US-Iran ceasefire deal hangs in the balance as Israel, Lebanon slated for rare Washington talks

Podcast host Joe Rogan said on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s strategy in the Iran conflict "doesn’t make sense," as he continues to ramp up his criticism of the administration's military campaign against the Middle Eastern nation.

Rogan, who endorsed Trump in 2024 before becoming openly critical of Trump's war against Iran over the last two months, made the comments on his podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience."

When asked about whether it was "going to be okay," Rogan responded that "no one f---ing knows."

"I mean, what’s going on with the Iran's — the ceasefire? Supposedly, they extended, but then they’re shooting at ships," he added.

Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran earlier this week at Pakistan's request shortly before the previous two-week truce was set to expire. The president also said the U.S. would hold onto its naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

McCann questioned whether the war was started in an attempt to force regime change, but Rogan responded that he was unsure why the administration elected to launch the initial strikes when it did in late February.

"People have wanted people of out of Iran, the people that are running Iran, for 47 years, but no one has actually gone and done it the way this administration did," he said. "And it doesn’t make sense they choose to do it when they did."

"I think the idea is that they’re trying to negotiate about something, you know, and I don’t know how this is ever going to work out. I really don’t know," he added.

Rogan also suggested on Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu influenced Trump’s decision to become involved in the conflict.

"Why did we do it? I don’t know, I think because of Israel, if I had to guess," Rogan said.

This comes days after Rogan made an appearance alongside Trump for an executive order signing at the White House to accelerate research of psychedelic drugs, during which the podcast host said the president "called me a liberal."

President Donald Trump on Thursday shot down the idea that he may use a nuclear weapon against Iran and scolded the reporter who raised the question.

"No, I wouldn’t. We don’t need it. Why do I need it? Why would a stupid question like that be asked?" Trump fired back at the reporter.

"Why would I use a nuclear weapon, when we’ve totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it. No, I wouldn’t use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody," he continued.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Thursday likened the terror group Hezbollah to a child throwing rocks at neighbors' windows.

"The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel are neighbors and they want to get along," said Mike Huckabee, who was present for the White House talks in the Oval Office, where President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.

"They can get along," he said. "But it’s like neighbors who have a rough little kid living in the neighborhood who keeps throwing rocks at everybody’s window. And if the kid will quit throwing rocks, the neighbors can get along and start actually working together."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.S, government has put a $10 million bounty on the leader of an Iranian-backed Shiite militia in Iraq, according to a notice from the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program.

The notice said the U.S. sought the leader of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji led the group, of which members "killed Iraqi civilians and attacked U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq," the notice reads.

The announcement also accused Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada of attacking U.S. military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria.

There are several Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq that are part of the country’s Popular Mobilization Forces, which was established after the fall of Mosul in 2014 to formalize volunteer units that took down the Islamic State group.

Guyana said on Thursday that a tanker seized by the U.S. in Asia for allegedly carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil was "FRAUDULENTLY" flying the Guyana flag.

In a statement, Guyana’s Maritime Administration Department said the vessel was formerly known as Phonix, which the U.S. Treasury acknowledged when it previously sanctioned the ship.

"This ship is NOT registered in Guyana; thus, the registration is false and fraudulent," the statement said.

"While the name of the vessel has changed, the [International Maritime Organization] number remains recorded in the international database as PHONIX. There is no record of this vessel or name in Guyana’s registry," it continued.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The U.N. development chief said on Thursday that more than 30 million people will be pushed back into poverty due to the war on Iran amid disruptions to fuel and fertilizer supplies as farmers are planting crops.

Fertilizer shortages have already cut agricultural productivity, which would likely impact crop yields later this year, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme Alexander De Croo told Reuters.

"Food insecurity will be at its peak level in a few months — and there is not much that you can do about it," he said.

He said other fallouts caused by the war include energy shortages and falling remittances.

"Even if the war would stop tomorrow, those effects, you already have them, and they will be pushing back more than 30 million people into poverty," he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Iran’s economic losses from the ongoing conflict could range between $50 billion and $300 billion — roughly 40% of its prewar GDP — according to a preliminary assessment by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

In a recent report, the organization cautions that Iran’s opaque financial system, sizable informal economy, and disruptions caused by wartime conditions make precise estimates difficult.

