Trump cancels peace mission to Islamabad as US Navy begins de-mining operations in Strait of Hormuz

British Ambassador to the U.S. Christian Turner said on Sunday that the U.K. shares the same intent and policy with the U.S. in the war on Iran.

"We share the same intent, the same policy as the U.S. We want to constrain this regime and its threat," Turner said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

This comes amid tensions between the Trump administration and the U.K. government over their response to the conflict in the Middle East and ahead of King Charles III's visit to Washington, D.C., on Monday.

Turner also reaffirmed the U.K.'s wish for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer is part of a coalition of countries seeking to secure the strait and back a lasting ceasefire.

"It is planning, once the straits are open, to ensure that the navigation we need has got the assurance of a whole package of boats, of drones, of intelligence to be able to make sure that shipping goes through," Turner said. "Because that's what American citizens need. That's what British citizens need. The people of Asia need. The global economy is suffering, and we want to see that resolved."

Lebanon's health ministry said on Sunday that a total of 2,509 people have been killed in the latest war between Israel and Hezbollah that began on March 2.

Another 7,755 people have been wounded in the conflict, the health ministry said.

More than 120,000 people are sheltering in designated evacuation centers.

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect earlier this month and was extended by three weeks on Thursday.

The Israel Defense Forces said on Sunday that it will look into allegations of its soldiers looting in southern Lebanon after a newspaper reported that soldiers revealed widespread theft from Lebanese civilian homes and businesses.

IDF soldiers anonymously told newspaper Haaretz that various items, including televisions, gold bars, paintings, tools and cigarettes, were being grabbed by service members from the homes of displaced residents.

The soldier said this was happening on "a crazy scale" and that commanders are doing nothing to stop it.

"In our unit, they don’t even comment or get angry. The battalion and brigade commanders know everything," one soldier said. "They know discipline in the IDF has eroded and they have no real ability to enforce it."

In response to the report, the IDF vowed to "examine" the looting allegations.

"The IDF views any harm to civilian property and any acts of looting with utmost severity and strictly prohibits them," the Israeli military said in a statement to to CNN. "Any allegation or suspicion of such conduct is thoroughly examined and dealt with in full accordance with the law."

The military said that when it collects sufficient evidence, "disciplinary and criminal measures are taken, including prosecution," and that the Military Police Corps "conducts inspections at the northern border crossing during exit from the combat zone."

"The actions seen in the video are not aligned with the values of the IDF and the behavior expected from its soldiers," the IDF said in a statement on Saturday. "The incident is under review. Steps will be taken in accordance with the findings."

This comes after several other misconduct complaints against Israeli soldiers in Lebanon. Earlier this month, a soldier was photographed smashing a statue of Jesus Christ.

Israel's Home Front Command tightened gathering restrictions in the northern regions Sunday given Hezbollah’s continued attacks during the extended ceasefire, The Times of Israel reported.

Gatherings in communities along the Lebanon border, as well as in Meron, Bar Yohai, Or HaGanuz and Safsufa in the Galilee region, would be limited to 1,500 people.

The restrictions are in effect until Monday at 8 p.m. local time, after which another assessment will be made, the command said.

The U.S. military continues to stop ships from accessing Iranian ports, with 38 already turned away, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Sunday.

“A U.S. Sailor watches a commercial ship as U.S. forces continue to enforce a blockade against Iranian ports, preventing ships from entering or exiting,” the command said in a post shared on X.

“American forces have directed 38 ships to turn around or return to port," CENTCOM said.

Oil prices rose in early Asian trading on Monday as stalled U.S.-Iran peace talks kept the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, heightening fears of prolonged supply disruptions, Reuters reported.

Benchmark Brent crude futures rose more than 2%, hitting a three-week high of $107.97 per barrel, the oulet said.

The gains were driven by concerns over restricted Gulf shipping, with the Strait remaining largely blocked.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s neighboring countries are Tehran’s priority after he had talks in Oman focused on regional developments and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

“Appreciative of my gracious hosts in Oman,” Araghchi said in a post shared on X.

“Important discussions on bilateral matters and regional developments,” he added.

