AS IT HAPPENED: Peace talks in jeopardy over Lebanon violence; Ship traffic crawls through the Strait of Hormuz; Worrying development days after China helped broker ceasefire

It was a sense of "the calm before the storm" in the Middle East today, as the US and Iran gear up for negotiations that could make or break the current ceasefire.

Here are the key events that happened today, April 11:

- US Vice President JD Vance arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan this afternoon, leading the US delegation for peace talks with Iran. It is believed the Iranian delegation arrived yesterday.

- A key issue remains Israel's continued campaign against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, which has killed hundreds since Wednesday. Iranian officials say a ceasefire that includes Lebanon will be crucial to any peace talks.

- UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a rare rebuke of US President Donald Trump, saying he was "fed up" with his actions which have had an impact on the whole world.

- Closer to home, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said Australia has more than a month's supply of petrol and diesel, saying 4.1 billion litres of fuel is set to arrive into the country in the coming weeks.

Pakistan praised the United States for its "commitment to achieving lasting regional and global peace" as the American delegation touched down in Islamabad ahead of negotiations with Iran.

The US delegation is led by Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son in law.

The country's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Asim Munir shook hands with US officials as they stepped off the plane in Islamabad on Saturday morning local time (afternoon AEST).

Dar expressed hope that the US and Iran would engage constructively and reiterated Pakistan's willingness to help facilitate "a lasting resolution and durable solution to the conflict," according to a statement from Pakistan's foreign ministry.

Photos have emerged of US Vice President JD Vance arriving in Islamabad, Pakistan, for crucial talks with Iran.

The countries have agreed to meet in order to try and bring about peace in the Middle East, after the US and Israel began bombing Iran over nuclear weapons claims.

Vance was pictured walking off an official government plane, where he was greeted by Pakistan's Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir and Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

The streets of Pakistan's normally bustling capital were deserted as security forces sealed roads ahead of talks between high-level officials from Iran and the US to end their nearly six-week war.

Pakistani authorities urged Islamabad residents to stay inside, leading the city to look like it was under curfew.

US Vice President JD Vance is leading the American delegation, which has just arrived according to multiple reports.

Iranian negotiators, headed by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, arrived late yesterday.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif the conflict was entering a "difficult phase" as the sides try to shift from a temporary pause in fighting to a more lasting settlement. He said they were at a "make-or-break" moment. 

Planes carrying US envoys heading for talks with Iran have landed in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to Reuters.

The planes touched down just before 10.30am local time (3.30pm AEST).

The US delegation is led by Vice President JD Vance, and Reuters reports around 100 people are part of it.

While his Vice President jets off to Pakistan for important peace talks with Iran, US President Donald Trump has shared yet another late-night Truth Social post, this time celebrating a large number of fuel tankers heading towards the USA.

He posted a screenshot of a post on X by Rory Johnston, who claims to be an oil market researcher, which showed a map of fuel tankers sailing around the Horn of Africa and towards the USA.

"Very cool seeing the wave of empty tankers heading to the US to pick up some desperately needed crude for Hormuz-starved markets," the post said.

It seems the President also thought it was very cool, posting the map with a caption of "GREAT!!!"

Just two ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz overnight.

Two US government aircraft are nearing Islamabad, and are the most tracked planes in the world right now, according to data from Flight Radar 24.

The two planes, with callsigns SAM095 and SAM091, took off from Le Bourget Airport in Paris at 12am local time, and they most likely contain the USA's delegation for peace talks with Iran in Pakistan.

This includes US Vice President JD Vance.

Both flights are around half an hour away, expected to land in Pakistan at around 10.30am local time (3.30pm AEST).

The are being tracked by over 20,000 people. In the screenshot below, SAM095 is on the left, and SAM091 is the plane on the right hand side of the picture.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen is adamant Australia will not seek to buy Russian fuel in order to shore up its own supply.

Speaking at a press conference today, he said the government was looking at alternative sources of fuel, but made it clear Russia was not on the list.

"I think what we need to do is focus on the supplies of fuel that we're getting not only from Southeast Asia, but other countries," Bowen said.

"We're getting fuel from South America now, from Algeria, that's a good thing.

"We haven't engaged and don't need to engage with Russia."

US intelligence indicates that China is preparing to deliver new air defence systems to Iran within the next few weeks, according to three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments.

It would be a provocative move considering Beijing said it helped broker the fragile ceasefire agreement that paused the war between Iran and the US earlier this week.

President Donald Trump is also set to visit China early next month for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Two of the sources told CNN there are indications that Beijing is working to route the shipments through third countries to mask their true origin.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said, "China has never provided weapons to any party to the conflict; the information in question is untrue."

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has given an update on the nation's fuel supply.

"We have 38 days worth of petrol, 31 days worth of diesel which is up two days, and 28 days worth of jet fuel," he said in a Facebook video.

"We also have 57 tankers on the water to Australia, on their way with more fuel including crude oil."

Bowen noted the fuel reserves were not including the fuel already at petrol stations.

He said there were 4.1 billion litres of different types of fuel scheduled to arrive in the future.