US and Israeli strikes against Iran - 28 February 2026, Media, Maps & Timelines *NO DISCUSSION*

[JennieM]

Trump says Israel will be 'scaling back' strikes on Lebanon to support peace talks
​

Speaking in an interview with US outlet NBC News before Iran's supreme leader's statement, Trump says that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going to be "scaling back" strikes on Lebanon ahead of upcoming negotiations between Iran and the US.

"I spoke with Bibi and he's going to low-key it. I just think we have to be sort of a little more low-key," Trump tells NBC News following a phone call with Netanyahu.

Along with confirming that Israel would be "scaling back" operations, Trump says he is "very optimistic" that a peace deal will be reached during negotiations in Islamabad.

The US president says Iran is "agreeing to all the things that they have to agree to" and its officials are being "much more reasonable" when not speaking to the press.

US State Department to host Israel-Lebanon talks
​

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent

A State Department official says they can confirm that the department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon.

Israel to hold talks with Lebanon as Beirut attack death toll rises to at least 303

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says "there is no ceasefire" in Lebanon, and Israel will "continue to strike Hezbollah with force".

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

2h ago

Netanyahu says 'no ceasefire in Lebanon'​

“I wish to inform you: There is no ceasefire in Lebanon,” Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu told Israelis in a short video address posted on X. He said Israel was “continuing to strike Hezbollah with full force, and we will not stop until we restore your security.”

His comments come shortly after President Trump said he had asked Netanyahu to be “more low-key” in Lebanon, as the US seeks to negotiate with Iran to bring the war to an end.

Netanyahu added that he had instructed his government to “open direct negotiations with Lebanon as soon as possible.” The talks will focus on the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon, he added.

Middle East crisis live: Netanyahu says ‘no ceasefire in Lebanon’ as Israel attacks ‘Hezbollah launch sites’

Israeli prime minister’s remarks come shortly after Trump told US media he had asked Netanyahu to be more ‘low-key’; IF says it is attacking Hezbollah targets

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

32m ago

Iran’s foreign minister says Netanyahu delaying ceasefire to avoid corruption trial​

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has suggested that Benjamin Netanyahu is resisting a ceasefire because of his corruption trial, and urged Donald Trump not to “crater” the US economy by allowing the Israeli prime minister to jeopardise ongoing diplomatic efforts to stop the war.

Araghchi said on X:

Netanyahu’s criminal trial resumes on Sun. A region-wide ceasefire, incl in Lebanon, would hasten his jailing.

If the US wishes to crater its economy by letting Netanyahu kill diplomacy, that would ultimately be its choice. We think that would be dumb but are prepared for it.

Netanyahu’s long-running trial will resume on Sunday, an Israeli courts’ spokesperson said on Thursday.

The first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with a crime, Netanyahu denies charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust brought in 2019 after years of investigations. His trial, which began in 2020 and could lead to prison terms, has been repeatedly delayed due to his official commitments, with ⁠no end date in sight.

Middle East crisis live: Netanyahu says ‘no ceasefire in Lebanon’ as Israel attacks ‘Hezbollah launch sites’

Israeli prime minister’s remarks come shortly after Trump told US media he had asked Netanyahu to be more ‘low-key’; IF says it is attacking Hezbollah targets

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

3h ago

Trump confirms he asked Netanyahu to be 'more low-key' on Lebanon​

In that interview with NBC News, Donald Trump also confirmed that he asked Benjamin Netanyahu to be “more low-key” in Lebanon as the US seeks to negotiate with Iran to bring the war to an end.

“I spoke with Bibi and he’s going to low-key it. I just think we have to be sort of a little more low-key,” Trump said, adding that he believed Israel was “scaling back” its operations in Lebanon (again, there’s been no evidence of that yet).

Earlier, I brought you CNN’s report that the US president had made the request to the Israeli prime minister. NBC News heard the same, reporting that Trump asked Netanyahu to pull back on the strikes to help ensure the success of the upcoming negotiations in Islamabad.

Middle East crisis live: Netanyahu says ‘no ceasefire in Lebanon’ as Israel attacks ‘Hezbollah launch sites’

Israeli prime minister’s remarks come shortly after Trump told US media he had asked Netanyahu to be more ‘low-key’; IF says it is attacking Hezbollah targets

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

3h ago

Israel’s attacks on Lebanon should not be happening, says Starmer​

Peter Walker and Jamie Grierson

Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon “shouldn’t be happening”, Keir Starmer has said on his visit to the region, echoing criticisms by Yvette Cooper, his foreign secretary; and John Healey, his defence secretary, and emphasising a potentially widening gap between the UK and Donald Trump’s US over the war on Iran and its aftermath.

As well as the condemnation over Lebanon, Starmer and his ministers have been adamant that the strait of Hormuz must be free of any sort of tolls or levies, after Trump mooted the idea of a “joint venture” between the US and Iran to do this.

