This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.
US President Donald Trump has indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran while retaining the blockade of the country’s ports.
He wrote on his social media site Truth Social: “Due to the fact that the Iranian government is significantly divided - which is not surprising - and in accordance with the request of Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, we have been asked to pause our attack on Iran until such time as its leaders and representatives can present a unified proposal.”
It was unclear what would happen next in Iran as the Islamic Revolutionary Guards’ affiliated Tasnim News Agency said Iran had not asked for a ceasefire extension and repeated threats to break the US blockade by force.
Iran state television reported that "Iran will not recognise the ceasefire announced by Trump, may not abide by it and will act in accordance with its national interests."
Overnight, Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, wrote on X: “Blockading Iranian ports is an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire. Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation,” referring to an incident at the weekend in which the US seized an Iranian vessel.
“Iran knows how to neutralise restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying,” he added.
Meanwhile, in northern Israel, alarms were sounded in the Galilee amid a fragile 10-day ceasefire, when Iran-backed Hezbollah fired a drone as the country began celebrations for its 78th Independence Day, Yom Haazmaut.
The IDF first said it was a false alarm, but later said rockets had been fired at troops in southern Lebanon alongside a drone launched into Israeli territory. The drone was intercepted.
Hezbollah then issued an official claim of responsibility for the rocket barrage and drone fire, claiming it was "in response to more than 200 Israeli violations since the ceasefire".
Earlier in the day, the IDF reported that a Golani Brigade had eliminated terrorists south of the Yellow Line, after they "violated the ceasefire agreements and posed an immediate threat to our forces."
This story originally appeared in the JC Israel Briefing. You can sign up to receive the briefing daily here.
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