Iran War LIVE: Trump says Hormuz blockade will continue, Tehran announces 'resistance belt'

In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Iran and Israel have suspended their reciprocal military operations, temporarily reinstating a fragile, US-brokered ceasefire that originally took effect on April 8. The decision to halt hostilities on Monday followed intense international diplomatic intervention, coming on the heels of a sharp weekend escalation where both capitals exchanged direct missile and drone attacks for the first time in two months. In an interview with ANI, Iran's Consul General in Mumbai, Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh, addressed the direct question of who first ruptured the volatile peace agreement between the two Middle Eastern adversaries, firmly pointing the finger at Tel Aviv.

US President Donald Trump said the crew of a US Army helicopter reported to have gone down near the Strait of Hormuz were safe and unharmed.
Responding to questions from reporters in New York after attending Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, Trump said, "The pilots are fine, nobody injured."

His remarks came after The New York Times reported that a US Army Apache attack helicopter had gone down near the strategic waterway and that its two crew members had been rescued.

Trump said further details would be released soon, adding, "We are going to issue a report tomorrow."

US President Donald Trump said the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in place until a final agreement is reached with Iran, while expressing confidence that negotiations with Tehran are nearing a conclusion.

Speaking to reporters while departing New York after attending the NBA Finals, Trump said discussions with Iran were progressing and could soon produce a definitive outcome.

“We're in the final throes of a very good deal that will not allow, in any way or form, nuclear weapons,” Trump said. He added that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately after an agreement is signed, suggesting that a deal could be reached within “two or three days.”

Trump also said Israel and Iran had agreed to refrain from attacking each other for another week as diplomatic efforts continue.

Danish shipping giant Maersk has allegedly transported key weapons components, including parts used in bullets, bombs and mortar shells, according to a report released on Monday by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) and Oxfam Denmark.

The report claims the shipments contradict Maersk's stated policy prohibiting the transport of weapons or ammunition to active conflict zones. Nadya Tannous of the Palestinian Youth Movement said the company has also maintained since October 2023 that it does not transport weapons or ammunition to Israel.

A US Army Apache helicopter gunship went down near the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, though both crew members were safely rescued, according to The New York Times, which cited two people briefed on the incident.

It was not immediately clear whether the aircraft was brought down by Iranian fire, suffered a mechanical failure, or encountered another issue. The incident took place on the same day Israel and Iran exchanged strikes before stepping back from further escalation, heightening concerns over renewed tensions in the region.

A fire broke out aboard an oil tanker carrying 24 Indian seafarers off the coast of Oman on Monday, amid renewed hostilities between Israel and Iran.

The Madagascar-flagged MT Marivex reported the fire at around 1.30 pm IST, according to Opesh Kumar Sharma, a director in India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Sharma said all 24 Indian crew members on board were safe. He declined to comment on the cause of the fire but noted that the tanker was unladen and operating well outside the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically important shipping route that has been affected by heightened regional tensions.

Iran's Quds Force commander, Esmaeil Qaani, said a new “security belt of resistance” would extend from the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and from the Gulf to the Red Sea, according to Iranian state media.

Qaani said the initiative reflected growing coordination among groups aligned with Iran across the region and warned that any further actions by the United States or Israel would be met with a response from what Tehran calls the "resistance front."

The remarks come amid heightened tensions over the security of key maritime routes that are critical to global energy supplies and international trade.

The statement was reported by Iranian media and carried by international news agencies.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has warned that any future attacks from Iran or Lebanon would be met with a strong military response, despite the announcement of a truce.

According to Iran International, Katz said Israel would act decisively against any threats, adding that “Dahiyeh in Beirut will be treated the same as the northern communities,” a reference to Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut.

The remarks underscore Israel’s position that while it is prepared to maintain the ceasefire, it will respond forcefully to any renewed aggression.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel would refrain from further strikes against Iran, provided Tehran does not launch any new attacks.

Echoing the warning, Iran’s central military command said it was suspending offensive operations but cautioned that any further Israeli aggression, including attacks in southern Lebanon, would be met with a far stronger response. According to Fars news agency, the command warned that “much harsher and more crushing actions than before” would follow if Israel continued its attacks.

Five people were killed and eight others injured in an Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre on Monday, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.

The ministry said four paramedics were among the wounded and that the strike occurred near a Red Cross center.

Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that the attack targeted a vehicle, which was hit by an Israeli missile.

Trump said the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in effect despite the halt in hostilities between Iran and Israel, indicating that restrictions will stay in place until a “final” agreement is reached.

In a post announcing the suspension of strikes by both sides, Trump said the US would continue enforcing the blockade as negotiations move forward.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies pass, has been heavily affected since the conflict began. Disruptions to shipping through the waterway have significantly impacted global energy flows and contributed to volatility in oil markets.

The US military said on Monday that it disabled an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel allegedly attempted to breach Washington's blockade of Iranian ports.

According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the Palau-flagged tanker M/T Marivex was sailing toward an Iranian port when it was intercepted by US forces. The military said the vessel ignored repeated instructions to change course, prompting an American fighter jet to strike its engineering and steering systems, rendering it unable to continue its voyage to Iran.

US President Donald Trump said he expects the United States to achieve what he called a “total victory” over Iran within the next two weeks, speaking during a tele-rally for South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham ahead of Tuesday’s primary election.

Trump said negotiations with Tehran were ongoing and expressed confidence that a deal could be reached. “We’re negotiating now, and they want to make a very good deal. They’re willing to give us everything. They’re willing to give us no nuclear weapon,” he said.

“I think we are winning that battle, but you’re really going to win it over the next two weeks when we declare total victory,” Trump added. “It’ll be a total victory, it’ll happen very soon, and oil prices will come tumbling down.”

US President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise caution and pressed him to halt a major retaliatory operation against Iran after Tehran launched its first attack on Israel since the fragile ceasefire reached in April.

The intervention helped prevent what Israeli and US officials described as a potentially massive wave of Israeli strikes, which could have been the largest since the ceasefire took effect. As Israel prepared attacks on dozens of sensitive Iranian targets, Trump personally called Netanyahu to urge restraint.

“I said, ‘Bibi, you better be careful, or you will be on your own very soon,’” Trump told Axios. According to an Israeli source, Netanyahu agreed to call off the operation following the conversation, on the condition that Iran refrained from carrying out any further attacks.