Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned they will deliver a “regret-inducing response” if attacks on Lebanon continue,
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said strikes must stop “immediately”, in a message reported by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
“If the aggressions against dear Lebanon are not brought to an immediate end we shall fulfil our duty and deliver a regret-inducing response to the malicious aggressors in the region,” the statement said.
State-run Islamic Republic News Agency also quoted an IRGC official as saying: “Any attack on the proud Hezbollah is an attack on Iran.”
Hundreds were killed and injured in the strikes, according to Lebanon’s Civil Defence. Plumes of black smoke filled the skies of Beirut Wednesday as residents combed through rubble.
The Israeli military told The Independent that it had completed the “largest strike” on the country since the start of the conflict.
While Iran and Pakistan, which has acted as a mediator in the conflict, believe the two-week ceasefire applies to Lebanon, the US and Israel have said the contrary.
Key points
- Iran warns of ‘regret-inducing response’ if attacks on Lebanon continue
- White House claims US war against Iran went 'exactly as planned'
- 'US must choose,' Iran's foreign minister warns
- 'Lebanon is not part of ceasefire,' White House says
- Death toll from Israeli strikes in Lebanon rises to 254
- Iran threatens to 'destroy' ships passing through Strait of Hormuz without permission
Iran warns of ‘regret-inducing response’ if attacks on Lebanon continue
04:30 , Stuti MishraIran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned they will deliver a “regret-inducing response” if attacks on Lebanon continue, according to state media.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said strikes must stop “immediately”, in a message reported by state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
“If the aggressions against dear Lebanon are not brought to an immediate end we shall fulfil our duty and deliver a regret-inducing response to the malicious aggressors in the region,” the statement said.
State-run Islamic Republic News Agency also quoted an IRGC official as saying: “Any attack on the proud Hezbollah is an attack on Iran.”
“The [military] field is preparing a heavy response to the regime’s savage crimes,” the official added, referring to Israel.
Trump 'clearly disappointed' with US allies' refusal to join Iran war, says Nato chief
04:22 , Stuti MishraNo casualties in Iran in first 24 hours since ceasefire announcement: report
04:00 , Rachel DobkinThere have been no casualties in Iran in the first 24 hours since a ceasefire in the war was announced Tuesday night, the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported.
HRANA reported at least 20 attacks across four provinces in Iran, with no records of people being killed or injured.
The zero recorded casualties “indicates a significant decrease compared with previous days”, the news agency said.
In pictures: Israel launches heavy bombardment on Lebanon
03:30 , Rachel Dobkin
Hezbollah claims attacks on Israel after Lebanon bombardment: report
03:00 , Rachel DobkinIran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has claimed attacks on Israel following a heavy Israeli bombardment on Lebanon.
Hezbollah said it had attacked Manara in northern Israel with rocket fire early Thursday morning, the Associated Press reported.
“This response will continue until the Israeli-American aggression against our country and our people ceases,” Hezbollah said, per the AP.
On Wednesday, hundreds were killed and injured in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Civil Defence.
NATO chief faces scrutiny from European countries for endless support of ‘Daddy’ Trump
02:30 , Alex WoodwardAfter repeatedly threatening to pull out of the alliance over the last several months, Donald Trump’s administration now claims Nato “turned their backs” on the US after its partners refused to join the president’s war in Iran.
While the alliance contends with a possible future without the US, Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte — who has spent a year fawning over Trump in an apparent attempt to diplomatically stroke the president’s ego — is tasked with keeping the president close.
Rutte, who referred to Trump as “daddy” and sent him a swooning text message that the president posted on Truth Social, mounted a charm offensive last year to maintain a frail alliance that Trump has hollowed out with calls to war and insults directed to European allies who dared criticize his actions.
Rutte is now caught between a president who threatens to abandon the alliance and Nato members who have clashed with his own public statements supporting the US-Israeli campaign and public appeals for Americans to get behind their president.
Read on...
NATO chief faces scrutiny from Europe over endless support for ‘Daddy’ Trump
Trump officials weighing moving US troops from 'unhelpful' Nato countries: report
02:15 , Rachel DobkinThe White House is weighing moving US troops from Nato countries that Donald Trump deemed as unhelpful in his military campaign against Iran, according to a new Wall Street Journal report.
These troops would then be relocated to allied countries believed to be more supportive of the war effort, according to the WSJ.
Israel strikes more than 100 targets in Lebanon in 10 minutes: IDF
02:00 , Rachel DobkinThe Israel Defence Forces has said it hit more than 100 targets in Lebanon in 10 minutes.
“The strike targeted 100+ Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays, & command-and-control centers in Beirut, Beqaa and southern Lebanon”, the IDF wrote on X Wednesday afternoon, local time.
