{"id":389478,"date":"2026-04-09T08:03:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T08:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/389478\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T08:03:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T08:03:10","slug":"trump-issues-fresh-warning-to-iran-ceasefire-under-threat-amid-strikes-on-lebanon-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/389478\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump issues fresh warning to Iran; ceasefire under threat amid strikes on Lebanon \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Main PointsUS president Donald Trump has said US forces will remain \u201cin place\u201d until Iran complies with the \u201creal\u201d ceasefire agreementHe said the US will start \u201cshooting\u201d again unless \u200bTehran fully complies with the deal The absence of Strait of Hormuz reopening in any meaningful way has worried markets and oil prices edged higher overnight Trump has said talks with Iran on the 10-point<\/a> two-week ceasefire plan will be held behind closed doors<\/a>Israel insisted that its fighting in Lebanon, which it says is targeting Iran-backed Hizbullah, must be considered separate<\/a> from the war on IranSeveral states in the Gulf region accused Iran<\/a> of breaking the ceasefire and Iran has previously stated that Lebanon must be included in any truceThe United Nations criticised Israel<\/a> for Wednesday\u2019s attacks on Lebanon which the authority said resulted in \u2018significant civilian casualties\u2019 Best Reads <\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 15 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Ceasefire must cover Lebanon says French foreign ministry<\/p>\n

The \u200cceasefire agreed by Iran and the United \u200cStates must also cover military actions in Lebanon, \u200bFrench Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday, adding France condemned \u201cmassive\u201d Israeli \u200bstrikes the previous day.<\/p>\n

Barrot added that he \u2060expects Iran to make a \u200cseries \u200cof concessions \u200bas part of the peace talks due \u2060to \u200bstart in Pakistan.<\/p>\n

\u201cIran \u200bmust give up to \u200chave nuclear weapons and \u200bmeans to obtain them, must give \u2060up using \u2060its \u200bmissiles and drones to threaten countries in the region and give up supporting groups like Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis who destabilize the \u200cregion,\u201d he said \u2060in an interview with Radio Station France Inter.<\/p>\n

Iran \u200cmust also open the traffic in \u200bthe Strait of Hormuz, \u200bhe said.\u00a0– Reuters<\/p>\n

\"AA picture taken on April 9, 2026 shows the aftermath of the previous day’s Israeli airstrikes that targeted southern Beirut’s al-Mazraa neighbourhood. The Israeli military said it struck a Hezbollah commander in Beirut on April 8, after Lebanese state media reported that Israel had targeted a residential neighbourhood in the capital. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) <\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 19 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Iranian official deletes post about new US talks<\/p>\n

After posting to social media that an Iranian delegation is set to arrive in Islamabad tonight for negotiations with the US, Iran\u2019s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, appears to have deleted the post. <\/p>\n

Moghadam had posted: \u201cDespite skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime … Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran.\u201d That post no longer appears on his X account. – The Guardian<\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 28 minutes ago<\/p>\n

IDF claims dozens of Hezbollah killed in \u2018expanded\u2019 operations<\/p>\n

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has claimed to have killed \u201cdozens\u201d of Hezbollah fighters in its \u201cexpanded\u201d ground military operation in southern Lebanon over the past week.<\/p>\n

In a series of posts on X, the IDF said its forces have operational control of the area and will continue to strike what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure. The Lebanese civil defence service said at least 254 people were killed in the Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon yesterday, and more than 1,100 others were wounded. – Agencies<\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 36 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Israel attempts to restart domestic natural gas production<\/p>\n

Israel\u2019s \u200cenergy ministry said \u200bon Thursday that \u200bit \u2060had instructed \u200cEnergean \u200cto begin \u200bresuming \u2060operations \u200bat the \u200bKarish \u200cnatural gas \u200bplatform \u2060off Israel\u2019s \u2060Mediterranean \u200bcoast following the ceasefire \u200cwith \u2060Iran.<\/p>\n

Before the shutdown, oil \u200band gas giant Energean produced 15,000 barrels per day \u200bof oil alongside gas. Following facility upgrades, production will hit 20,000 bpd upon restart, helping offset \u200bdeferred income. – Reuters<\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 48 minutes ago<\/p>\n

