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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
U.S.-IRAN MEETING IN ISLAMABAD
The White House said Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. negotiating team to Islamabad this weekend for talks with Iran, alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the first round is set for Saturday morning local time in Pakistan and added that senior U.S. officials had also held conversations with China as part of efforts to secure the ceasefire. Kit Maher reports for CNN.
Iran’s envoy to Pakistan briefly signaled that Tehran would send negotiators to Islamabad on Thursday night for “serious talks” with Washington, before the post appeared to be taken down. The post read: “Despite skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative, invited by Hon. PM Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran.” Golnar Motevalli reports for Bloomberg; Lex Harvey reports for CNN.
U.S.-IRAN CEASEFIRE
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that U.S. military assets will remain “in, and around, Iran” until “the REAL AGREEMENT” is reached and threatened renewed attacks if Tehran does not fully honor the two-week ceasefire deal reached the day earlier. “All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry … will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with,” the president posted on Truth Social, adding, “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.” Reuters reporting.
Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that confusion over the Iran negotiations stems in part from three different “10-point” proposals circulating at different stages. He said the first proposal, “probably written by ChatGPT,” was sent to Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and “immediately went in the garbage.” Vance said Trump was instead referring to a second, “much more reasonable” version developed through U.S., Pakistani, and Iranian exchanges, and dismissed a third proposal circulating online as “even more maximalist” and the work of “little more than a random yahoo in Iran.” Donald Judd reports for CNN.
Iran’s lead negotiator accused Washington and Israel on Wednesday of violating three clauses of Iran’s proposed 10-point framework for talks with the United States, warning that “bilateral ceasefire or negotiations” would be “unreasonable.” Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Tehran’s principal negotiator, pointed to intensified Israeli strikes in Lebanon, an alleged drone incursion into Iranian airspace, and continuing disagreement over Iran’s nuclear program. Parisa Hafezi, Alexander Cornwell, Maya Gebeily, and Humeyra Pamuk report for Reuters. Michael Rios and Mohammed Tawfeeq report for CNN.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel had its “finger on the trigger” and could return to full fighting “at any moment,” amid a fraying ceasefire, continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and further Iranian strikes elsewhere in the region. Reuters reported.
The United Arab Emirates declined to fully welcome the temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire, instead demanding further clarification on Tehran’s compliance and the “unconditional reopening” of the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement Wednesday, the UAE foreign ministry said Iran should be held accountable for damage caused during the war and pressed for a broader strategy covering Tehran’s nuclear and missile programs, proxy networks, and wider regional threats. Mostafa Salem reports for CNN.
Washington and Tehran publicly diverged on Wednesday over whether the new deal requires Iran to stop enriching uranium. Trump said Iran had agreed to end enrichment, while Ghalibaf said the agreement still permits it, underscoring that the sides remain far apart on the deal’s core nuclear terms, Reuters reported.
Conflicting accounts over whether Lebanon is included in the U.S.-Iran ceasefire have quickly emerged as a sticking point in the fragile deal. Iran and Pakistani mediators said the truce covers Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah, but the White House and Israel said Lebanon is outside its scope. Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters report; Mariah Timms reports for Wall Street Journal; Mariah Timms reports for Wall Street Journal; Angus Berwick reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Vance warned Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz for the ceasefire to last, warning of “serious consequences” if Tehran fails to meet its side of the bargain. He said the truce remains “in a good spot,” but stressed that the Trump administration would not abide by its terms if Iran does not do the same. Riane Lumer reports for CNN.
ISRAELI STRIKES-LEBANON
As part of its ongoing “Operation Beepers,” Israel carried out a concentrated, coordinated 10-minute wave of strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, killing around 200 people and injuring about 1,000. Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters report; Mohamad El Chamaa and Ellen Francis report for the Washington Post; Hugo Bachega reports for BBC.
Preliminary Lebanese casualty tolls from Wednesday’s Israeli airstrikes ranged from more than 180 to over 250 killed, with around 900 to 1,000 others injured. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported 182 deaths, while the civil defense service put the toll at 254; the two authorities reported roughly 890 to 1,000 wounded. USA TODAY and Reuters report.
