The U.S. canceled a planned meeting in Pakistan that was supposed to include Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Donald Trump said the trip was not worth the time and claimed Iran’s leadership was too disorganized to talk. At the same time, Iran’s foreign minister left Pakistan after meeting officials there and then traveled to Oman. He said he wants to work with nearby countries and is unsure if the U.S. truly wants diplomacy.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their ceasefire, but fighting has still continued. Israel and Hezbollah keep blaming each other for breaking the agreement. There have been attacks on both sides, with people killed and injured in southern Lebanon. Israel’s prime minister told the military to strongly strike Hezbollah targets, and Hezbollah said it attacked Israeli forces in response to earlier Israeli actions.
The wider region remains tense. Iran warned the U.S. that it will respond if American forces continue blocking its ports. Oil prices have risen above $105 because of worries about the Strait of Hormuz. New reports also say Iranian strikes caused much more damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East than was first reported, and repairs may cost billions. Thousands of people across Iran, Lebanon, and other areas have died since the conflict escalated in late February