http://feed.informer.com/digests/YSYO20ZZSN/feeder Israel News Review Respective post owners and feed distributors Sat, 07 Dec 2013 13:14:34 -0400 Feed Informer http://feed.informer.com/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:0380ac37-936b-987a-85d9-5e5ff00a4b04 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 19:20:39 -0300 <p>Iran claims US blockade of ports violates ceasefire, as officials say Trump meeting with Vance, Rubio, Hegseth and Bessent</p><p>Separate to the Pakistani army chief’s trip to Iran (see post at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues?page=with%3Ablock-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff#block-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff">07:53</a>), the Pakistani prime minister, <strong>Shehbaz Sharif,</strong> and foreign minister <strong>Ishaq Dar</strong> also concluded a trip to the Middle East after visiting <strong>Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey </strong>for talks.</p><p>“We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits … where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas,” Dar said on X.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Iran Strait of Hormuz Lebanon Trump administration Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa Marina Dunbar (now); Taz Ali, Hamish Mackay and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/18/kensington-gardens-reopen-after-police-deem-suspicious-items-non-hazardous World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:92474c50-c46f-f125-3510-63aaa319a992 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 16:33:02 -0300 <p>Police responded after video claimed to have targeted nearby Israeli embassy with ‘dangerous substances’</p><p>Kensington Gardens in London has reopened after the discovery of several suspicious items including two jars containing a powdered substance which were deemed to be “non-hazardous”, police said.</p><p>Police in protective clothing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/17/security-incident-near-israel-embassy-london-drones">responded to an incident near the Israeli embassy on Friday</a> after counter-terrorism officers investigated a video shared online in which a group claimed to have targeted the embassy with drones carrying “dangerous substances”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/18/kensington-gardens-reopen-after-police-deem-suspicious-items-non-hazardous">Continue reading...</a> London Metropolitan police UK news Israel UK security and counter-terrorism Police Iran England Nadeem Badshah Photograph: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/18/kensington-gardens-reopen-after-police-deem-suspicious-items-non-hazardous World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:a12eadc9-86e1-8809-455e-d2f4394c4c34 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 16:33:02 -0300 <p>Officers responded after group claimed to have targeted nearby Israeli embassy with ‘dangerous substances’</p><p>Kensington Gardens in London has reopened after the discovery of several suspicious items including two jars containing a powdered substance that was deemed to be non-hazardous, police said.</p><p>Officers in protective clothing <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/17/security-incident-near-israel-embassy-london-drones">responded to an incident</a> near the Israeli embassy on Friday after counter-terrorism police investigated a video shared online in which a group claimed to have targeted the embassy with drones carrying “dangerous substances”.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/18/kensington-gardens-reopen-after-police-deem-suspicious-items-non-hazardous">Continue reading...</a> London Metropolitan police UK news Israel UK security and counter-terrorism Police Iran England Nadeem Badshah Photograph: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:bd9b287a-12ef-7cb9-97bb-dc0da856cc67 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 16:07:46 -0300 <p>Iran claims US blockade of ports violates ceasefire, but Trump says: ‘We’re talking to them … they can’t blackmail us’</p><p>Separate to the Pakistani army chief’s trip to Iran (see post at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues?page=with%3Ablock-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff#block-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff">07:53</a>), the Pakistani prime minister, <strong>Shehbaz Sharif,</strong> and foreign minister <strong>Ishaq Dar</strong> also concluded a trip to the Middle East after visiting <strong>Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey </strong>for talks.</p><p>“We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits … where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas,” Dar said on X.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Iran Strait of Hormuz Lebanon Trump administration Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa Marina Dunbar (now); Taz Ali, Hamish Mackay and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:baa04eaa-9a63-ea2b-c39e-513a88cbfe1f Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:18:29 -0300 <p>As Iran closes strait of Hormuz, Trump says: ‘We’re talking to them … and they can’t blackmail us’</p><p>Separate to the Pakistani army chief’s trip to Iran (see post at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues?page=with%3Ablock-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff#block-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff">07:53</a>), the Pakistani prime minister, <strong>Shehbaz Sharif,</strong> and foreign minister <strong>Ishaq Dar</strong> also concluded a trip to the Middle East after visiting <strong>Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey </strong>for talks.</p><p>“We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits … where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas,” Dar said on X.