Live updates: Iran declares Strait of Hormuz 'completely open'; Trump says U.S. blockade 'will remain in full force' until peace deal
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President Donald Trump hailed the news about the key waterway, and said negotiations over a peace deal with Iran "should go very quickly."
What to know
- IRAN DECLARES HORMUZ OPEN: The crucial Strait of Hormuz trade route "is declared completely open" for commercial vessels for the remaining period of the ceasefire, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said. Ships will have to use a coordinated route, he said, adding that the move was made in line with the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.
- STOCKS SURGE, OIL DROPS: Stocks surged higher and the price of oil dropped on the news, though it was not immediately clear what it would mean for concerns about mines in the key waterway.
- U.S. BLOCKADE REMAINS 'IN FULL FORCE': President Donald Trump hailed the news and thanked Tehran, but said the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports "will remain in full force" until the two sides reach a peace deal. Negotiations “should go very quickly," he said.
- ISRAEL-LEBANON CEASEFIRE: A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon appeared to be holding, with civilians rushing home to destroyed villages in southern Lebanon even as Israel vowed its military would not withdraw. Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah said it was keeping its finger "on the trigger."
- DEATH TOLL: Iran’s forensics chief said more than 3,300 people had been killed in the country since U.S.-Israeli strikes began Feb. 28. More than 2,100 people have been killed in Lebanon, 32 have been killed in Gulf states, and 23 have died in Israel. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed, and two more died of noncombat causes.
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French and British leaders welcome reopening, plan neutral mission to reassure ships
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have welcomed the expected reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The leaders convened a summit in Paris intended to address the Hormuz crisis today, attended in person or virtually by representatives from 49 countries, when the separate announcement came from Iran.
Macron said that the announcement moves in the “right direction” despite the U.S. plans for a continued “targeted blockade,” telling a joint press conference that work would be accelerated for a neutral mission “to support and secure” merchant ships in the Gulf, with a planning meeting set to take place in London next week.
From left, Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Paris today. Jeanne Accorsini / AFP - Getty Images
Macron said that independent countries agreed on the need for “free passage conditions that existed before the war,” warning against “all restrictions and any convention regime" that would de facto privatize the strait, as well as opposing "any toll system.”
Starmer said: “We welcome the announcement that was made during our meeting, but we need to make sure that it is both lasting and a workable proposal.”
The British leader said that a "strictly peaceful and defensive" joint mission would reassure shipping and support mine clearance, inviting "all nations with an interest in the free flow of global trade" to join. "More than a dozen" countries have already offered to contribute, he said.
Oil prices plunge 10% after Iran says Strait of Hormuz is open for commercial vessels
The price of oil plunged sharply and U.S. stock indexes opened at new all-time highs after the Iranian foreign minister said that the Strait of Hormuz was open for commercial vessels.
U.S. crude oil plunged 10% to nearly $85 per barrel, while international Brent crude also slid more than 8% to around $90 per barrel.
Heating oil futures, which are a proxy for jet fuel, plummeted 13%. Wholesale RBOB gas futures also fell 7%.
At the opening bell, the S&P 500 rose 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1%. Both set new all-time highs in early trading as a result.
Trump says U.S. blockade of Iran will 'remain in full force' until peace deal
Despite Iran announcing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. blockade remains in full force, Trump has said in a Truth Social post.
"THE NAVAL BLOCKADE WILL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS IT PERTAINS TO IRAN, ONLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE," he said.
Trump said that negotiations for a peace deal "SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED."
Trump hails Iran announcement on Hormuz
The president has posted to Truth Social thanking Iran after it declared the Strait of Hormuz completely open to commercial shipping via a coordinated route during the ceasefire.
"IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!" Trump said in the post.
Trump had made reopening the crucial trade route a condition for the ceasefire, though he later imposed a blockade of Iranian ports after Tehran didn't reopen the strait and the two sides fell short of a peace deal.
Iran declares Strait of Hormuz 'completely open'
The Strait of Hormuz is completely open for commercial ships for the remainder of the ceasefire, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said.