‼️ In 10 minutes, the IDF completed the largest coordinated strike across Lebanon since the start of Operation Roaring Lion.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 8, 2026
The strike targeted 100+ Hezbollah headquarters, military arrays, & command-and-control centers in Beirut, Beqaa and southern Lebanon, including:
•…
More than 250 killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, officials say
01:45 , Rachel DobkinAt least 254 people were killed and another 1,165 were injured as Israel carried out a devastating bombardment on Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s Civil Defence.
Watch: White House claims conflict went ‘exactly as planned from day one’ despite fragile ceasefire
01:30 , Rachel DobkinTrump makes dig at Greenland while ranting about Nato after meeting with Mark Rutte
Thursday 9 April 2026 00:54 , Rachel DobkinDonald Trump made a dig at Greenland while ranting about Nato after meeting with the military alliance’s chief, Mark Rutte.
The US president wrote on Truth Social Wednesday evening, Washington time, in all caps, “Nato wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again.
“Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!!!”
Trump has tried to acquire Greenland by pressuring the Nato country into a deal, but the semi-autonomous Danish territory has resisted.
Rutte met with Trump at the White House earlier in the day, telling CNN after the meeting that the US president was “clearly disappointed with many Nato allies”.
But the Nato secretary general insisted that the “large majority” of allied nations have been helpful in Trump’s war against Iran.
Trump has grown increasingly sour towards Nato after his allies refused to help him secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil passageway that Iran effectively closed during the U.S.-Israeli strikes against the country.
Three journalists killed in Gaza and Lebanon
Thursday 9 April 2026 00:36 , Rachel DobkinThree journalists were killed, one in Gaza and two in Lebanon, during strikes carried out by Israel on Wednesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported.
Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Wishah died after his car was hit by an Israeli drone in Gaza City, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
Journalists Ghada Dayekh from Sawt Al-Farah and Suzan Khalil from Al-Manar TV and Al-Nour Radio were reportedly killed as Israel launched a heavy bombardment on Lebanon following a US-Iran ceasefire agreement.
Committee to Protect Journalists Regional Director Sara Qudah said in a statement, “Journalists are being killed at a pace and scale that should shock the conscience of the world. These are not isolated tragedies; they reflect a systematic failure to uphold the most basic protections owed to civilian journalists under international law”.
Al Jazeera said it strongly condemned Wishah’s killing, which it claimed was a targeted attack.
“As Al Jazeera mourns its correspondent Mohammed Wishah, who joined the Network in 2018, it affirms that his killing was not a random act but a deliberate and targeted crime intended to intimidate journalists and prevent them from carrying out their professional duties,” the news organization said in a statement.
Avicha Adraee, Israel Defence Forces spokesperson to the Arab media, wrote on X that Wishah was a “Hamas terrorist”.
Vance suggests US and Iran agree on more about peace deal than they disagree on
Thursday 9 April 2026 00:00 , Tara CobhamSpeaking to reporters before leaving Hungary, the US vice president said Iran questioning the workability of a ceasefire because it disagrees with the U.S. on three key points "must mean there's a lot of points of agreement."
Frustration on three issues "actually means that there's a lot of agreements," JD Vance said.
The vice president, who is set to participate in negotiations in Pakistan this weekend, said "ceasefires are always messy" and often feature "a little bit of choppiness."
It wasn't all positive, though. Vance also questioned the English skills of Iran parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and his comments on the fragile nature of the ceasefire.
"I actually wonder how good he is at understanding English," Vance said "because there are things that he said that just didn't make sense in the context of the negotiations that we've had."
Nato chief says some European allies were tested and failed in Iran war
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:58 , Tara CobhamNato Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday he believes that some Nato countries were tested and failed amid Washington's criticism over European allies not getting involved in the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran.
Rutte's comments came after a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House earlier in the day.
During an interview with CNN, the Nato chief was asked if he believed Nato countries were tested and failed.
"Some of them yes, but a large majority of European countries, and that's what we discussed today, have done what they promised before in a case like this," he told CNN.
Rutte said he had a "frank and open" discussion with Trump, where the Republican expressed disappointment with America's allies.
He said he pointed to Trump that European countries assisted with logistics and other commitments.
Nato chief says he told Trump most European nations have been helpful in 'frank' discussion
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:44 , Tara CobhamNato Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that he had a "frank and open" discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump, where the Republican expressed disappointment with America's allies.
"I was also able to point to the fact that the large majority of European nations has been helpful with basing, with logistics, with overflights, with making sure that they lift up to the commitments," Rutte told CNN during an interview after the meeting.
Australian foreign minister calls for urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:30 , Tara CobhamThe Australian foreign minister has called for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon.
In a statement, Penny Wong said: “Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom remain deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation and displacement crisis in Lebanon.
“We welcome the ceasefire agreed between the United States, Israel and Iran. We call for an urgent end to hostilities in Lebanon.
“Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected from the effects of hostilities.
“Humanitarian personnel, who dedicate themselves to protecting and assisting the most vulnerable, must be respected and protected.
“Attacks that threaten the safety and security of humanitarian personnel must stop. International humanitarian law must be upheld by all parties to the conflict in all circumstances.
“Respect for international humanitarian law is essential to preserving human dignity, mitigating civilian harm, and maintaining the space needed for humanitarian action and access.
“We condemn in the strongest terms actions that have killed UN peace keepers and significantly increased the risks faced by humanitarian personnel in southern Lebanon.
“Meaningful accountability and justice are critical for violations of international law that harm humanitarian personnel or impede their activities.”
Independent analysts say they have seen no change in traffic through Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:15 , Tara CobhamIndependent analysts say they have seen no change in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, despite claims from the White House on Wednesday that there had been an uptick in the number of ships transiting the strategic waterway since a U.S.-announced ceasefire with Iran.
Windward, a maritime intelligence firm that tracks international shipping, said only 11 vessels transited the strait on Wednesday — roughly the same number from prior days.
Windward said all ships transiting the strait must still coordinate safe passage with Iranian authorities, who are requiring shippers to pay hefty tolls amounting of up to $1 a barrel for outbound oil, paid in cryptocurrency. For context, the largest supertankers carry up to 3 million barrels of crude.
Windward said radio broadcasts from Iran to tankers in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday warned that those transiting without approval would be attacked.
Vance uses bizarre skydiving wife analogy as he discusses Iranian ceasefire demands
Wednesday 8 April 2026 23:00 , Tara Cobham
Vance makes bizarre skydiving wife analogy as he discusses Iranian ceasefire demands
Trump's meeting with Rutte has ended
Wednesday 8 April 2026 22:48 , Tara CobhamUS President Donald Trump’s meeting with Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has ended
White House claims US war against Iran went 'exactly as planned'
Wednesday 8 April 2026 22:47 , Tara CobhamThe White House has claimed that the US’s war against Iran went “exactly as planned from day one”.
In a post on X, it said: “Iran’s ability to threaten the region has been systematically dismantled.”
Achieved every single objective on schedule and exactly as planned from day one.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 8, 2026
- Iran's Navy: Destroyed.
- Defense industrial base: Annihilated.
- Nuclear weapon ambitions: Denied.
Iran’s ability to threaten the region has been systematically dismantled. pic.twitter.com/K4NkXIp48m
Greek PM says tolls for ships to cross Hormuz would be unacceptable
Wednesday 8 April 2026 22:34 , Tara CobhamGreek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday it would be unacceptable for ships to have to pay a fee to cross the Strait of Hormuz as Iran has suggested, and such a move would set a dangerous precedent for freedom of navigation.
The Iran war has threatened Gulf ports and disrupted global trade through the strait, a waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes.
Greece controls one of the largest merchant fleets globally in terms of cargo-carrying capacity. Amid ceasefire talks with the U.S. and Israel, Tehran, which controls the chokepoint, has proposed fees or tolls on vessels to safely pass through the strait. U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested the U.S. and Iran could collect tolls in a joint venture, while the White House said the priority was reopening the strait without limitations.
Mitsotakis said the strait always had freedom of navigation and that needs to continue.
"I don't think that the international community would be ready to accept Iran setting up a toll booth for every ship that crosses the strait," Mitsotakis told CNN. "That seems to me to be completely unacceptable."
The centre-right leader added that a separate international agreement regarding the strait may be necessary.
"But this agreement cannot, I repeat, cannot include a sort of a fee that ships will have to pay every time they cross the strait. This was not the case before the war started and it cannot be the case after the war finishes," he said.
"We would be setting a very, very dangerous precedent, if that were to happen, for the freedom of navigation."
‘Unhinged’ Trump has ‘unchecked power’ and world ‘holds its breath’ with each tweet, says Schumer in call for war powers vote
Wednesday 8 April 2026 22:15 , Tara CobhamSenate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that Democrats will force a vote on a War Powers Act resolution to rein in President Donald Trump on Iran.
New York’s senior senator said the Democrats would force the vote when the Senate returns next week. The announcement comes after Trump announced a two-week ceasefire that has already proven fragile.
“All of this happens when one man, especially a man acting as unhinged as Donald Trump, has unchecked power to wage war,” Schumer told reporters. “He backs himself into a corner with dangerous, escalating rhetoric.”
Eric Garcia reports:
Trump has ‘unchecked power,’ says Schumer in call for Iran war powers vote
Macron tells Iranian and US presidents accepting ceasefire is 'best possible decision'
Wednesday 8 April 2026 22:03 , Tara CobhamFrench president Emmanuel Macron said he has told the Iranian and US presidents that their decision to accept a ceasefire was the best possible one.