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Iran Strait of Hormuz Lebanon Trump administration Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa Marina Dunbar; Taz Ali, Hamish Mackay and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/18/iran-closes-strait-of-hormuz-again-until-us-lifts-blockade World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:9580aba2-bba5-af4f-f065-0ea06a9a06cd Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:37:20 -0300 <p>IRGC reportedly fires on tanker as it tries to pass through strait after brief window when strait had reopened</p><p>• <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Middle East crisis – live updates</a></p><p>Iranian officials say they have reversed the reopening of the strait of Hormuz and reimposed restrictions on the vital shipping lane after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iranian ports.</p><p>A UK maritime agency reported that Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) ships had fired at a tanker as it attempted to pass through the strait on Saturday. Reuters reported an Indian-flagged vessel carrying crude oil had also been attacked while in the waterway.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/18/iran-closes-strait-of-hormuz-again-until-us-lifts-blockade">Continue reading...</a> Iran US-Israel war on Iran US foreign policy US military Middle East and north Africa US news World news Strait of Hormuz Israel Lebanon Donald Trump Jessie Williams Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:0e9c1987-2551-a254-58fa-3e4c6c05fa31 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:21:50 -0300 <p>As Iran closes strait of Hormuz, Trump says: ‘We’re talking to them…and they can’t blackmail us’</p><p>Separate to the Pakistani army chief’s trip to Iran (see post at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues?page=with%3Ablock-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff#block-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff">07:53</a>), the Pakistani prime minister, <strong>Shehbaz Sharif,</strong> and foreign minister <strong>Ishaq Dar</strong> also concluded a trip to the Middle East after visiting <strong>Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey </strong>for talks.</p><p>“We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits … where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas,” Dar said on X.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Iran Strait of Hormuz Lebanon Trump administration Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa Taz Ali (now); Hamish Mackay and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:f1e2e047-469d-ba31-db6f-aa2c6745343e Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:12:47 -0300 <p>Iranian military’s command says the strait has ‘reverted to its previous state’; Macron confirms death of French UN peacekeeper </p><p></p><p>Separate to the Pakistani army chief’s trip to Iran (see post at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues?page=with%3Ablock-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff#block-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff">07:53</a>), the Pakistani prime minister, <strong>Shehbaz Sharif,</strong> and foreign minister <strong>Ishaq Dar</strong> also concluded a trip to the Middle East after visiting <strong>Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey </strong>for talks.</p><p>“We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits … where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas,” Dar said on X.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Iran Strait of Hormuz Lebanon Trump administration Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa Taz Ali (now); Hamish Mackay and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:894fe8f3-ac80-d0cd-c0eb-acf41ae506b8 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:21:13 -0300 <p>In a statement carried by Iranian media, the Iranian military’s operational command said the strait had ‘reverted to its previous state’</p><p></p><p>Separate to the Pakistani army chief’s trip to Iran (see post at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues?page=with%3Ablock-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff#block-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff">07:53</a>), the Pakistani prime minister, <strong>Shehbaz Sharif,</strong> and foreign minister <strong>Ishaq Dar</strong> also concluded a trip to the Middle East after visiting <strong>Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey </strong>for talks.</p><p>“We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits … where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas,” Dar said on X.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Iran Strait of Hormuz Lebanon Trump administration Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa Hamish Mackay (now); Taz Ali and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Mohammed Aty/Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:82a32faf-b78c-7143-d9d5-eb356d662c9d Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:58:51 -0300 <p>In a statement carried by Iranian media, the Iranian military’s operational command said the strait had ‘reverted to its previous state’</p><p></p><p>Separate to the Pakistani army chief’s trip to Iran (see post at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues?page=with%3Ablock-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff#block-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff">07:53</a>), the Pakistani prime minister, <strong>Shehbaz Sharif,</strong> and foreign minister <strong>Ishaq Dar</strong> also concluded a trip to the Middle East after visiting <strong>Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey </strong>for talks.</p><p>“We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits … where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas,” Dar said on X.