Fuel shortages from Gulf threaten food supply in South Asia<\/p>\n

The fuel crunch from the Iran war \u200cis rippling through Bangladesh\u2019s countryside, leaving tens of thousands of farmers struggling to secure diesel for irrigation at a critical stage of the paddy season.<\/p>\n

Rice is a staple food in \u200bthe South Asian nation of 175 million people and late March is a crucial window for sowing the main summer crop. But diesel shortages, rationed sales and long queues at fuel stations are disrupting irrigation, heightening concerns about plant growth, lower yields and increased losses for farmers.<\/p>\n

Bangladesh relies on imports for 80 per cent of its refined fuel needs with much of that \u200bcoming from the Middle East. Service \u200bstations frequently hang banners at the pumps reading \u2018No Fuel\u2019, with farmers queueing throughout the day for diesel.<\/p>\n

Price volatility and supply disruptions as a result of the war have squeezed supplies, but while the government has introduced measures to conserve energy and find \u2060new sources of fuel, farmers say they are struggling.<\/p>\n

Pump operators say they are struggling to meet demand. \u201cFarmers need a lot of fuel in this season,\u201d said Abdul Salam, a local pump manager. \u201cWe are following government guidelines, but the supply we \u200creceive is not enough.\u201d – Reuters<\/p>\n

Crude oil could sit at $100 for rest of 2026 – Goldman Sachs<\/p>\n

Brent crude is set to average more than $100 a barrel right through 2026 if the Strait of Hormuz were to remain closed for another month, according to Goldman Sachs Group.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe situation remains fluid,\u201d analysts including Daan Struyven said in a note following the start of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, noting comments from US Vice President JD Vance that the truce was fragile. \u201cWe continue to see the risks to our price forecast as skewed to the upside.\u201d<\/p>\n

At present, Goldman\u2019s base-case outlook is for energy flows through the strait starting to pick up from this weekend, followed by a gradual, one-month recovery in Persian Gulf exports to pre-war levels. Under that scenario, Brent is seen averaging $82 a barrel in the third quarter, and $80 in the fourth.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe global oil benchmark, Brent Crude, appeared to be easing on Wednesday amid heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing supply concerns. <\/p>\n

Under the bank\u2019s so-called adverse view, including the reopening being \u201cpostponed\u201d for one month, Brent was expected to average above $100 a barrel in the second half, they said.<\/p>\n

Another outcome, based on a longer closure and the loss of some regional production, came with even higher forecasts, with Brent seen at $120 a barrel in the third quarter and $115 in the fourth.<\/p>\n

The global oil market remains fixated on the strait, which has been largely closed to traffic since the US and Israeli attack on Iran in February that ignited the war. While Tehran and Washington said they paused the fighting in exchange for a reopening of the conduit, there\u2019s little clarity on what was agreed. – Bloomberg<\/p>\n

Japan weighing new release from national oil reserves, reports<\/p>\n

Japan is considering a new release \u200bof about 20 days\u2019 worth of oil reserves as early as May, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Thursday, amid uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n

Japan, dependent on the Middle East for \u200bsome 95 per cent of its oil supply, began releasing oil from its stockpiles in March in line with other \u2060nations and on its own.<\/p>\n

In total, Japan is making available about 50 days\u2019 \u200cworth \u200cof oil \u200bconsumption and has asked the International Energy Agency to consider a co-ordinated release of a second batch.<\/p>\n

It now has enough oil for \u2060230 days in its reserves.<\/p>\n

Asked about the report, a top official at the Japanese at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Narumi Hosokawa, told reporters the ministry continues to examine the situation.<\/p>\n

To help cope with \u200cthe energy supply crisis, \u2060Japan has started searching for non-Middle Eastern barrels, rolled out gasoline subsidies and stepped up coal-fired generation to reduce the need for liquefied natural gas supplies, which \u200chave also been cut due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. \u2013 Reuters<\/p>\n

Ceasefire eases fears but LNG sector scarred, says executive<\/p>\n

The liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector has been scarred by the conflict in the Middle East, a top gas industry executive has warned.<\/p>\n