Speaking in Bahrain on a trip in which he has also held talks in Saudi Arabia and the UAE on shoring up the tentative ceasefire between Iran, the US and Israel, and fully reopening the strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, Starmer criticised Israel’s intensified bombing in Lebanon, which killed more than 300 people on Wednesday.

He told ITV:

That shouldn’t be happening. That should stop. That’s my strong view.

As we’ve been reporting, while Israel has announced it will begin talks with Lebanon, both Israel and the US have denied that ending attacks on Lebanon was part of the ceasefire. JD Vance, Trump’s vice-president, argued that there had been “a legitimate misunderstanding”.

Starmer dismissed this argument, saying the issue “isn’t a technical one of whether it’s a breach of the agreement or not”, calling it “a matter of principles as far as I’m concerned”.

UK ministers have refused to directly condemn Trump, even after the US president shocked the world by saying Iran’s “whole civilisation will die” if Tehran did not meet US demands before the ceasefire.

In the ITV interview, Starmer was obliquely critical of the language, saying:

They are not words I would use, ever use, because I come at this with our British values and principles.

Middle East crisis live: Netanyahu says ‘no ceasefire in Lebanon’ as Israel attacks ‘Hezbollah launch sites’

Israeli prime minister’s remarks come shortly after Trump told US media he had asked Netanyahu to be more ‘low-key’; IF says it is attacking Hezbollah targets

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

4h ago

Lebanese president says 'only solution' is ceasefire before talks with Israel​

As we’ve been reporting, Lebanon wants a ceasefire from Israel before direct negotiations can begin, while Israel says the “talks will be held under fire”.

Earlier, Lebanese president Joseph Aoun said that a ceasefire first was the “only solution”.

In a statement posted on X, he said:

The only solution to the situation Lebanon is experiencing is to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, followed by direct negotiations between them.

He added that Lebanon’s security forces have been “carrying out their work fully to enforce security and stability”, despite the “difficult circumstances they are facing”.

Middle East crisis live: Netanyahu says ‘no ceasefire in Lebanon’ as Israel attacks ‘Hezbollah launch sites’

Israeli prime minister’s remarks come shortly after Trump told US media he had asked Netanyahu to be more ‘low-key’; IF says it is attacking Hezbollah targets

www.theguardian.com

 

[JennieM]

4h ago

Death toll from Israel's attacks on Lebanon on Wednesday rises to over 300​

Lebanon’s health ministry said on Thursday that Israeli strikes across the country the day before killed more than 300 people and wounded at least 1,150.

In a statement, the ministry said “the Israeli enemy’s airstrikes yesterday, Wednesday, resulted in a preliminary toll of 303 martyrs and 1,150 wounded”, adding that the cumulative toll since the start of the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah on March 2 rose to 1,888 dead and 6,092 wounded.

It warned the death toll could rise further as search efforts were ongoing, as well as DNA testing of bodies transferred to hospitals.

Lebanon is holding a day of mourning on Thursday after the “unprecedented” wave of Israeli strikes wrought devastation across the country.

Rubble is cleared at the site of an Israeli strike in Ain Al Mraiseh in Beirut. Photograph: Raghed Waked/Reuters

Middle East crisis live: Netanyahu says ‘no ceasefire in Lebanon’ as Israel attacks ‘Hezbollah launch sites’

Israeli prime minister’s remarks come shortly after Trump told US media he had asked Netanyahu to be more ‘low-key’; IF says it is attacking Hezbollah targets

www.theguardian.com

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042365257692147932

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042388581134524692

 

[sunshineray]

" For instance: In a series of nine phone interviews about the war in Iran, Trump gave nine different, vague answers that offered little insight about when the White House may actually end the war. On Feb. 28, he said the war could be over in two or three days. A day later, he told ABC that it would actually be four or five weeks, most likely. On March 2, he told Jake Tapper that the US was “a little ahead of schedule” of its 4 week window. But two days later, he told Time magazine it had “no time limits.”

Exclusive: Why (and how) everyone is cold-calling the president

Plus, what happened when Semafor’s Max Tani gave him a ring.

www.semafor.com

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042496452107108713

"Mr Vance is joined by US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The White House has provided scant detail about the format of the talks
- whether they will be direct or indirect -
and has not provided specific expectations for the meeting.

An Iranian delegation arrived in Pakistan's capital city late on Thursday
ahead of this weekend's talks to resolve the US-Iran war.

The Wall Street Journal reported
that Iran's team is being led by
foreign minister Abbas Araghchi
and parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf."

 

[sunshineray]

On the NATO question being brought up by the President...

"In 2023, Congress enacted a law that prohibits the President from "suspend[ing], terminat[ing], denounc[ing], or withdraw[ing] the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty"—which established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—without the advice and consent of the Senate or an act of Congress."

https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48868

 

[sunshineray]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042320858719666463

 

[SouthAussie]

The Israeli prime minister's sudden announcement he was prepared to engage with the Lebanese government on some sort of peace agreement was curious in its timing.

