Witkoff and Kushner head to Pakistan for Iran talks as Israel strikes Lebanon despite ceasefire

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are heading to Pakistan for talks involving Iran, according to U.S. officials and multiple reports.

Reuters and AP said the White House confirmed the trip and that the talks are part of a renewed U.S.-Iran diplomatic push. Pakistan is expected to facilitate the process, but Iran has said it does not expect direct negotiations with the U.S. delegation.

The timing adds another layer to an already volatile regional picture. On April 24 and 25, Israeli strikes continued in southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire extension, with Israeli officials saying the targets included Hezbollah rocket launchers and other threats. Lebanese and regional reporting described the attacks as violations of the ceasefire.

The two developments are related only in the broad sense that both reflect an active Middle East crisis, but they are unfolding on separate tracks. The Pakistan trip is the fresh diplomatic story, while the Lebanon strikes show the ceasefire remains fragile.

What happens next will depend on whether the Pakistan talks produce any direct or indirect contact with Iranian officials, and whether the Lebanon fighting leads to further escalation or a ceasefire review.