Beirut saw the highest reported death toll, with 91 people killed, while the airstrikes also hit the Bekaa Valley, Mount Lebanon, Sidon, and several villages in southern Lebanon. Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters report
As of Tuesday, at least 1,530 people had been killed and 4,812 wounded in Lebanon since the start of the war, according to Health Ministry figures. Lauren Said-Moorhouse reports for CNN. Lauren Said-Moorhouse reports for CNN.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described Wednesday’s strikes as the “largest concentrated” military operation in Lebanon since opening a new campaign on March 2, adding that Israel had carried out “surprise attacks” on over 100 “command centres and military sites” across Lebanon. Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters report; Mohamad El Chamaa and Ellen Francis report for the Washington Post.
Katz added that Israel has “insisted on differentiating the arenas between Iran and Lebanon in order to change the reality in Lebanon,” Mohamad El Chamaa and Ellen Francis reported for the Washington Post.
Katz also said approximately 600,000 displaced residents of southern Lebanon “will not be allowed to return until the security of northern residents” can be guaranteed, underscoring Israel’s intention to keep pressure on Hezbollah in the south. Washington Post reporting.
The IDF admitted the strikes mostly targeted infrastructure “located within the heart of the civilian population,” accusing Hezbollah of using civilian areas to shield its operations. It added that the strikes were “planned meticulously over weeks” to “deepen the damage” and that “steps were taken to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals as much as possible.” Yuliya Talmazan reports for NBC News; Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters report.
Lebanon’s prime minister said Israeli attacks had “targeted densely populated residential areas and claimed the lives of innocent civilians throughout Lebanon, particularly in Beirut.” Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called on allies to “help us stop these attacks by all available means.” Washington Post reporting.
Some Israeli strikes hit without the usual prior warnings for civilians to evacuate, Reuters reported, citing residents.
The Israeli military said Thursday that an overnight strike on Beirut killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem. Reuters said Israel described the strike as hitting the Beirut area and separately noted a correction clarifying that Harshi, not Qassem, was the person killed. Tal Shalev and Eugenia Yosef report for CNN.
The scale of the strikes quickly strained Lebanon’s medical system. Elias Chlela, head of Lebanon’s syndicate of doctors, urged “all physicians from all specialities” to report to any hospital where they could help, while one of Beirut’s biggest hospitals called for donations of all blood types, Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters reported.
The Lebanese Red Cross said 100 of its ambulances were responding to the attacks as teams worked to transport the injured to hospitals. Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters report.
LEBANON STRIKES–POLITICAL RESPONSE
Vice President JD Vance said Israel may “check themselves a little bit” in Lebanon during the two-week ceasefire, though he insisted any restraint would reflect Israeli “good faith” toward the United States rather than a condition of the deal. Vance told reporters late on Wednesday that Iran had wrongly assumed Lebanon was covered and that Washington “never once said” it was part of the ceasefire. Kit Maher reports for CNN; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
Governments and international organizations sharply criticized Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, describing them as an aggressive escalation that demanded an immediate halt. From Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye to Spain, Italy, France, and officials at the United Nations and Red Cross, a range of international voices warned of severe civilian harm and condemned the strikes as unlawful, brutal, or intolerable. Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters report; Reuters reports; Lex Harvey reports for CNN.
U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis said on X that Israeli attacks “cannot go on” and urged “a halt to all hostilities, direct talks and a clear roadmap” under U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters report
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned Israel’s strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, saying the scale of the killing and destruction was “nothing short of horrific” and that such carnage “defies belief.” He warned that the attacks were placing enormous pressure on a fragile peace “so desperately needed by civilians.” Lauren Said-Moorhouse reports for CNN.
IRANIAN STRIKES-GULF ENERGY
Public reporting from Gulf defense ministries suggested an overnight lull in Iranian missile and drone attacks, the first such pause since the conflict began. By Thursday, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman had all gone hours without announcing new incidents after reporting multiple interceptions the previous day. Laura Sharman reports for CNN.
The apparent pause followed a wave of Iranian missile and drone attacks across Gulf states on Wednesday, many targeting vital energy and other key infrastructure. Iranian state television said the strikes were in retaliation for attacks on Iranian oil facilities earlier that day. Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
Saudi oil infrastructure was struck, including the East-West pipeline, now the Kingdom’s main export route around the blocked Strait of Hormuz, which was hit at about 1 p.m. local time. Verity Ratcliffe, Rachel Millard and Chris Cook report for the Financial Times.