The report also emphasizes that its figures likely understate the true cost, as several major categories — such as human capital losses and postwar reconstruction — were not included in the analysis.

Clearing out the Strait of Hormuz once it opens and restoring normal shipping flows will take “several quarters,” according to Dow CEO Jim Fitterling.

The Strait of Hormuz initially shut down in early March at the onset of the Iran war but was closed again by Iran after the U.S. implemented a port blockade.

“Some scenario planning that we did said that even if the Strait were to reopen today, just to clear the logistics logjam … is going to take 275 days, maybe more now,” Fitterling said on CNBC’s “Mad Money.”

“You’ve got to get empty ships back. We’ve got to clean out the Strait and the Arabian Gulf. We’ve got to get empty ships back in,” he said.

“This is not going to be in a month or two. This is going to be several quarters before you’re going to see things return to normal," he added. 

Iran has unretired a large crude carrier (VLCC), typically used for long-haul oil transport, amid mounting storage pressure at Kharg Island.

The move comes 10 days after the U.S. blockade was imposed to halt Iranian oil exports and pressure Tehran into a new deal during the ongoing conflict.

“To prepare for the possibility of running out of oil storage space at Kharg Island, Iran has brought NASHA (9079107) out of retirement,” Tanker Trackers said in a post shared on X.

“She’s a 30-year-old VLCC that’s been anchored empty for the past few years; currently spending four days on a trip that should take 1.5 to 2 days,” it said.

U.S. sailors and marines aboard three aircraft carrier strike groups across the Middle East eat more than 12,000 eggs each day, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

The command also confirmed that a single aircraft carrier typically serves about 4,000 eggs daily to its crew.

“Sailors aboard aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) serve meals to crew members. A typical aircraft carrier strike group serves around 4,000 eggs daily,” the command said in a post shared on X.

“Three aircraft carrier strike groups are currently operating in the Middle East. Combined, the Sailors and Marines from these units consume over 12,000 eggs each day.”

Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said Thursday that Hezbollah continues to gamble with citizens’ lives in southern Lebanon. His remarks came as ceasefire violations persisted in the region.

“Hezbollah continues to gamble with the fate of the southern villages and their people for agendas that have nothing to do with Lebanon’s national interest,” Raggi said in a post shared on X.

The Israeli Defense Forces said Thursday that they eliminated two armed terrorists who were identified as approaching IDF soldiers in the area of Ainata in southern Lebanon.

The forces also uncovered a 25-meter-deep underground Hezbollah command center inside a clothing store in al-Khiyam.

“Inside it were weapons and rooms used for managing terror operations by the terrorist organization’s operatives,” the IDF said on X.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said Thursday that Israel is working in coordination with the Lebanese government to eliminate Hezbollah in the region and called the group a “malign influence.”

Speaking in the Oval Office, Leiter emphasized Israel’s broader goals, saying, “Israel wants peace with Lebanon, and Israel wants security for its citizens.”

“We’re united with the Lebanese government in wanting to rid the country of this malign influence called Hezbollah,” he added.

Addressing President Donald Trump directly during the meeting, Leiter said recent developments had shifted the regional balance of power.

“And now that, under your leadership, Iran has been so degraded, the possibility of degrading Hezbollah and liberating Lebanon from their occupation is real,” he said.

Leiter also expressed hope for a diplomatic breakthrough, adding, “We hope that together, under your leadership, we can formalize peace between Israel and Lebanon in the very near future.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that Iran is not barred from entering the United States for the FIFA World Cup but cautioned that restrictions could apply to some.

“Nothing from the U.S. has told them they can't come,” Rubio told reporters, emphasizing that any concerns are not about Iran’s athletes.

Instead, he noted the issue lies with “some of the other people that we want to bring with them, some of whom have ties to the IRGC.”

Rubio stressed that individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) would not be allowed to enter under false pretenses.

 “What they can't bring is a bunch of IRGC terrorists into our country and pretend that they're, you know, journalists and athletic trainers,” he said.

He added, “We may not be able to let them in, but not the athletes themselves.”

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. is continuing to demand that Iran end funding for proxy groups in the Middle East.

His remarks came as he hosted a meeting at the White House with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the U.S., and other officials.