The disruption has dented confidence in Gulf suppliers and raised doubts among Asian \u200bbuyers \u2013 particularly poorer countries \u2013 over the fuel\u2019s reliability and affordability, according to Menelaos Ydreos, \u2060secretary general of the International Gas Union (IGU).<\/p>\n

IGU has more than 140 members globally and represents more than 90 per cent of \u200cthe \u200cworld\u2019s \u200bgas market. LNG prices have, as of last week, soared over 80 per cent since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, closing the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n

The narrow waterway that normally carries about \u200ba fifth of global LNG supplies.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere you have choke points and you have geopolitical events that occur, it impacts security of supply,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Global gas supply remains ample. But LNG depends \u2060on complex infrastructure, specialised ships and predictable transit routes. \u200bWhen those are disrupted, cargoes flow to buyers able \u200bto pay more, leaving poorer importers exposed, he said.<\/p>\n

That dynamic is critical for Asia, where LNG demand growth has relied on \u200cthe fuel\u2019s reputation as a stable bridge \u200baway from coal.<\/p>\n

The reputational impact is \u200bparticularly sensitive for Qatar, the world\u2019s second-largest LNG exporter, whose supply record has long \u200bbeen a cornerstone of Asian energy security. \u2013 Reuters<\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

Pakistan declares national holiday in advance of talks <\/p>\n

Pakistan<\/a> has suddenly declared two days of local holidays in Islamabad from Thursday, authorities said, in advance of US-Iran talks due to take place in the capital.<\/p>\n

No reason was given in the official notification, but authorities in Islamabad have often announced holidays or restrictions for security reasons in advance of high-profile diplomatic events. <\/p>\n

Pakistan has been preparing for high-stakes talks involving US and Iranian representatives. <\/p>\n

The White House says the vice president, JD Vance<\/a>, will be leading a team to the negotiations in Islamabad \u201cthis weekend\u201d.<\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

Oil prices rebound after biggest one-day drop in six years\"PeoplePeople protest against the war in Iran in New York on Wednesday night. Photograph: Olga Fedorova\/EPA <\/p>\n

Oil prices rebounded on Thursday after their biggest one-day drop since April 2020, as the Strait of Hormuz remained largely blocked and Israeli attacks on Lebanon threatened to derail the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

Brent rose toward $97 a barrel after slumping 13 per cent on Wednesday. West Texas Intermediate was also near $97. Iran\u2019s semi-official Fars news agency reported that passage of tankers through the strait was halted after Israeli strikes, although US vice president JD Vance <\/a>countered that assertion, saying \u201cwe are seeing signs that the straits are starting to reopen.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Thursday, two fully laden Chinese oil tankers in the Gulf were approaching the strait, potentially putting them on track to become the first such vessels to cross since the ceasefire was announced. A successful passage is not guaranteed, and there\u2019s been little change in traffic over the past day.<\/p>\n

The near-halt of traffic through the waterway \u2013 through which about a fifth of the world\u2019s crude and liquefied natural gas flowed before the US and Israel first struck Iran at the end of February \u2013 has caused the biggest-ever oil market disruption. Vance will lead a US delegation to Islamabad in Pakistan for direct talks to Tehran on Saturday. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic\u2019s Ports and Maritime Organization announced two designated safe routes for vessels entering and exiting the strait, according to state-run Nour News. The passageways were established to avoid possible mines, according to the report.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Iran to charge cryptocurrency fees for ships passing Strait of HormuzOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Even once Hormuz transit picks up, the return of energy supplies won\u2019t be instant. Output has been reduced at oil and gasfields, while refineries have curtailed production or shut down. Some of those will take weeks \u2013 or possibly longer \u2013 to return to normal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t over just yet,\u201d said Dennis Kissler, senior vice president for trading at BOK Financial Securities Inc. \u201cWe will need to see a full opening of the strait with no obstacles before we see crude prices in the low $80s. And I don\u2019t see that in the next two weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

Israel kills at least 254 people in Lebanon strikes<\/p>\n

Israel<\/a> carried out its largest attack on Lebanon <\/a>on Wednesday since its war with Hizbullah<\/a> began, killing at least 254 people and wounding 837.<\/p>\n