Crude flows were affected by a partial shutdown at the Kingdom’s East-West pipeline, while damage to other facilities was still being assessed. Summer Said reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Saudi air defenses intercepted nine drones over several hours, the Kingdom’s defense ministry said in a post on X. Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
Satellite imagery showed smoke and fire at Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq oil-processing facility hours after President Donald Trump announced a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Abqaiq, at the eastern end of the East-West pipeline and described by Aramco as the world’s largest crude stabilization plant, handles about 5 per cent of global oil supplies; NASA satellites detected a 125-megawatt fire there, while European Space Agency imagery showed thick black smoke at around 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Isaac Yee reports for CNN; Financial Times reporting.
The United Arab Emirates’ air defenses were also “actively engaging” Iranian attacks on Wednesday, including up to 17 ballistic and cruise missiles and 35 drones since the ceasefire began, the UAE’s Defense Ministry said. Financial Times reporting; Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
Operations at Abu Dhabi’s Habshan gas complex were temporarily suspended after falling debris from an interception sparked a fire early Wednesday, injuring two Emiratis and one Indian national, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said. Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
Kuwait’s defense systems responded to an “intense wave” of “hostile Iranian attacks,” intercepting 28 drones as strikes targeted energy infrastructure and power stations in the south of the country from 8 a.m. local time, the Defense Ministry said. Financial Times reporting; Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
Kuwait oil facilities and desalination plants have faced “significant damages,” including “severe material damage” at several vital facilities run by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, the Defense Ministry said. Financial Times reporting; Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
Bahrain also intercepted Iranian missile and drone attacks, with two people injured and homes damaged in Sitra Island after shrapnel fell from an intercepted drone. The Interior Ministry said the incident occurred hours after the United States announced its ceasefire with Iran. Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
Smoke rose over Sitra Island after explosions were heard in Manama, AFP reported, in an apparent strike near Bahrain’s main energy infrastructure. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said civil defense crews extinguished a fire at a facility it said had been targeted by Iran, without giving further details. Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
Qatar “successfully intercepted” at least seven ballistic missiles and several drones launched from Iran on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defense reported. Al Jazeera, AFP, AP, and Reuters report.
STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Iran said later Wednesday that it was again halting oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response to Israel’s attacks on Lebanon, according to state-run media cited by the Associated Press. The move cast fresh doubt on the already fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire, which had been expected to help reopen the strategic waterway.
Citing possible anti-ship mines, Iran’s navy advised commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz to coordinate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and follow alternative routes until further notice. In guidance shared by Iran’s consulate in Mumbai, the navy directed inbound ships to enter north of Larak Island into the Persian Gulf and outbound vessels to pass south of the island toward the Gulf of Oman. Suha Ma’ayeh reports for the Wall Street Journal.
Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained near a standstill on Thursday, more than a day after President Donald Trump announced a two-week U.S.-Iran ceasefire and said in a Truth Social post on Wednesday night that the strait would be “OPEN & SAFE.” MarineTraffic data showed large clusters of ships still anchored in the Persian Gulf, including more than 400 tankers, 34 LPG tankers, and 19 LNG vessels. Isaac Yee reports for CNN.
INSIDE IRAN
Large crowds gathered in Tehran on Wednesday to mark the 40th day since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes. Reuters reported that the memorial came as Iranian officials continued highly visible public appearances aimed at projecting resilience and control. Parisa Hafezi reports for Reuters; Sophie Tanno reports for CNN.
Spain will reopen its embassy in Tehran while “there’s a window for peace,” Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said Thursday, positioning Madrid as one of the first Western governments to restore a diplomatic presence there, CNN reported. Spain, a sharp critic of U.S. military action, evacuated its embassy staff in March amid the conflict and as the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran remains fragile. Issy Ronald and Magdalena Sofia Vitores Moreno report.
OTHER IRAN WAR DEVELOPMENTS
Hackers believed to be linked to Iran claimed to have breached devices and accounts belonging to former Israeli military chief of staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and published photos and identification documents they said came from the intrusion. The group, Handala, said it extracted more than 19,000 images and videos, while CNN reported that an Israeli source familiar with the matter confirmed the authenticity of the leaked photos. Tal Shalev reports for CNN.
Iran said its Lavan Oil Refinery came under attack on Wednesday, which the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company described as an act of aggression by hostile forces. The Financial Times reported that NASA satellites detected a 233-megawatt blaze on Lavan Island.
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, fired rockets into northern Israel early Thursday in response to what it called Israeli “ceasefire violations,” Reuters reported.
Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq, threatened renewed action against Israel, saying Israeli strikes in Lebanon had breached prior pledges and targeted civilians. The warning came after the U.S.-Iran ceasefire took effect, with the group’s leader, Akram al-Kaabi, saying the “Resistance Front” would again “discipline” Israel “with force.” Mohammed Tawfeeq reports for CNN.
