Associated Press….
The U.S. attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship it said had tried to evade its naval blockade near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. It was the first interception since the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports began last week.
Iran’s military has vowed to respond, throwing the fragile ceasefire into question days before it expires Wednesday.
President Donald Trump on Sunday said U.S. negotiators will be in Pakistan on Monday for another round of talks with Iran. However, he appeared to throw cold water on hopes for reaching an agreement to end the war, telling Bloomberg News on Monday that he’s “highly unlikely” to renew the ceasefire.
The escalating standoff threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed fighting. Iran on Monday offered a new death toll for the war, with its forensic chief saying at least 3,375 people had been killed. His comments did not break down casualties among civilians and security forces.
Israel said it would join another round of talks with Lebanon in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. The ambassadors of the two countries met in Washington last week for the first direct diplomatic talks in decades. The Israeli official says the same representatives will join Thursday’s talks.
Here is the latest:
Israel gives its highest honor to Argentine President Javier Milei
The South American leader, one of Israel’s biggest boosters on the international stage, received the country’s Presidential Medal of Honor at a ceremony in Jerusalem.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office said the award was in recognition for Milei’s support of Israel, his solidarity with families of hostages who were held by Hamas in Gaza and his connection to the Jewish people.
“The state of Israel is not alone,” Herzog said. “We have allies, and we have great friends,” he said, adding that Milei had demonstrated his friendship with his visits. He has made two previous trips to Israel since taking office in late 2023.
Milei and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also signed the “Isaac Accords,” an initiative launched by the Argentine president to expand cooperation between Israel and Latin American countries.
Additionally, Milei received an honorary doctorate from Israel’s Bar Ilan University. Among those in attendance at the university were former Israeli hostages of Argentine ancestry.
EU hosts Palestinian peace conference as it seeks greater sway in the Middle East
Europe turned its attention to the Palestinians on Monday as the election defeat of Israel ally Victor Orban in Hungary gives new momentum to efforts addressing Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
More than 60 nations sent representatives to Brussels for talks with Palestinian representatives on stability, security and long-term peace.
The European Union has largely been on the sidelines in the Middle East despite being the biggest provider of aid to the Palestinians and backing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The 27-nation bloc is also Israel’s top trading partner and a major buyer of Israeli weapons.
In the West Bank, Palestinians say Israel has used the cover of the Iran war to tighten its grip over the territory, as settler attacks surge and the military imposes additional wartime restrictions on movement, citing security.
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Vance is at the White House, not Pakistan
Reports based on Trump saying to The New York Post that Vice President JD Vance was en route to Pakistan were off by several thousand miles.
The vice president’s motorcade pulled up to the White House at roughly 11 a.m. EST on Monday, meaning that he has not left for Islamabad for talks regarding the Iran war.
US official confirms it will host another round of Israel-Lebanon talks this week
A second round of direct talks would come as uncertainty mounts over the prospects for an end to the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict and the Iran war.
The U.S. official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the talks between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States would take place on Thursday at the State Department.
The official did not say who the U.S. would be represented by, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the first round last week. The main U.S. interlocuter between Israel and Lebanon has been U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.
“We will continue to facilitate direct, good-faith discussions between the two governments,” the official said.
— By Matthew Lee in Washington
Trump says he’s ‘highly unlikely’ to prolong ceasefire with Iran that’s set to expire this week
Trump told Bloomberg News that he’s “highly unlikely” to renew the two-week ceasefire announced on April 7.
The president also said that the Strait of Hormuz would continue to be blockaded until the U.S. and Iran reach an agreement on the war.
US military says it has directed 27 ships back to Iranian ports during the blockade
The U.S. military’s blockade of Iranian-linked ships has focused on vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports. It’s an attempt to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint in the Persian Gulf through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows.
The U.S. attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel over the weekend that it said had tried to evade its blockade. Iran’s joint military command has vowed to respond.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is preparing for a new round of talks between the United States and Iran two days before a tenuous ceasefire is set to expire
Israeli official says talks with Lebanon to resume in Washington
The official says the countries are resuming their historic diplomatic dialogue on Thursday.
The ambassadors of the two countries met in Washington last week for the first direct diplomatic talks in decades. The Israeli official says the same representatives will join Thursday’s talks.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the behind-the-scenes talks. There was no immediate confirmation from the U.S. or Lebanon.
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah opposes the talks, but is observing a 10-day ceasefire announced last week.
Israel says the talks are aimed at disarming Hezbollah and reaching a peace agreement with Lebanon.
