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Live Updates: Trump rejects idea of nuclear weapon against Iran as Israel-Lebanon ceasefire gets extended 90%
By Greg Norman-Diamond0% Landon Mion83% Emma Bussey0% Efrat Lachter0%
4/24/2026, 2:29:43 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 32 faulty reasoning types, including Negativity Bias, Framing Effect, and Pessimism Bias, with Appeal to Emotion as the most egregious example at 12.3% saturation with 301 hits. Analysis detected 3,061 faulty-reasoning hits from 2,452 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 83.5% and a BS Rank of 90% (1,839 of 16,813 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 89.10% of the article peer group.
President Donald Trump on Thursday shot down the idea that he may use a nuclear weapon against Iran during Operation Epic Fury.
He also announced that the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by three weeks, following a meeting at the White House.
WHAT TO KNOW
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has been extended for three weeks following a "historic" meeting at the White House.
The meeting involved Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S.
Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, U.S.
Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa and high-ranking representatives of Israel and Lebanon, Trump said.
U.S.
Central Command said Friday that "for the first time in decades, three aircraft carriers are operating in the Middle East at the same time."
The USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Gerald R.
Ford and USS George H.W.
Bush carry over 200 aircraft and 15,000 Sailors and Marines, according to CENTCOM.
Trump announced he has commanded the U.S.
Navy to conduct deadly strikes against any boats placing mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
This week, Iran seized two container ships in the key waterway as the U.S. military continues to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports.
Israeli PM Netanyahu announces prostate cancer diagnosis amid Iran war ceasefire
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed Friday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
“Today, my annual medical report was published.
I requested to delay its publication by two months so that it would not be released at the height of the war, in order not to allow the Iranian terror regime to spread even more false propaganda against Israel,” he said in a statement.
“I had a minor medical issue with my prostate that was completely treated.
Thank God, it's behind me,” Netanyahu added, noting that he is healthy and currently in “excellent physical condition.”
Netanyahu said he underwent successful surgery for an enlarged benign prostate a year and a half ago and during his last medical monitoring, “a tiny spot of less than a centimeter was discovered in the prostate.”
“Upon examination, it turned out to be a very early stage of a malignant tumor, with no spread or metastases whatsoever,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister said he underwent “targeted treatment” that removed the problem and left no signs of it.
Caine honors 1983 Beirut embassy bombing victims after 43rd anniversary of Iran-backed attack
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen.
Dan Caine paid tribute Friday to the 63 victims of the 1983 terrorist bombing of the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, a few days after the 43rd anniversary of the incident.
"At that time, this was the deadliest attack on a U.S. diplomatic mission, and this was the first attack conducted by Iranian-backed forces on Americans," Caine said.
Caine recalled how on April 18, 1983, a “suicide bomber detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device out in front of the embassy, killing 63 innocent people, including 32 Lebanese, 14 visitors and 17 Americans, and among those lost members of the joint force to include three Army soldiers and one United States Marine.”
Caine named the three Army soldiers and one United States Marine who were among the victims killed in the attack.
They were U.S.
Army Sergeant First Class Richard Twine, Staff Sergeant Ben Maxwell, Staff Sergeant Mark Salazar and U.S.
Marine Corporal Vincent McMahon.
"Today, we remember them.
We carry on their memory and the memory of all our fallen and remain grateful for their sacrifice and that of their families, who continue to show us what courage looks like," Caine added.
Caine says 2 Iranian dark fleet ships remain in US custody after seizures in Indian Ocean
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen.
Dan Caine said two Iranian dark fleet ships remain in U.S. custody after American forces seized both vessels in the Indian Ocean this week.
Caine said U.S.
Indo-Pacific Command forces on Monday, in support of a Justice Department request, “interdicted the motor tanker Tifani, which was transporting sanctioned Iranian oil.”
“The Tifani is a very large crude tanker... and is also about the size of a U.S. aircraft carrier and capable of transporting approximately 2 million barrels of oil.
At approximately 11:30 p.m.
Eastern Time, U.S. military forces and law enforcement forces also went to the ship via rotary wing platforms, fast-roped onto her deck, and secured her," Caine said.
