President Trump said Thursday he is not in a rush to reach a deal with Iran and will hold out for the best possible agreement, even as Iran's state media released dramatic footage of masked Revolutionary Guard commandos boarding two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Philippine government confirmed that 15 of its nationals were aboard the seized vessels and said they were "safe and unharmed." Trump, speaking in the Oval Office, said the U.S. has "total control" of the strait and claimed Iran's military was "decimated" in the first four weeks of the conflict. "I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now," he said, adding that any agreement must be "everlasting." He warned that if Iran walks away from negotiations, the U.S. would resume bombing remaining military targets.
On gas prices, Trump acknowledged Americans would likely pay more at the pump "for a little while" as the war continues. Asked by CBS News senior White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe whether the public should expect sustained high prices, Trump replied: "Do you know what they get for that? Iran without a nuclear weapon."
While those tensions simmered, Trump also convened a separate diplomatic effort Thursday. Israeli and Lebanese officials held a second round of direct peace talks at the White House, following an initial meeting on April 14 that was the first high-level negotiation between the two countries since 1993. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa attended alongside both countries' ambassadors to Washington.
The talks are taking place against a backdrop of ongoing Israeli military activity inside Lebanese territory. According to Al Jazeera, Israel has killed 2,294 people in Lebanon since March 2, displaced more than 1.2 million, and established a buffer zone approximately 10 kilometers from the border where residents are barred from returning. On Wednesday, Israel killed five people in Lebanon, including journalist Amal Khalil. The Lebanese Health Ministry reported three more killed in an Israeli attack on Thursday.
Public opinion in Lebanon on the negotiations is sharply divided. Some Lebanese view direct talks as the only viable path to ending the conflict. Others reject them outright, arguing that only armed resistance through Hezbollah can produce a favorable outcome. A Beirut shopowner, asked about the talks by Al Jazeera, declined to comment. "If I say the wrong thing, someone might come hit me," he said.
The Lebanese side is expected to request an extension to the existing ceasefire framework. Hezbollah and the Israeli military have accused each other of breaching it.
