Since initiating the blockade on Iranian ports on April 13, the US has compelled 23 ships to reverse course, according to US Central Command this morning.
“Since the start of the blockade, 23 vessels have followed orders from US forces to reverse course,” CENTCOM stated.
The update came after a tumultuous 24 hours in which Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz, not currently under direct blockade by the US, reopened, only to be effectively closed again.
In the short time Iran relaxed its restrictions, Xenix news reports that at least nine ships navigated the vital waterway.
President Donald Trump stated Iran pledged to never shut the strait again, although a US blockade continues as negotiators strive for a resolution to end the conflict.
• Strait of Hormuz: Iran declared the critical trade passage accessible to all commercial ships for the duration of the ceasefire. US President Donald Trump stated that Iran has pledged never to shut the waterway again, yet a US naval blockade will remain in effect until an agreement with Iran is “100% complete.”
• Current status of negotiations: Sources inform Xenix news that officials are optimistic a larger agreement to conclude the conflict could be reached by this weekend, despite ongoing points of contention. Sources report that the Trump administration is contemplating the release of $20 billion in Iranian funds during the ongoing negotiations. Trump also stated that the US will obtain Iran’s enriched uranium and that there would be no “exchange of money.”
• Tranquilité au Liban : Un cessez-le-feu de 10 jours au Liban semble être respecté. Israel stated its troops would remain in southern Lebanon, while Iran-supported Hezbollah cautioned it would only accept the ceasefire if the Israeli strikes ceased. The dispute has been a major obstacle in talks regarding the war in Iran.
Israel removes nationwide restrictions following the implementation of the ceasefire.
On Friday, Israel removed nationwide restrictions following the implementation of the ceasefire with Lebanon.
“The whole nation will transition to complete activity levels,” stated Israel’s Home Front Command. The sole exception was in what the Israeli military referred to as “frontline areas” in northern Israel, where assemblies will be capped at 1,000 individuals, yet this limitation will also be removed on Saturday evening.
Trump shares real-time updates on Iran talks while receiving briefings from Paki.
President Donald Trump has been sharing his thoughts online amid swift changes as discussions to resolve the conflict with Iran intensify on Friday.
As Iran declared the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the president began to record his response live through a series of 13 social media updates during the early morning hours in Las Vegas. He journeyed to Nevada on Thursday to redirect voters’ attention to tax reductions and the economy.
While the social media frenzy was ongoing, the president was getting frequent updates on the negotiation developments in Tehran from Pakistani intermediaries, a US official informed Xenix news. The Trump administration is contemplating the potential unfreezing of $20 billion in Iranian assets as part of the talks, two sources knowledgeable about the discussions told Xenix news. However, other significant obstacles persist, such as the duration for which Iran will consent to halt its uranium enrichment and the recovery of Iran’s nuclear materials.
Trump posts live updates on Iran negotiations as he gets readouts from Pakistan
“The United States will acquire all Nuclear ‘Dust’ generated by our exceptional B2 Bombers — no money will be exchanged in any manner,” Trump stated in one of his posts, emphasizing his awareness of critiques regarding the possibility of Iran gaining financially from the agreement.
Other articles discussed removing mines from the strait, Trump’s plan to maintain a blockade on Iranian ports, and a criticism aimed at NATO, which the US president has often condemned for not providing adequate support in his conflict with Iran.
Should the ongoing discussions between Pakistani mediators and Iranian representatives prove effective, a possible second round of negotiations might occur in Islamabad as early as this weekend, with officials optimistic that a more comprehensive agreement to conclude the conflict could be reached.
The Lebanese military has charged Israel with breaching a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon just hours after it was implemented.
At the same time, US President Donald Trump announced that a meeting at the White House between the two countries might occur in two weeks.
Here’s the most recent update:
Delicate truce:In the Lebanese capital Beirut, fireworks and celebratory gunfire erupted as a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon began at midnight local time. The decision to halt hostilities came after days of US pressure on Israel, as the continuing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah risked undermining the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran.
Accusations of violations:Mere hours after it was enacted, the Lebanese army charged Israel with breaching the ceasefire by shelling multiple villages in the south.
Displaced individuals:Individuals forced from southern Lebanon due to Israeli military operations have been going back to their residences following the ceasefire in Lebanon.
Video recordings depict a series of cars forming a queue to traverse the Qasmiyeh bridge spanning the Litani River, which divides the nation.
Iran agreement: Trump announced an impending deal with Iran, asserting on Thursday that “victory is approaching.” “Very soon.” The US president has provided Tehran with two weeks to reach an agreement – a challenging objective considering that the prior Iran nuclear deal, which Trump exited during his initial term, required years of negotiation.
