Iran War Live Updates: Fragile Cease-Fire Takes Hold as Both Sides Claim Victory
International relief was tempered by uncertainty over what comes next. Israel declared its support for the two-week truce between the U.S. and Iran, but pressed ahead with its strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
A fragile cease-fire between the United States and Iran appeared to be holding on Wednesday, as both sides claimed victory amid deep uncertainty about plans to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and the next steps in the diplomatic process.
President Trump said Wednesday that the United States would “work closely with Iran” after demanding Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” for weeks. Iranian officials were triumphant after the agreement, brokered by Pakistan, was announced, with Mohammad Reza Aref, the country’s first vice president, saying on social media that “the era of Iran” had begun after Mr. Trump failed to destroy the Islamic Republic’s government. Iran said the strait would remain open while negotiations took place.
Shipping companies signaled that they were cautious about resuming transit through the waterway. Two bulk carriers crossed on Wednesday, according to Kpler, a tracking company. A handful of ships have moved through each day since the war began, but more than 400 vessels remain “effectively stranded” in the Persian Gulf, Kpler said.
Israel, which said the cease-fire did not extend to Lebanon, on Wednesday carried out its largest strike against Hezbollah since that front opened up following the militant group’s rocket attacks on Israel in solidarity with Iran in March. Lebanon’s health ministry said that dozens of people had been killed and hundreds more wounded in the strikes on Beirut, the Lebanese capital, and other parts of the country.
Further highlighting the fragility of the truce, Iran’s state media reported that an oil refinery on Lavan, an Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, was struck by unspecified “enemies.” Fresh Iranian attacks were also reported in some Persian Gulf countries. Kuwait’s defense ministry said that its air defenses had engaged with at least 28 drones from Iran despite the cease-fire.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan wrote on social media that cease-fire violations had been reported at a “few places across the conflict zone,” which undermined the spirit of the diplomatic process. He urged all parties to “exercise restraint.”
Investors welcomed the cease-fire after weeks of war, which caused an energy crisis and turmoil for global markets. The price of oil tumbled on Wednesday, with Brent crude, the international benchmark, down almost 15 percent to about $95 a barrel. Global stock markets soared.
Worldwide relief at the pause in fighting was tempered by confusion over what would come next. Many challenges remain if the United States and Iran are to achieve a permanent deal to end the war. And restarting operations at damaged refineries, storage facilities, and oil and gas fields will take time.
Nima, who lives in the Iranian capital, Tehran, said Wednesday morning was the first time in around 40 days that he had not feared his colleagues might be killed in an airstrike. It was a good feeling, he said — the latest in a swirl of emotions experienced by Iranians like him, after Mr. Trump’s threat to wipe out their civilization on Tuesday and reports of a flurry of negotiations to pause the war.
“Last night was a really frightening evening,” said Nima, who declined to be fully named, fearing reprisals from the government.
Here’s what else we’re covering:
U.S. defense officials: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held a news conference at the Pentagon. They presented a partial list of Iranian targets hit during the war, and statistics they claimed illustrated the damage to Iran’s military. Mr. Hegseth said that additional U.S. forces would remain in the region during the temporary truce.
Israel: Critics of Mr. Netanyahu called the cease-fire “a diplomatic disaster,” and accused him of failing to achieve his stated war goal of destroying Iran’s theocratic government.
Persian Gulf: Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates reported missile and drone attacks on Wednesday. Bahrain’s interior ministry sounded warning sirens and reported a fire started by an Iranian attack.
Pakistan: Mr. Sharif said he had invited U.S. and Iranian delegations for talks in Islamabad on Friday, and Iran’s National Security Council said that Iran would attend. The Trump administration said it was in discussions about holding in-person talks with Iran.
Death tolls: The Human Rights Activists News Agency said at least 1,665 civilians, including 244 children, had been killed in Iran as of Monday. Lebanon’s health ministry on Monday said that more than 1,500 people had been killed in the latest fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. In attacks blamed on Iran, at least 32 people have been killed in Gulf nations. In Israel, at least 20 people had been killed as of Monday. The American death toll stands at 13 service members."
No comments:
Post a Comment