— By Josef Federman
US and allied forces kick off combat drills with Philippines as China objects
The United States and the Philippines kicked off their annual display of allied military might on Monday, aimed at deterring aggression in Asia, despite Washington’s preoccupation with the war in the Middle East.
More than 17,000 American and Filipino military personnel will participate in the weeks-long Balikatan exercise, which includes mock battles and live-fire maneuvers facing the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.
Nearly 10,000 U.S. military personnel will participate. “Regardless of the challenges elsewhere in the world, the United States focus on the Indo-Pacific and our ironclad commitment to the Philippines remains unwavering,” Marine Lt. Gen. Christian Wortman said in the opening ceremony.
China has objected. “Unilateralism and military bullying have already brought profound disasters to the world,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun warned, without mentioning the United States.
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Trump snaps at critique that Israel dragged him into Iran war
In the leadup and throughout the seven-week war, Trump has faced criticism from the left and from some of his own supporters that he followed Israel’s lead into launching the conflict.
But Trump on social media is blaming the media for pushing what he claims is a false narrative.
“Israel never talked me into the war with Iran, the results of Oct. 7th, added to my lifelong opinion that IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” Trump posted.
Still no commitment by Iran for Round 2 talks with US
The office of Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said he spoke Monday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, urging sustained diplomacy to address pending issues.
The Pakistan Foreign Office statement did not mention whether they discussed Iran resuming talks with the US in Islamabad, but said officials agreed to remain closely engaged going forward.
Trump says Vance is en route to Pakistan, but it’s not clear where the VP actually is
The New York Post quoted Trump in an interview claiming that Vice President JD Vance is headed to Pakistan for negotiations on the Iran War, along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who is Trump’s son-in-law.
“They’re heading over now,” Trump said. “They’ll be there tonight.”
But it’s not quite clear if Trump was speaking more broadly or if the claims about Vance are accurate. Administration officials have in response to questions declined to confirm if Vance is, in fact, mid-air on the way to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
Top Catholic leader in Israel condemns defacing of statue of Jesus in Lebanon
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, on Monday expressed “profound indignation and unreserved condemnation” of the defacing of a statue of Jesus Christ by an Israeli soldier in Lebanon, saying the act “constitutes a grave affront to the Christian faith.”
The Israeli military confirmed on Sunday that images showing an Israeli soldier smashing the head of a toppled Christ statue with a sledgehammer were genuine, setting off a wave of condemnation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had launched a criminal investigation into the soldier’s actions. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described it as “shameful” and apologized “to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”
In a statement from Jerusalem, The Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land, headed by Pizzaballa, called for “immediate and decisive disciplinary action, a credible process of accountability, and clear assurances that such conduct will neither be tolerated nor repeated.”
Germany warns wars are destabilizing ‘far beyond Middle East’
The country’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, called on both Iran and the United States to cease hostilities and reach a negotiated solution in the Middle East.
He told reporters Monday in Hannover that the uncertainties created by the continuation of the conflict “have massive repercussions not only on the Middle East, not only on the Asian region, but also on the European region.”
“And the repercussions will not stop at America’s doorstep,” Merz added.
“All of this is currently jeopardizing economic development around the world and could lead to further political destabilization,” the chancellor warned. “The most important prerequisite for stability in the energy markets is an end to hostilities.”
UAE arrests people over alleged ties to Iran
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates arrested members of a unit with alleged ties to Iran, the state’s media reported.
The UAE-run WAM news agency reported Monday that those arrested had extremist views and were part of a “terrorist” unit, holding secret meetings, threatening internal security, planning to share sensitive location information and trying to recruit people to join suspicious foreign groups.
Dubai has previously shut down the city-state’s Iranian Hospital and Iranian Club, institutions that date back to the time of the shah.
Oil prices climb as US stocks give back only a bit of their record-breaking rally
Monday’s opening trades in the U.S. are a sharp turnaround from Friday, when oil prices tumbled after Iran said it was reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Now oil prices are climbing and U.S. stock prices are slipping again as the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel on Sunday cast doubt on a second round of peace negotiations before the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. expires on Wednesday. Airline stocks also tumbled again, as they tend to when oil prices jump.
“The problem for markets is not the absence of hope; it is the overpricing of it,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.
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What captaining an oil tanker in the Mideast is like right now
Captain Rahman Al-Jubouri helms the Palau-flagged Sea Moon in one of the world’s most volatile maritime corridors, where the U.S.-Israel war with Iran has disrupted global trade and left some crews stranded and exposed to attacks.