Jet fuel:A group of over 300 aviation firms announced Friday that airlines may need to cancel European flights in late May due to shortages of jet fuel, and governments should start developing a plan in case fuel rationing at airports becomes necessary.
Oil prices decline: Oil prices decreased Thursday after Trump mentioned that discussions with Iran might happen this weekend and the ceasefire in Lebanon was implemented. At 6:04 a.m. Brent crude, the worldwide oil standard, dropped 3.2% today to $96.2 per barrel.
Strait of Hormuz: As per Marine Traffic data examined by Xenixnews, a Pakistani-flagged tanker passed through the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, marking an uncommon transit through the maritime route during a US naval blockade. Nonetheless, the US navy could still intercept the ship before it arrives at its ultimate destination.
Counter-terrorism officers probe occurrences close to the Israeli embassy in London.
An overall perspective of the Israeli Embassy located in London, England, on March 23, 2010. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Counter-terrorism officers in Britain, some donning protective gear, are investigating the area around the Israeli embassy in London after police reported that an unidentified group declared it had aimed drones loaded with hazardous materials at the structure.
The Metropolitan Police stated that officers were investigating objects discovered nearby and their potential connection to the assertions made in an online video.
The force stated: “Although we can confirm that the Embassy was not attacked, we are conducting urgent investigations to verify the video’s authenticity and to find any possible connection between it and the objects left in Kensington Gardens.”
The update follows the Counter Terrorism Policing unit’s announcement that it is probing and executing arrests in three distinct recent arson incidents in London: an assault on Jewish community ambulances from last month, along with an attempted arson at a synagogue and an arson attack on a Persian language media organization’s offices, both occurring on Wednesday.
The conflict with Iran will affect global oil and natural gas markets for a long time. Recovery of output in the Gulf region may require approximately two years.
The pace of recovery will differ from nation to nation, the leader of the International Energy Agency mentioned in an interview released today.
“In Iraq, for instance, it will require significantly more time than in Saudi Arabia.” “Nevertheless, we project that it will require around two years in total to attain pre-war levels once more,” Fatih Birol stated to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, a Swiss newspaper in German.
Birol also indicated that investors were “undervaluing” the implications of a prolonged shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have remained under $100 a barrel throughout this week.
Birol pointed out that prior to the war, multiple oil and natural gas tankers were already on their way to their destinations and have now reached them. However, no new tankers were dispatched in March, as there were no recent shipments to Asia.
“This difference is now becoming evident.” He cautioned, “If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, we should brace for much higher energy costs.”
Pakistani-flagged vessel completes unusual passage through Strait of Hormuz.
Tracking the Shalamar through the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. Marine Traffic
A tanker with a Pakistani flag passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, as per Marine Traffic information analyzed by Xenixnews, marking an unusual passage through the strait during a US naval blockade.
The Shalamar disables its transponder at different locations, according to Marine Traffic. The ship is not under sanctions.
Marine Traffic data indicated that the ship was also partially loaded. It left the waterway carrying approximately 440,000 barrels of crude, a shipping source informed Xenixnews, noting that it is en route to the port of Karachi to unload its cargo on April 19.
“A senior shipping source from Pakistan stated to Xenisnews, ‘This is undoubtedly a Pakistani ship that has passed through the strait during the Iranian blockade previously,’ adding that ‘both the Iranians and Americans would have been aware of its passage through the strait.’”
The source indicated that the transponder being deactivated was for “security purposes.”
Nevertheless, the ship may still be intercepted by the US navy prior to arriving at its ultimate destination.
The head of US Central Command stated on Wednesday that the blockade of Iranian ports by the United States has been “fully implemented.” On Thursday, CENTCOM announced that 14 ships have altered their course to adhere to the blockade imposed by American forces after 72 hours of enforcement.
A pause in fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon could help pave the way for a deal with Tehran
Trump claims progress in Iran talks, even as he threatens to resume war
Here’s the latest
• Ceasefire in effect: Hours after a 10-day truce in Lebanon began, the Lebanese army accused Israel of violating the ceasefire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said Israeli forces would not withdraw from positions in southern Lebanon, and Iran-backed Hezbollah warned it would only cease fire if Israeli attacks stopped.
• Diplomacy push: US President Donald Trump said a White House meetingbetween Israel and Lebanon could take place within two weeks. The conflict with Hezbollah has been a key sticking point in negotiations on the war with Iran. Trump also voiced confidence that a deal with Tehran will come soon, saying talks could happen this weekend.
• Strait of Hormuz: The leaders of Britain and France will host a virtual meeting of world leaders from 40 countries today to discuss efforts to reopen the vital trade chokepoint.Allcatch up
Key bridge reopens allowing displaced people to return to southern Lebanon
People displaced from southern Lebanon by Israeli military actions have been returning to their homes after a ceasefire between the two nations came into effect on Thursday.
