NPR News Now: April 9, 2026 — 12PM EDT

A fragile two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is holding, but barely — and the diplomatic landscape around it is shifting rapidly. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he is instructing his cabinet to open direct negotiations with Israel as soon as possible, focused on disarming Hezbollah and arranging peaceful relations between Israel and Lebanon. This comes as Iran restricted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, claiming Israel was bombing Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire — a claim both Netanyahu and President Trump dispute.

The ceasefire itself remains precarious, and the political fallout is spreading well beyond the Middle East.

Trump's NATO ultimatum

President Trump is threatening to leave NATO over the alliance's refusal to engage in the war against Iran — a war Trump says NATO members had no say in. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged that some allies were slow to respond, but said in fairness, they were also surprised. Trump chose not to inform allies ahead of the initial strikes in order to maintain the element of surprise. "I understand that," Rutte said, speaking at the Reagan Building in Washington after meeting with Trump at the White House.