Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz Again as Lebanon Ceasefire Collapses Within Hours, Trump Admits He’s Babysitting Netanyahu

Hours before any formal announcement, Iran's own foreign ministry publicly denied closure reports Saturday morning, insisting traffic was normal. Just minutes before Iran reversed that line, Vance told Fox News the strait was open, citing no evidence of closure. Then, Iran's joint military command, Khatam al Anbiya , declared the strait shut, calling it a " first step " over Israel's breach of the MoU's first clause and threatening " further steps " if the violence continues. Shortly afterward , US Central Command countered, saying commercial traffic actually increased Saturday, citing 55 merchant ships carrying over 17 million barrels of oil moving through as US forces kept operating to support freedom of navigation. The IRGC Navy still warned ships against approaching, citing safety risk.

In Lebanon, the so-called ceasefire has barely held. Friday's fighting killed at least 47 people , along with four Israeli soldiers in a Hezbollah attack. Saturday's fresh strikes added at least 32 more , including two children . Far right minister Itamar Ben Gvir declared " all of Lebanon must burn " after the soldiers died, a post X flagged for violating its rules but kept up anyway "for public interest." Araghchi called it not "a rant by a random genocidal lunatic" but an official statement from Israel's government. The IDF blames Hezbollah for firing over 50 projectiles overnight; Hezbollah denies breaking the truce. President Joseph Aoun called it a " dangerous escalation ."

Trump told NBC he personally pushed Israel into the ceasefire, telling them to " calm down and use your head ," and conceded that despite their "great relationship" he has to keep Netanyahu " a little bit sane ." He has also reportedly shared an article suggesting he "holds the cards" in Netanyahu's shaky reelection chances. Netanyahu, though, has vowed troops will stay in Lebanon's " buffer zones ," plus Syria and Gaza, for " as long as necessary ," and promised Hezbollah a " heavy price ," defiance that conveniently lines up with an October election where he needs his far right flank onside. A US intelligence assessment, per The Washington Post , found Netanyahu likely to keep attacking regardless of whether it wrecks the peace process.

Pakistan's Mohsin Naqvi flew into Tehran and Mashhad, visiting the Imam Raza shrine before meeting Araghchi and Eskandar Momeni , reportedly trying to convince Iran to stay at the table given mounting US pressure on Israel. Araghchi separately told Pakistan's Ishaq Dar that any violation "will be the responsibility of the United States." Vance still found time, blaming the delayed MoU release on Pakistan and Qatar's lack of "the First Amendment " and press freedom.

Technical talks in Switzerland, postponed by the Lebanon chaos, may now begin Sunday . Witkoff and Jared Kushner are already there, with Vance saying he'll join "within days," though Iran's own negotiators hadn't arrived as of Saturday. Witkoff has reportedly told Congress Iran will let IAEA inspectors in under a side letter, even as a proposed $300 billion investment fund tied to the deal hits legal trouble under US law.