US President Donald Trump has announced a three-week extension of a ceasefire in southern Lebanon, which was expected to end on Sunday.
Trump said he hopes to host Israeli and Lebanese leaders in the near future to strengthen peace efforts. He also made it clear that he is not under pressure to end the conflict with Iran, but said time is running out for Tehran.
“I have a lot of time, but Iran does not – the clock is ticking,” Trump wrote on social media.
Meanwhile, the US is further strengthening its military presence in the Middle East, with a third aircraft carrier being deployed to the region. The USS George H. W. Bush joins the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Abraham Lincoln, making it a powerful naval force.
The report added that Trump has ordered a “shoot and kill” of Iranian ships that attempt to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital part of the global oil trade.
Iranian officials have said that no talks will resume until the US naval blockade of their ports is lifted.
The situation in the region remains tense, with diplomatic efforts and military buildup moving at a snail’s pace.