On Wednesday, U.S. forces in the region also intercepted the “stateless motor tanker Majestic X,” Caine added.
"At approximately 11 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, U.S. forces began the interdiction, again using rotary wing assets to get to the ship, got on board and secured the bridge,” Caine explained.
“Both ships, the Tifani, the Majestic X, and their crews remain in U.S. custody, and we will continue to conduct similar maritime interdiction actions and activities in the Pacific and Indian Oceans against Iranian ships and vessels of the dark fleet,” he said.
Caine describes how Iranian-flagged cargo ship seized by US military ignored multiple warnings
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen.
Dan Caine said Friday that the Touska, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship seized by the U.S. military this week, ignored multiple warnings about the Iranian port blockade before being hit by “disabling fire” from American forces.
"As of this morning, 34 ships have met the U.S. blockade and made the wise choice to turn around.
One ship did not.
And that ship was the motor vessel Touska,” Caine said.
“Over several hours this past Sunday, April 19th, the U.S. conducted maritime interdiction operations against the Touska, whose crew attempted to breach the blockade line."
Caine described how a U.S. destroyer first approached the Touska “and the crew and the vessel ignored warnings.”
"Upon intercept and coming within visual range, American forces began to issue several clear and unambiguous warnings and inform the vessel and their crew that they were in a violation of the U.S. blockade and directed the ship to turn around,” Caine continued.
“Over a 6-hour period, the vessel and her crew repeatedly ignored U.S. warnings, and then the U.S.
Navy destroyer executed a series of pre-planned, carefully calibrated escalation options, including firing five warning shots."
"The vessel and her crew continued to ignore warnings, and after exhausting all other measures, CENTCOM authorized disabling fire against the Tuska.
U.S. sailors warned the crew of the Touska to abandon the engine room, and at approximately 9 a.m.
Eastern Time, the destroyer disabled the Touska engine by firing nine inert rounds from the destroyer's Mark 45 five-inch guns precisely into the engine room and engine space on board the Touska,” Caine said.
“Not surprisingly, the vessel then reported issues with their engine, went dead in the water and began to comply with U.S. directions and orders,” he added.
"At 4 p.m.
Eastern Standard Time, CENTCOM ordered United States Marines to seize the ship.
Via helicopters, U.S.
Marines maneuvered quickly to the disabled ship, boarded her from fast ropes via helicopter infiltration methods, and took custody of the ship.
The ship and her crew remain safe in U.S. custody today."
Hegseth says Iran has 'historic chance' to make deal, blockade 'only growing and going global'
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday that the Iranian regime has a “historic chance to make a serious deal” and that the U.S. military's blockade is “going global.”
"Our blockade is only growing and going global.
And as the president said, we have all the time in the world.
Iran has a historic chance to make a serious deal, and the ball is in their court,” Hegseth said.
“Either way, the War Department stands ready for what comes next.
Locked and loaded."
"Just this week, we seized two Iranian dark fleet ships in the Indo-Pacific region that had left Iranian ports before the blockade went into effect,” Hegseth said earlier.
“They thought they'd made it out just in time -- they did not.
We seized their sanctioned ships and we will seize more.”
Hegseth tells Europe, Asia leaders that ‘the time for free riding is over’
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday at the Pentagon that Europe and Asia have benefitted from U.S. protection for decades, “but the time for free riding is over.”
“America and the free world deserve allies who are capable, who are loyal, and who understand that being an ally is not a one-way street.
It's a two-way street,” Hegseth said as the U.S. is in a standoff with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.
“We are not counting on Europe, but they need the Strait of Hormuz much more than we do, and might want to start doing less talking and having less fancy conferences in Europe and get in a boat,” Hegseth added.
“This is much more their fight than ours.”
Blockade of Iranian ports is ‘tightening by the hour,’ Hegseth says
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday that the U.S. military's blockade of Iranian ports is “tightening by the hour” and that a second aircraft carrier will join the U.S. blockade effort “in just a few days.”
"No one sails from the Strait of Hormuz to anywhere in the world without the permission of the United States Navy,” Hegseth said.
“To the regime in Tehran, the blockade is tightening by the hour.
We are in control.
