Image source, EPA

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz is warning Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem his "personal turn" will come after announcing the military attacked hundreds of militants in surprise strikes on headquarters throughout Lebanon.

"We warned Naim Qassem that Hezbollah would pay a very high price for attacking Israel on behalf of Iran - and today we fulfilled another step in the promise," Katz says in a statement.

"The personal turn of the arch-terrorist Naim Qassem will also come."

As wide-scale strikes in Lebanon continue despite the ceasefire with Iran, Katz says Israel insisted on "separating the arenas between Iran and Lebanon in order to change the reality in Lebanon and remove threats from the residents of the north".

Image source, Reuters

A group of Western countries is urging "swift and lasting peace" in Iran, and for "all sides" to adhere to the two-week ceasefire - including in Lebanon.

The statement is signed by leaders from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, the European Commission and the European Council.

They "welcome" the two-week ceasefire, thanking Pakistan and intermediaries for "facilitating this important agreement".

"The goal must now be to negotiate a swift and lasting end to the war within the coming days. This can only be achieved through diplomatic means. We strongly encourage quick progress towards a substantive negotiated settlement," the statement reads, adding this is "crucial to protect the civilian population of Iran".

"We call upon all sides to implement the ceasefire, including in Lebanon."

Image source, EPA

The Lebanese prime minister is pleading for "all friends of Lebanon" to stop Israeli military action in the country "by all available means" following a large wave of airstrikes.

Writing on X, Nawaf Salam says: "Israel continues to expand its aggressions that have targeted densely populated residential neighborhoods, claiming the lives of unarmed civilians in various parts of Lebanon, particularly in the capital Beirut."

His plea follows a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which says it has today carried out the "biggest" strikes across Lebanon since the start of its operation against Hezbollah.

Salam says the IDF's actions have shown an "utter disregard" for international law, adding: "And all friends of Lebanon are called upon to help us stop these aggressions by all available means."

Image source, EPA

Arabic news agency Lebanon 24 says on X that hospitals in Lebanon are now overcrowded with victims and that the health ministry is calling on citizens to stay off roads to leave room for ambulances.

The pro-Hezbollah Al Manar TV channel is reporting multiple deaths and injuries as a result of heavy strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, southern Lebanon, Bekaa and the mountains, in posts on Telegram.

In a post on X, LBCI Lebanon News quotes the country's health minister as saying that hundreds have been killed and wounded.

The state-run National News Agency is reporting that three girls have been killed in an air strike on a house in the town of Adlun, southern Lebanon.

As we reported earlier, there is a conflict over the extent of the Iran ceasefire, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it "does not include Lebanon".

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent, reporting from Lebanon

Image source, Getty Images

There are reports of a high number of casualties across Lebanon, with hospitals overwhelmed and people believed to be under the rubble of collapsed buildings, after a large wave of Israeli air strikes.

Israel described it as the largest wave of attacks in this conflict, hitting more than 100 of what it called Hezbollah command centres and military sites in 10 minutes.

Attacks hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley.

This happened hours after the office of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, denied the assertion by Pakistan, which helped mediate a ceasefire between the US and Iran, that the deal also covered the devastating conflict here.

Shortly before Hegseth started speaking, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced its "biggest" strikes since the start of its ground operation in Lebanon, and Lebanese media are now reporting extensive bombardment in towns and cities across the country.

IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee says in a statement on X that "within 10 minutes and in several areas simultaneously" the army carried out strikes "targeting about 100 headquarters and military infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah".

He quotes Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir as saying the IDF will "exploit every opportunity" and continue to strike Hezbollah, adding: "We will continue the raids without stopping."

Much left unclear after last-minute deal and Pentagon briefingpublished at 14:03 BST 8 April

14:03 BST 8 April

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine clearly see the deal as a resounding, and complete, military victory - but significant questions remain about the broader deal.

For one, it's unclear what exact circumstances would trigger a resumption of US strikes in Iran, although Hegseth said that American forces would "remain vigilant".

US officials have also insisted - as Hegseth did in the briefing - that Iran's government is one that has already gone through "regime change", and is now more willing to negotiate.

While Iran has clearly signalled a willingness to come to the table, it is by no means clear that the regime is transformed and no longer a threat to US interests in the region. Many observers have speculated that those in power may ultimately be more hardline.

There are also few details on how, exactly, the US will secure the highly enriched uranium still in Iran, despite Hegseth saying that.

Lastly, the statement last night from Pakistan suggested that the deal also includes Israeli operations in Lebanon, but strikes continue. We don't know how this will impact the larger negotiations.

We can expect something of a victory lap from the White House today, and at her 13:00 Eastern (18:00 BST) briefing Karoline Leavitt is likely to be peppered with these and other questions.

Image source, Reuters

Yesterday, President Donald Trump threatened a "whole civilization".

Hegseth is now asked if Iran did not come to the table and agree to a ceasefire deal, was the president prepared to wipe out Iran entirely.

"Like I said, we had a target set locked and loaded of infrastructure, bridges, powerplants," Hegseth says.

He goes on to call Iran a "terrorist regime" who use key infrastructure for dual use. He says the US also had targets on Kharg Island.

Hegseth says Iran "understood" their ability to produce and generate power was in Washington's hands and "that's why they came to the table".

"That type of threat is what brought them to the place where they effectively said 'we want to cut this deal'," he adds.

Trump had posted on Truth Social on Tuesday: "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will."

That marks the end of our coverage of Hegseth and Caine's briefing.

Hegseth is asked about reports of Iran continuing to strike targets across the region and whether a "grace period" was being given to the country.

The defence secretary responds by saying the US was monitoring the Iranian strikes, but said the country would be wise to "get the carrier pigeon to their troops" in remote locations to halt their attacks.

He says that "it takes time" for ceasefires to take hold, but that he hopes and believes the agreement will be maintained.

Our world news correspondent reported this morning that circulating orders to cease fire may be difficult for Iran

Asked whether Iran handing over its enriched uranium is a "non-negotiable" for the US, Hegseth replies that it has always been non-negotiable that Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons.

He says Iran will either hand over its enriched material voluntarily or the US reserves the "opportunity" to react in a similar way to Midnight Hammer, the 2025 joint US-Israeli operation in which nuclear sites were bombed.

He is also asked about whether the current regime in Tehran is different to the regime of the previous 47 years.

Hegseth refers again to a list of senior figures who have been killed during the campaign.

"It's a new group of people," he says, adding the current cohort has "a new calculus about what it means to negotiate" with the US.

Image source, Reuters

We're now turning to questions. First, Hegseth is asked what role the US military is playing in escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. He's also asked what President Trump means by saying US troops will be "hanging around".

"We're not going anywhere," is Hegseth's response.

He says US troops will make sure Iran complies with the ceasefire and comes to the table for a deal. Troops will "stay put, stay ready, stay vigilant" and be "ready to re-start at a moment's notice".

On the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth cites the ceasefire's terms, saying Iran has agreed to let ships go through the strait.

"That will be happening, they will be sailing," he adds.

Caine also addresses last weekend's rescue.

He says the mission to help the two downed US fighter pilots stands as a "direct example" of the courage of the US military during Operation Epic Fury.

He adds: "This is a story that gets to the very heart and soul of who we are as a joint force."

He says the joint force's performance was fuelled by their "deep commitment" to each other, but adds that he was "frankly not surprised" by what the troops had been able to do during the operation.

Image source, Reuters

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine starts his address by remembering the 13 US troops killed in the war.

"We're grateful for each of them and will continue to mourn their loss," Caine adds.

He recalls President Trump's military objectives: destroy Iran's ballistic missile and drone capabilities, destroy Iran's navy and destroy their defence industrial base. Caine says that over 38 days the US joint force achieved those objectives.

Caine welcomes the ceasefire but goes on to emphasise that "a ceasefire is a pause".

US troops "remain ready if ordered or called upon to resume combat operations, with the same speed and precision we've demonstrated over the last 38 days, and we hope that's not the case," he adds.

Hegseth names several senior Iranian figures killed in the US-Israeli military campaign, including the former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who died at the outset of the war.

He says Trump has been "clear from the beginning" that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, and that under the terms of the agreement being negotiated, any nuclear material that Iran "should not have" will be removed.

The defence secretary suggests that the ceasefire provides a chance at "real peace and a real deal," adding that his department has done its part "for now," but that it will be standing ready to make sure Iran upholds every reasonable term.

Hegseth also calls Israel a "brave, willing and capable ally" to the US. He says the rest of the world and other "so-called" allies of the US "should take some notes".

Donald Trump has criticised allied Nato nations on a number of occasions in recent months, including the UK and Prime Minister Keir Starmer

Image source, Reuters

Iran accepted the ceasefire under "overwhelming pressure," Hegseth says.

He says that if Iran had refused Washington's terms, then "the next targets would have been their power plants, their bridges, and oil and energy infrastructure".

It would have taken Iran decades to rebuild, he suggests, but the regime leader recognised that a deal was better.

"President Trump had the power to cripple Iran's entire economy in minutes, but he chose mercy," the defence secretary adds.

A reminder that President Donald Trump first posted on social media about the ceasefire less than two hours before his deadline with Iran was set to expire

Hegseth goes on to call today a "big day for world peace", and claims Iran "begged for this ceasefire", adding "they've had enough".

He says it is a "capital V military victory," and claims that Iran's military has been rendered combat ineffective for years to come.

"The world's leading state sponsor of terrorism proved utterly incapable of defending itself, its people or its territory," he adds.

Hegseth says the US has achieved its military goals of wiping out Iran's navy and airforce - claiming the US owns "their skies".

Image source, Reuters

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth begins his address saying Iran has been a threat to the US for 47 years, but that's "no longer".

He goes on to praise US President Donald Trump for having "made history".

"President Trump forged this moment, Iran begged for this ceasefire, and we all know it," he claims.

Hegseth says Operation Epic Fury was "historic and overwhelming", adding that US forces "decimated Iran's military".

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine are now giving an update on the conflict in the Middle East.

It is their first such appearance since Washington and Iran declared a conditional two-week ceasefire.

We'll be bringing you the latest from their Pentagon address - and remember, you can also watch live at the top of our page.

Tom Bateman
US State Department correspondent, reporting from the Pentagon

Image source, BBC/TOM BATEMAN

I’m sitting in the Pentagon briefing room where we’re waiting for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine.

Hegseth’s statements at these events have been bombastic during the war, so I expect they’ll be even more so today given the president’s agreement to a two-week ceasefire.

Hegseth tends to reel off tactical accomplishments as the administration sees them, usually focusing on the apparent destruction of Iran’s conventional weaponry. But the big question is how nearly six weeks of war has accomplished the aim of permanently denying Iran a nuclear weapon.

There’s little evidence the military assault has done anything more than years of diplomacy had previously achieved. Its critics in Washington are already saying it in fact may have emboldened Tehran; let’s see if there are any questions on that.

These briefings are a pre-written statement from the two men, followed by questions that usually heavily favour news outlets that last year signed up to Pentagon conditions to remain in the resident press corp.

Nearly all major US and international news outlets, including the BBC, declined to sign the conditions seeing them as infringing journalistic independence.

Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent

Iran’s apparent willingness to re-open the Strait of Hormuz suggests that some of the pressures that have mounted on the global economy over the past month may now start to ease.

Reductions in the flows of oil, natural gas and the chemicals needed for fertilisers have all had enormously damaging consequences. It’ll take a lot longer than two weeks for normal traffic to resume.

Iran says it wants to establish what it calls a protocol and conditions to ensure freedom and security of navigation in the Strait.

In the meantime, the country's foreign minister, Abbas Aragchi, says safe passage will be possible for the next two weeks, in coordination with Iran’s armed forces and with what he calls "due consideration of technical limitations".

This does not sound like a recipe for an instant return to the situation that prevailed before the war began.