Video footage shows a succession of vehicles queuing to cross the Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River, which bisects the country.
On Thursday, Lebanese state media reported that Israeli air strikes had destroyed the bridge, cutting off tens of thousands of residents from the rest of the country.
Qasmiyeh was the last operational crossing after Israeli forces “systematically destroyed or severely damaged all main bridges” connecting areas south of the Litani River to the rest of Lebanon, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Now it appears that the bridge has been repaired, allowing displaced people to return to their homes.
Nonetheless, on Thursday the Israeli military warned residents not to move south of the river, saying its forces remain deployed there as the ceasefire in Lebanon takes effect.
The speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, also discouraged people from returning to their villages.
“We urge everyone to exercise patience and delay their return to their towns and villages until the situation and unfolding events become clear, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement,” he added.
However video footage also shows residents of Nabatieh, a city in southern Lebanon, returning home after the ceasefire took effect
Residents of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon return home and venture out after ceasefire takes effec
Southern Lebanon – where Iranian-backed militant and political group Hezbollah has traditionally had a stronghold – has faced near-constant bombardment and ground assaults for over two years.
Scores of residents from villages in the south, near the Israeli border, have had to flee amid evacuation warnings from the Israeli military and a deepening ground offensive.
Trump keeps referring to enriched uranium as “nuclear dust” — but what is it?
US President Donald Trump gestures during a roundtable discussion in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
US President Donald Trump yesterday claimed Iran has agreed it would not have a nuclear weapon and would hand over its “nuclear dust,” a termhe uses to refer to Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
“Nuclear dust” is not a known term in the nuclear energy industry and experts say the way Trump and his lead negotiator Steve Witkoff have talked about uranium enrichment raises doubts about how well they actually understand the technicalities.
Since the US-Iran nuclear talks in February, Witkoff, a former real estate developer who has been leading US negotiations with Iran along with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, has made claims that experts say betray a similarly weak expertise.
Uranium must be enriched in order to create enough of a nuclear chain reaction for weapons or energy production.
Uranium is abundant in Earth’s crust, but most of it — about 99% — is the relatively fission-resistant isotope uranium-238. A chain reaction calls for the uranium-235 isotope, which has an odd number of neutrons, making its nucleus easier to split.
To be used as fuel for nuclear reactors, or to make an explosive nuclear weapon, uranium is “enriched” to increase the concentration of uranium-235. Different levels of enrichment have very different uses and strategic significance.
Since Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in his first term, Iran had been enriching its uranium closer and closer to weapons-grade – meaning it can be used to make nuclear weapons.
Pakistan’s prime minister welcomes ceasefire
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attends a conference in Kuala Lumpur on October 6, 2025. Hasnoor Hussain/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Pakistan’s prime minister welcomed the ceasefireinLebanon and pledged to keep supporting peace efforts.
“Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon, and will continue to support all efforts aimed at lasting peace in the region,” Shehbaz Sharif said Friday on X.
Sharif also praised the “sagacious diplomatic efforts” led by US President Donald Trump and expressed hope it will “pave the way for sustainable peace.”
US and Iran must be on board, says think tank director as world leaders to meet on Strait of Hormuz
Today’s British and French-led virtual meeting of world leaders to discuss efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is not likely to bear immediate results, Grégoire Roos, Director for Europe, Russia and Eurasia at Chatham House told Xenix news
Leaders from 40 countries are expected to discuss supporting the fragile Iran ceasefire and securing shipping lanes through the strait. A statement from the British prime minister’s office said world leaders would establish an international mission to reopen the strait. The strictly defensive mission would involve deploying a combined military effort as soon as conditions allow, according to the statement.
For the mission to be successful, it must satisfy three conditions, Roos said. The US must endorse it, even if indirectly; the shipping industry and the Gulf states must buy into it; and Iran must not contest it.
“So you really have three groups of stakeholders here that you need to get on board.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to arrive in Paris on Friday morning to host the summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will also travel to Paris on Friday for the summit, according to a German government official.
The US is not among the countries attending the summit.
French president backs ceasefire but expresses concern
France’s President Emmanuel Macron attends a meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on Tuesday. Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images
French President Emmanuel Macron said he fully supports the ceasefire that that could halt six weeks of fighting between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
However, Macron also raised concerns that the agreement “may already be weakened by the continuation of military operations,” in an X post on Friday.
“I call for the safety of civilian populations on both sides of the border between Lebanon and Israel. Hezbollah must renounce its weapons. Israel must respect Lebanese sovereignty and stop the war,” he added.
The Lebanese army said it recorded multiple ceasefire violations by Israel after the truce went into effect at midnight local time on Friday.
