JD Vance warns Iran ‘not to try and play us’ – Live updates

If you’re just joining the Daily Mail’s coverage of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, here are the most important developments:

• US inflation has risen dramatically since the US began its war against Iran, with American gasoline prices surging more than 20% between February and March.
• JD Vance, shortly before he departed to Pakistan for peace talks, warned Iran not to try and ‘play us.’
• Pope Leo lambasted the ‘ferocious’ spread of ‘absurd and inhuman violence’ that has developed since the outbreak of war.
• Hezbollah’s chief vowed to fight back against Israel ‘as long as there is breath.’

Consumer inflation in the US rose sharply to 3.3% in March, according to government data, as skyrocketing energy prices hit American bank accounts hard.

The consumer price index (CPI) rose 3.3% year-on-year, compared to 2.4% a month prior.

Gasoline prices surged by 21.2% between February and March, the Bureau of Labour Statistics said.

Speaking shortly before his departure to Pakistan from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Vance said of Iran: ‘If they’re gonna try to play us they’re gonna find the negotiating team is not going to be that receptive.

‘The president gave us some pretty clear guidelines.’

In a post to X, Pope Leo bluntly said: ‘God does not bless any conflict.’

He added:

Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.

Military action will not create space for freedom or times of peace, which comes only from the patient promotion of coexistence and dialogue among peoples.

CNN reported that Donald Trump and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu held a ‘tense’ call on Thursday.

The call came shortly before Israel announced it would seek direct ceasefire talks with Lebanon.

An Israeli source told the US media outlet that if Netanyahu didn’t call for direct talks with Lebanon, Trump would simply have declared a ceasefire.

US negotiators intend to request the release of Americans detained in Iran as part of upcoming talks aimed at ending the war, the Washington Post reported on Friday.

In an ambiguous post made as the US’s delegation for peace talks head to Pakistan, Trump wrote, without context:

WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL RESET!!!

An Israeli strike near a government building in the southern Lebanese town on Nabatieh has killed eight people, state media reported.

Czech Airline Smartwings will restart regular flights to Tel Aviv from April 15.

Smartwings said it will operate seven flights per week to Tel Aviv while observing the security situation in Israel and following guidance from authorities.