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Trump pressures Iran amid Strait of Hormuz tensions, calls for ‘real agreement’
President Trump is ramping up pressure on Iran, as traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz encounters delays, underscoring the necessity for what he calls a “REAL AGREEMENT.” Scheduled to engage in peace talks with Iran this Saturday, April 11, 2026, in Pakistan, are Vice President Vance, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. Meanwhile, the administration is weighing potential measures against NATO allies who did not back the war effort with Iran, against a backdrop of a precarious ceasefire and ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
In Israel, authorities have apprehended a 22-year-old resident from Haifa, accused of partaking in an Iranian-supported conspiracy to assassinate a prominent Israeli official. The scheme allegedly targeted former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, according to reports.
The suspect, Ami Gaydarov, was detained last month under suspicion of collaborating with an Iranian operative to gather intelligence and construct a bomb intended for an attack on a senior Israeli figure. Gaydarov reportedly did not know the identity of the intended victim. A previously imposed gag order on his arrest has been lifted, permitting Israeli media to cover the unfolding story.
Investigators revealed that Gaydarov initiated contact with his Iranian handler in August 2025. He received approximately $23,000, predominantly in cryptocurrency, to execute various tasks linked to the assassination scheme.
Allegedly, Gaydarov rented an apartment in downtown Haifa, which was purportedly used as a bomb-making laboratory.
Ami Gaydarov was arrested on March 9 by Israeli authorities on suspicion of working with Iranian handlers to harm a high-ranking official. (Israeli Police)
“To facilitate the contacts with his handlers, Gaidarov purchased dedicated phones and rented an apartment in Haifa where he produced the explosive substance, while documenting his activities in videos and photos that were sent to his handler as proof of compliance,” the Israeli police force said.
In connection with the plot, Israeli authorities have also arrested three other suspects, including Sergey Leibman and Edward Shovtiuk. The fourth suspect has not been named. Authorities said indictments for the four suspects should occur in the “coming days.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance at the Prime Minister’s Office on October 22, 2025, in Jerusalem, Israel. (Nathan Howard/Pool/Getty Images)
The terror plot was uncovered as part of Israel’s “Operation Roaring Lion,” a major military campaign launched against Iran on February 28, coinciding with the start of the war with Iran.
The arrest of the four men comes as Israeli authorities have won more than 40 indictments against more than 60 defendants working on behalf of the Iranian government. Just two months ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that the citizenship of Israelis convicted of espionage for Iran be stripped of their citizenship.
Illustration shows a missile launch from Iran with the country’s flag in the background. (iStock)
Since the outbreak of the war with Iran, pro-Iranian attacks linked to radical groups have been on the rise. Just last week, French officials reported that a pro-Iran group was behind a failed bomb plot on a Bank of America office in Paris.