"Don't Rush Me": Trump Extends Ceasefire, Puts $10M Bounty on Iraq Militia as Israel Vows to "Return Iran to Stone Age"

24 April 2026 | Washington / Tehran / Rome / Global Markets

Washington, D.C. – "Don't rush me," Donald Trump told reporters. The clock is ticking. The strait is blocked. And the world is waiting for a deal that may never come.

The United States has offered a $10 million bounty for information on the leader of an Iran-backed Shia militia in Iraq, even as Trump extended a fragile ceasefire and Israel's defense minister vowed to "return Iran to the Stone Age."

Oil prices climbed. Asian stocks dipped. And Pope Leo XIV, flying home from Africa, urged both sides to choose peace over violence.

A cargo ship sails in the Gulf towards the strait of Hormuz amid heightened military tensions.

$10 Million Bounty: The Hunt for an Iran-Backed Militia Leader

The US state department's "rewards for justice" program announced a bounty of up to $10 million for information on Hashim Finyan Rahim al-Saraji, the alleged leader of the Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS) – a Tehran-backed Shia militia in Iraq.

"KSS members have killed Iraqi civilians and attacked US diplomatic facilities in Iraq, as well as attacking US military bases and personnel in Iraq and Syria," the notice posted on X said.

The bounty is the latest salvo in a clandestine war between the US and Iran's network of militant groups across the Middle East. Iraq has emerged as a key front in this confrontation, with militias recruited among the country's majority Shia community following orders from senior officers of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Israel and the US have targeted these groups in response to their intensified attacks over the ongoing war against Iran.

"Why Would I Use a Nuclear Weapon?" Trump Rules Out Atomic Strike

Speaking to reporters, Trump made a rare definitive statement on nuclear weapons: he would not use them against Iran.

"Why would I use a nuclear weapon where we've totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it?" Trump said. "No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody."

The remarks come after Trump posted a threat on social media earlier this month saying that a "whole civilization will die tonight" unless Iran reached a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The juxtaposition – apocalyptic threat followed by nuclear restraint – encapsulates the Trump administration's contradictory approach to Iran.

"Don't Rush Me": Trump's Patience for a Deal

When asked how long he was willing to wait for a long-term peace deal with Iran, Trump's response was characteristically defiant: "Don't rush me."

"Their navy is gone. Their air force is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone ... maybe they loaded up a little bit during the two-week hiatus, but we'll knock that out about one day, if they did," Trump added.

"I want to make the best deal. I could make a deal right now ... but I don't want to do that. I want to have it everlasting."

But patience has limits. Trump also ordered the US military to "shoot and kill" small Iranian boats that deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that US minesweepers "are clearing the strait right now."

Israel's Threat: "Return Iran to the Stone Age"

While Trump spoke of patience, Israel's defense minister spoke of destruction. Israel Katz said Israel is awaiting a green light from the US to "return Iran to the Stone Age."

"Israel is prepared to renew the war against Iran. The IDF is ready in defense and offense, and the targets are marked," Katz told The Times of Israel.

"This time the attack will be different and deadly and will add devastating blows in the most painful places ... that will shake and collapse its foundations."

Katz specifically mentioned blowing up "central energy and electricity facilities" – an attack that, if enacted, would constitute a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. Article 52 of a 1977 protocol clearly states that "civilian objects shall not be the object of attack or of reprisals."

Trump was criticized for declaring that "a whole civilization will die" in a threat against Iran. Katz's comments suggest Israel is willing to go even further.

Pope Leo XIV: "As a Pastor I Cannot Be in Favor of War"

Pope Leo XIV meets with journalists aboard the papal flight from Malabo to Rome, Thursday, 23 April 2026, at the end of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa.

As wars raged and threats flew, Pope Leo XIV offered a different vision. Speaking to journalists aboard the papal flight from Malabo to Rome at the end of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa, the Pope urged the US and Iran to return to talks and condemned capital punishment.

