Overview
- After President Trump warned on Tuesday that “a whole civilization will die tonight” and named bridges and power plants as targets, Pope Leo XIV called the threat “truly unacceptable” and said attacking civilian infrastructure violates international law.
- Hours after the pope’s remarks, Trump announced a Pakistan‑brokered two‑week pause in U.S. operations tied to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route.
- Pope Leo urged people worldwide to press elected leaders to pursue negotiations and invited a global prayer vigil for peace on Saturday, April 11.
- Despite the announced pause, reports from the UAE, Kuwait, and Iran described new missile, drone, and refinery incidents, underscoring how tenuous the truce remains.
- Backlash in the U.S. widened as the Catholic bishops condemned threats against civilians and at least 50 Democratic lawmakers urged consideration of the 25th Amendment.