Starmer has met Saudi leader in efforts to cement fragile ceasefire
Wednesday 8 April 2026 21:54 , Tara CobhamSir Keir Starmer has met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.
The Prime Minister met the Saudi leader as he visits Gulf allies to discuss efforts to cement a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz permanently.
Child killed after Israeli drone shot down in Iran, local media reports
Wednesday 8 April 2026 21:42 , Tara CobhamA child has been killed after an Israeli drone was shot down by air defences in Iran’s Khuzestan province on Wednesday evening, Iranian media has reported.
UAE to seek clarification on US-Iran ceasefire to ensure Tehran's commitment to cessation of attacks in region
Wednesday 8 April 2026 21:30 , Tara CobhamThe UAE will seek clarification on the terms of the U.S.-Iran two-week ceasefire agreement to ensure Tehran's full commitment to a cessation of attacks on the region and "unconditional reopening" of the Strait of Hormuz, a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a post on X.
The spokesperson stressed the need for a comprehensive approach that addresses Iranian threats, including Tehran's nuclear and military capabilities and its proxies in the region.
Analysis: Karoline Leavitt floundered as reporters pressed her on Trump’s terrible ‘civilization will die tonight’ threat
Wednesday 8 April 2026 21:16 , Tara CobhamAfter weeks of covering updates on the Iran war from the Trump administration — and Trump’s own missives on social media — I keep coming back to the same impression: words have no meaning.
Words have always been twisted by the MAGA crew; their definitions have always been stretched and strained. But now, six weeks after the US started bombing Iran, days after the president wrote “Open the F—IN’ Strait, you crazy bastards” on Truth Social and only a few short hours since he promised “a whole civilization will die tonight,” the language has truly suffered some grave and irreversible casualties.
In a White House briefing that bizarrely — given that we are at war — opened with an announcement about AI legislation supported by Melania Trump, press secretary Karoline Leavitt repeated many of the lines we heard from Pete Hegseth at eight o’clock this morning: America has won against Iran; “a historically swift and successful military triumph” has been achieved; the media is lying (or possibly being fed lines directly from Iran) if they say anything negative about it; bombing Iran provided America with “maximum leverage.”
Holly Baxter writes:
As reporters kept asking about Trump’s terrible words, Karoline Leavitt floundered
White House rebukes Nato over Iran as Trump meets alliance chief
Wednesday 8 April 2026 21:13 , Tara CobhamDonald Trump believes NATO was "tested and they failed" during the Iran war, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday, just hours before the U.S. president met the alliance's secretary general.
Trump and NATO's Mark Rutte met at the White House as the war with Iran has pushed U.S. relations with other members of the military alliance to a crisis point. The Republican president has threatened to withdraw from the 32-member transatlantic alliance and denounced Washington's European allies in recent weeks for what he said was inadequate support for the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign in Iran. Trump said on Tuesday the attacks would be paused after the two sides agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
"It's quite sad that Nato turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks when it's the American people who have been funding their defense," Leavitt told a press briefing.
Leavitt said Trump would have a "very frank and candid conversation" with the NATO chief, who arrived at the White House in the afternoon.
Trump has called for countries that depend on oil from the Gulf region to break Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, but European countries are unlikely to join mine-clearing or other missions to free up navigation as long as hostilities continue, according to two European diplomats.
Iran had vowed to obstruct the strait until the war ends.
Trump weighs punishing Nato countries over lack of Iran war support, WSJ reports
Wednesday 8 April 2026 21:11 , Tara CobhamDonald Trump is weighing punishing certain Nato countries over their lack of support in the US’s war against Iran, the Wall Street Journal has reported.
Iran's parliament speaker says three key clauses of ceasefire proposal were violated ahead of negotiations
Wednesday 8 April 2026 21:00 , Tara CobhamIran's Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Wednesday that three key clauses of a 10-point proposal were violated before negotiations set to start on Friday in Pakistan, adding that in such a situation, a bilateral ceasefire or negotiations were unreasonable.
The breaches included the violation of a ceasefire in Lebanon, the entry of an "entruding drone" into Iranian airspace and the denial of Iran's right to uranium enrichment, he said in a post on X.
Pakistani sources said it would be Qalibaf along with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi who will head to Islamabad for talks with the United States.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 8, 2026
Vance says US did not agree that ceasefire would cover Lebanon
Wednesday 8 April 2026 20:43 , Tara CobhamVice President JD Vance on Wednesday said Tehran's negotiators thought the US-Iran ceasefire agreed to on Tuesday included Lebanon, but the US had in fact not agreed to that.
Vance was speaking to reporters in Budapest.
Strait of Hormuz fully closed with oil tankers forced to turn back, local reports say
Wednesday 8 April 2026 20:42 , Tara CobhamThe Strait of Hormuz has been fully closed with oil tankers forced to turn back, according to Iran’s PressTV.
