Associated Press..
CAIRO (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump says the American military has begun a blockade of Iranian ports. Trump’s statement on Monday was part of his effort to force Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept a deal to end the war that has raged for more than six weeks. Iran responded with threats on all ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, taking aim at U.S.-allied countries. That set the stage for an extraordinary showdown that posed serious risks for the global economy and raised the specter that the ceasefire could collapse and the war could resume.
BEIRUT (AP) — A senior Hezbollah official says the Lebanese militant group will not abide by any agreements made in upcoming direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in the United States. The talks, which are to start on Tuesday, will be the first in decades. Hezbollah opposes these negotiations, viewing Israel as an enemy. Lebanese officials hope for a ceasefire, while Israel is seeking Hezbollah’s disarmament and a potential peace agreement. Wafiq Safa, a high-ranking member of Hezbollah’s political council, told The Associated Press in a rare interview on Monday that Hezbollah is “not interested in or concerned with” these negotiations in the U.S.
