Iran closes Strait of Hormuz again, accuses US of breaking ceasefire

The two-week ceasefire with Iran is already tenuous this morning, with Iran accusing the United States and Israel of violating the terms of the deal after attacks on Lebanon

The Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah says in retaliation it launched, quote, a large barrage of rockets at a settlement in Israel overnight

The Israeli military announced this morning it killed Ali Yousef Karshi, the nephew and personal secretary of Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qasim, in what it calls its most powerful attacks yet on Lebanon Wednesday

They say Karshi played a central role in providing Qasim security. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health says Wednesday's strikes claimed the lives of at least 182 people

Iran and other world powers, including some U.S. allies, have condemned Israel's strikes

saying they violate the ceasefire deal. But President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

insist the ceasefire deal does not include Lebanon. Despite that, an Iranian delegation is still set to arrive in Pakistan Thursday night

ahead of talks about a permanent ceasefire with the U.S. Pakistan, which is mediating, says those talks could begin as early as Friday

The White House has confirmed that Vice President J Vance will lead the U negotiating team Vance told reporters in Hungary that it is his understanding that Israel will now back off its

attacks on Lebanon for the good of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Meanwhile, President Trump says American

troops will remain in the region until, quote, the real agreement reached is fully complied with

In a related topic, the Strait of Hormuz appears to be closed again this morning

as Iran claims the United States violated the ceasefire. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says shipping through the critical waterway is now halted

Traffic had begun to resume after the ceasefire went into effect. Marine traffic data, however, shows most ships remained anchored in the Persian Gulf

and only four passed through on Wednesday. The Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization is urging vessel operators

to use alternative shipping routes to avoid potential naval mines. It comes after semi-official news agencies in Iran published a chart showing Iran's military put sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz during the war

The chart was dated from February 28th until April 9th, and it's not clear if any of the mines have been removed

Vice President J.D. Vance restated Wednesday night that if Iran does not follow through on its promise to reopen the strait, the ceasefire will end