A cargo ship sits at anchor in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governorate, in United Arab Emirates on March 11, 2026. Stringer/ReutersIsrael on April 9 agreed to negotiate with the Lebanese government but continues to target Hezbollah-held pockets in the Bekaa Valley, saying its operations against the Iranian-backed militia are not included in the tentative two-week ceasefire negotiated less than two days prior by the Trump administration and Tehran.That fragile truce—announced just after 7 p.m. ET April 7—appeared to be holding, despite reports from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait of sporadic Iranian drone strikes.