"In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran," Araghchi said in a post on X.
The U.S. has been enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports since talks with Iran collapsed in Pakistan this weekend. And the leaders of Britain and France are holding a virtual summit to discuss ways to restore shipping through the key waterway given the threat of mines.
Lebanese president says direct talks with Israel ‘delicate and crucial’
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called direct negotiations with Israel “delicate and crucial” as he called for unity amid the 10-day ceasefire.
Addressing lawmakers earlier today, Aoun said the world’s eyes were on Lebanon and the state’s position was to solidify the ceasefire, ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces, secure the release of prisoners and resolve outstanding border disputes.
A ceasefire is the gateway to proceeding with negotiations, Aoun said, adding that the Lebanese army will play a fundamental role after the Israeli withdrawal.
A displaced man waves in Qasmiyeh, near Tyre in southern Lebanon, as he returns with his family to their village following the ceasefire. Mohammed Zaatari / AP
U.S. releases video showing Strait of Hormuz blockade enforcement
U.S. Central Command released video it says shows a warship enforcing its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by ordering a merchant vessel to divert in the Gulf of Oman.
Israel says Lebanon military operation still not 'complete'
Israel's defense minister has said that the country's invasion and assault on Lebanon "have not yet been completed."
“The IDF holds and will continue to hold all the areas it has cleared and captured. The ground maneuver into Lebanon and the strikes against Hezbollah across Lebanon have achieved many accomplishments, but they have not yet been completed," Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement this morning.
"The objective we defined — disarming Hezbollah through military or diplomatic means — was and remains the campaign’s goal, to which we are committed. A significant diplomatic lever has now also been created, with the direct involvement of the President of the United States and a commitment to this objective, alongside pressure on the Lebanese government,” Katz said.
“We are inside Lebanon, in the midst of a war against Hezbollah, with a freeze in the situation and a ten-day ceasefire. The IDF holds and will continue to hold all the areas it has cleared and captured."
He added that the area between the Litani River and Israel's self-declared security zone in southern Lebanon had not yet been cleared of what he called militants and "weapons. This will have to be addressed either through diplomatic means or through continued IDF military activity once the ceasefire ends."
Civilians have been rushing back to their homes in southern Lebanon after more than 1 million were displaced by Israel's assault.
Katz warned that "if hostilities resume, any residents who return to the security zone will be required to evacuate in order to allow the completion of the mission.*
Police in protective clothing probe incident near Israeli Embassy in London
Officers in "protective clothing" are among those responding to an "ongoing incident" near the Israeli Embassy in London, police said this morning.
"Counter Terrorism Policing London are aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claim to have targeted the nearby Embassy of Israel with drones carrying dangerous substances," police said.
"While we can confirm that the Embassy has not been attacked, we are carrying out urgent enquiries to determine the authenticity of the video and to identify any potential link between it and the items discarded in Kensington Gardens," police added.
"We do not believe there to be any increased public safety risk at this stage, but we would urge people to avoid the area while officers carry out their work."
Photos: Portraits of Iranian school strike victims on display in Tehran
Large portraits of children killed in a deadly strike on a school in the southern city of Minab at the start of the war in Iran were displayed in Tehran’s Tajrish Square yesterday.
AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images
An American munition was likely responsible for the strike, according to preliminary U.S. findings.
AFP via Getty Images
European countries have capacity to clear Hormuz mines, French defense minister says
France, Belgium and the Netherlands have the capacity to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz and secure safe passage, French Defense Minister Catherin Vautrin told the French TV station TFI today.
“There are capabilities to provide fully supported escort services — that is to say, in no way offensive, of course — for ships to ensure safe passage through the strait; that is what will be debated today in Paris,” she said, according to Reuters.
Her comments came ahead of a meeting of 40 countries to discuss restoring freedom of navigation in the waterway.
U.K. and France to host 40-nation summit on reopening Strait of Hormuz; U.S. not attending
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has arrived in Paris where he and French President Emmanuel Macron will chair a virtual summit today of some 40 nations, which does not include the U.S. or Israel, on how to ensure the security of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz once the Iran war ends.