Trump indicated that any deal between Washington and Tehran would hinge on ending such support, and he said Iran would “have to cut that,” responding to a question about supporting Hezbollah. “That’s a must.”

Trump also said he would be hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House in the “near future.” 

President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran is still seeking negotiations with the United States amid mounting economic strain and internal instability, declaring, “They want to make a deal.”

Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump also said that Tehran will not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

“They're not doing well economically, financially, and they're not doing any business because of the blockade. They want to make a deal,” he said at a Drug Pricing Regeneron Event.

“We have been speaking to them, but they don't even know who's leading the country.

“They're in turmoil. So we thought we'd give them a little chance to get some of their turmoil resolved,” before adding that he “took a little break” and “gave them a break.”

Addressing the nuclear topic, which remains a key sticking point between the two nations, Trump reiterated that Iran “cannot have the nuclear bomb,” before adding, “they're not going to have the nuclear bomb.”

“So we've taken out their military. We've hit about 75% of our targets,” he said.

Trump also went on to say that the military campaign stopped early “because they wanted to have some peace.”

Returning to the issues within the Iranian regime’s leadership team, Trump said that we don’t know who the leader is in Iran because “Khamenei is gone. He's gone to greener pastures. He's gone, and all of his team is gone,” he said.

“Then a second group came in. They're all gone. And now you have the third group. And they were a little concerned about being gone too,” Trump added.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Thursday that a third aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East.

This came after President Donald Trump extended the Iran ceasefire indefinitely.

“Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) sails in the Indian Ocean in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, April 23,” the command said in a post shared on X.

The arrival of the carrier marks the first time three carriers have been in the Middle East at the same time since 2003.

The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier is now in the Indian Ocean under CENTCOM's area of responsibility, CENTCOM said in a statement.

The Bush joined the USS Gerald Ford, which was last spotted in the Red Sea, and the USS Abraham Lincoln, which was last spotted in the Arabian Sea.

The USS Bush went around the African continent to avoid the Houthis in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

It is expected to replace the USS Ford, which has already been at sea for more than 300 days.

That is the longest deployment of an aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War in 1973. In that instance, the USS Midway was deployed for 332 days, and the crew received a Presidential Citation, the highest award a unit can receive in the military.

Fox News’ Liz Friden contributed to this report.

Amid the charged exchanges between President Trump and Iran’s fragmented leadership over the regime's insistence that it retain its nuclear enrichment system, top experts on Iran’s atomic weapons program support the Commander-in-Chief’s ironclad goal to dissolve it.

One of the main sticking points during the intense talks between Tehran and Washington centers on Iran’s claim that the rogue regime has a right to enrich and possess weapon-grade uranium — the material required to build an atomic bomb.

The showdown over enriched uranium might be the core deal breaker issue when and if the next round of talks to reach a nuclear agreement goes ahead in Pakistan.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmael Baqaei, vehemently rejected Trump’s demand last week on state-controlled television.

"Iran’s enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere under any circumstances," he declared.

Trump claimed Iran had agreed to "give us back the nuclear dust that’s way underground."

The President terms Iran’s 440 kilograms of enriched uranium as "nuclear dust" after sustained U.S. military strikes on the Iranian facilities that store the country’s stockpile of uranium.

"The United States should insist on a permanent ban of Iranian enrichment and its full dismantlement in negotiations.

Iran retaining any enrichment infrastructure in anticipation of the end of a moratorium would allow it to cheat as soon as Trump leaves office and resume its path to nuclear weapons," Andrea Stricker, deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' nonproliferation program, told Fox News Digital.

This is an excerpt from a report by Benjamin Weinthal.

Iran rejected claims about Tehran seeking to build “10 nuclear bombs” Thursday, as its foreign ministry spokesman said they were never raised in negotiations.

Esmail Baghaei said Iran has not introduced any such figures in its diplomatic exchanges, according to Iran International.

“The claim that Iran wants to build a nuclear bomb has never been raised by us; these narratives are more of a projection by the other side, and even calculations about 10 bombs are products of their own analysis,” Baghaei said.

Tehran experienced air defense systems in action Thursday as explosions were heard in the western part of the city, according to reports.

The Associated Press reported Iranian state media saying the move was against “hostile targets,” without further elaboration.

