President Trump says US Navy will begin blockade of Strait of Hormuz

The U.S. and Iran failed to reach a peace deal after 21 hours of negotiations.

ByDavid Brennan, Jon Haworth, Nadine El-Bawab, and Kevin Shalvey
Last Updated: April 12, 2026, 10:22 PM EDT

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military and government sites.

Trump set a deadline for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face broad strikes on its critical infrastructure. Hours before the deadline expired, Trump said he had agreed to suspend planned bombing for two weeks if Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi then said that "safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he supported the ceasefire with Iran, but that Lebanon -- where intense Israeli strikes continued -- was not covered by the agreement, despite Iranian protests.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Apr 08, 2026, 11:27 AM EDT

Trump says talks will happen ‘very soon,’ Vance may not attend because of ‘safety, security’

President Donald Trump said Vice President JD Vance may not attend upcoming negotiations due to “safety, security,” though his exact concerns were not disclosed, he told the NY Post in a phone interview.

“We’ll have Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, JD -- maybe JD, I don’t know. There’s a question of safety, security,” Trump reportedly told the NY Post.

Trump also said he expects in-person talks to take place “very soon,” according to the NY Post.

“Very soon, actually — it’s going to take place very soon,” he reportedly said.

Firm plans over upcoming talks have yet to be formally announced, though mediators are planning for the end of the week.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that “there are discussions about in person talks, but nothing is final until announced by the President or the White House.”

Apr 08, 2026, 11:21 AM EDT

IRGC says it downed drone over Fars Province

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that it intercepted and destroyed a Hermes 900 drone over the central province of Fars, Iran, on Wednesday, according to the semi‑official Fars News Agency.


The incident was reported after Iran’s oil ministry’s news outlet said the country’s Lavan oil refinery was hit by a strike earlier on Wednesday. Israel denied involvement in the Lavan explosion.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Apr 08, 2026, 11:04 AM EDT

Pakistan's prime minister, Iranian president speak Wednesday

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke on Wednesday, with Pezeshkian confirming Iran would be participating in talks in Islamabad, the prime minister's office said in statement.

Sharif called the conversation with Pezeshkian "warm and cordial," saying it lasted more than 45 minutes.

Apr 08, 2026, 10:59 AM EDT

Trump says Lebanon not included in deal: ‘That’s a separate skirmish’

President Donald Trump said that Lebanon is not included in the two-week ceasefire with Iran, in a phone interview with PBS.

"Yeah they were not included in the deal," Trump told PBS.

Asked why, Trump said, “because of Hezbollah. They were not included in the deal.”

“That’ll get taken care of too. It’s alright," Trump said.

A woman is assisted at the site of an Israeli airstrike that struck an apartment building in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026.
Bilal Hussein/AP

Asked if he is comfortable with Israel continuing to strike Lebanon, the president claimed this is a "separate skirmish.”

“It’s part of the deal - everyone knows that. That’s a separate skirmish,” Trump said, according to PBS.

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