The hostilities are not new for al-Jubouri, an Iraqi who has worked these seas during decades of upheaval, including the Iran-Iraq War and the 1991 Gulf War. Once again, he finds himself operating in high-risk waters, as military strikes threaten vessels seeking to navigate through chokepoints like Bab el-Mandeb and the Persian Gulf.
“We’re sailing over a ball of fire,” he said, speaking to The Associated Press by phone as he guides the ship from the Gulf of Aden toward the Gulf of Oman to unload oil at Ras Isa port in Yemen.
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Israel condemns a soldier defacing a statue of Jesus in Lebanon
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned an Israeli soldier filmed defacing a statue of Jesus Christ during operations in Lebanon, saying he was “stunned and saddened” by the soldier’s actions.
Photos surfaced on Sunday of a soldier smashing the head of a toppled statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer. The Israeli military overnight confirmed the images were genuine, setting off a wave of condemnation. Netanyahu said Israel had launched a criminal investigation into the soldier’s actions. The Israeli military also said it was assisting the community to restore the statue.
The military did not immediately confirm where or when the incident took place. The Israeli military controls a large swath of southern Lebanon, reaching some 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Israeli border, and has not allowed residents to return.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, a staunch Christian, said Israel must take action against the “outrageous act.”
China’s Xi calls for Strait of Hormuz to reopen
It is the first time that Chinese President Xi Jinping has publicly called for the reopening of the waterway. He made the comments in a call Monday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Xi said that China supported an “immediate and comprehensive ceasefire” and backed any efforts at restoring peace in the Middle East, according to a readout of the call published by the official Xinhua News Agency.
Prince Mohammed said Saudi Arabia was committed to resolving the conflict through dialogue and hoped to avoid further escalation.
Iran willing to attend second round of talks with US, Pakistan officials say
Iranian authorities have expressed willingness to send a delegation for a second round of talks in Islamabad this week, two Pakistani officials said Monday.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, said there is cautious optimism that delegations from both Iran and the United States could travel to Islamabad.
They added that Pakistan will not share details about either side’s travel plans due to security considerations.
They also urged media outlets to avoid speculation about the timing of the talks, saying the process remains fluid.
Lebanon’s president says his country will negotiate on its own
President Joseph Aoun’s comments hinted Beirut will not accept that Iran negotiates on its behalf as part of U.S.-Iran talks.
Aoun said a Lebanese delegation led by diplomat Simon Karam will lead the next round of talks with Israel, as a 10-day fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah remains in place. The date for the talks has not been confirmed yet.
“No one will participate with Lebanon in this mission or replace it,” Aoun said in a statement. He said the aim of the negotiations is to halt “hostile actions, end the Israeli occupation of southern areas, and deploy the army up to the internationally recognized southern borders.”
He said Lebanon faces two options: the continuation of the war, or negotiations to end it. Hezbollah has expressed opposition to direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. Last week, the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington held the first direct talks in decades.
An Indian-flagged oil tanker crossed Strait of Hormuz over the weekend
India’s Shipping Ministry said on Monday that the vessel carrying crude oil and 31 seafarers safely crossed of Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, the same day two other Indian vessels had to turn back after reports of Iranian gunfire.
The vessel is expected to arrive at Mumbai on Wednesday, the ministry said. It added that 10 Indian-flagged ships have so far safely crossed the strait.
Oil prices jump and stocks are mixed
Oil prices climbed more than 5% while world shares were mixed Monday as a standoff between Iran and the U.S. prevented tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. benchmark crude gained 5.3% to $87.88 a barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, was up 5.3% at $95.62 a barrel.
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Brazil’s Lula condemns massive spending on wars
Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said during a visit to Germany it is unacceptable that hunger, illiteracy and a lack of access to electricity remain unresolved for billions of people while trillions are spent on wars.
“We are experiencing a critical moment in global geopolitics, marked by great paradoxes: While astronauts fly to the moon, women and children are being killed indiscriminately in the bombings in the Middle East,” he said Sunday night at the Hannover trade fair, German news agency dpa reported.
Lula called for modern technologies to be used not for wars, but “for a more sustainable and secure world.”
China expresses concern over US seizure of Iranian ship
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern Monday over the U.S. seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship on Sunday.
“We hope all relevant parties will adopt a responsible attitude, abide by the ceasefire agreement, avoid escalating tensions or intensifying contradictions,” spokesperson Guo Jiakun said.