“As only Hormuz littoral states, our focus included ways to ensure safe transit that is to the benefit of all dear neighbors and the world. Our neighbors are our priority,” he said. 

Russia’s envoy to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Mikhail Ulyanov, criticized the U.S.' approach toward Iran on Sunday, saying threats of military force and sanctions show “blackmailing, ultimatums and deadlines.”

"The #US is accustomed to conduct negotiations from the position of strength, threatening to use military force or tighten #sanctions,” Ulyanov said in a post shared on X.

“It is obvious that this scheme doesn’t work with #Iran,” he added.

“The best way ahead for the US under  the current circumstances is  to drop all those elements of its position which look like #blackmailing, #ultimatums and #deadlines,” he said. 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the war with Iran and broader Middle East tensions during a phone call on Sunday with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, according to the UAE’s foreign affairs ministry.

During the call, Sheikh Abdullah emphasized the strengthening of ties between the two countries and addressed ongoing regional developments.

“Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed discusses, during a phone call with His Excellency Marco Rubio, the United States Secretary of State, the growing strategic relations between the two countries, and the overall current regional developments,” the UAE minister of foreign affairs said in a post shared on X.

Bin Zayed also expressed support for U.S. leadership efforts aimed at promoting stability and peace in the region.

“His Highness also commended the efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at achieving peace and consolidating sustainable security and stability at both the regional and international levels, and similarly commended the efforts of the U.S. president and Marco Rubio in bringing about peace between Lebanon and Israel,” the minister said.

The Israeli military said Sunday it carried out a series of strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, underscoring ongoing tensions and despite a recently extended ceasefire.

"STRUCK: Hezbollah terrorists and military infrastructure sites used to advance attacks against IDF soldiers and Israel, north of the Forward Defense Line,” the IDF said in a post shared on X.

Among the targets struck were rocket-launching terrorist cells, a loaded, ready-to-launch rocket launcher, a weapons storage facility and military structures, it said.

The IDF also uncovered an underground terror tunnel containing living quarters, military equipment and weapons.

“IDF troops dismantled an offensive underground route 800 meters long, which contained living quarters, military equipment, and weapons, including vests and a rocket belonging to Islamic Jihad,” it said on X.

The ceasefire brokered by the United States took effect on April 16. It was initially set to last 10 days but was extended by roughly three weeks.

Russia has confirmed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will travel to Moscow for high-level discussions on Monday, according to official statements and media reports.

“We confirm a visit by Araghchi to Russia with the aim of holding talks,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said, quoting the RIA Novosti news agency.

Iran's ISNA news agency cited Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, as saying that Araghchi is scheduled to meet President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday.

The visit is expected to focus on consultations with Russian officials regarding “the latest status of the negotiations, ceasefire, and surrounding developments,” Jalali said.

Separately, reports from Iran International, citing IRNA, indicated Araghchi will also meet other senior Russian officials to discuss bilateral relations between Iran and Russia.

Crude oil cargoes valued at about $1.05 billion have been sent back to Iranian ports following “rapid interdictions” by the U.S. Navy, TankerTrackers said Sunday.

The firm said satellite imagery confirming the sightings showed the arrival of the crude oil in Iran.

“The U.S. Coast Guard has seized an estimated $380 million worth of Iranian crude oil in the Indian Ocean,” TankerTrackers also said in a post shared on X.

The firm said the oil shipment appeared to be heading toward the United States.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Sunday that "multiple ships and helicopters" are enforcing the blockade against Iranian ports in the Middle East.

“A U.S. sailor conducts preflight checks on an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter aboard USS John Finn (DDG 113),” CENTCOM said in a post shared on X.

“Multiple ships and helicopters are currently enforcing the U.S. blockade against Iranian ports,” the command said. 

President Donald Trump predicted on Sunday that the war with Iran will come to an end "very soon."

Trump made the statement during an interview with Fox News' Jacqui Heinrich on "The Sunday Briefing," saying the red line for the U.S. remains preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

"Israel would get blown up within minutes from the time they got it. So we can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon. So this should have been done by previous presidents. It should have been done for years, 40, 47 years. It's been going on and nobody did anything about it. We had to do that," Trump said.

