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.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke to both President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday.
"I expressed my hope that the ceasefire will be fully respected by each of the belligerents, across all areas of confrontation, including in Lebanon," he said in a statement. "This is a necessary condition for the ceasefire to be credible and lasting."
Macron said any agreement will also need to address Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz.
"This is how a strong and lasting peace can be built, with the support of all those who are able to contribute to it," he said, adding, "France will play its full part, in close coordination with its partners in the Middle East."
Apr 08, 2026, 4:50 PM EDT
Vance says US 'never once' said Lebanon was part of ceasefire deal
Vice President J.D. Vance said that the United States has “never once” said that Lebanon was part of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal as Israel launched on Wednesday a barrage of attacks on the country.
“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. We think that would be dumb, but that's their choice,” Vance said, speaking to reporters in Hungary.
“Neither us nor the Israelis said that that was going to be part of the ceasefire,” Vance said later.
Vance said that any confusion about whether Lebanon was included in the ceasefire proposal comes from “a legitimate misunderstanding” from all sides.
Vice President JD Vance speaks to the media before boarding Air Force Two to return to Washington in Budapest, Hungary, April 8, 2026.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
“I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't. We never made that promise,” Vance said. “We never indicated that was going to be the case. 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.”
Vance also repeated his claim that ceasefires are “messy,” but that the White House has been clear to allies that bombing should stop.
“What we have been very clear about is that we want to stop the bombing. We want our allies to stop the bombing, and with the Iranians to do the same thing. We're seeing evidence that things are going in the right direction, but it's going to take a little time,” Vance said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also said on Wednesday that Lebanon was not part of any ceasefire agreement.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray and Hannah Demissie
Apr 08, 2026, 4:48 PM EDT
Lebanon declares Thursday a national day of mourning
Lebanese Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam declared Thursday a national day of mourning, as health officials in the country say Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,739 people and wounded 5,873 others since March 2.
Salam also announced the closure of government offices, public institutions, and municipalities on Thursday, with flags to be flown at half-staff, and the adjustment of regular programming on radio and television stations to reflect the mourning.
First responders work at the site of an Israeli airstrike that struck an apartment building in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026.
Bilal Hussein/AP
Apr 08, 2026, 3:22 PM EDT
Iran parliament speaker claims 'US violations'
Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf laid out what he claims are U.S. "violations" of the ceasefire since the agreement went into effect Tuesday night.
The speaker said Lebanon is included in the ceasefire agreement reached, but Israel has continued strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday.
Rescuers work at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026.
Mohamed Azakir/Reuters
The speaker claimed the framework allowed Iran the right to enrich uranium which Trump has denied.
He also claimed "an intruding drone" entered into Iranian airspace, which was destroyed in the city of Lar in Fars Province.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it intercepted and destroyed a Hermes 900 drone over the central province of Fars earlier Wednesday, according to the semi‑official Fars News Agency.
This was reported after Iran’s oil ministry’s news outlet said the country’s Lavan oil refinery was hit by a strike. Israel denied involvement in the Lavan explosion.
