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, 5:31 PM EDT

Trump says Iran 'better not' charge a Strait of Hormuz toll

President Donald Trump issued a warning on social media Thursday while responding to "reports" that Iran is collecting tolls in the Strait of Hormuz, saying "they better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!"

A view of the vessels passing through Strait of Hormuz following the two-week temporary ceasefire reached between the United States and Iran on the condition that the strait be reopened, seen in Oman, April 8, 2026.
Shady Alassar/Anadolu via Getty Images

This comes as the president suggested to ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jon Karl on Wednesday that the U.S. and Iran could work together to collect tolls.

"We're thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It's a way of securing it -- also securing it from lots of other people," Trump told Karl in a phone call, when asked if he's okay with the Iranians charging a toll for all ships that go through the Strait of Hormuz.

-ABC News' Isabella Murray

Apr 09, 2026, 4:23 PM EDT

Damage but no injuries in Kuwait after 'hostile' drone attacks, Kuwait National Guard says

Kuwait said one of its National Guard sites was targeted by "hostile drones" resulting in "significant material damage" but no casualties.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Defense said earlier that drones were targeting "a number of vital facilities."

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

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