Witnesses said air defense systems were also heard southwest of the city, the outlet said.

According to Reuters, Fars News Agency said air defenses were activated after detecting “small drones at several locations across Iran.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed Thursday that Iran was unified and obedient to the Supreme Leader.

Pezeshkian spoke after President Donald Trump said the regime was “seriously fractured” when he extended a ceasefire to give its leadership more time to come up with a "unified proposal".

“In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates.’ We are all Iranians and revolutionaries,” Pezeshkian said in a second post on the matter shared on X.

Referring to the U.S. as an aggressor, the Iranian president said that “With ironclad unity of nation and state and obedience to the Supreme Leader, we will make the aggressor regret.”

“One God, one nation, one leader, one path; victory for Iran, dearer than life,” he said.

Former Special Representative for Iran Elliott Abrams said Thursday that President Donald Trump has been correct to highlight fractured decision-making in Tehran.

Abrams, who served in the role during Trump’s first term, also said the president was right to give the regime more time to “fight it out.”

“The President's right. They're having a power struggle,” Abrams said on “America’s Newsroom.”

“It used to be that any power struggle would be resolved by the Supreme Leader, the late Supreme Leader. Now they don't really have a supreme leader. You know, they've got his son, but he's invisible. He never speaks on radio.”

“He can't really be leading, so they're fighting it out,” he said.

“And I think the President's idea of giving them a little more time because they're fighting it out is right. He's also right.”

Abrams added that the regime’s moderates “are not very moderate, so they're going to have to figure out,” and said the regime has “lots of rivalries for power.”

Pope Leo XIV urged the United States and Iran to return to negotiations Thursday, calling for a new “culture of peace” to replace recourse to violence whenever conflicts arise.

Pope Leo told reporters aboard his plane ahead of heading back to Rome that the question wasn’t whether the Iranian regime should change.

“The question should be about how to promote the values we believe in without the deaths of so many innocents,” he said.

“As a pastor, I cannot be in favor of war,” he told reporters.

“I would like to encourage everyone to find responses that come from a culture of peace and not hatred and division.”

At a press conference, the pope also responded to questuins over Iran killing thousands of protesters, Reuters reported.

"I condemn all actions that are unjust. I condemn the taking of people's lives," the pope said.

This came after President Donald Trump criticized the Catholic leader for not doing so when he spoke out against the U.S.-Israel war with Iran.

Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s ousted shah, said any negotiations with Iran's clerical leadership amount to appeasement.

“The whole narrative of ceasefire and negotiation is still based on thinking that… you’re going to deal with people who all of a sudden have become pragmatists,” Pahlavi told reporters in Germany. “I don’t see that happening."

Pahlavi voiced hope that Iranians would renew street protests in an effort to topple the regime, the Times of Israel reported.

He noted that Iranian leaders have “slaughtered innocent citizens by the thousands” and has threatened Europe with long-range missiles.

“No deal will solve this. No negotiations will solve this. It is in their DNA.”

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian responded to President Donald Trump, who said Thursday that the country's hardline and moderate leaders are infighting over who will lead the Islamic Republic.

In a social media post, Pezeshkian noted that there are no moderates or "radicals" in Iran.

"In Iran, there are no radicals or moderates," he wrote on X. "We are all 'Iranian' and 'revolutionary,' and with the iron unity of the nation and government, and complete obedience to the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, we will make the aggressor criminal regret his actions."

Iran has only "the path" of victory, Pezeshkian added, which is "more precious than life." 

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun addressed ministers at the head of a government session on Thursday by laying out the goals for the ceasefire talks expected with Israel in Washington, D.C.

"This evening, a meeting will be held in Washington to extend the ceasefire, which also includes stopping the destruction of homes, attacks on civilians, places of worship, journalists, medical personnel, and educational institutions — this is what Lebanon’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad, will carry to the meeting, and she will do everything in her power to secure these items," Aoun told ministers, according to a readout shared by the Lebanese Presidency account on X.

"The positive aspect lies in the fact that, for the first time, the Lebanon file is returning to the American table, and specifically to the table of the Secretary of State who also holds the position of National Security Advisor, which opens the door for us — if things proceed as they should — toward economic recovery, reconstruction, and more," he added.

