Here's the latest
• Fragile ceasefire tested: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz stopped following what it said was an Israeli ceasefire violation in Lebanon. The White House previously said the ceasefire would continue if the strait stays open.
• Strikes in Lebanon: The Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire between the US and Iran does not include operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. At least 182 were killed and hundreds wounded, according to the Lebanese health ministry, after Israel said it carried out the largest coordinated strike on Lebanon since the war began.
• Talks in Pakistan: Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will go to Islamabad, Pakistan, for Iran talks beginning Saturday. However, the speaker of Iran’s parliament alleged today that parts of Iran’s proposal were violated before the talks even begin.
NATO chief says he understands Trump’s “disappointment” with allies over Iran
US President Donald Trump is “clearly disappointed” with many NATO allies for not supporting the US and Israel’s war on Iran to the extent he wanted, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said after meeting with Trump on Wednesday.
Rutte, who described the meeting as a frank and open discussion between “two good friends,” told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he understood the president’s disappointment. But he said he pointed out to Trump that many European nations helped in other ways, including by providing logistics, overflights, basing and other support.
The president, however, continued to lash out at NATO allies following the meeting.
“NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.“REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!”
Asked ahead of the meeting if the US was still considering withdrawing from NATO, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump would likely discuss the matter with Rutte.
Rutte declined to answer whether the president said he would attempt a withdrawal.
“Well, as I said, there is a disappointment, clearly, but at the same time, he was also listening (carefully) to my arguments of what is happening,” Rutte said when pressed on the matter.
Rutte insisted that much of Europe supports the president when it comes to taking out Iran’s capacity to “export chaos.”
In a statement released earlier today, the leaders of a host of European countries welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States and said “our governments will contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”
This post has been updated with additional details.
The latest on Israel's massive strikes across Lebanon and the tenuous US-Iran ceasefire
In the span of 10 minutes, Israel targeted more than 100 sites across Lebanon on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces said, describing it as the largest coordinated strikes on the country since the war began.
The strike sites were located in Beirut, Beqaa and southern Lebanon, it added, claiming they were linked to Hezbollah. At least 182 people were killed in the strikes and nearly 900 injured, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The strikes hit “peaceful, unarmed civilians,” Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said. CNN reported damages to residential buildings and local businesses
The Trump administration and Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire between the US and Iran does not include operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. However, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz stopped following what it said was an Israeli ceasefire violation in Lebanon.
Here are the key headlines from the Middle East and on the US-Iran ceasefire:
The White House on the ceasefire details:
- Vice President JD Vance, who will lead the US negotiation team in Pakistan on Saturday, said Israel may “check themselves a little bit” with strikes on Lebanon during the ceasefire.
- Vance restated that if Iran does not follow through on promises to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the ceasefire will end.
- The vice president also said there were three different 10-point proposals, which have contributed to confusion about what’s forming the basis of negotiations.
- You can also recap White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s comments on the ceasefire.
CNN global affairs analyst Brett McGurk breaks down what has happened in the Middle East since the announcement of a ceasefire between the US and Iran, and why he's questioning how much it has changed on the ground.
From Iran:
- Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, alleged that three clauses of Iran’s 10-point proposal — described as an agreed framework for negotiations — have been violated before talks with the US have even started.
- Meanwhile, an Iranian-backed militia in Iraq threatened renewed action against Israel, also accusing it of violating pledges and targeting civilians in Lebanon.
On gas prices:
- Oil prices fell sharply today after the ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect, spurring hopes that oil tankers would be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
- It will “take some time” before changes to traffic in the Strait of Hormuz are felt by US consumers at the pump, said Tom Kloza, chief energy adviser for major American oil company Gulf Oil.
- Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, a Republican, announced he is suspending the state’s 7% use tax on fuel, which comes to 17.2 cents per gallon in April.
CNN’s Michael Rios, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Dana Karni, Lauren Said-Moorhouse, Kit Maher, Riane Lumer, Adam Cancryn, Donald Judd and Tal Shalev contributed reporting.
Macron condemns "indiscriminate" Israeli strikes in Lebanon
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned what he described today as “indiscriminate” strikes by Israel in Lebanon.
He said he spoke with the Lebanese president and prime minister today and expressed France’s full solidarity in the face of the deadly attacks, which Israel said targeted more than 100 command centers and military sites of the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah.
