The Latest: Trump pulls back on threats as US, Israel and Iran reach a 2-week ceasefire deal
Iran, the United States and Israel said they reached a deal for a two-week ceasefire, with Tehran saying it would negotiate with the United States in Islamabad beginning Friday.
Trump initially said Iran proposed a “workable” 10-point plan, but he later called the plan fraudulent without elaborating.
Trump’s threats to launch devastating strikes on Iran hit a new extreme hours before the ceasefire when he warned, “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," if Iran failed to make a deal that included reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement Wednesday morning, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it supports Trump’s decision to suspend strikes against Iran for two weeks, but that it doesn’t include the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, where more than 1,500 people have been killed.
Here is the latest:
Protesters stormed the Kuwaiti Consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra late Tuesday.
Kuwait said in a statement it condemns the action by protesters opposed to the U.S. military’s use of numerous bases in Kuwait for launching attacks against Iran.
“Kuwait holds Iraq fully and directly responsible for this assault and for any shortcomings in taking the appropriate measures to protect diplomatic and consular missions on its territory,” the statement said.
Kuwait said it would “negatively impact bilateral relations” between the countries, which share a border.
“The State of Kuwait affirms that it is not a party to any regional or international conflict and that it has not and will not allow its territory to be used to launch an attack against any country, in accordance with its foreign policy,” the statement added.
The Iraqi government condemned the incident and said it will launch an investigation. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain issued statements supporting Kuwait.
Oman said it welcomes the U.S.-Iranian ceasefire agreement and praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts to bring about the 14-day cessation of hostilities.
Prior to the war, Oman was a key mediator in its capital Muscat and in Geneva.
“The Sultanate of Oman emphasizes the importance of intensifying efforts now to find solutions that will end the crisis at its roots and achieve a permanent cessation of hostilities in the region,” the Omani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Israel hit parts of southern Lebanon, with many of the strikes targeting areas near the coastal city of Tyre, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported.
A residential building was struck at dawn, killing four people in Tyre, where a drone strike targeted a car, although it was unclear who the intended target was in the vehicle.
Elsewhere, Israel hit a post of the Islamic Health Committee paramedics, one of various social programs operated by militant group Hezbollah, NNA reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said Lebanon and Israel continue to trade fire because Lebanon is not part of the two-week ceasefire agreed by Washington and Tehran. The statement contradicted information released by Pakistan, which served as a mediator for the agreement.
Hezbollah has not issued a statement on the developments.
Benchmark U.S. crude oil sank 13.3% to $96, while brent crude, the international standard, dropped below $95 on Wednesday.
The oil prices fell while Asian benchmarks rose in Wednesday trading after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Shares jumped in early trading in Japan, Australia, South Korea and China in reaction to the ceasefire.
A recent spike in prices was a response to the war effectively blocking passage of much of the world’s oil supply through the strait.
Lebanon’s Crisis Management Unit has urged displaced people not to travel south following the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement.
The unit’s statement came as many displaced people packed their belongings and started moving south, thinking the agreement also included Lebanon, where Israel and the Hezbollah militant group are at war.
Pakistan, which mediated the agreement, said the two-week cessation of hostilities agreement included Lebanon, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it did not.
Hezbollah did not immediately comment.
More than 1 million people in Lebanon have been displaced in just over a month.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Wednesday that the two-week ceasefire in the war in Iran “augurs well for the restoration of peace and stability, not only to the region but also the rest of the world.”
Indonesia also welcomed the latest development as an effort to keep the door open for diplomacy in order to promote de-escalation.
Yvonne Mewengkang, spokesperson for Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs, said: “The Indonesian government will always support any constructive diplomatic efforts, including those that have the potential to lead to a more permanent resolution, with the protection of civilians as our primary focus.”
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry in a statement praised mediation efforts by countries including Pakistan and called for a swift restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East. It said it expects the “prompt and safe” resumption of free passage through the Strait of Hormuz for all vessels, including South Korean ships.
Trump in a social media post declared the ceasefire agreement a “big day for World Peace” and that the U.S. “will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz.”
“There will be lots of positive action!” Trump predicted in his post.
“Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process. We’ll be loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just ‘hangin’ around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well. I feel confident that it will.”
Trump’s message on his Truth Social website signals Washington’s concern about Iran maintaining its chokehold over the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, through which 20% of all oil and natural gas passes in peace time.
Bahrain sounded its missile alert sirens Wednesday morning, hours after the U.S. and Iran say they reached a two-week ceasefire in the war for negotiations.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry announced the warning.
It wasn’t immediately clear from the ceasefire when it would begin.
Iran has fired missiles on the Gulf Arab states and Israel after the announcement.
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