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White House confirms Israel part of ceasefire, Iran launches missiles minutes later

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference in Jerusalem on March 19, 2026. (AFP Photo)
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference in Jerusalem on March 19, 2026. (AFP Photo)
April 08, 2026 01:57 AM GMT+03:00

Israel is part of the two-week ceasefire President Trump announced early Wednesday, a senior White House official told CNN, with Israeli forces agreeing to suspend their bombing campaign while negotiations continue. The confirmation came roughly an hour and a half after Trump's deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz had expired.

The disclosure broadens the scope of Trump's Truth Social announcement, which had focused on a U.S. suspension of strikes against Iranian infrastructure. The White House official's statement to CNN makes clear the pause extends to Israeli military operations as well.

The ceasefire announcement followed Iranian missile fire toward Israel, which the Israeli military reported in the hours surrounding Trump's deadline. No further details on the missile launches were immediately available.

Pakistan secured the pause at the eleventh hour

Trump said in his Truth Social post that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir personally requested he hold off strikes planned for Tuesday night. Trump agreed to suspend bombing for two weeks, conditional on Iran agreeing to what he called the "COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING" of the Strait of Hormuz.

He described the arrangement as "a double sided CEASEFIRE" and said Washington had received a 10-point proposal from Tehran it considered "a workable basis on which to negotiate."

Trump said "almost all" points of contention between the U.S. and Iran had been agreed upon and that a two-week window would allow a final deal to be completed. He also said U.S. and allied forces had "already met and exceeded all military objectives" before the suspension was announced.

Iran has not publicly confirmed terms

As of the time of reporting, Iran had not publicly confirmed acceptance of the ceasefire or its terms. Throughout Tuesday, Iranian officials dismissed Trump's threats as "delusional" and gave no public indication they were prepared to fully reopen the strait on U.S. terms.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil passes, has been effectively closed to commercial shipping since the conflict began on February 28, pushing U.S. petrol prices above $4.11 per gallon from under $3 before the war.

The two-week pause, if it holds, would push any final deadline to around April 22.

April 08, 2026 01:57 AM GMT+03:00
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