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Iran Strait of Hormuz Lebanon Trump administration Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa Taz Ali (now) and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Mohammed Aty/Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:b44487d8-e444-a880-5fa2-4894bb8c4ac7 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:16:38 -0300 <p>Iranian parliamentary speaker also says passage through waterway will depend on Iranian authorisation and accuses Donald Trump of multiple falsehoods</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/strait-of-hormuz-now-open-to-commercial-vessels">Iran says strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ to commercial vessels as oil prices fall</a></p></li></ul><p>Separate to the Pakistani army chief’s trip to Iran (see post at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues?page=with%3Ablock-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff#block-69e327f18f082ddf12730fff">07:53</a>), the Pakistani prime minister, <strong>Shehbaz Sharif,</strong> and foreign minister <strong>Ishaq Dar</strong> also concluded a trip to the Middle East after visiting <strong>Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey </strong>for talks.</p><p>“We have just concluded the last leg of our engagements following productive and fruitful visits … where we held meaningful bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening cooperation across key areas,” Dar said on X.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/18/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-warns-it-will-close-strait-of-hormuz-if-us-blockade-continues">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Iran Strait of Hormuz Lebanon Trump administration Israel Donald Trump Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa Taz Ali (now) and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Vahid Salemi/AP https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/strait-of-hormuz-now-open-to-commercial-vessels World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:f9da9faa-3d38-6840-47de-1405c7ecf312 Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:52:14 -0300 <p>Iran’s parliamentary speaker says strait could close again if US blockade continues, but Trump says it will remain in place until ‘transaction’ with Tehran is complete</p><p>Iran’s foreign minister has said that the strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels, reinforcing hopes for an eventual end to the war in the Middle East and sending oil prices tumbling despite analysts’ warnings that there will be no immediate widespread resumption of passage through the vital waterway.</p><p>In a barrage of social media posts, Donald Trump claimed on Friday that Iran had agreed never to close the strategic waterway again, hailing “A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD!”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/strait-of-hormuz-now-open-to-commercial-vessels">Continue reading...</a> Strait of Hormuz US-Israel war on Iran Hezbollah US foreign policy Donald Trump Israel Iran Lebanon Middle East and north Africa World news Jason Burke and William Christou in Beirut Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:79a689dc-f55a-55ef-d4f6-591f27ba035e Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:52:14 -0300 <p>This blog is now closed</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/strait-of-hormuz-now-open-to-commercial-vessels">Iran says strait of Hormuz ‘completely open’ to commercial vessels as oil prices fall</a></p></li></ul><p>In case you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments in the Middle East to bring you up to speed. It’s 9am in Beirut and Jerusalem, 9.30am in Tehran and 2am in Washington DC.</p><p><strong>A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect</strong>, pausing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah both maintained their right to defend themselves</strong> if the truce is broken – here’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/trump-announces-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon-after-excellent-conversations">our full report</a>.</p><p><strong>Netanyahu called the ceasefire a “historic” opportunity for peace but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting.</strong> “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”</p><p><strong>UN chief António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire</strong>, which took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, and urged “all actors” to fully respect it. He hoped the halt in fighting would “pave the way for negotiations”.</p><p><strong>The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home</strong> because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.</p><p><strong>The Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River </strong>despite the truce.</p><p><strong>Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/16/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-news-us-trump-ceasefire-deal-lebanon-israel-oil-sanctions-latest-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d#block-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d">welcomed the ceasefire</a> </strong>and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire</strong> in the hours before the truce took effect.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Lebanon Israel Trump administration Iran Strait of Hormuz Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa US news World news Adam Fulton, Nadeem Badshah, Marina Dunbar, Vivian Ho and Taz Ali Photograph: Mohammed Aty/Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/17/trump-administration-news-updates-today World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:c90fca80-84aa-f58d-2a4f-66868ee24b08 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 22:00:03 -0300 <p>Iran’s parliamentary speaker warned it would will shut the strait again if the US blockade continues, which Trump said would remain in place until the conflict was fully concluded – key US politics stories from 17 April at a glance</p><p>Iran’s foreign minister has said that the strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels, reinforcing hopes for an eventual end to the war in the Middle East and sending oil prices tumbling.</p><p>In a barrage of social media posts, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump</a> claimed on Friday that Iran had agreed never to close the strategic waterway again, hailing “A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD!”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/17/trump-administration-news-updates-today">Continue reading...</a> Trump administration Donald Trump US news US politics World news US-Israel war on Iran Iran Israel US Congress LGBTQ+ rights Pope Leo XIV Middle East and north Africa Guardian staff Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:24a4970b-a584-0b5b-a2f2-450c7955372e Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:23:40 -0300 <p>Iran reopens the strait of Hormuz during ceasefire negotiations, a move the US president praised on social media</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/17/oil-gas-prices-fall-iran-strait-of-hormuz-brent-crude-donald-trump">Oil and gas prices fall sharply after Iran says strait of Hormuz is open</a></p></li></ul><p>In case you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments in the Middle East to bring you up to speed. It’s 9am in Beirut and Jerusalem, 9.30am in Tehran and 2am in Washington DC.</p><p><strong>A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect</strong>, pausing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah both maintained their right to defend themselves</strong> if the truce is broken – here’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/trump-announces-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon-after-excellent-conversations">our full report</a>.</p><p><strong>Netanyahu called the ceasefire a “historic” opportunity for peace but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting.</strong> “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”</p><p><strong>UN chief António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire</strong>, which took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, and urged “all actors” to fully respect it. He hoped the halt in fighting would “pave the way for negotiations”.</p><p><strong>The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home</strong> because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.</p><p><strong>The Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River </strong>despite the truce.</p><p><strong>Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/16/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-news-us-trump-ceasefire-deal-lebanon-israel-oil-sanctions-latest-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d#block-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d">welcomed the ceasefire</a> </strong>and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire</strong> in the hours before the truce took effect.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Lebanon Israel Trump administration Iran Strait of Hormuz Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa US news World news Nadeem Badshah (now); Marina Dunbar, Vivian Ho, Taz Ali and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Mohammed Aty/Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/strait-of-hormuz-now-open-to-commercial-vessels World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:7d8c754a-71bd-4995-90af-da0d10e3a2cf Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:54:14 -0300 <p>Meanwhile, as new 10-day truce in Lebanon enters its first full day, Trump claims Iran has agreed to suspend its nuclear programme</p><p>Iran’s foreign minister has said that the strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels, reinforcing hopes for an eventual end to the war in the Middle East and sending oil prices tumbling despite analysts’ warnings that there will be no immediate widespread resumption of passage through the vital waterway.</p><p>In a barrage of social media posts, Donald Trump claimed on Friday that Iran had agreed never to close the strategic waterway again, hailing “A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD!”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/strait-of-hormuz-now-open-to-commercial-vessels">Continue reading...</a> Strait of Hormuz US-Israel war on Iran Hezbollah US foreign policy Donald Trump Israel Iran Lebanon Middle East and north Africa World news Jason Burke and William Christou in Beirut Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/strait-of-hormuz-now-open-to-commercial-vessels World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:cf4b1cb2-aad9-1b72-6303-dadd56501848 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:54:14 -0300 <p>Trump claims Tehran will also suspend nuclear programme as Lebanon truce enters first full day</p><p>Iran’s foreign minister has said that the strait of Hormuz is now fully open to commercial vessels, reinforcing hopes for an eventual end to the war in the Middle East and sending oil prices tumbling despite analysts’ warnings that there will be no immediate widespread resumption of passage through the vital waterway.</p><p>In a barrage of social media posts, Donald Trump claimed on Friday that Iran had agreed never to close the strategic waterway again, hailing “A GREAT AND BRILLIANT DAY FOR THE WORLD!”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/strait-of-hormuz-now-open-to-commercial-vessels">Continue reading...</a> Strait of Hormuz US-Israel war on Iran Hezbollah US foreign policy Donald Trump Israel Iran Lebanon Middle East and north Africa World news Jason Burke and William Christou in Beirut Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:e5b012ee-8457-55dd-4783-0d34f01da477 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:59:44 -0300 <p>Donald Trump said Israel was not allowed to bomb Lebanon; Iran opens the strait of Hormuz during ceasefire negotations</p><p>In case you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments in the Middle East to bring you up to speed. It’s 9am in Beirut and Jerusalem, 9.30am in Tehran and 2am in Washington DC.</p><p><strong>A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect</strong>, pausing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah both maintained their right to defend themselves</strong> if the truce is broken – here’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/trump-announces-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon-after-excellent-conversations">our full report</a>.