Aoun said he hopes to be able to visit Washington and meet with President Donald Trump "to brief him in detail on the true situation in Lebanon, as a phone call is not sufficient for such a matter or to reach an understanding; however, he was sympathetic to Lebanon and stated that he loves this country, and this is what we must build on for the future."

"As President of the Republic, I am responsible toward my country and people, and I will adopt any means capable of ending the war and destruction," he said.

He floated "raising the transportation allowance for public sector employees, given the rise in oil prices due to current developments, in addition to granting them an exceptional one-time assistance."

Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz said during a security assessment that Israel is waiting for a “green light from the United States” to resume fighting against Iran.

“Israel is prepared to renew the war against Iran. The IDF is ready in defense and offense, and the targets are marked,” said Katz, as reported by The Times of Israel.

He said Israel was “awaiting a green light from the United States, first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty—the initiator of the extermination plan against Israel—and the successors of the successors of the leadership of the Iranian terror regime."

In addition, he added that Israel wants to "return Iran to the age of darkness and stone by blowing up central energy and electricity facilities and crushing national economic infrastructure.”

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) noted in a Thursday morning post on X that "U.S. forces have now redirected 33 vessels since the start of the blockade against Iran."

The blockade of Iranian ports started more than a week ago.

When U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire extension on Tuesday, he said that he had ordered the military to keep carrying out the blockade.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained why President Donald Trump does not consider Iran's seizure of two ships in the Strait of Hormuz a violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Leavitt made the statement during an interview with Fox News' Martha McCallum on Wednesday just hours after Iran captured the Greek and Mediterranean-flagged vessels.

"Does the seizure of two ships — as we said, they were Greek and Mediterranean-owned ships with cargo on them, and the reports are that Iran basically seized them and then moved them into Iranian waters. We don’t know what’s going to happen to these crews. We’re not sure where all of this is going. Does the president view that as a violation of the ceasefire?" McCallum asked.

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President Donald Trump told MS NOW on Thursday that the Iranian government is in disarray, claiming the country has "no idea" who its leader is.

“They’re all messed up. They have no idea who their leader is. You know, we took out, really, three levels of leaders. And everybody that was even close behind him,” Trump said, referring to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of Operation Epic Fury. “So they have a hard time figuring out who the hell can speak for the country. They just don’t know.”

“They’re really a mess, and now nobody wants to help them, because they no longer have the fear factor,” the president reportedly added. “They’re no longer — they’re no longer the bully of the Middle East.”

Exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's former shah, was splattered with a red liquid on Thursday.

Video footage of the incident shows the liquid being splashed on Pahlavi while he was walking down a street in Berlin, Germany, flanked by security. The Associated Press reported that police detained the alleged perpetrator and indicated that the substance appeared to be tomato juice.

Pahlavi had just left a news briefing where he was critical of the ceasefire involving the U.S. and Iran.

"I’m not saying that diplomacy should not be given a chance, but I think diplomacy has been given enough chance," he said on Thursday, according to the AP.

The Associated Press contributed to this post.

President Donald Trump said in a Thursday social media post that "crazy" political infighting is happening in Iran.

"Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know! The infighting is between the 'Hardliners,' who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the 'Moderates,' who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is CRAZY!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz. No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy. It is “Sealed up Tight,” until such time as Iran is able to make a DEAL!!!"

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released several photos Thursday morning from the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), saying that "day and night flight operations continue aboard the world's largest aircraft carrier."

"The Ford Carrier Strike Group continues to operate in the Red Sea, supporting maritime security in U.S. 5th Fleet," CENTCOM wrote on X, sharing photos of daytime and nighttime views of the flight deck, personnel and several aircraft.

President Donald Trump announced in a Thursday morning Truth Social post that he has commanded the U.S. Navy to conduct deadly strikes against any boats placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

"I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz," the president declared in the post.

"There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine 'sweepers' are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level! Thank you for your attention to this matter," he added.

The U.S. may have burned through roughly half of its Patriot missile interceptors during the conflict with Iran, according to a new analysis, underscoring how even a campaign lasting just weeks can place heavy strain on key munitions stockpiles.

While the U.S. still has enough firepower to sustain operations in the current fight, analysts warn the greater risk lies in a future conflict against a peer adversary.

