Trump says US Navy attacked and seized Iranian-flagged cargo ship
"U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel," Trump said.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military and government sites.
After initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan failed to reach a peace deal, Trump announced Sunday, April 19, that U.S. negotiators would head back to Islamabad Monday for a new round.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Vice President JD Vance would accompany special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, to Islamabad for the talks.
Iran's continuing blockage of the Strait of Hormuz and their alleged refusal to abandon their nuclear program remain key sticking points in negotiations, according to Trump.
Key Headlines
- Trump says US Navy attacked and seized Iranian-flagged cargo ship
- Trump says 'the concept of' a peace deal with Iran is done
- Trump again threatens to strike Iranian infrastructure; announces new round of talks in Islamabad
- US-Iran talks have made progress, but 'gaps' remain, Tehran's chief negotiator says
- Iranian navy to bring 'new defeats' for US and Israel, supreme leader says
Trump says blockade will remain in effect
Despite Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, President Donald Trump said the U.S. blockade on Iran will remain in effect.
The blockade will remain "UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE. THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED," Trump wrote in a post on social media.
Iran fully opens Strait of Hormuz, Trump says
President Donald Trump has announced that Iran is fully opening the Strait of Hormuz, in a post on social media.
"IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE," Trump said in a post on social media Friday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also announced the strait's opening on social media Friday.
"In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran," Araghchi wrote.
Thousands return to southern Lebanon, buoyed by ceasefire, as Israel issues warning
Tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese people were moving south on Friday, following the announcement of a 10-day ceasefire, headed back toward the homes they abandoned even as Israel issued new warnings.
"Out of concern for your safety and the safety of your families' members -- until further notice -- you are requested not to move south of the Litani River," Avichay Adraee, an Arab-language spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said in a social media post.
Israel's air raids and ground operations against Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon pushed many locals north in recent weeks.
Israeli prior to the ceasefire had warned anyone south of the Litani River, a geographic boundary between southern and northern Lebanon, that they should move north for their safety.
Israel said its operations targeted members and infrastructure belonging Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, both in southern Lebanon and in the suburbs of Beirut.
President Donald Trump said a ceasefire would begin at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, news that followed talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington earlier in the week.
State Department releases 6-point agreement for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire
The U.S. State Department released a six-point memorandum of understanding underpinning the 10-day ceasefire agreed to by Lebanon and Israel on Thursday.
The agreement says the ceasefire may be extended by mutual agreement if there is progress in negotiations and Lebanon "effectively demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty."
The agreement also stipulates that "Israel shall preserve its right to take all necessary measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.”
Under the agreement, Israel says it will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets and Lebanon says it will take "meaningful steps" to prevent Hezbollah from carrying out attacks on Israeli targets.
-ABC News' Shannon Kingston