Vance warns Iranians must take next step or Trump 'has options to go back to war'
Wednesday 8 April 2026 20:41 , Tara CobhamVice President JD Vance has warned Iranians must take the next step or President Donald Trump “has options to go back to war”.
US pump prices to stay elevated despite US-Iran ceasefire deal, market observers say
Wednesday 8 April 2026 20:35 , Tara CobhamU.S. consumers will continue to pay high prices to fill up their vehicles or purchase airplane tickets through the peak summer travel season, several market experts said on Wednesday, even as wholesale fuel prices cooled after President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
High fuel prices resulting from Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have become a major issue for Trump and his Republican Party as they campaign to maintain control of the U.S. Congress in November's midterm elections.
The war has sent gasoline and diesel prices to their highest levels in years, and the economic pain has pushed approval ratings of Trump to the lowest since his return to the White House.
After Trump announced a two-week ceasefire deal on Tuesday, U.S. crude oil futures fell nearly $20, and U.S. gasoline and diesel futures also fell sharply, as traders bet on a potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
But falling crude futures probably will not bring quick relief for consumers at the pumps, experts said, noting that cracks had already begun to appear in the fragile truce. The Strait of Hormuz remained shut on Wednesday after Israel launched its biggest attacks yet on Lebanon. Iran also hit a pipeline that Saudi Arabia has been relying on to bypass the Hormuz.
"There's so much uncertainty still around what this ceasefire means, and when and how fuel starts to flow through the Strait of Hormuz again, retailers are not going to drop prices sharply in the face of those unknowns," said Shon Hiatt, director of the Zage Business of Energy Initiative at the USC Marshall School of Business.
In any case, retail fuel prices rise a lot faster than they drop, as fuel sellers will work through higher-priced inventory and seek a higher degree of certainty of future supply to avoid losses, Hiatt said.
"Prices go up like a rocket, and they fall like a feather."
U.S. retail gasoline eased a penny to $4.16 a gallon as of mid-day Wednesday, from a near four-year high of $4.17 a gallon on Tuesday, data from GasBuddy showed.
"If everything were to freeze right now, the national average could fall 5 or 10 cents a gallon for gasoline by this time next week," GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said.
As of Tuesday, the price at the pumps for gasoline remained nearly a dollar higher than last year's average, GasBuddy data showed.
Iran designates safe paths through the strait of Hormuz under coordination with Revolutionary Guards
Wednesday 8 April 2026 20:33 , Tara CobhamIran ports and maritime organisation said on Wednesday that safe passage routes through the Strait of Hormuz have designates and must be used by ships in coordination with Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the Student News Network reported.
The organisation said that the safe entry path is from the Sea of Oman towards the north of Larak Island while the safe exit path from the Gulf passes south of Larak Island and towards the Sea of Oman.
UN Human Rights Chief condemns massive wave of Israeli strikes across Lebanon
Wednesday 8 April 2026 20:32 , Tara CobhamUN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk condemned on Wednesday the massive wave of Israeli strikes across Lebanon, saying reports that hundreds – including civilians – had been killed and injured are appalling.
“The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific,” said the High Commissioner. “Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief. It places enormous pressure on a fragile peace, which is so desperately needed by civilians.”
Watch: White House: Trump has 'moral high ground' despite threat to wipe out Iranian 'civilization'
Wednesday 8 April 2026 20:15 , Tara CobhamAnalysis: In a very telling press briefing, Pete Hegseth said the quiet part out loud on the Iran ceasefire
Wednesday 8 April 2026 20:00 , Tara CobhamIf you tuned in to watch Pete Hegseth’s press briefing after the freshly minted Iran ceasefire, you probably weren’t expecting much.
Seasoned viewers of Iran war updates from this administration know what to expect: teenage fantasy talk that could’ve been copy-and-pasted from the Counter Strike chat feature; desperate sycophantry about how Trump is the best president in the whole world, from any possible timeline; basically no real information, because we can’t let “our enemies” know anything; stuff about how the real enemy is the domestic US media, coupled with attacks on any reporters asking actual questions; and, if you’re lucky, a slip-up here or there that shows what’s really happening behind the scenes.
This briefing had all of the above.
Holly Baxter writes:
In a very telling speech, Hegseth said the quiet part out loud about Iran ceasefire
Watch: Starmer says still 'work to do' on Strait of Hormuz after Iran-US ceasefire
Wednesday 8 April 2026 19:45 , Tara Cobham‘Sounds good to me’: Trump ignored wary advisers as Israel’s Netanyahu talked him into war with Iran, report claims
Wednesday 8 April 2026 19:30 , Tara CobhamPresident Donald Trump was persuaded to unleash war on Iran by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite deep skepticism from his inner circle, according to a new report about the high-stakes meetings that took place in the buildup to the conflict.