"As a pastor I cannot be in favor of war," he said. "I would like to encourage everyone to find responses that come from a culture of peace and not hatred and division."

The Pope revealed that he carries with him a photograph of a Muslim Lebanese boy who had been killed in Israel's recent war with Hezbollah. The photo shows the boy holding a sign welcoming the Pope when he visited Lebanon last year.

"I condemn capital punishment," the Pope added. "I believe human life is to be respected and that all people from conception to natural death, their lives should be respected and protected."

"So when a regime, when a country takes decisions which take away the lives of other people unjustly, then obviously that is something that should be condemned."

Ship Attacks: Three Vessels Targeted in Strait of Hormuz

Iranian forces attacked three ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. The Epaminondas, a Greek-operated container ship with 21 Ukrainian and Filipino crew members, was boarded after being fired upon by a manned speedboat. The vessel sustained damage but all crew were reported safe.

The MSC Francesca was escorted to Iranian shores along with the Epaminondas. A third ship, the Liberia-flagged Euphoria, was fired upon but not damaged.

Technomar Shipping, the operator of Epaminondas, confirmed the attack and said it remains "in close communication with the relevant authorities" to resolve the matter.

Meanwhile, a Pentagon assessment reportedly estimated it could take six months to completely clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines deployed by Iran. Three officials told the Washington Post that Iran may have placed 20 or more mines in and around the strait, some using GPS technology making them difficult to detect.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell acknowledged the assessment was made in a classified briefing but described the information as "inaccurate."

Markets: Asian Stocks Dip, Oil Climbs

Asian stocks were mostly lower and oil prices extended their gains on Friday as talks on ending the war remained stalled. US futures edged lower after Wall Street pulled back from its all-time highs.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 gained 0.6%, led by heavy buying of technology stocks. Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 0.8%, while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.5%. South Korea's Kospi shed 0.4%, and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.6%.

Oil prices surged: Brent crude for June delivery rose 3.1% to settle at $105.07, at one point topping $107. The more popular July contract settled at $99.35 after rising as high as $101. Early Friday, Brent was up 0.4% at $99.70.

Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Extended

Trump also announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon would be extended by three weeks. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he hoped the two countries' leaders would meet during the additional cessation of hostilities.

Lebanese Ambassador Nada Moawad thanked Trump: "I think with your help, with your support, we can make Lebanon great again."

However, the extension came amid international outrage over Israel's killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil, 43. Lebanon's prime minister described the attack as a "war crime." Colleagues said Khalil was killed in a sustained attack by Israeli forces, with rescuers prevented from providing life-saving assistance.

Iran: No Hardliners or Moderates, Says President

Responding to Trump's claims of internal division in Iran's leadership, President Masoud Pezeshkian said there were no "hardliners" or "moderates" in Iran. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi added that Iranian state institutions "continue to act with unity, purpose and discipline."

Experts have questioned Trump's analysis, noting that despite mass assassinations of senior commanders, Iran has shown remarkable institutional cohesion. Some accuse Trump of cognitive warfare – attempting to create "chronic systemic paralysis" in Iran's decision-making machine.

Italy Rejects Replacing Iran at World Cup

Italian sports officials said Italy is not interested in replacing Iran at the upcoming World Cup after a suggestion to that effect by a Trump administration official. Sports Minister Andrea Abodi said "it's not a good idea," while Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called the suggestion "shameful."

The US said it had no objections to Iranian players participating but they would not be allowed to bring people with ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

What Comes Next?

The ceasefire holds. The strait remains blocked. The talks are stalled. And the world waits.

"Don't rush me," Trump said.

But the rush is already here. Oil is near $100. Ships are being seized. Israel is sharpening its knives. The Pope is pleading for peace. And 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the Gulf, caught between empires.

How long will the ceasefire last? Will Iran return to talks? Will Israel strike first? Will Trump wait, or will he act?

The answers are not yet written. The world is holding its breath.

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