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Middle East

Americas

Expresses willingness to meet with senior Iranian leaders if the US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan yield a breakthrough; says he will not lift the blockade until a deal is reached with Iran.



Day 52: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

US Vice President JD Vance steps off Marine Two before departing on Air Force Two from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on April 14, 2026. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump indicated earlier that Vice President JD Vance would not make the trip; In a telephonic conversation, PM Sharif apprises President Pezeshkian of talks with regional leaders for peace

Day 51: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

Nabatieh, Lebanon: Khodr Sahmarani stood dazed beside the rubble of his south Lebanon home, his forehead in a white bandage, staring at the wreckage where his brother, nephew and two neighbors died. &quot;I was upstairs, then I was underground. I screamed &#39;Where are you, where are you?&#39;, but there was no one,&quot; he said after surviving an Israeli airstrike on the city of Nabatiyeh just hours before the ceasefire began at midnight on Thursday night. The afternoon attack flattened what residents say was a five-story building, creating a jumble of shattered concrete in the battered city. Nabatiyeh rescuer Mohammad Sleiman told AFP they recovered one body from the strike site on Thursday night, and another three on Friday morning. Sahmarani, 57, said rescuers &quot;came and took me out of the rubble&quot;. 10-day ceasefireIsrael and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday in order to negotiate an end to six weeks of war between Israel and Hezbollah. The conflict saw massive Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon and also a ground invasion in the south. Lebanese authorities say the war that began on March 2 has killed nearly 2,300 people, and caused widespread devastation in southern towns and cities such as Nabatiyeh. President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that &quot;direct negotiations&quot; with Israel &quot;are crucial&quot;, and that the government aims to &quot;consolidate a ceasefire, secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied southern territories, recover prisoners, and address outstanding border disputes&quot;. Hezbollah halted military operations after the ceasefire came into effect, but warned that it was keeping its &quot;finger on the trigger&quot; in case Israel violated the truce. Nabatiyeh&#39;s streets were almost empty on Friday, and countless buildings in the city center have been damaged or destroyed. Deadly Israeli strikesA few kilometers outside the city, a group of Hezbollah supporters cheered on the trickle of cars coming from the direction of Beirut, flashing victory signs and waving the party&#39;s yellow flag. Deadly Israeli strikes were reported up to the final few minutes before the midnight Thursday deadline agreed upon by the two governments. &quot;It was the last hours. If it was the beginning of the war, the middle of the war, one can come to terms with it, but it was the last hours,&quot; Sahmarani said, his eyes bloodshot and tearful.Fadel Hassan Zahri, a neighbor, said the people who were killed had been &quot;lifelong friends of mine&quot;. &quot;I wouldn&#39;t eat without them, I wouldn&#39;t drink without them.&quot; Sahmarani said he has nowhere else to go, and would probably crawl back into the rubble of his home at night and find a ledge or somewhere to lay his head.

Lebanese authorities say the war that began on March 2 has killed nearly 2,300 people, and caused widespread devastation in southern towns and cities such as Nabatiyeh.

Lebanese lives torn apart as Israel ceasefire loomed

Iran says Strait of Hormuz fully open but bans military vessels; Trump thanks Tehran as oil prices fall; US President rejects NATO help; Lebanon reports nearly 2,300 killed in Israeli strikes since March 2

All you need to know about Day 49 of US-Israeli war on Iran

A photograph taken from the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon shows Israeli soldiers driving along a road running beside destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon on April 15, 2026. (AFP)

US President Donald Trump says he is expecting leaders from Lebanon and Israel at the White House in 4 or 5 days after he had announced a ceasefire between the two countries; he also told reporters that he might visit Islamabad if a deal with Iran is signed.

Day 48: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

​US President Donald Trump vowed Friday to have the Strait of Hormuz open "with or without" Iran's cooperation, ahead of peace talks in Pakistan in which the key waterway will loom large.

Day 42: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

Web Desk

US Vice President JD Vance speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force Two at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on April 10, 2026, as he departs for Pakistan for talks on Iran. (AFP)

Talks follow a two-week truce brokered through Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement, with officials describing the upcoming negotiations as a critical opportunity to stabilize a region shaken by weeks of conflict; PM Sharif says Pakistan remains committed to facilitating dialogue and ensuring the talks' success.





US Vice President Vance heads to Pakistan for Islamabad Talks

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, the Saudi foreign ministry said Thursday, in the first official contact between the countries since Tehran launched strikes against its Gulf neighbors in retaliation for Israeli-American attacks.

Day 41: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday strongly condemned Israeli aggression against Lebanon during a call with his Lebanese counterpart Nawaf Salam.&nbsp;&ldquo;I strongly condemned Israel&rsquo;s ongoing aggression against Lebanon and offered condolences over the loss of thousands of precious lives in Lebanon as a result of these hostilities,&rdquo; Sharif said in a post on X.&nbsp;Israel carried out its most intense airstrikes on Lebanon on Thursday, after the two-week ceasefire between US and Iran was announced, killing more than 200 people in a single day.&nbsp;Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to advancing peace efforts and facilitating dialogue in the upcoming Iran&ndash;US talks in Islamabad on Saturday.&nbsp;&ldquo;Grateful to Prime Minister Nawaf Salam who expressed his appreciation for Pakistan&rsquo;s peace efforts,&rdquo; Sharif added that his counterpart also &ldquo;underscored the need for our continued support in securing an immediate end to the attacks targeting Lebanon and its people.&rdquo;&nbsp;<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted">US Vice President JD Vance, who is set to lead the American delegation to Islamabad on Saturday, has said the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, &ldquo;If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart&hellip; over Lebanon&hellip; that&rsquo;s ultimately their choice.&rdquo;&nbsp;<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'> <p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'>Both&nbsp;Israel and the US have said the ceasefire does not include Lebanon. Iran&#39;s parliamentary speaker warned that Tehran sees Lebanon as an &quot;inseparable part of the ceasefire&quot; and threatened &quot;strong responses&quot;, coinciding with mounting international calls for Lebanon to be encompassed in the truce. Earlier during the day, Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, condemned Israeli aggression against Lebanon in the strongest terms.&nbsp;&quot;Pakistan condemns, in the strongest terms, the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon, resulting in the loss of innocent lives and the widespread destruction of infrastructure,&quot; said a press release issued by Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2042145465207288241&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=a87d4f6f40a6c88d17fbf434d9a70a6ab76435b5&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 901px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&quot;The Israeli actions undermine international efforts to establish peace and stability in the region and constitute a blatant violation of international law and fundamental humanitarian principles,&quot; the statement said. Pakistan calls upon the international community to take urgent and concrete steps to end Israeli aggression against Lebanon, it added. Pakistan reiterates its unwavering solidarity with the Government and people of Lebanon during this difficult time and supports Lebanon&rsquo;s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its peace and stability, the statement concluded.

Foreign Affairs

'Pakistan condemns, in the strongest terms, the ongoing Israeli aggression against Lebanon, resulting in the loss of innocent lives and the widespread destruction of infrastructure,' said a press release issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

Pakistan, Lebanon call for end to Israeli strikes amid Islamabad peace talks

Iran’s FM Araghchi has accused the US, Israel of carrying out “blind assassinations” to compensate for “their failure” to achieve their war objectives; the US president has given Iran till Tuesday midnight to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Articles tagged with "Israeli Strikes on Lebanon"

Day 52: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

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US Vice President Vance heads to Pakistan for Islamabad Talks

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Day 38: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

Day 52: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran