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Trump Says Lebanese and Israeli Leaders to Speak, Pakistan Says Lebanon Peace Essential

TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump speaks to the press outside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 13, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)
TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump speaks to the press outside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 13, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)
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Trump Says Lebanese and Israeli Leaders to Speak, Pakistan Says Lebanon Peace Essential

TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump speaks to the press outside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 13, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)
TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump speaks to the press outside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 13, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

US President Donald Trump said Lebanese and Israeli leaders will speak for the first time in decades on Thursday, while Pakistan said peace in Lebanon was essential for talks it is mediating between Washington and Tehran on ending the Iran war. 

The Lebanon conflict spiraled out of the US-Israeli war with Iran, with the Iran-backed Hezbollah opening fire in support of Tehran on March 2, prompting an Israeli offensive in Lebanon just 15 months after the last major conflict. 

The Israeli security cabinet convened late on Wednesday to discuss a possible ceasefire in Lebanon. 

"Peace in Lebanon is essential for (Iran) peace talks," Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, said. 

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was "trying to get a little breathing room" between Israel and Lebanon. 

"It has been a long time since the ‌two leaders have ‌spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!" Trump wrote in the post published ‌before ⁠midnight on Wednesday, ⁠Washington time. The post did not give any further details. 

Gila Gamliel, a member of Israel's security cabinet, told Israel's Army Radio that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would "speak for the first time with the president of Lebanon after so many years of no contact between the two countries". 

A senior Lebanese official told Reuters Lebanon had no information about a call between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Netanyahu. 

BEIRUT AT ODDS WITH HEZBOLLAH 

The Lebanese government has been sharply at odds with Hezbollah over its decision to enter the war, having spent the last year seeking to secure the peaceful disarmament of the group founded by ⁠Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982. 

Beirut banned Hezbollah's military activities on March 2. 

The Israeli ‌Prime Minister’s office and Aoun's office did not immediately respond to requests ‌for comment. The office of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also told Reuters it had no information about contact between Lebanese and Israeli ‌leaders. 

Washington on Wednesday expressed optimism about reaching a deal to end the war with Iran. The sides agreed ‌a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war on April 8, following mediation by Pakistan. 

Israel and the US have said the campaign against Hezbollah was not part of that ceasefire, though Pakistan's prime minister had said the truce would include Lebanon, as demanded by Iran. 

FIGHTING IN KEY LEBANESE TOWN 

A senior Israeli official and a senior Lebanese official said on Wednesday Netanyahu's government was under heavy pressure from Washington ‌to reach a ceasefire in Lebanon. 

A senior US administration official said on Wednesday the Trump administration had not asked for a ceasefire, but the US president "would welcome ⁠the end of hostilities ⁠in Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon". 

Netanyahu, in a video statement released late on Wednesday, said the Israeli military continued to strike at Hezbollah and was about to "overcome" the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil, located at the border. 

The senior Lebanese official said that Lebanon’s assessment was that Israel wanted to secure a victory in Bint Jbeil before diplomatic progress could be made. 

The Israeli military said its troops were continuing "targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon". 

In Israel, sirens rang out warning of incoming rocket fire, sending residents of several Israeli northern towns running to bomb shelters. There were no immediate reports of injuries. 

Hezbollah kept up its attacks, firing rockets at two towns in Israel, the group's al-Manar television reported. 

Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors held rare talks in Washington on Tuesday. 

Iran has said Lebanon must be included in any agreement to end the wider war in the Middle East, while Washington has pushed back, saying there is no link between the two sets of talks. 

Hezbollah on Wednesday condemned Tuesday's meeting in Washington, saying it would deepen the rift among Lebanese. 

 

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Arab World

Abdelatty: Egypt Working with Pakistan on Lasting US-Iran Peace Plan

This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Foreign Ministry on April 17, 2026, shows Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (2nd R), Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud (R), Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty (L) and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (2nd L) poses family photo during the 5th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) in Antalya. (Photo by Turkish Foreign Ministery Press Service / TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY / AFP)
This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Foreign Ministry on April 17, 2026, shows Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (2nd R), Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud (R), Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty (L) and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (2nd L) poses family photo during the 5th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) in Antalya. (Photo by Turkish Foreign Ministery Press Service / TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY / AFP)
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Abdelatty: Egypt Working with Pakistan on Lasting US-Iran Peace Plan

This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Foreign Ministry on April 17, 2026, shows Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (2nd R), Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud (R), Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty (L) and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (2nd L) poses family photo during the 5th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) in Antalya. (Photo by Turkish Foreign Ministery Press Service / TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY / AFP)
This handout photograph taken and released by Turkish Foreign Ministry on April 17, 2026, shows Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (2nd R), Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud (R), Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty (L) and Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (2nd L) poses family photo during the 5th edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF2026) in Antalya. (Photo by Turkish Foreign Ministery Press Service / TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY / AFP)

Egypt is working closely with Pakistan on a framework aimed at securing a lasting peace between the US and Iran, ⁠Foreign Minister Badr ⁠Abdelatty said on Saturday.

He said Egypt, Türkiye, Pakistan and ⁠Saudi Arabia were coordinating a broader regional effort focused on preventing renewed escalation and laying the groundwork for a post-war security arrangement, stressing ⁠the ⁠importance of protecting Gulf states and stabilizing energy markets, supply chains and food security.

Abdelatty’s statement came as Iran has swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after US President Donald Trump said that even after Tehran announced the strait's reopening on Friday, the American blockade “will remain in full force” until the country reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear program.

The conflict over the chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy after oil prices began to fall again on Friday on hopes the US and Iran were drawing closer to an agreement.

Arab World

Yemen: Houthi Infighting Exposes Deepening Fractures

A gathering of Yemen’s Qaifa tribes rejecting Houthi death sentences against 11 of their members (X)
A gathering of Yemen’s Qaifa tribes rejecting Houthi death sentences against 11 of their members (X)
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Yemen: Houthi Infighting Exposes Deepening Fractures

A gathering of Yemen’s Qaifa tribes rejecting Houthi death sentences against 11 of their members (X)
A gathering of Yemen’s Qaifa tribes rejecting Houthi death sentences against 11 of their members (X)

Rising violence within Yemen’s Houthi movement is highlighting deep internal divisions, as competition over influence and resources intensifies amid growing isolation and public discontent, analysts and local sources say.

Recent incidents point to a weakness in managing internal disputes, with clashes increasingly erupting among the group’s own commanders. The absence of stable mechanisms to regulate rivalries, alongside declining trust in Houthi-run institutions, has fueled tensions.

One of the most serious episodes occurred last week in Jabal Ras district, south of Hodeidah province, where a local security headquarters turned into a battleground. Local sources said a dispute between Mohammed Abbas al-Qahif, the Houthi-appointed security chief, and field commander Abu Bashar Habib Mutlaq escalated into a gunfight inside the compound. Machine guns were used in a densely populated area, wounding fighters on both sides and critically injuring a civilian as the clashes spread outside.

The incident is part of a broader pattern. In recent weeks, several Houthi security and field leaders have been killed in the provinces of al-Jawf, al-Mahwit, Sanaa and al-Bayda.

Yemeni political researcher Salah Ali Salah said such conflicts “have become more frequent and visible,” reflecting the accumulation of competing power networks formed during years of war. These networks have reshaped internal hierarchies and weakened tribal and social actors that once supported or benefited from the group.

He added that tensions are increasingly shifting from the periphery into the core of the movement, with disputes among supervisors and commanders driven by competition over authority, resources and influence. These conflicts, he said, often require direct intervention from senior leadership to contain them.

Violence linked to personal disputes and widespread weapon ownership has also surged. In one case in Sanaa, tribal figure Abdulrazzaq al-Athri was killed by his brother Mohammed, described as a Houthi-affiliated gunman, following a land dispute in Arhab district.