Nothing in, nothing out."
"America's military is unmatched, projecting power, denying passage to adversaries, and protecting our interests at the time and place of our choosing,” Hegseth also said.
"As we said previously, choose wisely at the negotiating table,” Hegseth warned Iran.
“All they have to do is abandon a nuclear weapon and in meaningful and verifiable ways.
Or instead, they can watch their regime's fragile economic state collapse under the under unrelenting pressure of American power, a blockade as long as it takes -- whatever President Trump decides.
Because the bottom line remains the bottom line.
Iran will never get a nuclear bomb.
The choice is theirs.
But with this blockade, the clock is not on their side."
Hegseth, Caine to hold Pentagon press briefing
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen.
Dan Caine will hold a briefing at the Pentagon at 8 a.m.
ET.
The U.S. and Iran are currently in a ceasefire during Operation Epic Fury, which began on Feb.
28.
US economic chokehold on Iran reaches peak leverage as collapse risks emerge
U.S. economic pressure on Iran has reached one of its most powerful points in decades, but inconsistent enforcement has prevented sanctions from achieving their full impact, according to a former Treasury sanctions expert.
Miad Maleki, who played a central role in Treasury Department sanctions campaigns against Iran and its network of proxy groups, said in an on-camera interview the current moment reflects a rare convergence of economic, political and diplomatic leverage against Tehran.
"We've never had the level of leverage that we have today with Iran in the history of our conflict … since 1979," Maleki said.
His assessment comes as President Donald Trump signaled escalating pressure Thursday, writing on Truth Social that the United States has "total control over the Strait of Hormuz" and that it is effectively "sealed up tight" until Iran agrees to a deal.
Maleki argues the current moment marks a turning point because multiple pressure tools — sanctions, a U.S. naval blockade, and tighter enforcement — are being applied simultaneously for the first time in years.
Unlike previous cycles, he said, the strategy is now directly targeting Iran's oil exports and the networks that help move them, raising the risk of a rapid economic squeeze.
He said Iran may run out of oil storage in as little as two to three weeks, forcing production cuts, while gasoline shortages could hit on a similar timeline due to heavy reliance on imports.
Combined with an estimated $435 million in daily economic losses, the pressure could spill into the financial system, leaving the regime struggling to pay salaries and raising the risk of renewed unrest.
3 aircraft carriers operating in Middle East for first time in decades, CENTCOM says
U.S.
Central Command said Friday that "for the first time in decades, three aircraft carriers are operating in the Middle East at the same time."
The USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Gerald R.
Ford and USS George H.W.
Bush carry over 200 aircraft and 15,000 Sailors and Marines, according to CENTCOM.
The last time three aircraft carriers operated in the CENTCOM area of responsibility at the same time was in 2003.
Those ships are accompanied by nine U.S. guided-missile destroyers: the USS Spruance, USS Michael Murphy, USS Donald Cook, USS Mahan, USS Winston S.
Churchill, USS Frank E.
Petersen, USS Mason, USS Ross and USS Bainbridge.
Trump dismisses idea of nuclear weapon against Iran, lashes out at reporter for 'stupid question'
President Donald Trump on Thursday shot down the idea that he may use a nuclear weapon against Iran and scolded the reporter who raised the question.
"No, I wouldn't.
We don't need it.
Why do I need it?
Why would a stupid question like that be asked?"
Trump fired back at the reporter.
"Why would I use a nuclear weapon, when we've totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it.
No, I wouldn't use it.
A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody," he continued.
Yesterday's Fox News Digital live blog offers additional coverage on the Iran conflict.
Trump: Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by three weeks after 'historic meeting'
President Donald Trump on Thursday said the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by three weeks.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump also said a meeting in the Oval Office with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the ambassadors to Israel and Lebanon was “historic.”
“The President of the United States, DONALD J.
TRUMP, Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and Ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, met today with high-ranking representatives of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office,” Trump said.
“The meeting went very well!
The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah.
“The ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon will be extended by THREE WEEKS,” he added, before stating that he would “look forward in the near future to hosting the prime minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun.”
“It was a great honor to be a participant at this very historic meeting!”
Trump added.
Analysis
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