying personnel rather than players.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei praised domestic unity and said Iran’s enemies had suffered a setback. President Masoud Pezeshkian also rejected claims of internal division.
With the ceasefire now extended but clashes ongoing, the coming weeks may determine whether diplomacy gains ground or the conflict deepens further.