The strikes “pose a direct threat to the sustainability of the ceasefire that has just been reached,” Macron said in a post on X, adding: “Lebanon must be fully covered by it.”
He said he relayed a similar message earlier today to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump.
“I told both of them that their decision to accept a ceasefire was the best possible one,” he said. “I expressed my hope that the ceasefire will be fully respected by each of the belligerents, across all areas of confrontation, including in Lebanon. This is a necessary condition for the ceasefire to be credible and lasting.”
Trump said earlier that NATO allies “were tested and failed” when he launched a war with Iran and they did not come to the United States’ aid, according to a statement relayed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Only a "trickle" of oil is leaving Strait of Hormuz right now, Gulf Oil adviser says
The chief energy adviser for major American oil company Gulf Oil said any changes to traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will “take some time” to be felt by US consumers at the pump.
Tom Kloza said he is currently “not seeing the evidence of more crude oil departing” the strait, even though the reopening of the critical waterway was reportedly a condition of the two-week ceasefire that was agreed upon Tuesday night.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply and then stopped following what it said was an Israeli ceasefire violation in Lebanon.
“I would emphasize these are really baby steps right now. There’s no indication that the strait is going to reopen, and it seems like a flimsy ceasefire, to say what’s obvious,” Kloza told CNN’s Jake Tapper.
He said there is just “a trickle” leaving the region and that, because of fragility of the deal, the people who send oil through the Strait of Hormuz “would be very reluctant to do so” right now.
“It looks as though we’re weeks away from any restoration of even 50% or 70% of the Strait of Hormuz traffic that we depend on,” Kloza said.
Hear what else Kloza said about the situation in the Middle East:
Indiana suspends gas use tax for 30 days amid high prices
Drivers in Indiana will get a bit of a break at the pump for the next month.
Gov. Mike Braun, a Republican, announced Wednesday that he is suspending the state’s 7% use tax on fuel, which comes to 17.2 cents per gallon in April. The move could save Indiana drivers a total of about $50 million, Braun said at a press conference.
“I am declaring a gas tax holiday to give Hoosiers relief from the pain at the pump from high gas prices,” he said in a statement declaring the suspension.
The month-long holiday goes into effect immediately but may not be reflected at gas stations until later this week or next week, Braun said. The governor will review whether the suspension – which does not affect the state’s 36 cents per gallon gas tax – needs to be extended at the end of the 30 days.
A gallon of regular gas cost an average of $4.14 cents in Indiana on Wednesday, up from $3.47 a month ago, according to AAA. The price of gas has skyrocketed since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran in late February.
Georgia’s GOP Gov. Brian Kemp in March suspended the state’s 33.3 cents per gallon gas tax for two months.
Iran says Strait of Hormuz traffic halted after alleged ceasefire violation
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed Thursday that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed sharply and then stopped following what it said was an Israeli ceasefire violation in Lebanon.
According to MarineTraffic vessel-tracking data, no ships are currently shown transiting the Strait of Hormuz. That follows an earlier report that traffic had begun to resume after a two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran took effect Tuesday.
Tehran’s accusation against Israel came as the White House maintained that Lebanon is not part of the fragile ceasefire deal between the US and Iran. Israel today launched its largest strikes on Lebanon, inflicting heavy casualties, Lebanese authorities said.
The IRGC said one of the plan’s key provisions is Iran’s continued “smart management” of the Strait of Hormuz. It claimed that US President Donald Trump accepted that the strait would remain “under Iran’s control.”
According to the statement, two oil tankers it said were confirmed to be Iranian-owned transited the strait early in the day, and a tanker from China’s fleet also passed safely.
The IRGC said additional tanker traffic did not follow and that “all ship traffic” through the strait was halted minutes after Israel launched what it described as a large-scale attack on Lebanon. The Iranians said that attack violated the ceasefire agreement.
The IRGC also said one vessel that was scheduled to transit at 10 p.m. changed course near the strait and turned back.
Lebanon says Israeli strikes today have killed 182 people and injured 890 others
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Wednesday that Israeli strikes across multiple parts of the country, including the capital, Beirut, have killed at least 182 people, according to an updated death toll.
An additional 890 people were wounded in today’s attacks, according to the ministry.
The ministry described the figures as preliminary and said the toll reflects information available so far.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said in a statement today that Thursday will be a national day of mourning for victims of Israeli attacks that he said hit “hundreds of peaceful, unarmed civilians.”