Twenty-four hours earlier, his country's military had launched the largest and most intense series of simultaneous attacks in Lebanon in the war.

The Israeli military hit 100 different sites in just 10 minutes. The death toll surged.

US Vice-President JD Vance said Israel would pull back on its strikes. And suddenly, on Wednesday evening, Benjamin Netanyahu said he made a decision to consider peace talks with the Lebanese government.

It's probably premature to say this is another major turning point. It may be more posturing than anything else. But it's an insight into the wrangling behind the scenes to keep this situation as calm as can be.

What you need to know about the Iran war today

The need to ensure the Iran ceasefire holds until the first round of peace talks are held has put Israel under pressure.

www.abc.net.au

 

[SouthAussie]

A senior official in the Lebanese president's office has just confirmed to the BBC that Lebanon will participate in direct negotiations with Israel next week if, and only if, there is a ceasefire in place beforehand.

The day and time of the meeting has not been set.

Direct talks between Lebanon and Israel are not unprecedented, but they are unusual.

The two countries generally communicate via intermediaries, such as the US.

Lebanon says it will only take part in talks with Israel if ceasefire already in place - follow live

There has been confusion over whether the US-Iran ceasefire covers Lebanon, with mediator Pakistan saying it does and both the US and Israel saying it does not.

www.bbc.com

 

[sunshineray]

Iraqi ambassador summoned by US State Department over attacks on diplomatic facilities​

​

By Jennifer Hansler
A top US State Department official summoned Iraq’s ambassador to the United States on Thursday “to express the U.S. government’s strong condemnation” of attacks by Iranian-backed militias against US diplomatic facilities and personnel in Iraq.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, in the meeting with Iraqi Ambassador Nizar Khirullah, acknowledged “the efforts of Iraqi Security Forces to respond to these terrorist attacks,” according to a State Department readout. But he also “emphasized the Iraqi government’s failure to prevent these attacks while some elements associated with the Iraqi government continue to actively provide political, financial, and operational cover for the militias adversely impacts the U.S.-Iraq relationship.”
Landau denounced “the egregious terrorist attacks,” including “the April 8 ambush of U.S. diplomats in Baghdad,” according to the readout. “These attacks come after hundreds in recent weeks against U.S. citizens, diplomatic facilities, and commercial interests, as well as Iraq’s neighbors and Iraqi institutions and civilians, including in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.”
“The Deputy Secretary stressed the United States will not tolerate attacks on U.S. interests and expects the Iraqi government to immediately take all measures to dismantle the Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq,” it said.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/09/world/live-news/iran-war-trump-us-ceasefire?post-id=cmnrzp22t00003b6s1ogzy7ai

 

[sunshineray]

"Pakistan has insisted that Lebanon is included in the ceasefire, and Washington made a push to include Beirut in parallel talks.
"We can confirm that the Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Israel and Lebanon," a US State Department official said."
(...)
"Fresh fractures in the mediation process emerged when Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif wrote a sharp criticism of Israel's strikes on Lebanon Thursday evening, in a post taken down hours later on Friday.
"Israel is evil and a curse for humanity -- while peace talks are underway in Islamabad, genocide is being committed in Lebanon," he wrote on X, adding that he hoped "people who created this cancerous state on Palestinian land" would "burn in hell."

Pakistan prepares to host US-Iran talks, as Lebanon fighting continues

Pakistan was poised on Friday to host Iranian and US delegations for negotiations in its capital, although Tehran's participation remained uncertain after deadly Israeli strikes on Lebanon threatened this week's

www.cbs19news.com

 

[otto]

"As much as U.S. President Donald Trump may want it and the social media spin cycle promotes it, a divorce between the United States and NATO would be extraordinarily hard to achieve because neither side sees it in their interest — at the moment.
...

An official in Trump's administration, speaking on background to The Wall Street Journal, said Trump would likely seek to punish individual allies who didn't support the American-Israeli war.
...

The real damage, Buck said, is already taking place with an emboldened Russia, which this week tested NATO by placing submarines over transatlantic cables in waters off the United Kingdom.

"If [Russian President Vladimir] Putin thinks that NATO is weak, the deterrent force of the collective defence guarantee is lost," Buck said. "That's what Trump's been doing consistently, but it's much more pointed now, much more dangerous, much riskier."
...

"It's a president who has become lawless and belligerent to so many others, supported by a sycophantic administration, with a Congress that seems to have no interest in reining him in and a population that has become less and less kind and generous — generous to the rest of the world."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nato-trump-iran-war-russia-9.7158165

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042634530545156282

 

[sunshineray]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2042496452107108713

"Mr Vance is joined by US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The White House has provided scant detail about the format of the talks
- whether they will be direct or indirect -
and has not provided specific expectations for the meeting.

An Iranian delegation arrived in Pakistan's capital city late on Thursday
ahead of this weekend's talks to resolve the US-Iran war.

The Wall Street Journal reported
that Iran's team is being led by
foreign minister Abbas Araghchi
and parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf."