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 09, 2026, 4:16 PM EDT

Iran says over 3,000 killed since war began

U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran have killed more than 3,000 Iranians since Feb. 28, the head of Iran's Forensic Medicine Organization, Abbas Masjedi, told Mizan, the Iranian judiciary's official news agency, on Thursday.

Masjedi said 40% of the victims were "unidentified," citing the type of attacks and weapons used as the reason for this. He didn’t specify how many of those killed were military-affiliated or civilians.

A government supporter weeps during a mourning ceremony marking the 40th day since the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the U.S. and Israel strikes in Tehran, Iran, April 9, 2026.
Vahid Salemi/AP

This is the first time since early March that an Iranian official has provided a total death toll of the ongoing war.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency -- a U.S.-based group that relies on a network of activists in Iran for its reporting -- reported on Tuesday that at least 3,636 people had been killed across the country since Feb. 28, including at least 1,701 civilians, of whom 254 were children.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

Apr 09, 2026, 3:42 PM EDT

State Department to host talks between Israel, Lebanon next week

The U.S. State Department will host a meeting next week in order to “discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations” with Israel and Lebanon, a department official confirmed to ABC News.

The talks are expected to be direct, with U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa playing a mediator role. Both Israel and Lebanon are expected to be represented by their respective ambassadors to Washington.

A U.S. official said that plans are still being finalized.

-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston

Apr 09, 2026, 3:32 PM EDT

Nearly 1,900 killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon: Health ministry

At least 1,888 people have been killed and another 6,092 were injured in Israeli strikes across Lebanon since March 2, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.

Displaced families extend their hands while waiting for donated food beside the tents they use as shelters after fleeing Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon, in Beirut, Lebanon, April 9, 2026.
Emilio Morenatti/AP

-ABC News' Ghazi Balkiz

Apr 09, 2026, 2:58 PM EDT

IDF says it is striking in Lebanon

The Israel Defense Forces said it began striking "Hezbollah launch sites in Lebanon."

"The IDF is at war. We continue to fight against Hezbollah with great intensity. Yesterday, we entered into a ceasefire in Iran, the IDF’s achievements in the war against Iran are unprecedented and historic," the IDF general staff said Thursday.

Israeli military mobile artillery unit fires towards southern Lebanon from northern Israel, April 9, 2026.
Ariel Schalit/AP

The IDF added, "We are prepared to resume fighting with great determination if required at any given moment."

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