JERUSALEM, Israel – New developments in the Middle East are raising expectations that a major turning point could be near. President Donald Trump now says Israeli and Lebanese leaders are expected to speak as he pushes for what he calls “a little breathing room,” while also expressing confidence that a deal with Iran could be close.
Speaking to ABC News on Tuesday, Trump indicated that he does not expect to extend the current ceasefire, predicting what he called “an amazing two days ahead” as efforts intensify to reach a broader agreement with Tehran.
The ceasefire is set to expire on April 22. While the president remains confident, reports on Wednesday suggested that negotiators may still consider extending the truce to allow more time for talks. A second round of negotiations with Iran is expected to take place in Pakistan in the coming days.
At the same time, the United States is increasing its military presence in the region. The Pentagon is deploying 6,000 troops aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. George W. Bush and its accompanying warships.
The continued buildup underscores the administration’s dual strategy of diplomacy backed by the credible threat of force, should the ceasefire collapse.
Even as pressure mounts, Iran continues to stand firm on its position regarding nuclear enrichment.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Baghei announced, “We have emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on its needs, must be allowed to continue enrichment.”
In a new development, The Financial Times reports that Iran may have used a Chinese-built satellite to monitor U.S. military bases.
The Tee-01B satellite, built and launched by the Chinese company Earth Eye Co, was acquired by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force in late 2024.
Iranian commanders reportedly used the satellite to track major U.S. military sites, capturing images in March before and after drone and missile strikes on those locations.
In Washington, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new phase of economic pressure, calling it the financial equivalent of military strikes.
“Yesterday, we announced Operation Economic Fury, and we, for over a year, we have had maximum pressure on the Iranians, both on blocking payments into the Iranian state and going after the accounts of the IRGC. The other thing that we have done is we have told companies that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions.”
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Meanwhile, in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli forces will expand a buffer zone in southern Lebanon while continuing operations against Hezbollah strongholds.
“We are about to overcome (the southern Lebanon town of) Bint Jbeil; we are, in effect, about to eliminate this great stronghold of Hezbollah. At the same time, I gave instructions to the IDF yesterday to continue widening the security zone.”
At the same time, President Trump says Israeli and Lebanese leaders are expected to speak today as he works to ease tensions along Israel’s northern border. The president noted that he is “trying to get a little breathing room” between the two countries, though he stopped short of announcing a formal ceasefire.