A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found that U.S. forces used large shares of several critical munitions during the 39-day air and missile campaign, including more than 850 Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 1,000 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs). Patriot interceptor use was estimated between roughly 1,060 and 1,430 missiles — more than half of the U.S. prewar inventory.

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The Pentagon released video Thursday showing U.S. forces carrying out "a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility."

"We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate," the Department of War said.

"International waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors. The Department of War will continue to deny illicit actors and their vessels freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain," it added.

Ship-tracking data shows the oil tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia — near where U.S. forces previously interdicted and boarded another stateless sanctioned tanker, the Tifani. The vessel had been headed for Zhoushan, China, according to The Associated Press.

The incident follows a sharp escalation just one day earlier, when Iran attacked three cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz and reportedly captured two of them — intensifying threats to a critical global shipping lane that carries about 20% of the world’s oil during peacetime.

The Majestic X, which sails under a Guyana flag, was formerly known as the Phonix and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude in violation of U.S. sanctions, the AP reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this post.

Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold a second round of talks in Washington, D.C., Thursday to discuss potentially extending the fragile 10-day ceasefire with Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists.

The meeting between Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad and her Israeli counterpart Yechiel Leiter is the second between the two diplomats, days after they held the first such direct talks between the two countries in three decades.

Lebanon President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that contacts are ongoing to extend the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect Friday.

Hamadeh will put forward an extension of the ceasefire during the meeting and ask for an end to ongoing Israeli home demolitions in villages and towns occupied by Israel after the latest war broke out on March 2, Aoun said in comments released by his office, according to The Associated Press.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called on Lebanon to work with Israel to disarm Hezbollah terrorists ahead of negotiations in Washington.

“We don’t have any serious disagreements with Lebanon. There are a few minor border disputes that can be solved,” Saar said during Independence Day remarks to Israel’s ambassadors and diplomatic corps in which he also described the neighboring country as a “failed state.”

“The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one: Hezbollah,” he said, adding that Lebanon could have “a future of sovereignty, independence and freedom from the Iranian occupation.”

The Associated Press contributed to this post.

Fox News host Sean Hannity said the situation in Iran is a "nightmare scenario" for the country's government and its people.

"According to the White House, a beaten, a battered, now near close to bankrupt Iran and government there will have no more than 3 to 5 days to present what would be a unified response to the president's peace proposal, let me make this very simple. If anyone in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard or any other faction of Iran's well remaining government is watching or you hear about this, your unified response, it better look like this: no nukes, no terrorism, no attacks on the straight of Hormuz. And yeah, nuclear dust, you can't have it. This is not a crazy list. Not that complicated. And it's not too much to ask. In return, in return, you will get to live. In return, your own people will have a shot at an economy that is not destroyed. Not the radical Islamists who for 47 years have been terrorizing their very own people," he said on his show, "Hannity."

"In 3 to 5 days, Iran will cease hostilities, agree to the president's terms, come to a negotiated settlement, or they will face total destruction. Now, if they are foolish, for those of you in Iran tonight, you might hear about this. If you're foolish enough to think the president working at the request of Pakistan's prime minister to exhaust every possible path to peace and a negotiated settlement is just another opportunity to stall. Well, you're clearly the dumbest people on the planet, especially after Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury, he continued.

Hannity added: "Now, Kharg Island is already largely defenseless, responsible for 90% of Iran's oil exports. And in just, well, frankly, less than an hour, the U.S. military could level the entire island, obliterate Iran's oil industry, and with it their entire economy. In about the same amount of time, the U.S. military can level critical infrastructure all across the country, force what's left of the regime to have to rebuild everything without almost any revenue. Remember, they're losing four to 500 million a day right now."

He went on to say that "it is a nightmare scenario for both the people and the government of Iran."

"But President Trump is prepared to act if the regime will not commit to opening the straight of Hormuz, giving up their nuclear material," he said. "Though time will tell. We will wait. We will all hope for peace. Although all hope for a negotiated settlement. Frankly, you have to expect the worst. They have made one dumb decision after another. But as President Trump has stated, America's military, they are locked. They are loaded. They're ready to go."

Yesterday’s Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage on the Iran conflict.