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Iran live updates: Hegseth says 'blockade is growing and going global'

Disruption in the strategic waterway has roiled global economies.

Last Updated: April 24, 2026, 11:43 AM EDT

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan earlier this month failed to reach a peace deal. On Tuesday, Trump announced he was extending the ceasefire and continuing the blockade until Iran's proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded "one way or the other."

7:15 AM EDT

Iran's military commanders join government and parliament in show of unity after Trump's rift claim

The commander in chief of Iran's Army General Amir Hatami reiterated unity among the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran in a post on X on Friday, following President Donald Trump alleging a rift among Iranian leaders.

Hatami said all branches of power are united and "obedient" to the Supreme Leader, adding that they "will make the criminal aggressor regret."

"One God, one Leader, one Nation, one Path, and that is the path to the victory of dear Iran that is more precious than life," Hatami wrote.

In a separate note, commanders of the IRGC Navy and IRGC Aerospace Forces issued a joint message of unity on Thursday evening, saying the unity of the Islamic Republic leaders supports the armed forces as they prepare to fight.

Other top authorities of the country, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and parliament speaker and lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, shared similar post emphasizing unity among leaders on their X accounts.

These posts seem to be a response to President Trump’s post on Truth Social on Thursday, where he wrote there is infighting among the Iranian "hardliner" and "moderate" leaders.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian

6:03 AM EDT

IDF says Hezbollah committing 'blatant violations' of ceasefire

The Israel Defense Forces said that three members of Hezbollah were killed after "unsuccessfully launching a surface-to-air missile toward an IAF aircraft."

"These actions constitute blatant violations of the ceasefire understandings," the IDF said in a statement on X early Friday.

Elsewhere, in two separate incidents, the IDF said that members of Hezbollah also "launched rockets and an explosive UAV toward IDF soldiers operating south of the Forward Defense Line in southern Lebanon."

Apr 23, 2026, 6:37 PM EDT

'We hope' no firing during Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, Trump says

Moments after announcing an extended ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, President Donald Trump said "we hope" there's three weeks of "no firing" between the two countries.

"But they do have Hezbollah to think about, and we're going to be working with Lebanon to get things straightened out in that country," he said during surprise remarks from the Oval Office while flanked by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance.

Trump also said he expects the president of Lebanon and the prime minister of Israel to come to the White House "over the next couple of weeks" while the ceasefire is in place, though he did not provide any specifics of such potential travel.

Trump expressed his hope that the Israel-Lebanon conflict will get "worked out simultaneously with what we're doing in Iran."

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart, Isabella Murray and Emily Chang

Apr 23, 2026, 5:44 PM EDT

Trump says Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by 3 weeks

Israel and Lebanon will extend their ceasefire by three weeks, President Donald Trump announced on social media.

"I look forward in the near future to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun,” Trump wrote.

This comes after a second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon took place at the White House on Thursday.

Exactly one week ago, Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

-ABC News' Emily Chang

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