US-Iran ceasefire halts 40-day war; Hormuz set to reopen
Last updated: 04:01 UTC, April 09 2026 | Started: 2026-04-09 04:01 | 1 update(s) | Avg confidence: 85/100
The story so far: The 2026 Iran war began February 28 when the US and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran targeting its nuclear program, military infrastructure, and leadership — killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening hours. Iran retaliated across the region and closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil transits. Decades of tension over Iran's nuclear ambitions, its ballistic missile program, and its support for regional proxy forces — compounded by Iran's violent suppression of mass domestic protests in January 2026 — formed the immediate backdrop to the conflict.
Latest Updates
2026-04-09 04:01 — US-Iran ceasefire halts 40-day war; Hormuz set to reopen
The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 7–8 — one hour before Trump's deadline expired — brokered by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who invited both parties to Islamabad on April 10 for further negotiations, according to Al Jazeera and Britannica.
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What We Know
- The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 7–8 — one hour before Trump's deadline expired — brokered by Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who invited both parties to Islamabad on April 10 for further negotiations, according to Al Jazeera and Britannica.
- Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed Tehran will ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for the two-week duration, with Iran and Oman permitted to collect transit fees; Iran plans to use the revenue for post-war reconstruction, Al Jazeera reported.
- The conflict began February 28, 2026, when the US and Israel launched 'Operation Epic Fury,' killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeting Iran's military, nuclear, and government infrastructure; Iran retaliated with hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles against Israel and US bases across Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, per Reuters/AP-sourced reports compiled by Britannica and Wikipedia.
- The US struck military targets on Iran's Kharg Island — which handles nearly 90% of Iran's oil exports — on April 7 as leverage ahead of Trump's 8 p.m. ET deadline, though a US official confirmed strikes targeted military bunkers and air-defense systems, not the oil infrastructure itself, CNN reported.
- The ceasefire leaves the Lebanon front unresolved: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the truce does not extend to Hezbollah or southern Lebanon, a position that directly contradicts Pakistani PM Sharif's claim that Lebanon was included — hours after the truce, Israeli strikes on Beirut killed at least 254 people, Al Jazeera reported.
Still Unclear
- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (Al Jazeera, April 8): Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif announced the ceasefire includes a halt to Israel's attacks on Lebanon.
Office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Al Jazeera, April 8): Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the ceasefire does not extend to Lebanon or its fighting with Hezbollah.
- US President Donald Trump (Wikipedia/multiple sources): Trump said he was postponing strikes on Iranian power plants mid-deadline and that the US was actively negotiating with Iran to end the war.
Iranian government statement (Wikipedia): Iran denied any talks were taking place and called Trump 'deceitful.'
- Iran state news agency IRNA (NPR, April 6): Iran's state media said Tehran rejected the US proposal for a temporary ceasefire and demanded a permanent end to the war, sanctions relief, and an end to other regional wars.
Egyptian officials involved in ceasefire talks (NPR, April 6): Egyptian officials told NPR that Iran was in fact open to a 45-day ceasefire guaranteeing a permanent end, during which it would discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
- (Unverified — state media only — US CENTCOM has not confirmed aircraft losses beyond the initial F-15E shoot-down) The IRGC claimed Iranian forces destroyed two US C-130 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters during the rescue operation for the downed F-15E crew member in southern Isfahan. [IRGC official statement via Fars news agency (Al Jazeera, April 5)]
- (Unverified — single source — no corroborating investigation confirmed or named the account holder) An anonymous user on prediction platform Polymarket made $400,000 by accurately betting on the start of US military action and the exact timing of the ceasefire, raising concerns about insider leaks. [Al Jazeera, April 8]
- (Unverified — single source citing IRGC state media; no independent corroboration of the specific target list) Iran's Revolutionary Guard named 18 US technology and defense companies — including Palantir, Meta, Google, and Microsoft — as targets for further assassination attempts. [NPR citing IRGC statement, April 4]
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Duration of active US-Iran combat before ceasefire | 40 days (Feb. 28 – April 7–8, 2026) | Britannica / Al Jazeera |
| Iranian civilians killed by US-Israeli strikes (Iran's Health Ministry figure) | At least 2,076 killed as of April 4 | Iran Health Ministry via NPR, April 4 |
| US military personnel killed in Iranian drone attack, Kuwait (March 1) | 6 soldiers killed, 30+ wounded | Wikipedia / US Army Reserve 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command |
| US airmen killed in KC-135 crash over Iraq (March 12) | 6 killed | Wikipedia |
| Share of world oil supply transiting Strait of Hormuz | ~20% | Britannica / Al Jazeera |
| Share of Iran's oil exports handled by Kharg Island | ~90% | National Today / US official cited by CNN |
| US EIA peak gasoline price forecast for April 2026 | $4.30 per gallon | US Energy Information Administration (EIA), April 8 |
| Oil price movement after ceasefire announcement | Below $95 per barrel (Dow surged 1,300 points) | AP via Britannica, April 8 |
| Iran's navy attrition claim by US military | Over 90% of Iran's navy sunk | US military claim cited by CSIS, April 2 |
| Iranian senior leaders killed by Israel since Feb. 28 | Over 250 | CSIS, April 2 |
| People displaced in Lebanon | More than 1 million, including more than one-sixth of total population | Britannica / NPR |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the terms of the US-Iran ceasefire agreed on April 7–8?
Pakistan brokered a two-week cessation of hostilities. Iran agreed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and will coordinate safe passage with Oman collecting transit fees. Full peace talks are set for Islamabad on April 10. The ceasefire does not, per Israel, cover the Lebanon front. Iran's 10-point peace plan — including sanctions relief and uranium enrichment rights — forms the basis for negotiation.
How did the 2026 Iran war start?
On February 28, 2026, the US and Israel launched 'Operation Epic Fury,' striking Iran's military, nuclear facilities, and government sites. The opening salvo killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones against Israel and US bases across six Gulf states, and closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting roughly 20% of global oil supply.
Is the Strait of Hormuz open again after the Iran ceasefire?
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed Tehran will ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz for the two-week ceasefire period. However, the US Energy Information Administration warned full restoration of oil flows will take months and that Middle East production will not return close to pre-conflict levels until late 2026.
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