Trump warns strikes will resume if Iran doesn’t agree to his terms : NPR

President Trump announced late Wednesday that U.S. military forces stationed in the Middle East will “remain in place” until a deal with Iran is finalized and operational.

This statement followed a troubled start to a two-week ceasefire, where Israel continued its attacks in Lebanon, leading to hundreds of deaths on Wednesday. Additionally, Gulf Arab countries reported drone and missile strikes on oil refineries and power plants, and there were claims that Iran had closed the Strait of Hormuz. This crucial waterway, which has been largely obstructed during the conflict, is vital for transporting about 20% of global fuel and goods.

Thursday saw market instability, erasing gains from the previous day as oil prices climbed and stocks fell. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose by 2.4% to $97 per barrel.

Trump cautioned that military strikes on Iran would resume if Iran fails to adhere to “the REAL AGREEMENT reached.”

“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,” he remarked.

He emphasized that the agreement would prevent nuclear enrichment in Iran and ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open.

“It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE,” Trump stated on Truth Social.

The White House dismissed reports on Wednesday claiming Iran had closed the strait, labeling them as false and noting an increase in strait traffic that day.

Updates from the region:

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Peace talks | Lebanon | Strait of Hormuz

Peace talks set to resume amid confusion over ceasefire terms

High-level discussions between the U.S. and Iran are scheduled for Saturday in Islamabad, with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif facilitating. His government played a key role in brokering the two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran. The White House has announced that Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. delegation.

Uncertainty persists regarding the foundation of these talks. Iran demands a 10-point plan that includes full control over the Strait of Hormuz, lifting of sanctions, and acknowledgment of its right to nuclear enrichment. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt commented Wednesday that President Trump had “literally thrown Iran’s 10-point proposal in the garbage.” Initially, Trump had termed Iran’s plan “workable.”

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which is observing a national day of mourning on Thursday, faced condemnation from Iran and criticism from Pakistan. The question of whether Lebanon is covered by the ceasefire remains unresolved. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated Wednesday morning that his administration supports Trump’s decision to halt strikes on Iran for two weeks, but the ceasefire excludes Lebanon. Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif had declared that the Iran-U.S. ceasefire would also extend to Lebanon.

Hezbollah insisted in a statement that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire applies to Lebanon. However, the group warned that if Israel does not comply, “no party will commit to it, and there will be a response from the region, including Iran.”

Iran condemned the ongoing assault on Lebanon and stated that it is the U.S. government’s responsibility to end it. In a social media post, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, “The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments,” alongside a screenshot of the Pakistani statement including Lebanon in the truce.

Trump, meanwhile, echoed Netanyahu’s interpretation of the agreement. When asked by a PBS reporter why Lebanon was not included, he replied, “Because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal. That’ll get taken care of too.”

Lebanon mourns over 250 killed in Israeli attacks

Church bells tolled across Lebanon and warplanes roared overhead on Thursday morning as the nation observed a day of mourning following the deadliest day of the current Israeli invasion. More than 250 people were killed Wednesday, according to Lebanon’s civil defense, in Israeli attacks that targeted densely populated residential areas far from Hezbollah’s strongholds, including along Beirut’s seaside Corniche promenade.

The Israeli military reported conducting its largest attack so far, with 100 strikes in 10 minutes in Beirut on Wednesday. The military issued evacuation orders for the capital’s suburbs, but then struck central Beirut. The city has been swelling in recent weeks with people fleeing the Israeli invasion in the country’s south, which has displaced more than a million people. More than 1,160 were wounded in Wednesday’s strikes, according to the country’s civil defense department.

On Thursday, Israel targeted a bridge in Lebanon. Hezbollah, which had refrained from firing on the first day of the ceasefire, launched rockets into northern Israel on Thursday.

The violence overshadowed the beginning of a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran amidst the broader Middle East conflict. Israeli officials justified the attacks by claiming that the new agreement does not include a pause in its conflict with Lebanon’s Iran-backed militant group, Hezbollah.

The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed outrage over such attacks in densely populated urban areas. Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani explained the rationale behind Israel’s surprise attack on Beirut.

“Leading up to this operation, we’ve seen Hezbollah disperse over different areas, taking advantage of the warnings that we provide for civilians to also hide for themselves among the civilians, moving, trying to scatter their operations in different locations and to hide behind civilian locations,” he said.

Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz leads to confusion and idle ships

Trump has repeatedly emphasized that the deal hinges on the unrestricted movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz to alleviate the global energy crisis. This strait is a vital passageway, carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil and providing the sole sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

Before the conflict erupted, Iran allowed an average of 120 to 150 ships per day to pass through without hindrance. However, in the last five weeks, this traffic has virtually stopped. Despite Tuesday’s announcement of ceasefire terms requiring Iran to reopen the strait for safe passage, more than a hundred ships remain effectively stalled.

Details about the status of the strait remain unclear. While Iran announced that it had halted transit operations in response to Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, the White House dismissed these reports as false and stated that closing the waterway would be completely unacceptable.

Even if the strait was open, hundreds of other ships in and around the area still chose to remain stationary out of caution. Ship owners, insurance companies, and seafarers are seeking clarity as Iran threatens to attack any vessel transiting without permission.

Erik Broekhuizen, a U.S.-based ship broker and energy consultant with Poten & Partners, told NPR that another concern for the ships is Iran’s decentralized military command.

“You don’t really know who to talk to, who is in charge, and whether all the sort of regional commanders have gotten the memo that the strait is open and they should stop attacking vessels,” Broekhuizen said.

More than 20 ships have been attacked by Iran since the war began.

Operators are also confused by Iran’s new fee system and how payments will be collected as the government rolls out new toll procedures. According to analysts, several oil tanker operators said they have paid at least $1 million to transit the strait.

An English language VHF broadcast was sent to the ships in and around the strait on Wednesday, warning those aboard that they need permission before attempting to transit.

Lauren Frayer in Beirut, Lebanon and Jackie Northam in Washington, D.C. contributed to this report.