The New York Times also reported that despite polling his top advisers, he often only heard “what he wanted to hear,” and his team wound up serving as an echo chamber for his gut instincts.
Vice President JD Vance was the most vocal in his opposition to the United States going to war with Iran, while CIA Director Jim Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned Trump that Netanyahu had “oversold” him on what could be achieved by the bombing campaign, according to The New York Times.
Rhian Lubin reports:
Trump ignored advisers as Israel’s Netanyahu talked him into war with Iran: report
Trump set to raise possibility of US leaving Nato with alliance's chief
Wednesday 8 April 2026 19:24 , Tara CobhamDonald Trump is expected to raise the possibility of the US leaving Nato with the alliance's chief, amid his unhappiness at members' reluctance to become involved in the Iran war, including the UK.
Pressed over whether the Mr Trump was still considering quitting the long-standing security organisation ahead of a meeting with secretary-general Mark Rutte, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "It's something the president has discussed, and I think it's something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with secretary-general Rutte and perhaps you'll hear directly from the president following that meeting later."
Trump has 'moral high ground' despite threat to wipe out entire civilization, Leavitt says from White House
Wednesday 8 April 2026 19:23 , Tara CobhamAsked about Donald Trump's threat to annihilate Iranian civilisation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended it as a “very strong threat that led to results”.
"I think it was a very, very strong threat from the president of the United States that led the Iranian regime to cave to their knees and ask for a ceasefire and agree to reopening the Strait of Hormuz," Leavitt said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
She said any suggestion that Iran had the moral high ground was "insulting."
Before a ceasefire was announced, Trump had threatened destruction in Iran if it did not reopen the strait, saying "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again."
Watch: Hegseth repeatedly emphasizes US put 'boots on the ground' in Iran during rescue
Wednesday 8 April 2026 19:15 , Tara CobhamTrump pushes for Strait of Hormuz reopening without tolls, White House says
Wednesday 8 April 2026 19:10 , Tara CobhamPresident Donald Trump wants to see the Strait of Hormuz open up for oil tankers and other traffic without any limitations, including tolls, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday.
"The immediate priority of the president is the reopening of the strait without any limitations, whether in the form of tolls or otherwise," Leavitt said.
The US has seen an uptick in traffic in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, Leavitt told reporters.
Leavitt was asked who currently controlled the Strait of Hormuz and declined to answer.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically vital maritime chokepoints, with about 20 per cent of the world’s seaborne crude oil and liquefied natural gas flows passing through it.
Amid ceasefire talks with the US and Israel, Tehran has sought to formalise this control by proposing fees or tolls on vessels passing through the Strait, and Trump on Wednesday suggested the US and Iran could collect tolls in a joint venture.
Netanyahu expressed support for Trump during call, White House says
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:58 , Tara CobhamIsraeli Prime Minister Benjanmin Netanyahu expressed his support for US President Donald Trump's approach to Iran during a call on Tuesday night, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday.
Nato was 'tested and they failed,' White House says ahead of Rutte meeting
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:58 , Tara CobhamPresident Donald Trump believes Nato was "tested and they failed" during the Iran war, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday, sharing a direct quote from Trump ahead of his meeting with Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House.
Live Q&A: I’ve followed Trump for years as a White House correspondent – ask me anything on the Iran fallout
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:54 , Tara Cobham.png?trim=0,0,8,13&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800)
I’ve followed Trump closely as a White House correspondent – ask me anything
Iran has indicated it would turn over enriched uranium, White House says
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:53 , Tara CobhamIran has indicated it would turn over its stocks of enriched uranium, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday.
Iran's coastguard warns ships sailing through Strait of Hormuz without permission will be 'targeted and destroyed'
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:52 , Tara CobhamShippers on Wednesday said they needed more clarity on the terms of the US-Iran ceasefire before resuming transit through the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran said the waterway remained closed to vessels sailing without a permit.
The six-week conflict had brought traffic through the strait - a chokepoint for about 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments - close to a standstill, pushing global energy prices sharply higher. Iran said it would offer safe passage in coordination with its armed forces, though its coastguards warned on Wednesday that any ship attempting to sail without permission would be "targeted and destroyed".
"Transit in the Strait of Hormuz is closed yet, and you must receive permission from Iranian Sepah navy," the radio message received by two ship owners and shared with Reuters said.
Netanyahu warns enriched uranium will be removed from Iran 'by agreement or force'
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:47 , Tara CobhamIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that enriched uranium will be removed from Iran “by agreement or by force”.
Watch: Starmer welcomed with guard of honour as he lands in Saudi Arabia
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:45 , Tara CobhamUS and Iran to hold talks in Pakistan, according to White House
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:45 , Tara CobhamThe US and Iran are set to hold talks in Pakistan on Saturday, according to the White House.
