Israel and Lebanon extended a fragile ceasefire by three weeks, President Donald Trump announced Thursday, despite ongoing hostilities including recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon and rocket fire from Iran-backed Hezbollah, which did not participate in the Washington talks. The initial truce, set to expire Sunday, was prolonged as Trump met with ambassadors from both nations. "I think there's a very good chance of having peace. I think it should be an easy one," Trump said. A third American aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, arrived in the Middle East, bringing the total to three, as the U.S. intensified its naval presence. Trump reiterated he had ordered the Navy to destroy any Iranian vessel laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, stating on social media, "I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn't — The clock is ticking!" Iranian state media reported blasts and air defence activity over Tehran, though an Israeli security source confirmed Israel was not currently striking Iran. The U.S. military intercepted the M/T Majestic X in the Indian Ocean, a ship transporting oil from Iran. Iran's Deputy Parliament Speaker Hamidreza Hajibabaei said Tehran had collected its first revenue from tolls imposed on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, which it has largely closed since the war began. Iran vowed to keep the strait shut to most traffic as long as U.S. forces blockade its ports. In response to claims of internal fractures, Iran's president, parliament speaker and chief justice posted identical messages affirming unity under one leader. A post on Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's X account dismissed foreign media efforts to undermine national unity, after reports he was wounded but mentally sharp following a strike that killed his predecessor.
Trump touts peace while escalating naval threats and endorsing total destruction of Iran's leadership, revealing a disconnect between diplomacy and aggression. Israel's Defence Minister openly calls for eliminating the Khamenei dynasty and sending Iran to the Stone Age, with no rebuke from Washington. This alignment of rhetoric suggests the ceasefire is less about peace than tactical repositioning for greater confrontation. Nigerians watching such volatile posturing may question the sincerity of any truce backed by actors simultaneously preparing for wider war.
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