Salam “is continuing contacts with Arab and international officials in an effort to … halt the violence,” the statement added.
This evening, the Israel Defense Forces launched a fresh strike on Beirut after earlier completing what it called the largest coordinated strike in Lebanon since the war began.
CNN’s team on the ground in Beirut witnessed multiple airstrikes on the Lebanese capital on Wednesday.
For context: Prior to today’s update, at least 1,739 people had been killed and 5,873 wounded since the war began, according to figures from the health ministry on Tuesday.
This post has been updated with additional information.
As ceasefire talks progressed, Netanyahu didn't know which path Trump would pick, sources say
As the United States and Iran engaged in ceasefire talks on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knew that the negotiations were advancing, but he remained uncertain what his ally, US President Donald Trump, would decide, Israeli sources told CNN.
On the ground, Israel was preparing for a last-minute extension of Trump’s deadline. But at the same time, the army was standing by for a further escalation, three Israeli sources said.
Two of these sources said plans were in place for a combined US-Israeli operation against Iran’s national infrastructure, with targets identified.
“It is all one man’s decision,” a senior Israeli official told CNN two hours before Trump’s deadline was due to expire. It was unclear which path Trump would pick, but the official said there were “many surrounding Trump pushing to end this.” The source noted that Vice President JD Vance – on a visit to Hungary to support the reelection campaign of MAGA ally Victor Orban – played a “substantial” role.
Netanyahu was ultimately informed of Trump’s decision shortly before it was made public.
In a speech on Wednesday, Netanyahu said the ceasefire came into effect “in full coordination with Israel” and that his country was not caught by surprise.
For the past few weeks, Netanyahu knew that negotiations might lead to a temporary ceasefire, but was highly skeptical that a deal was achievable, even as talks progressed on Tuesday, an Israeli source said.
The source said Netanyahu conveyed his concerns in recent discussions with Trump, stressing Israel’s demands that Iran’s capabilities to enrich uranium and develop ballistic missiles be eliminated, as well as curbing the activity of its proxies in the region.
An Israeli source familiar with the talks said Israel worked overnight with the US to ensure it wouldn’t accept the Iranian demand to have Lebanon part of the ceasefire agreement.
Vance says there have been three different 10-point proposals
Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday there have been three different 10-point proposals, which has contributed to confusion about what’s forming the basis of negotiations.
“The first 10-point proposal was something that was submitted, and we think, frankly, was probably written by ChatGPT, that was submitted to Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner that immediately went in the garbage and was rejected,” Vance told reporters as he was leaving Hungary.
“There was a second 10-point proposal that was much more reasonable that was based on some back and forth between us, between the Pakistanis and between the Iranians. That is the 10-point proposal that the president was referencing in his Truth yesterday,” Vance added.
He criticized a third 10-point proposal that he said he’s seen on social media as “even more maximalist” than the first.
That initial proposal was put forward by “little more than a random yahoo in Iran,” Vance said, as he lashed out at the media for its coverage of it. But that statement — which said Iran achieved a great victory and forced the United States to accept its 10-point plan as a basis for negotiations — was obtained by CNN from Iranian officials and reported on by multiple Iranian state media outlets.
Oil prices drop below $95 per barrel as fragile US-Iran ceasefire takes effect
Oil prices fell sharply Wednesday after a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect, spurring hopes that oil tankers would be allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
West Texas Intermediate, the US crude oil benchmark, tumbled 16.41% to settle at $94.41 per barrel. Still, crude is well above the $67 per barrel level it settled at on February 27, before the war began.
Brent crude, the global benchmark, dropped 13.29% to settle at $94.75 per barrel, its lowest settle price since March 11 — but also still well above its $73 per barrel level on February 27.
Both WTI and Brent posted their biggest single-day declines since April 2020. US oil prices fell as much as 19% earlier to $91.03 per barrel before paring some losses as uncertainty swirls about the state of the ceasefire and whether more oil tankers will actually be able to pass through the critical strait.
Oil prices “settle” each day around 2:30 p.m. ET but continue to trade nearly 24 hours during the week.
Vance dismisses Iranian claim that US violated ceasefire, says talks progressing
Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday criticized the speaker of Iran’s parliament for claiming that the US had violated the ceasefire deal, saying Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s complaints “didn’t make sense.”
“I actually wonder how good he is at understanding English, because there are things that he said that, frankly, didn’t make sense in the context of the negotiations that we’ve had,” Vance told reporters outside Air Force Two, as he was leaving Hungary to return to the US.