Warplanes levelled several buildings in the centre of Beirut, filling the skies with smoke in what Israel\u2019s defence minister said was \u201ca surprise strike\u201d on the pro-Iranian<\/a> group.<\/p>\n

The Lebanese capital was filled with cars crumpled by the blasts<\/a> and the flaming wreckage of buildings that first responders struggled to extinguish, as Israel bombed more than 100 Hizbullah military sites across Lebanon.<\/p>\n

\"EmergencyEmergency worker as the site of an Israeli strike in Ain al-Mreisseh, Beirut, on Wednesday. Photograph: Benoit Durand\/AFP via Getty Images <\/p>\n

The office of Israel\u2019s prime minister Binyamin Netanjayu <\/a>said the two-week Middle East ceasefire did not include Lebanon, contrary to a statement made by mediator Pakistan \u2013 while US president Donald Trump, after initially remaining silent, said Lebanon was \u201ca separate skirmish\u201d and not part of the deal.<\/p>\n

Iranian sources told Iran\u2019s Tasnim news agency that the country was ready to exit the ceasefire agreement if Israel \u201cpersists in violating the truce in Lebanon\u201d, and the crisis was discussed by Iran\u2019s foreign minister and his Pakistani counterpart.<\/p>\n

Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said Iran and Lebanon were separate and that the aim was to \u201cchange the reality in Lebanon and remove threats from the residents of the north\u201d.<\/p>\n

Katz went on to directly threaten Hizbullah\u2019s leader. \u201cWe warned Naim Qassem that Hizbullah will pay a very heavy price for attacking Israel on Iran\u2019s behalf \u2013 and Naim Qassem\u2019s personal turn will come too,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

The Red Cross said it was \u201coutraged by the devastating death and destruction\u201d in densely populated areas across Lebanon, adding that the country had been once again plunged into \u201cpanic and chaos\u201d. \u2013 Reuters<\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

UN warns ceasefire at \u2018grave risk\u2019 if Israel keeps attacking Lebanon <\/p>\n

The UN secretary general Antonio Guterres has warned that ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon <\/a>pose \u201ca grave risk\u201d to the fragile US-Iran truce.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ongoing military activity in Lebanon poses a grave risk to the ceasefire and the efforts toward a lasting and comprehensive peace in the region. The secretary general reiterates his call to all parties to immediately cease hostilities,\u201d the spokesman said in a statement on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Hugh Dooley – 2 hours ago<\/p>\n

Trump threatens US will start \u2018shooting\u2019 again if Iran deal fails\"DonaldDonald Trump post on his Truth Social platform <\/p>\n

Donald Trump<\/a> has said US military ships and aircraft \u200cwill remain around Iran and threatened that the US will start \u201cshooting\u201d again unless \u200bTehran fully complies with the deal reached with Washington.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll US Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry … will remain in place in, \u200band around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully \u2060complied with,\u201d Trump said on his Truth Social \u200cplatform on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf \u200cfor \u200bany reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the \u201cShootin\u2019 Starts,\u201d bigger, and better, \u2060and stronger than anyone \u200bhas ever seen before.\u201d <\/p>\n

Iran had said earlier on Wednesday that it \u200cwould be \u201cunreasonable\u201d to proceed \u200bwith talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the \u2060United States after Israel \u2060pounded \u200bLebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people.<\/p>\n

The two sides appeared to be far apart on Iran\u2019s nuclear program, with Trump saying Iran had agreed to stop enriching uranium, and Iran\u2019s parliament speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf saying it was allowed to \u200ccontinue enriching uranium \u2060under the terms of the ceasefire.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the \u200cfake rhetoric to the contrary \u2013 NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz \u200bWILL BE OPEN & SAFE,\u201d Trump added in \u200bhis Truth Social post.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Main PointsUS president Donald Trump has said US forces will remain \u201cin place\u201d until Iran complies with the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":389479,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[969,42,11829,43,40,38,41,39,36222,115],"class_list":{"0":"post-389478","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-donald-trump","9":"tag-headlines","10":"tag-iran","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-top-news","13":"tag-top-stories","14":"tag-topnews","15":"tag-topstories","16":"tag-united-arab-emirates","17":"tag-united-states"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=389478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/389478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/389479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=389478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=389478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=389478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}