</p><p><strong>Netanyahu called the ceasefire a “historic” opportunity for peace but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting.</strong> “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”</p><p><strong>UN chief António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire</strong>, which took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, and urged “all actors” to fully respect it. He hoped the halt in fighting would “pave the way for negotiations”.</p><p><strong>The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home</strong> because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.</p><p><strong>The Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River </strong>despite the truce.</p><p><strong>Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/16/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-news-us-trump-ceasefire-deal-lebanon-israel-oil-sanctions-latest-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d#block-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d">welcomed the ceasefire</a> </strong>and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire</strong> in the hours before the truce took effect.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Lebanon Israel Trump administration Iran Strait of Hormuz Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa US news World news Vivian Ho (now); Taz Ali and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Mohammed Aty/Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/donald-trump-iran-war-lebanon-ceasefire World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:b7b9d978-cbbe-a2dc-2dfc-2f5eb41aa548 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:34:52 -0300 <p>Lasting peace depends on resolving a border dispute dating back to 2000 and dealing with Hezbollah’s weapons</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates">Middle East crisis – live updates</a></p></li></ul><p>Israel’s security cabinet first heard about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/trump-announces-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon-after-excellent-conversations">the ceasefire with Lebanon</a> from a social media post by Donald Trump. Hezbollah first heard about the ceasefire from the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon. Each side shot off as many bombs, drones and rockets as they could before the ceasefire – imposed from above – came into effect.</p><p>Despite the US president claiming it is the 10th war he has ended, the situation on the ground in Lebanon looks anything but stable.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/17/donald-trump-iran-war-lebanon-ceasefire">Continue reading...</a> Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Iran US-Israel war on Iran Donald Trump US foreign policy Middle East and north Africa World news William Christou in Beirut Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/18/nsw-should-think-twice-before-banning-globalise-the-intifada-after-court-struck-down-anti-protest-law-legal-expert-says-ntwnfb World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:9843b2d3-1c9e-9378-08cc-4bc1af4af40c Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:00:49 -0300 <p>Another lawyer says ruling ‘puts brakes on the Minns government’s ability to use executive power to minimise people’s rights to protest’</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>The Minns government should think twice before imposing an outright ban on <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/23/globalise-the-intifada-meaning-translation-palestinian-protest-chant-ban-nsw">the phrase “globalise the intifada”</a> in the wake of a landmark finding that could limit attempts to control speech and protests, a leading constitutional expert has said.</p><p>New South Wales’ highest court ruled in favour of the Palestine Action Group and Blak Caucas on Thursday, striking down an anti-protest law introduced after the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/bondi-beach-shooting-sydney-australia">Bondi beach terror attack</a> that gave police the power to restrict marches, including the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/14/inside-the-chaos-at-sydney-anti-herzog-protest-ntwnfb">anti-Herzog rally in February</a>.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/18/nsw-should-think-twice-before-banning-globalise-the-intifada-after-court-struck-down-anti-protest-law-legal-expert-says-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a> New South Wales Protest Australia news Chris Minns Sydney Israel Palestine Australian police and policing Jordyn Beazley Photograph: Flavio Brancaleone/AAP https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:29635686-96fe-7acf-4819-a1a61109df34 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:06:16 -0300 <p>Abbas Araqchi says passage for all commercial vessels is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire; Trump said the US blockade on Iran ‘will remain in full force’</p><p>In case you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments in the Middle East to bring you up to speed. It’s 9am in Beirut and Jerusalem, 9.30am in Tehran and 2am in Washington DC.</p><p><strong>A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect</strong>, pausing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah both maintained their right to defend themselves</strong> if the truce is broken – here’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/trump-announces-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon-after-excellent-conversations">our full report</a>.</p><p><strong>Netanyahu called the ceasefire a “historic” opportunity for peace but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting.</strong> “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”</p><p><strong>UN chief António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire</strong>, which took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, and urged “all actors” to fully respect it. He hoped the halt in fighting would “pave the way for negotiations”.