The objective of the initiative is to reopen the crucial trade route and keep it safe for shipping, returning the situation as much as possible to how it was before the U.S. and Israel began strikes on Iran more than seven weeks ago, senior French diplomatic and military officials told reporters at a briefing yesterday.
A multinational coalition of the willing will contribute military assets to support these objectives, including for demining if necessary. The initiative will not include offensive military operations, and France and its allies will not support U.S. military operations.
The countries taking part in the meeting today believe that there must be an end to the war as soon as possible followed by a durable peace, the officials said. Iran must agree not to attack vessels and the U.S. must agree not to block the strait.
Starmer is expected to stress that reopening the strait, which normally carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply, is a “global responsibility.”
“We must reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance operations to ensure a return to global stability and security,” he will tell the summit, according to his office.
Loss of energy output in Middle East will take about two years to recover, IEA says
It could take around two years for energy output to reach where it was before the war, International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol said this morning.
“That will vary from country to country. In Iraq, for example, it will take much longer than in Saudi Arabia.” Birol said in an interview published today with the Swiss newspaper Neue Zuercher Zeitung, according to Reuters. "However, we estimate it will take approximately two years overall to reach prewar levels again."
Though the IEA was not releasing more emergency oil reserves for now, "it's definitely under consideration," he said.
"If the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened, we must prepare for significantly higher energy prices," he added.
South Korea ships crude oil via Red Sea for first time since Strait of Hormuz closure
South Korea said one of its vessels has transported crude oil through the Red Sea for the first time since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed amid the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran.
The ship was loaded with crude oil at Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port and safely exited the Red Sea along an alternative route to reach South Korea, according to the country’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The ministry did not say when the vessel is expected to arrive or whether additional ships will use the route.
President Lee Jae Myung called it a “valuable achievement,” adding that the government is mobilizing all available resources to respond to disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East.
“We will continue to devote our utmost efforts to safeguarding the lives of our people,” he added in a statement posted on X.
Lebanese army works to secure crucial bridge linking south with rest of country
The Lebanese army said it was working to restore the key Qasmiyeh-Tyre Bridge as civilians rushed to return to their homes south of the bridge as the ceasefire with Israel came into effect.
People watch restoration work to Qasmieh Bridge Friday. Ibrahim Amro / AFP via Getty Images
The bridge, which officials said was destroyed yesterday during an Israeli attack, runs along the Litani River and is a critical connection between southern Lebanon and the rest of the country.
"A military unit has been stationed in the vicinity of the bridge," the army said on X.
Israeli troops still remain in southern Lebanon.
Displaced residents travel back to their homes past the ongoing restoration work to Qasmieh Bridge. Ibrahim Amro / AFP via Getty Images
U.S. ambassador calls Israel-Lebanon ceasefire a step toward ending ‘senseless killing’
Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, said the “brilliance” of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire was that it halted “senseless killing.”
“The brilliance of what happened yesterday is that it stopped senseless killing and President Trump and Secretary Rubio stepping in strongly with Israel and saying we need a timeout,” Barrack said at a diplomatic conference in Turkey.
He cautioned, however, that the ceasefire remains fragile.
“This is just the beginning of the road and those ceasefires are so delicate because everybody’s been equally untrustworthy,” he said.
“Everybody is in atrophy over this idiotic war. So, will the ceasefire stick? What will we do? It’s baby steps.”
Crowds gather in Lebanon after ceasefire with Israel announced
Crowds celebrated in the streets of southern Lebanon after the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon went into effect. Despite the ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel hadn’t agreed to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon, a key Hezbollah demand.
Hezbollah says its finger will remain ‘on the trigger’ despite Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah said its fighters' fingers would remain “on the trigger” in case Israel violates the 10-day ceasefire agreement.
“The hands of these fighters will remain on the trigger, vigilant against the enemy’s treachery and betrayal,” the group said in a statement.
“We will remain committed until the last breath,” it added.
Macron backs Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, warns it could be ‘undermined'
French president Emmanuel Macron said he supports the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon but warned it could already be “undermined” by ongoing military operations.