In al-Bayda’s Radaa district, another tribal leader, Mohammed al-Rubaie, was killed in an ambush by unidentified gunmen, while an elderly man from Ibb province was shot dead in a separate incident. The district has become a hotspot for both lawlessness and confrontations between residents and Houthi forces.

Tensions have further escalated after a Houthi court sentenced 11 members of the Qaifa tribe to death over a previous tribal dispute with Sanhan tribes. Qaifa leaders say the ruling was issued without due legal process and accuse Houthi figure Yahya al-Razami of bias.

Analyst Bassem Mansour linked the growing chaos to the group’s isolation and leadership constraints. Senior figures, he said, are preoccupied with military and regional developments and often operate in secrecy for fear of Israeli targeting, leaving field commanders to act impulsively in the face of public resentment.

Residents report worsening living conditions and deteriorating services, fueling frustration that increasingly manifests in violent personal disputes. A Sanaa-based researcher, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, said public anger at Houthi policies is rising daily.

Security institutions, once tools of control, are now seen as arenas for settling scores, while judicial bodies have lost credibility due to perceived corruption and inefficiency. The proliferation of weapons have further undermined order.

As the situation persists, civilians remain the most vulnerable, caught between internal Houthi rivalries and unchecked violence, with little prospect of restored stability.

Arab World

Barzani Denounces ‘Suspicious Deals’ over Kirkuk Governorship

Peshmerga fighters are positioned beneath a portrait of Masoud Barzani in Kirkuk (file photo – EPA)
Peshmerga fighters are positioned beneath a portrait of Masoud Barzani in Kirkuk (file photo – EPA)
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Barzani Denounces ‘Suspicious Deals’ over Kirkuk Governorship

Peshmerga fighters are positioned beneath a portrait of Masoud Barzani in Kirkuk (file photo – EPA)
Peshmerga fighters are positioned beneath a portrait of Masoud Barzani in Kirkuk (file photo – EPA)

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani on Friday rejected a recent political agreement in Iraq’s northern Kirkuk province that led to the appointment of a new governor, describing the process as the result of “suspicious deals”.

Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), said the move amounted to “manipulation of the will of Kirkuk voters” and arrangements conducted outside official frameworks.

The provincial council elected Mohammed Samaan Agha as governor in a session boycotted by the KDP, following the acceptance of the resignation of his predecessor Rebwar Taha.

The post has now gone to a Turkmen figure for the first time in decades. Turkmen residents celebrated in Kirkuk’s city center and streets on Thursday night following the vote.

Turkmen are Iraq’s third-largest ethnic group after Arabs and Kurds, and are spread across several provinces including Nineveh, Kirkuk, Salah al-Din, Irbil, Diyala, Baghdad and Sulaymaniyah.

Unofficial estimates put their population at more than three million.

Barzani pointed to earlier political meetings in Baghdad, including at the Rashid Hotel, that resulted in arrangements to share control of the province among rival parties and ethnic groups.

In Baghdad, Shakhawan Abdullah, head of the KDP parliamentary bloc, described the election process as “illegitimate” and reiterated his party’s rejection of what he called the “Rashid Hotel deals”, stressing the need to respect the constitution and voters’ will.

The dispute comes amid rising political tensions in Kirkuk, where the KDP has lost ground to its Kurdish rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by Bafel Talabani, which has strengthened its position in the provincial council through alliances with other Iraqi factions.

Shiite leader Qais al-Khazali said the appointment of the new governor was the “result” of prior political understandings aimed at ensuring balance and partnership in running the province, adding that the agreement envisages a rotation of posts, including for Arab representatives.

Samaan Agha, for his part, stressed that his administration would represent all components of Kirkuk — Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen — and pledged to address fuel shortages, improve electricity supply and enhance public services.

He added that power-sharing would be central to local governance. PUK spokesman Karwan Kaznay said the rotation of the governorship stemmed from an agreement reached two years ago, describing the practice as a “natural democratic process”.

Oil-rich Kirkuk has long been a flashpoint between Baghdad and the Kurdistan region, with its mixed population making political balances fragile despite relative improvements in security in recent years.