</p><p><strong>The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home</strong> because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.</p><p><strong>The Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River </strong>despite the truce.</p><p><strong>Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/16/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-news-us-trump-ceasefire-deal-lebanon-israel-oil-sanctions-latest-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d#block-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d">welcomed the ceasefire</a> </strong>and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire</strong> in the hours before the truce took effect.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Lebanon Israel Trump administration Iran Strait of Hormuz Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa US news World news Vivian Ho (now); Taz Ali and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:91ee6f82-7844-79a8-61b2-3375a852e6be Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:10:43 -0300 <p>Abbas Araqchi says passage for all commercial vessels is declared completely open for the remaining period of the ceasefire</p><p>In case you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments in the Middle East to bring you up to speed. It’s 9am in Beirut and Jerusalem, 9.30am in Tehran and 2am in Washington DC.</p><p><strong>A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect</strong>, pausing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah both maintained their right to defend themselves</strong> if the truce is broken – here’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/trump-announces-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon-after-excellent-conversations">our full report</a>.</p><p><strong>Netanyahu called the ceasefire a “historic” opportunity for peace but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting.</strong> “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”</p><p><strong>UN chief António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire</strong>, which took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, and urged “all actors” to fully respect it. He hoped the halt in fighting would “pave the way for negotiations”.</p><p><strong>The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home</strong> because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.</p><p><strong>The Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River </strong>despite the truce.</p><p><strong>Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/16/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-news-us-trump-ceasefire-deal-lebanon-israel-oil-sanctions-latest-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d#block-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d">welcomed the ceasefire</a> </strong>and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire</strong> in the hours before the truce took effect.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Lebanon Israel Trump administration Iran Strait of Hormuz Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa US news World news Taz Ali (now); Vivian Ho and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:26aa1b4e-09c7-49e1-d932-ecb4e462454c Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:22:19 -0300 <p>Israel said it has not achieved its goal of disarming Hezbollah, which it will do either through diplomatic or military activities</p><p>In case you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments in the Middle East to bring you up to speed. It’s 9am in Beirut and Jerusalem, 9.30am in Tehran and 2am in Washington DC.</p><p><strong>A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect</strong>, pausing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah both maintained their right to defend themselves</strong> if the truce is broken – here’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/trump-announces-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon-after-excellent-conversations">our full report</a>.</p><p><strong>Netanyahu called the ceasefire a “historic” opportunity for peace but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting.</strong> “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”</p><p><strong>UN chief António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire</strong>, which took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, and urged “all actors” to fully respect it. He hoped the halt in fighting would “pave the way for negotiations”.</p><p><strong>The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home</strong> because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.</p><p><strong>The Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River </strong>despite the truce.</p><p><strong>Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/16/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-news-us-trump-ceasefire-deal-lebanon-israel-oil-sanctions-latest-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d#block-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d">welcomed the ceasefire</a> </strong>and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire</strong> in the hours before the truce took effect.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Lebanon Israel Trump administration Iran Strait of Hormuz Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa US news World news Vivian Ho (now); Taz Ali and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Aziz Taher/Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/17/security-incident-near-israel-embassy-london-drones World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:cf8cf535-ce17-efa5-9468-b97818372657 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:13:47 -0300 <p>‘Discarded items’ assessed as officers investigate video in which group claims to have targeted embassy with drones </p><p>Police in protective clothing are responding to an incident near the Israeli embassy in central London as counter-terrorism officers investigate a video shared online overnight in which a group claims to have targeted the embassy with drones carrying “dangerous substances”.