"I took the greatest economy we've ever had. And I said, we're going to have to take a little detour and stop that from happening. And that's what happened. And we've done a great job, and it'll come to an end very soon, and we're going to be very victorious. But they cannot have a nuclear weapon," he added.

One Israeli solider was killed and six others were wounded during an operation in southern Lebanon, the IDF announced Sunday.

The IDF identified the deceased solider as Sgt. Idan Fooks. Four of his fellow soldiers were severely injured, and others sustained lighter injuries.

"Sergeant Idan Fooks, aged 19, from Petah Tikva, a soldier in the 77th Battalion of the 7th Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon," the IDF said in a statement.

"During the incident in which Sergeant Idan Fooks fell, an officer and three additional soldiers were severely injured, along with a soldier who was moderately injured and a soldier who was lightly injured," the statement continued.

"The soldiers were evacuated to the hospital to receive medical treatment, and their families have been notified," it added.

President Donald Trump doubled down on his decision not to send U.S. delegates to Pakistan for Iran talks on Saturday.

Trump told reports and wrote on Truth Social that he believes the U.S. holds "all the cards" in the negotiations.

"We have all the cards. We're not going to spend 15 hours in airplanes all the time, going back and forth, to be given a document that was not good enough. And so we'll deal by telephone, and they can call us any time they want," Trump said Saturday.

"Again, we have all of the cards, they have no military left, practically, they have no leaders left. We don't know who the leaders are. Nobody knows who the leaders — I don't think they know who the leaders are, very importantly," he added.

President Donald Trump held a phone call with U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer on Sunday, with the pair discussing the urgency of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Starmer's office revealed details of the call in a statement to the press shortly after the call. It made no mention of Trump's recent decision to cancel peace talks in Pakistan.

“The leaders discussed the urgent need to get shipping moving again in the Strait of Hormuz, given the severe consequences for the global economy and cost of living for people in the UK and globally,” Starmer's office said in a statement.

"The prime minister shared ​the ⁠latest progress on his joint initiative with President (Emmanuel) Macron ⁠to ​restore freedom of ​navigation," the statement added.

Days after Iran’s leadership projected a unified front, undermining the long-cited moderate-vs.-hardliner divide, President Donald Trump canceled planned talks with Tehran in Islamabad, Pakistan, citing "infighting and confusion" inside the regime.

Iranian American experts argue that social media posts from Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, President Masoud Pezeshkian and other key officials reveal that the "good cop, bad cop" tactic that the regime exploited to deceive adversaries and secure generous concessions in nuclear negotiations has collapsed.

In a Truth Social post Saturday, Trump announced he canceled the trip, citing "too much time wasted on traveling" and "too much work!"

"Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership,'" the president added, noting "nobody knows who is in charge, including them."

"Also, we have all the cards, they have none!" Trump wrote. "If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!"

The implosion of the hardline-moderate dichotomy within the regime could have profound consequences for Trump’s approach to the atomic talks in Islamabad, experts said. Trump appeared to allude to a blurry divide between factions within Iran last week.

"Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know! The infighting is between the ‘Hardliners,’ who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the ‘Moderates,’ who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), and it is CRAZY!" Trump wrote in an X post Thursday.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News' Benjamin Weinthal.

President Donald Trump says he cancelled plans for further peace talks with Iran because the regime is suffering from "infighting" on Saturday.

Trump made the comments in an exclusive interview with Fox News’ White House correspondent Aishah Hasnie.

"I've told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, 'Nope, you're not making an 18-hour flight to go there. We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you're not going to be making any more 18-hour flights to sit around talking about nothing,'" Trump said.

He later followed up on the comments with a post on Truth Social, saying Iran is suffering from "tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership.’"

"Nobody knows who is in charge, including them," Trump wrote.

Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump's next steps in the Iran conflict remain unclear after he cancelled plans for sending a U.S. delegation to Pakistan on Saturday.

Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were scheduled to fly to Islamabad on Saturday, but Trump abruptly cancelled the flight.

"I just cancelled the trip of my representatives going is Islamabad, Pakistan, to meet with the Iranians. Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. "If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!"

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy has begun efforts to de-mine the Strait of Hormuz, a project it says could take up to 6 months.