White House says it has seen an uptick of traffic in Strait of Hormuz
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:44 , Tara CobhamThe United States has seen an uptick in traffic in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
'Lebanon is not part of ceasefire,' White House says following Iran's warning
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:41 , Tara CobhamThe White House has said “Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire” deal, following a warning from Iran’s foreign minister that “the US must choose ceasefire or continued war via Israel” in Lebanon.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a press briefing: “Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire – that has been relayed to all parties in the ceasefire.”
Death toll from Israeli strikes in Lebanon rises to 254, Lebanese civil defence says
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:39 , Tara CobhamThe death toll from Israeli strikes across Lebanon has risen to 254, Lebanese civil defence said on Wednesday.
'US must choose ceasefire or continued war via Israel,' Iran's foreign minister warns
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:29 , Tara CobhamIran’s foreign minister has warned “the US must choose ceasefire or continued war via Israel”.
In a post on X, Seyed Abbas Araghchi said: “The Iran-US Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the US must choose – ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both.
“The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the US court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments.”
The Iran–U.S. Ceasefire terms are clear and explicit: the U.S. must choose—ceasefire or continued war via Israel. It cannot have both.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 8, 2026
The world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. court, and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments. pic.twitter.com/2bzVlHFKgi
Air defences activated in Iranian cities, Iranian news agency reports
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:19 , Tara CobhamAir defences have been activated in Iranian cities including Isfahan and Kerman, with explosions heard in Isfahan, Iran’s Mehr news agency has reported.
Egypt says Israel's attacks on Lebanon following ceasefire reflect 'premeditated intent' to undermine peace efforts
Wednesday 8 April 2026 18:08 , Tara CobhamEgypt’s foreign ministry has said that Israel’s attacks on Lebanon following the Iran-US ceasefire reflect “premeditated intent” by Israel to undermine regional and international efforts to reduce escalation.
Watch live: White House press briefing amid shaky ceasefire deal with Iran
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:58 , Tara CobhamPictured: Starmer arrives in Saudi Arabia for two-day visit to Gulf region
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:56 , Tara Cobham
Livestream captures moment Israel hits Lebanon with massive wave of airstrikes
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:50 , Tara Cobham
Livestream shows Israel hitting Lebanon with huge wave of airstrikes
Iran's IRGC warns of 'regretful response' unless attack on Lebanon stops, state media reports
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:45 , Tara CobhamIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that a “regretful response” will face the “aggressors” in the region if the attack on Lebanon does not end, state media has reported.
Full story: US declares ‘V for Victory’ in Iran but chaos in the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon continues
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:41 , Tara CobhamA ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran looked fragile hours after it was agreed, as Israel launched its biggest strikes yet on Lebanon and questions over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz continue.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that Iran had begged the United States for the two-week pause in hostilities, while people familiar with the talks said the White House pushed Pakistan to broker the eleventh-hour deal.
In the first US briefing since the ceasefire took effect, Hegseth declared a “capital-V military victory” over Iran and threatened to recover Iran’s uranium by force unless it hands everything over, telling US troops to “stay ready”.
James C. Reynolds has the full story:
US declares ‘V for Victory’ in Iran but chaos in Hormuz and Lebanon continues
Iran's president condemns reports of ceasefire breaches, according to Iranian media
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:28 , Tara CobhamIran’s president has condemned reported ceasefire breaches in the Iranian islands of Lavan and Siri on Wednesday morning in his call with Pakistan’s prime minister, Iranian media reports.
Iran's president says accepting ceasefire is 'responsible and powerful', media report
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:26 , Tara CobhamIran’s president has told Pakistan’s prime minister that his country accepted a ceasefire proposal as part of its “responsible and powerful approach”, Iranian media has reported.
Iranian president says ceasefire in Lebanon is 'essential' condition with US, reports say
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:24 , Tara CobhamIran’s president has told Pakistan’s prime minister that a ceasefire in Lebanon is an “essential” condition in the framework of the 10-point agreement with the US, Iranian media has reported.
Air defences activated in Tehran, according to reports
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:23 , Tara CobhamAir defences have been activated in Tehran, Iran’s state news agency nournews has reported.
Rubio and Rutte discuss 'burden shifting' within Nato
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:13 , Tara CobhamUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte have discussed "burden shifting" within the military alliance, during a meeting in Washington.
The talks come amid tensions between the White House and the organisation, after other members, including the UK, refused to be drawn into the offensive against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the US.
It led to scathing criticism by Donald Trump, who threatened to leave the long-standing security alliance, branding it a "paper tiger".
The US president had also previously complained about the financial contributions made by fellow Nato members, arguing that the US has been carrying other countries.
Speaking after the meeting, US State Department principal deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott said: "The two leaders discussed Operation Epic Fury, ongoing US-led efforts to bring a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war, and increasing coordination and burden shifting with Nato allies."