Iran’s foreign minister and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, spoke by phone on Wednesday, Iran’s foreign ministry said early Thursday, adding only that they discussed bilateral relations and regional developments. Saudi state media later reported that bin Farhan had spoken with the foreign ministers of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Türkiye, but did not mention a call with Iran. Lex Harvey reports for CNN.
Three crew members aboard a Thai-flagged vessel attacked in the Strait of Hormuz last month have been confirmed dead, Thailand’s foreign minister said. The Mayuree Naree, a 180-meter bulk carrier, was struck on March 11 with 23 people on board, and Omani authorities rescued the remaining 20 crew. Chris Lau and Kocha Olarn report for CNN.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Three organizations said Wednesday that an apparent hack-for-hire campaign linked to actors with suspected Indian government connections targeted journalists and activists in the Middle East and North Africa. CyberScoop reported that researchers at Access Now, Lookout, and SMEX tied the activity to infrastructure associated with the Bitter threat group and the Android spyware ProSpy, while Access Now said the campaign targeted at least two Egyptian journalists and a Lebanese journalist. Tim Starks reports.
TECH DEVELOPMENTS
OpenAI is finalizing an advanced cybersecurity model that it plans to release only to a small group of companies, Axios reports, underscoring growing concern inside the industry about the offensive potential of frontier AI tools.The move would mirror Anthropic’s limited rollout of Mythos and reflects concerns that increasingly autonomous systems with hacking capabilities could cause serious real-world harm if broadly released. Sam Sabin reports.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte met President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday in a high-stakes bid to soothe tensions, acknowledging afterward that Trump was “clearly disappointed with many NATO allies” but pointing to European assistance in the Iran war. Trump later wrote on Truth Social that “NATO wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again.” Alyssa Lukpat reports for the Wall Street Journal; Michael Rios reports for CNN; Alyssa Lukpat reports for the Wall Street Journal.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
The account of Tuesday’s ICE shooting in Patterson, California, is now sharply disputed, with federal officials and the man’s lawyer offering conflicting narratives of what happened. DHS said Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez tried to use his vehicle to run over an agent and described him as an 18th Street gang member wanted for questioning in El Salvador, but AP reported that his attorney denies both claims and says the FBI is investigating the shooting. Lauren Mascarenhas, Danya Gainor, Taylor Galgano report for CNN; Soumya Karlamangla reports for the New York Times.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The House Oversight Committee said Wednesday it will continue pursuing sworn testimony from Pam Bondi on the Epstein case after her removal as attorney general. Republicans said Bondi, who had been subpoenaed in her official capacity for an April 14 deposition, will not appear next week as scheduled, but that the committee will now work with her personal counsel to arrange a new date for her testimony. Michael Gold reports for the New York Times; Hailey Fuchs reports for POLITICO.
An Ohio man became the first person convicted under the federal Take It Down Act, after pleading guilty to cyberstalking, producing obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse, and publishing digital forgeries. The Justice Department said James Strahler II of Columbus used more than 24 AI platforms and 100 web-based models to target at least six adult women, while also generating obscene material involving minors. Rylee Kirk reports for the New York Times.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
The Trump administration has opened an investigation into Los Angeles Unified’s policy allowing schools discretion over whether to disclose students’ gender identities to parents. The probe, according to reporting on documents reviewed by the New York Times, was prompted by a lawsuit from parents who say the policy contributed to their child’s suicide and comes amid a broader federal rollback of transgender student protections. Michael C. Bender reports.
The California Supreme Court moved Wednesday to freeze Sheriff Chad Bianco’s investigation into last year’s special election, intervening after the Riverside County sheriff seized more than 650,000 ballots. Bianco, who is running for governor, opened the probe after activists alleged vote-count irregularities that local election officials said were baseless; the court’s order leaves the materials preserved while the case proceeds. Nick Corasaniti reports for the New York Times.
The White House has secured tens of millions of dollars’ worth of European steel for Trump’s new ballroom project, even as the president continues to champion tariffs on foreign metals. According to the New York Times, ArcelorMittal, a Luxembourg-based steelmaker, is donating the material, which Trump said last year had been valued at $37 million. Ana Swanson and Luke Broadwater report for the New York Times.
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ICYMI: Yesterday on Just Security
By Mark Nevitt
