Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz As Israel Attacks Lebanon

Israel news Lebanon: US Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that Iran’s negotiators assumed Tuesday’s US-Iran ceasefire covered Lebanon, but Washington disagreed.

"I think this was a genuine misunderstanding. The Iranians believed the ceasefire included Lebanon. It didn’t," he told Reuters.

He added that the agreement was intended to focus specifically on Iran and US allies, clarifying that Washington's understanding is that the ceasefire applies only to Iran's direct actions and to America's allies, such as Israel and the Gulf.

Israel Attacks on Lebanon, More Than 250 Killed

Lebanon news: Israeli forces carried out their deadliest strikes on Lebanon since the conflict with Hezbollah began last month, killing more than 250 people on Wednesday.

This coincided with the end of a two-week US-Iran ceasefire, after which the Iran-backed group resumed rocket fire on northern Israel.

On Thursday, Hezbollah said it launched rockets at Israel in response to what it described as a violation of the US-Iran truce, following Wednesday’s Israeli attacks. It is called a violation of the US-Iran truce.

US Iran Ceasefire News: JD Vance to lead US delegation in Islamabad talks

The White House said the US will pursue direct talks with Iran, even as Middle East fighting, including Israeli strikes in Lebanon, threatens the fragile ceasefire during the six-week conflict.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Vance will lead the US delegation to Islamabad, with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Talks begin Saturday morning locally.

Vance, before the visit, said the US and Iran agree on more peace deal terms than they dispute, stating, “disputes over a few issues mean there’s a lot of points of agreement.”

‘There’s a lot of agreement' between the US and Iran

Before the visit, Vance said the US and Iran agree on more parts of a peace deal than they disagree on. He said that disputes over a few issues “must mean there’s a lot of points of agreement.”

He said frustration over three issues “actually means there are many agreements,” adding, “ceasefires are always messy and a bit choppy.”

He also commented on Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, regarding his interpretation of the negotiations.

"There are statements he made that did not align with the context of the negotiations we've had," Vance said.

Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz: Tension Remains High

As per the announcement of agreement between the United States and Iran for two weeks, Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz which it has blocked following the joint military attacks from the United States and Israel.

This waterway is known to be the main route for global oil shipping.

Now as per the latest Strait of Hormuz news, Iran wants to block the waterway again in response to intense Israeli air strikes on Lebanon.

According to Israel, Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire deal, and the United States wants the Strait of Hormuz to remain open.

Hence, it is evident of the fact that tensions between the US and Iran are still not over.

Brief About JD Vance

• J.D. Vance is an author, politician, and venture capitalist from the United States. He garnered attention with his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, where he mentioned about his upbringing in a working class family in Ohio and Kentucky.
• The book turned out to be a bestseller and became the source for movie adaptation. Known for his conservative approach, Vance became a U.S. Senator from Ohio in 2023.
• In his political career, he stressed on issues like family values, challenges faced by American citizens, and economic opportunity.
• Vance has also been a part of venture capital, and made investment in tech startups and working on projects in concern with shaping the lives of Americans in the U.S. Rust Belt.