Mr Rutte is due to meet with the president at the White House later today.
Uncertainty remains in Gulf region despite ceasefire, EU's foreign policy chief says
Wednesday 8 April 2026 17:07 , Tara CobhamEuropean Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Wednesday the uncertainty remains in the Gulf region even though the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is a relief.
The current crisis has shown there is a need for a "stronger EU-Gulf partnership including on security and defence cooperation," she said after a meeting in Riyadh with the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and the Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Jasem Albudaiwi.
Sam Kiley: The Iran ceasefire is a relief but not a cure for the madness Trump has brought the world
Wednesday 8 April 2026 16:50 , Bryony Gooch“Iran’s military may have been mangled in the US-Israeli war but the reputation of the United States has been mauled, perhaps irreparably,” writes World affairs editor Sam Kiley.
Iran ceasefire is a relief but not cure for the madness Trump has brought the world
Spain says it 'will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket' after ceasefire
Wednesday 8 April 2026 16:30 , Maira ButtThe government of Spain has been left unimpressed with a US-Iran ceasefire brokered by Pakistan this week as foreign minister Pedro Sanchez appeared to make a dig at President Donald Trump in comments made in the aftermath of the announcement.
“Ceasefires are always good news. Especially if they lead to a just and lasting peace. But this momentary relief cannot make us forget the chaos, the destruction, and the lives lost,” Sanchez said in a post on social media on Wednesday.
“The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket.”
Italy rules out sending ships to patrol Hormuz Strait without UN mandate
Wednesday 8 April 2026 16:15 , Bryony GoochItaly will not send any ships to help police the Hormuz Strait area following a ceasefire between the United States and Iran unless it is authorised by the United Nations, deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday.
"It is not on the agenda. We have already said that we will not send ships unless there is a United Nations initiative," Salvini, who is also infrastructure minister in prime minister Giorgia Meloni's conservative government, told reporters.
The US-Israeli war with Iran has triggered an energy crisis for the global economy by trapping large volumes of oil and gas in the Gulf after Tehran closed the Strait of Hormuz to most vessels, hitting Europe and Italy particularly hard.
The disruption has led some, including Salvini's far-right League party, to call on Europe to consider resuming energy purchases from Russia, which were cut off in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
However, Salvini backtracked on that position, saying it would not be feasible as long as the war in Ukraine continued.
"I hope that a time will soon come when it will be possible to speak about reconstruction and cooperation, including partnerships and energy, once the conflict with Russia has ended," he told the Foreign Press Association in Italy.
Like other NATO allies reluctant to back US president Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran, Italy last week denied permission for US military aircraft to land at the Sigonella air base in Sicily en route to the Middle East.
Salvini dismissed suggestions that mounting disagreements between Washington and European capitals could lead the U.S. to disengage from Europe.
"I don’t believe there is any imminent issue regarding NATO troop withdrawals from Europe," he said.
Lebanon is not part of US ceasefire agreement with Iran, says White House
Wednesday 8 April 2026 16:02 , Maira ButtLebanon is not part of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios on Wednesday.
Iran’s Fars news agency says oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz have been stopped after Israel’s “ceasefire breach”.
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Lebanon was not a part of the deal.
US ready to resume fighting if diplomacy fails
Wednesday 8 April 2026 15:55 , Maira ButtAmerica remains ready to resume fighting at any moment should a fragile ceasefire not hold, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, told a Pentagon news conference on Wednesday.
“We hope that Iran chooses a lasting peace,” General Caine said.
“A ceasefire is a pause and the joint force remains ready, if ordered or called upon, to resume combat operations -- with the same speed and precision as we've demonstrated over the last 38 days.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that their “hand is on the trigger” were the US to breach its agreement.
Trump says charging countries to use Strait of Hormuz could be ‘joint venture’ with Iran: ‘It’s a beautiful thing’
Wednesday 8 April 2026 15:45 , Maira ButtIran has agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping as part of a delicate two-week ceasefire agreement announced with the US.
Oil fell below $100 per barrel on Wednesday as a senior Iranian official said the vital waterway could be reopened in a limited and controlled way as soon as Thursday, ahead of a meeting with the US to discuss more enduring peace terms.
But Iran still wants to charge fees for ships to pass through the Strait, arguing the toll is necessary to cover the cost of damage inflicted by the war - a position opposed by the US and its allies in the Gulf but that could reportedly net the regime millions of dollars.
Read the full story below:
Trump says charging to use Strait of Hormuz could be ‘joint venture’ with Iran
Trump says in-person talks with Iran will happen 'very soon'
Wednesday 8 April 2026 15:40 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump has said that in-person talks with Iran will take place “very soon”, in comments made to the New York Post.
He is reported to have added that JD Vance may not attend the in-person talks that are due to take place in Islamabad in order to come to a long-term resolution between the US and Iran.