“I give all my support to the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel as announced by President Trump yesterday,” Macron wrote in a post on X. “I also express my concern that it could already be undermined by the continuation of military operations.”
Macron also called for the protection of civilians in both countries, adding that Israel “must respect” Lebanon’s sovereignty and “stop the war.”
British police charge 3 in arson attack at Persian-language media organization
British police said this morning they have charged three people in an arson attack at a Persian-language media organization in northwest London.
Police said that officers on patrol in the Wembley area of north London on Wednesday night responded to reports of a burning container thrown toward a building. The unspecified container landed in a car park, where the fire went out. There were no reports of any damage or injuries.
The three suspects were arrested after the black SUV they were riding in crashed while being pursued by police.
Oisin McGuinness, 21, Nathan Dunn, 19, and a 16-year-old boy were all charged with arson with intent to endanger life, London’s Metropolitan Police Service said in a statement. McGuinness was also charged with dangerous driving. All three are British nationals.
The incident followed warnings that the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran had heightened ethnic and religious tensions in Britain. Persian is the primary language of Iran.
Police are also investigating an attempted arson at a synagogue in northwest London earlier Wednesday and an attack last month that destroyed four ambulances owned by a Jewish charity in north London.
While all three attacks are being treated as separate incidents, counterterrorism police are conducting the investigations due to the nature of the attacks, their locations and the types of buildings involved, the Met said.
Police said they have not declared the incidents as terrorist attacks and they “retain an open mind” about the motivation behind the attacks.
Photos: Displaced Lebanese people return to their homes following ceasefire with Israel
News agency images from Sidon in southern Lebanon early this morning show displaced people in cars packed with their belongings beginning their journeys home, as a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel takes effect.
Aziz Taher / Reuters
Aziz Taher / Reuters
Beirut official says Israeli strikes hit neighborhood 62 times
A local government official in Beirut’s southern suburb of Haret Hreik said Israel struck the neighborhood 62 times over the past six weeks.
Haret Hreik Deputy Mayor Sadek Slim said 26 buildings were completely destroyed.
Damaged buildings following Israeli airstrikes in the Haret Hreik neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs, in late March. AFP via Getty Images
“We’ve been able to clear up the rubble of the partially damaged buildings, but for those totally destroyed we will need special equipment,” Slim said in a news briefing under a bridge on a busy intersection.
The area is gridlocked with traffic with people returning to check on their homes and Hezbollah supporters zooming around on scooters and waving the militant group’s flag.
Trump says the economy is thriving ‘despite our little diversion’ in Iran
Trump said that the U.S. economy is "blowing away" the "best economy in the history of our country" despite what he called "our little diversion" to Iran during a Tax Day event in Las Vegas. Trump added that the U.S. will "have victory very shortly" in the war with Iran.
Pakistan welcomes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, praises Trump’s 'sagacious' diplomacy
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, praising what he described as “bold and sagacious” diplomatic efforts by President Donald Trump and expressing hope for lasting peace.
“I welcome the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, facilitated through bold and sagacious diplomatic efforts led by President Donald Trump, and express the hope that it will pave the way for sustainable peace,” Sharif wrote in a post on X.
“Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, and will continue to support all efforts aimed at lasting peace in the region,” he added.
Pakistan, a South Asian nation of more than 200 million people, played a key mediating role between Iran and the U.S. during their recent ceasefire efforts, though talks toward a broader peace deal collapsed in Islamabad, the country’s capital, last weekend.
U.N. secretary-general welcomes Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, urges path to lasting peace
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, praising the U.S. for helping secure the agreement.
In a statement posted on X, Guterres said he hoped the 10-day ceasefire agreement would “pave the way for negotiations towards a long-term solution to the conflict” and “contribute to ongoing efforts” to bring peace to the Middle East.
“I urge everyone to fully respect the ceasefire and to comply with international law at all times,” he added.
The ceasefire follows a trilateral meeting Tuesday between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the U.S. that marked the first diplomatic talks in decades between the two countries.