“The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway, and ensure its unimpeded passage serves the common interests of countries in the region and the international community,” Guo said.
China has called for the resumption of the normal operation of the waterway.
Iran’s military explains why Tehran didn’t resist ship raid
Iran’s military offered an explanation Monday for why it didn’t fight back against U.S. Marines who raided an Iranian vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which oversees operations of Iran’s regular military and its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said it held back attacking the Marines because the ship’s crew had family members aboard the Touska.
“Due to the presence of some family members of the ship’s crew, they faced constraints in order to protect their lives and ensure their safety, as they were in danger at every moment,” it said.
However, Iran also has seen much of its navy and airborne assets destroyed in the war.
Khatam al-Anbiya vowed it will take “necessary action against the terrorist U.S. military” in the future, without elaborating.
Iran Foreign Ministry says no plans yet to attend talks
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on Monday said Tehran did not have plans yet to attend any talks with the United States.
He did not rule out Iran attending talks.
Authorities in Islamabad had been making preparations for another round potentially happened there this week.
“So far, while I am here, we have no plans for the next round of negotiations and no decision has been made in this regard,” Baghaei said during a news conference.
Pakistan interior minister meets US chargé d’affaires
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Monday.
The meeting focused on strengthening Pakistan-U. S. relations and preparations for a second round of talks scheduled to take place in Islamabad this week, Naqvi’s office said.
The statement did not specify when the talks are expected to begin.
Naqvi briefed Baker on security arrangements, saying special measures had been taken to ensure the safety of visiting delegations.
“We have made comprehensive security arrangements for our distinguished guests,” Naqvi said in the statement.
Baker offered an appreciation for Pakistan’s role in easing regional tensions and efforts to facilitate dialogue.
Pakistan prepares to host second round of talks
Pakistani authorities on Monday prepared to host a second round of talks between Iran and the United States, despite questions about whether the negotiations will take place.
Pakistan has intensified diplomatic contacts since Sunday with Washington and Tehran to ensure the talks proceed as soon as Tuesday, officials said on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke by phone late Sunday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Sharif’s office said in a statement that did not mention the planned talks.
Authorities began closing key roads and stepping up security in the capital Islamabad over the weekend, particularly around a luxury hotel where the delegations are expected to meet.
Authorities deployed troops at checkpoints, closed tourist sites and instructed major hotels to limit bookings to ensure availability.
Iran’s forensic medicine leader says death toll now over 3,300
Iran on Monday offered a new death toll for the war with Israel and the United States, with its forensic chief saying at least 3,375 people had been killed in the conflict.
The figure came from Abbas Masjedi, who oversees Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization.
Masjedi, quoted by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency and other outlets Monday, said only four of the dead remain unidentified.
His comments did not breakdown casualties among civilians and security forces, instead just saying 2,875 were male and 496 were female.
Masjedi said 383 of the dead were children 18 years old and under.
Masjedi’s figures raised questions about whether or not they included security force members, particularly given the levels of intense bombings targeting military bases and arsenals in the country.
Iran says it hangs 2 convicts claimed by opposition group
Iran said Monday it hanged two men it accused of setting fire to buildings on behalf of the Israeli intelligence service Mossad.
An Iranian exiled opposition group earlier claimed the men as members and alleged their charges stemmed from events that happened after they already had been detained.
The Mizan news agency of Iran’s judiciary identified the men hanged as Mohammad Masoum Shahi and Hamed Validi.
The Mujahedeen-e-Khalq opposition group identified Shahi as Nima Shahi.
The MEK said the men had been “subjected to interrogation and torture.” This brings to eight the total number of MEK members executed since the start of the war.
Activists and rights groups say Iran routinely holds closed-door trials in which defendants are unable to challenge the accusations they face.
Hezbollah claims it destroyed Israeli tanks
Hezbollah said it detonated explosives Sunday afternoon in an attack against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
The group said in a statement Monday that bombs planted by Hezbollah fighters exploded and destroyed four tanks in a convoy of eight tanks that was passing the village of Deir Siryan.
It was the first claim of an attack by Hezbollah since a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment.
Tehran says restrictions on Iranian oil come with a price
Iran’s first vice president, Mohammad Reza Aref, says global fuel prices could stabilize only if economic and military pressures on Iranian oil exports end.
“One cannot restrict Iran’s oil exports while expecting free security for others,” Aref wrote on X. “The choice is clear: either a free oil market for all, or the risk of significant costs for everyone.”