</p><p>The Metropolitan police said there was an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens as officers investigated a number of “discarded items” and have urged people to avoid the area while they carry out their work.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/17/security-incident-near-israel-embassy-london-drones">Continue reading...</a> London England UK news Israel World news Caroline Davies Photograph: Blaise Cloran/PA https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/17/security-incident-near-israel-embassy-london-drones World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:72cf9518-7a67-1f3d-03e2-1a9bc3382703 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:13:47 -0300 <p>‘Discarded items’ assessed as officers investigate video in which group claimed to have targeted embassy</p><p>Police in protective clothing are responding to an incident near the Israeli embassy in central London as counter-terrorism officers investigate a video shared online overnight in which a group claimed to have targeted the embassy with drones carrying “dangerous substances”.</p><p>The Metropolitan police said there was an increased police presence in Kensington Gardens as officers investigated a number of “discarded items”, and they urged people to avoid the area while they carried out their work.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/17/security-incident-near-israel-embassy-london-drones">Continue reading...</a> London England UK news Israel World news Caroline Davies Photograph: Blaise Cloran/PA https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/17/security-incident-near-israel-embassy-london-drones World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:e5e089fc-b02f-d1e4-60d7-5f09ec6d0c2f Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:11:25 -0300 <p>Police say officers found discarded items in area after group claimed to have targeted embassy with drones</p><p>Police have said they are investigating a security incident near the Israeli embassy in London after officers found a number of discarded items in the area.</p><p>A statement said Counter Terrorism Policing London was aware of a video shared online overnight in which a group claimed to have targeted the embassy with drones carrying dangerous substances</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/apr/17/security-incident-near-israel-embassy-london-drones">Continue reading...</a> London England UK news Israel World news Reuters Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:4df5a342-ac47-dd4e-0942-42498178bec7 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:58:18 -0300 <p>António Guterres welcomes truce and says he hopes halt in fighting will ‘pave the way for negotiations’</p><p>In case you’re just joining us, here are the latest developments in the Middle East to bring you up to speed. It’s 9am in Beirut and Jerusalem, 9.30am in Tehran and 2am in Washington DC.</p><p><strong>A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect</strong>, pausing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah both maintained their right to defend themselves</strong> if the truce is broken – here’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/16/trump-announces-10-day-ceasefire-in-lebanon-after-excellent-conversations">our full report</a>.</p><p><strong>Netanyahu called the ceasefire a “historic” opportunity for peace but refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting.</strong> “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.”</p><p><strong>UN chief António Guterres welcomed the ceasefire</strong>, which took effect at midnight on Thursday (2100 GMT) in Lebanon, and urged “all actors” to fully respect it. He hoped the halt in fighting would “pave the way for negotiations”.</p><p><strong>The Lebanese army warned people displaced from southern Lebanon about returning home</strong> because of intermittent shelling that was reported after the ceasefire came into effect.</p><p><strong>The Israeli military warned residents of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River </strong>despite the truce.</p><p><strong>Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/16/middle-east-crisis-live-iran-war-news-us-trump-ceasefire-deal-lebanon-israel-oil-sanctions-latest-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d#block-69e14d0d8f089afd5295602d">welcomed the ceasefire</a> </strong>and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan.</p><p><strong>Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire</strong> in the hours before the truce took effect.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/apr/17/middle-east-crisis-live-news-israel-lebanon-ceasefire-iran-war-us-latest-updates">Continue reading...</a> US-Israel war on Iran Lebanon Israel Trump administration Iran Strait of Hormuz Hezbollah Middle East and north Africa US news World news Taz Ali (now) and Adam Fulton (earlier) Photograph: Aziz Taher/Reuters https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/apr/17/celebrations-and-relief-in-lebanon-ceasefire-with-israel-begins-video World news: Israel | theguardian.com urn:uuid:bd59ab04-c96c-3443-394e-b82b3f459706 Fri, 17 Apr 2026 06:52:02 -0300 <p>Celebrations have taken hold across Lebanon after a 10-day truce agreed with Israel began on Friday morning. Celebratory gunfire erupted in Beirut’s southern suburbs, and people beeped their car horns and cheered across the country as they returned to their homes after being displaced by Israeli strikes. While many appeared hopeful, some were still cautious. A man who had returned to his home in Nabatieh said he would be leaving again upon seeing the destruction in the city</p><p></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/middle-east-crisis"><strong>Middle East crisis live</strong></a></p></li></ul> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/apr/17/celebrations-and-relief-in-lebanon-ceasefire-with-israel-begins-video">Continue reading...</a> Lebanon Israel Middle East and north Africa Photograph: Reuters