US-Israel-Iran War Live News Updates: Trump Dials PM Modi; Israel And Lebanon Hold Talks

The bounty was placed on Ahmad al-Hamidawi, secretary general of the Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah. In a post on X, in which it published al-Hamidawi's photograph, the State Department's Rewards for Justice program wrote that the group was “responsible for attacks on US diplomatic facilities in Iraq, the kidnapping of US citizens, and the killing of innocent Iraqi civilians.”

Last month, Kataib Hezbollah kidnapped an American journalist, Shelly Kittleson, in Baghdad, but released her several days later on condition that she leave the country. Officials with the group at the time told The Associated Press that in exchange, the Iraqi government would release several members of the militia who had been previously detained.

Kataib Hezbollah is allied with Lebanon's Hezbollah but they are two entirely different groups with different leaders.

The US military claims that it has successfully begun to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports, though at least one ship with apparent ties to Tehran has transited the Strait of Hormuz.

US Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said that “during the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the US blockade and 6 merchant vessels complied with direction from US forces to turn around to re-enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.”

While some tankers approaching the strait on Monday did turn around shortly after the blockade took effect, the tanker Rich Starry reversed course again and transited the waterway early Tuesday.
 

Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres said this was the indication he had after a meeting with Pakistan's deputy prime minister, who is also the country's foreign minister.

The UN secretary-general expressed “enormous admiration” for Pakistan's initiative to bring peace to the Middle East. "I consider it essential that these negotiations go on," Guterres told UN reporters, explaining that it would be “unrealistic” for long-lasting and complex problems between the US and Iran to be resolved in a first negotiating session.

"We need negotiations to go on, and we need a ceasefire to persist as negotiations go on," he said.

(Source: AP)

US Vice President JD Vance discussed the 20-plus hours of negotiations with Iran where he lead the US delegation. He said that Trump “doesn’t want to make, like, a small deal. He wants to make the grand bargain."

Vance added, "That’s the trade that he’s offering," and that Trump is telling Iran, "If you guys commit to not having a nuclear weapon, we are going to make Iran thrive.”

"We're going to make it economically prosperous, and we’re going to invite the Iranian people into the world economy in a way they haven’t been in my entire life,” the vice president said.

US Vice President JD Vance says, "The President made a policy that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and we are making sure that very thing happens... The President doesn't want a small deal, he wants a grand bargain... This is why we made a ton of progress in Pakistan, but the deal was not done because the President wants a deal where Iran does not have a nuclear weapon and the people there can thrive and join the global economy... We are going to keep on negotiating and try to make it happen..." Video: ANI

#WATCH | US Vice President JD Vance says, "The President made a policy that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and we are making sure that very thing happens... The President doesn't want a small deal, he wants a grand bargain... This is why we made a ton of progress in Pakistan,… pic.twitter.com/BfdoWPXPio

— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2026

The US Treasury Department said it is moving aggressively with Economic Fury, maintaining maximum pressure on Iran. 

In a post on X, the US Treasury Department said, "Financial institutions should be on notice that the department is leveraging the full range of available tools and authorities and is prepared to deploy secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions that continue to support Iran’s activities.  The short-term authorisation permitting the sale of Iranian oil already stranded at sea is set to expire in a few days and will not be renewed."

Treasury is moving aggressively with Economic Fury, maintaining maximum pressure on Iran. Financial institutions should be on notice that the department is leveraging the full range of available tools and authorities and is prepared to deploy secondary sanctions against foreign…

— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) April 14, 2026

The State of Lebanon reaffirmed the urgent need for the full implementation of the cessation of hostilities announcement of November 2024, underscoring the principles of territorial integrity and full state sovereignty, while calling for a ceasefire and concrete measures to address and alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis that the country continues to endure as a result of the ongoing conflict.

All sides agreed to launch direct negotiations at a mutually agreed time and venue.

The State of Israel expressed its support for disarming all non-state terror groups and dismantle all terror infrastructure in Lebanon and expressed its commitment to working with the Government of Lebanon to achieve that goal to ensure security for the people of both countries.  Israel expressed its commitment to engage in direct negotiations to resolve all outstanding issues and achieve a durable peace that will strengthen security, stability and prosperity in the region. 

The United States congratulated the two countries on this historic milestone and expressed its support for further talks, and for the Government of Lebanon’s plans to restore the monopoly of force and to end Iran’s overbearing influence.

The United States expressed its hope that talks can exceed the scope of the 2024 agreement and bring about a comprehensive peace deal. The United States expressed its support for Israel’s right to defend itself from Hezballah’s continued attacks.

The US Department of State convened a trilateral meeting on April 14, 2026, with the participation of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Counselor Michael Needham, United States Ambassador to Lebanon Issa, Ambassador of Israel to the United States Yechiel Leiter, the Ambassador of Lebanon to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad.

This meeting marked the first major high-level engagement between the governments of Israel and Lebanon since 1993. The participants held productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.
 

Lebanon and Israel were holding their first direct talks in decades as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants rocks southern Lebanon. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors for Tuesday's discussions in Washington. Hezbollah says it will not abide by any agreement, a high-ranking member of the group's political council told the AP.

Sergio Gor said PM Modi and President Trump also discussed the US naval blockade of Iran's ports. He refused to answer questions on any fresh talks between Iran and the US after the collapse of the negotiations in Islamabad.

"It's not for me to announce any future talks. They did talk about the blockade and the importance of it reopening as soon as possible. Frankly, this whole region, the whole world is suffering because of this," he said.

"Why should one country be able to turn off the lights anywhere else in the world? It's unfair. It needs to stop, and the United States is determined to make that happen," he added.

(Source: AP)

The phone call between US President Donald Trump ended with Trump telling PM Modi that: "I just want you to know we all love you", according to  US envoy Sergio Gor.
 

It was the third phone call between the two leaders this year and the first after the recent peace talks between Iran and the US. They spoke on February 2 to announce progress in a trade deal, and on March 24 to discuss the situation in the Middle East.

"Received a call from my friend President Donald Trump. We reviewed the substantial progress achieved in our bilateral cooperation in various sectors. We are committed to further strengthening our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas," Modi said on social media.

Received a call from my friend President Donald Trump. We reviewed the substantial progress achieved in our bilateral cooperation in various sectors. We are committed to further strengthening our Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership in all areas. We also discussed the…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 14, 2026

US President Donald Trump dialled Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the Middle East crisis and the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz "open and secure" even as US envoy Sergio Gor said India and the US are expected to seal certain "big-ticket" deals soon, including in the energy sector.

Shortly after their nearly 40-minute conversation, Modi said he and Trump reviewed the "substantial progress" in the bilateral ties and that both sides are committed to further strengthening the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership in "all areas".