Hours before, Ghalibaf posted a statement on X that claimed the US had broken the countries’ Tuesday night agreement by failing to halt strikes on Lebanon, violating Iranian airspace and denying Iran’s right to uranium enrichment.
While Vance allowed that “ceasefires are always messy,” he insisted that the US was abiding by the ceasefire and that negotiations were still progressing along.
He also rejected Iran’s claim that Lebanon was protected by the ceasefire and that Iran could continue with enrichment, arguing that the US never agreed to the point on Lebanon and one of President Donald Trump’s primary demands is for the regime to give up its enriched uranium.
“We don’t really concern ourselves with what they claim they have the right to do,” Vance said. “We concern ourselves with what they actually do.”
Vance also sought to strike a positive note on the state of the talks, casting Ghalibaf’s statement as a sign that “there’s a lot of points of agreement” outside of his specific complaints.
“He said that there are a few points of disagreement,” Vance said. “Well, that must mean that there’s a lot of points of agreement because there’s a 15-point plan floating around. There’s a 10-point plan floating around.”
Vance reiterates that ceasefire won't last if the strait doesn't reopen
Vice President JD Vance restated today that if Iran does not follow through on promises to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the ceasefire will end.
“The president is very, very clear the deal is a ceasefire, a negotiation. That’s what we give, and what they give is that straits are going to be reopened. If we don’t see that happening, the president is not going to abide by our terms, if the Iranians are not abiding by their terms,” Vance told reporters outside of Air Force Two as he left Hungary.
The comments echo those made by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier in the day.
Vance added that the agreement is in a “good spot,” but vowed the Iranian regime will face “serious consequences” if they break their terms of the agreement.
“Fundamentally, we’re in a good spot. They’re reopening the straits. We have a ceasefire. And frankly, if they break their end of the bargain, then they’re going to see some serious consequences,” Vance said
Carnage and destruction in Lebanon are "horrific," UN rights chief says
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the Israeli strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, saying such carnage defies belief.
“The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific,” the UN rights chief said.
Throughout the day, Israel, the United States and Pakistan — which helped mediate with Iran — have said different things about whether Lebanon was included in the temporary ceasefire.
Pakistan’s position is that Lebanon was included, but Israel and the White House said that was not the case.
The Israeli military earlier said it carried out 100 strikes against Hezbollah command centers and military sites, in what it described as the largest coordinated strike in Lebanon since the start of this conflict.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said this evening that the attacks across the country have killed at least 112 people and wounded hundreds more. The strikes, which came with no warning, have left residents in the Lebanese capital in a state of fear.
Before today’s attacks, 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 on Tuesday.
Türk reiterated that international humanitarian law protects civilians and civilian infrastructure.
He added: “There must be prompt and independent investigations into all alleged violations, and those responsible brought to justice.”
Vance says Israel may "check themselves a little bit in Lebanon"
Vice President JD Vance said that the Israelis may “check themselves a little bit” with ongoing strikes on Lebanon amid the two-week ceasefire, adding that he will receive a full report on Air Force Two on his way back to the United States from Hungary.
Vance told reporters if Israel cools off on Lebanon, it’s not because that’s a condition of the ceasefire, but rather due to Israel’s good faith toward the United States and wanting negotiations with Iran to be “successful.”
“Look, if Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon -— which has nothing to do with them — and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” Vance said.
Vance said he believes “a legitimate misunderstanding” occurred with Iran, who he said mistakenly understood that Lebanon would be included in the ceasefire.
“I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn’t. We never made that promise. We never indicated that was going to be the case,” Vance said. “What we said is that the ceasefire would be focused on Iran, and the ceasefire would be focused on America’s allies, both Israel and the Gulf Arab states.”
Iraqi militia threatens to punish Israel following strikes in Lebanon
An Iranian-backed militia in Iraq has threatened renewed action against Israel, accusing it of violating pledges and targeting civilians in Lebanon.
This threat came after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday and followed Israel’s deadly strikes on Lebanon today that killed at least 112 people, according to Lebanese authorities.
The head of the group, Akram al-Kaabi, condemned Israel’s “recklessness,” alleging it routinely breaks agreements and acts with “treachery, lies and deceit.”
“In view of the continuing Zionist enemy’s recklessness and its violation of pledges and covenants and its targeting of our people in Lebanon … the Resistance Front will return to discipline it with force,” al-Kaabi said in a statement today.
