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Iran war: What’s happening on day 56 after Trump extended ceasefire?

The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire is extended by three weeks after White House talks with Israeli and Lebanese envoys.

Trump announces three-week extension to Israel-Lebanon ceasefire

By Elizabeth Melimopoulos and AFP

US President Donald Trump has announced a three-week extension to the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon after talks at the White House with Israeli and Lebanese envoys.

As tensions persist across the region, he said he “could make a deal right now” with Iran but is willing to wait for an “everlasting” agreement.

An Israeli strike killed three people in southern Lebanon, and senior officials in Tehran have blamed Washington for stalled negotiations, citing the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Here is what we know:

In Iran

Trump’s Hormuz order: President Trump pledged the US would destroy any vessel laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as he ratchets up pressure on Iran to reopen the crucial sea passage that the US military has also blockaded.
Blockade in Hormuz disputed: Analyst Hassan Ahmadian said the US push in the Strait of Hormuz is not an “economic siege” but a cover to reposition forces “for a possible new round of conflict”.
Iran’s leaders reject division claims: President Masoud Pezeshkian, speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and the head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, have denied Trump’s assertions of internal rifts, with coordinated messaging underscoring unity within Iran’s leadership.
Iran may outlast US blockade: Former US ambassador to Bahrain, Adam Ereli, said Tehran is prepared for sanctions and can store or sell oil through alternative means, warning the pressure campaign could outlast both Trump’s patience and US public support, as foreign policy goals collide with domestic political realities.

War diplomacy

US aircraft carrier arrives in Middle East: The USS George HW Bush aircraft carrier has arrived in the Middle East, the US military said, increasing the number of massive US warships operating in the region to three.
Iran’s foreign minister to Pakistan: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday, as the White House said US envoys ⁠Steve Witkoff ⁠and Jared Kushner will travel to ‌Pakistan on Saturday morning.
Iran welcome at World Cup: Iran’s footballers will be welcome at this year’s World Cup, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, distancing the US government from a proposal that Italy could take their place in the tournament.

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. pic.twitter.com/oDcTM6YMLF

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 23, 2026

In the Gulf

UAE distrust of Iran: Rebuilding trust between Abu Dhabi and Tehran will take “ages and ages”, UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said, after Iran targeted the United Arab Emirates during the Middle East conflict.

In the US

Trump news conference: The US president claimed on Thursday that US forces could quickly “neutralise” any rebuilt Iranian military capacity, signalling no urgency on a long-term deal: “Don’t rush me”.
For the first time, Trump clearly said that the US would not use a nuclear weapon in Iran – days after intense speculation over what he might do, when he threatened to erase Iranian civilisation in a social media post that was widely condemned for its apparent genocidal intent.
US politicians seek protection for Iranians: More than a dozen Democrats are urging Trump’s administration to pause the deportation of Iranians, warning that nearly 12,000 students and others could face persecution or conflict if forced to return, and calling for immediate protections for those unable to safely go home.

In Israel

Israel awaits ‘greenlight’: Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said Israel was “prepared to resume the war” and was awaiting a greenlight from Washington to return Iran to “the Stone Age”.
Israel denies Iran attack: An Israeli security source told AFP on Thursday that air strikes were not being carried out in Iran, following Iranian state media reports that air defence systems had been activated over the capital Tehran.
Hezbollah fires on northern Israel: Hezbollah said on Thursday it fired rockets at northern Israel, accusing the country of violating the ceasefire. “In defence of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the Israeli enemy’s violation of the ceasefire and its targeting of the town of Yater in southern Lebanon,” Hezbollah “targeted the Shtula settlement with a rocket salvo”, the group said.
Netanyahu treated for cancer: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has successfully undergone treatment for early-stage prostate cancer after a small tumour was detected during a routine check-up. The 76-year-old said he asked for the news to be withheld for two months so it would not be released “at the height of the war” with Iran, adding that the delay was intended to prevent “more false propaganda against Israel”.

In Lebanon

Israeli strike kills three people: The Lebanese Health Ministry said an Israeli strike on south Lebanon killed three people – despite a 10-day ceasefire that has now been extended for three weeks.
Beirut shop owner reflects divisions: A shop owner in Beirut laughed off questions about Israel-Lebanon talks in Washington, telling Al Jazeera he feared repercussions for speaking out, underscoring deep divisions in Lebanon where some see negotiations as necessary while others back Hezbollah’s armed resistance as the only path forward.
Peacekeeper dies: The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, announced that an Indonesian peacekeeper died in hospital of wounds suffered on March 29 in an attack on a UNIFIL base.
Hezbollah ‘right to respond’: The Lebanese armed group has “the right to respond at the appropriate time” to any Israeli “aggressions” during the ongoing truce by both sides, said Ali Fayad, a Hezbollah MP.

Oil and global markets

Oil prices rise: Brent crude topped $106 a barrel after tit-for-tat vessel captures in the Strait of Hormuz, increasing nearly 5 percent to $106.80 by 01:00 GMT after climbing above $100 for the first time in two weeks.
Condom prices rise: Prices of condoms and other products reliant on petrochemical supplies have risen, according to Malaysia-based Karex, the world’s largest condom maker, and Top Glove, a leading glove manufacturer.