The statement added that Israel would “regret this treachery,” claiming that “times have changed, and circumstances have shifted.”
Al-Kaabi’s militia, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, is part of a network of Iranian-aligned armed groups in Iraq that describe themselves as the “Islamic Resistance.” The statement did not specify what actions the group might take or provide details on timing.
Jerusalem holy sites to reopen tomorrow
Holy sites in Jerusalem will reopen to visitors and worshippers on Thursday morning, Israeli police say.
Authorities expect it to be busy and have asked the public to remain patient, listen to police instructions and report any concerns.
The announcement was made shortly after Israel said it was loosening wartime restrictions, paving the way for schools and workplaces to reopen.
Israeli authorities had restricted access to religious sites in East Jerusalem amid the war with Iran, including al-Aqsa Mosque, the Western Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Last month, there was widespread backlash when two senior leaders of the Catholic Church in Jerusalem were initially blocked from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to mark the start of Holy Week on Palm Sunday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly reversed the security precaution and granted them access. Arrangements were made between church leaders and officials for the rest of the Easter week.
Iran's Ghalibaf says three clauses of 10-point proposal violated before talks begin
The speaker of the Iranian parliament is alleging that three clauses of Iran’s 10-point proposal – described as an agreed framework for negotiations – have been violated before talks with the US have even started.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed that Iran’s call for a ceasefire in Lebanon has been ignored, that a drone entered its airspace in violation of a clause prohibiting such a move, and that Iran’s right to enrichment has not been recognized.
“In such situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations is unreasonable,” he said.
CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.
The US has not conducted military strikes against Iran since the ceasefire started, a US official told CNN.
The White House has previously said that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire and that the enrichment of uranium in Iran must end.
What you need to know about the Iran ceasefire after the White House press briefing
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt took questions from reporters as the US and Iran’s fragile ceasefire is being tested today. Both countries have portrayed the agreement as a victory, but since then, Israel declared the largest coordinated strike in Lebanon and Iran responded by halting oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, semi-official news agency Fars reported.
The briefing took place as Iran’s foreign minister said the terms of the ceasefire are “clear and explicit,” arguing that Washington must choose between upholding a ceasefire or pursuing what he described as “continued war via Israel.”
Here’s what Leavitt told reporters today:
- Leavitt defended President Donald Trump’s threat to wipe out an entire civilization, telling reporters his “very tough rhetoric and his tough negotiating style is what has led to the result that you are all witnessing today.”
- Lebanon is not part of the two-week ceasefire deal between the US and Iran as Israeli strikes pounded the country’s capital today, Leavitt reiterated.
- Iran has assured the White House it is allowing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, despite reports of Tehran once again closing the waterway.
- Trump has “floated” the idea the US should earn revenue from the Strait of Hormuz, which will be discussed over the next two weeks.
- Iran’s highly enriched uranium is at the top of Trump’s priority list as negotiations with Tehran enter their next phase, the White House said.
- Trump is sending Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner to negotiate with Iran in Pakistan this weekend, according to Leavitt.
- Trump said NATO allies “were tested and failed” when they did not come to the United States’ aid during the war.
CNN’s Eugenia Yosef, Lauren Kent, Nechirvan Mando, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Donald Judd, Riane Lumer, Christian Sierra, Aditi Sangal, Kit Maher and Izzy Lippolis contributed to this report.
Rubble and destruction seen across Lebanon following barrage of Israeli airstrikes
Israel’s military said it carried out the largest coordinated strike in Lebanon since the war began.
The Israel Defense Forces claimed to strike 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said the attacks killed at least 112 and wounded hundreds more.
Here are snapshots of areas impacted by blasts:
Iran's enriched uranium high on Trump's "priority list," White House says
Iran’s highly enriched uranium is at the top of President Donald Trump’s priority list as negotiations with Tehran enter their next phase, the White House said.
“This is on the top of the priority list for the president and his negotiating team as they head into these next round of discussions,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday, saying Iran’s enriched uranium is a “red line” Trump is not backing away from.
“This is a red line that the president is not going to back away from, and he’s committed to ensuring that takes place. We hope it will be through diplomacy,” she added.
Trump said earlier Wednesday that the US would work with Iran to “dig up and remove” the uranium.
“There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear ‘Dust,’” he wrote on Truth Social.