It accused Israel of committing “a number of acts of aggression,” saying intermittent shelling has impacted several villages in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah said it will abide by the ceasefire if Israel does.
Xenix news Martin Goillandeau and Michael Rios contributed reporting.
The details,” says former IDF official
Israel would benefit from an agreement with Lebanon but “the devil is in the details,” according to a former spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces.
And the “only, most important factor” that will influence peace and stability in both countries is whether or not Hezbollah is disarmed, Jonathan Conricus told Xenix news
“If Hezbollah is disarmed through this process with the Lebanese government, then there can be peace, there can be stability, there can be prosperity and many positive things for Lebanese and for Israelis,” Conricus saidon Friday.
“If Hezbollah isn’t disarmed, that means future war and fighting and rockets and suffering — and it all boils down to whether or not the Lebanese government will actually be able to do what they have said and committed to doing but have so far not been able or willing to do.”
In January, Lebanon said it had completed the first phase of its plan to disarm Hezbollah and other militant groups in the country’s south but Israel said that progress was “far from sufficient.”
Asked whether Lebanon’s armed forces is capable of disarming Hezbollah today, Conricus said: “When you look at the balance of power between the two organizations, Hezbollah still needs to be weakened significantly, militarily speaking.”
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in Algeria during his tour of Africa Simone Risoluti/Vatican Pool/Getty Images
Flying to Algeria at the start of his landmark tour of Africa on Monday, Pope Leo had a choice. He could ignore Donald Trump’s extraordinary overnight social media tirade against him, or he could tackle it head on.
In the end, he chose the second option, taking the highly unusual step of calling out the Trump White House directly. Speaking to reporters on board the papal plane, the pope said he had “no fear of the Trump administration” and would not be deterred from speaking out “loudly” about the message of God.
“I do not think the message of the Gospel should be abused, as some are doing,” he said, adding, “too many innocent lives have been lost… I believe someone must stand up and say there is a better way.”
Leo’s comments have defined him as the most visible international counterweight to Trump and set up an unprecedented clash between the first American pope and a US president who has launched repeated broadsides against him.
Yet the Chicago-born pontiff, known for his gentle, low-key style, did not pick this fight. Having spent much of his adult life in the Order of St Augustine, whose friars and sisters take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience with a focus on unity and community, his priorities are unity and building bridges.
Rather than coming into his position with a flurry of executive orders or news-making initiatives, the pope has used much of his first year in office listening and making gradual changes. He has also emphasized the importance of multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and respect for international law, at a time when the US president has suggested he is not bound by those norms.
Although he’s a more reserved personality than his predecessor, Pope Francis, the US military operation in Iran has brought out Leo’s inner steel, and a willingness to speak out in forthright terms.
He decided to name Trump personally – something popes rarely do. While he has not named other members of the Trump administration, his remarks that “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war” appeared to allude to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s eagerness to frame the conflict in the Middle East in religious terms.
Popes calling for peace and opposing war is not new. Pope John Paul II strongly opposed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. With an American pope, however, things are different. Leo XIV speaks English as his native tongue, something that has not happened since the 12th century, and his words cut through to a US audience, the White House and beyond. Leo is also known in the Vatican for his “poker face” – he has a certain inscrutability that makes him hard to read, and his careful, deliberate style arguably gives his words greater weight.
Pope’s message of peace
While in Africa, Leo has continued to speak out, saying his time on the continent offers a message of peace the world needs to hear. During a peace meeting in Bamenda, Cameroon, Leo delivered a speech that had global ramifications.
“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters,” he said.
“Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic or political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth.”
Tensions between the pope and Trump have been bubbling away since before the latest clash. Ahead of the conclave that selected Pope Leo last year, the president caused upset when he posted an AI image of himself as the pontiff. It had echoes of the AI image Trump posted – and later deleted – portraying himself as a Jesus-like figure shortly after attacking the pope. It’s also striking that although the cardinals elected the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history, Trump has not – as far as the public record shows – had any direct contact with Leo since.
Instead Vice President JD Vance, who became a Catholic in 2019, attended Leo’s inauguration, presenting him with an invitation to visit the United States. The Vatican has said the pope will not visit the US in 2026 and instead plans to spend July 4th – the 250th anniversary of US independence – on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa, which is a major landing point for immigrants. It’s hard to see the pope making a visit home while Trump is president.
On Tuesday, Vance weighed into the row, saying the pope needs to be “careful” when talking about theology and should remember “Just War” theory when talking about the war in Iran.
Vance’s mention of Just War theory is striking. Developed over centuries, the teaching is frequently used by military analysts as an ethical and moral criteria for armed conflict. One of its primary architects is Saint Augustine of Hippo, the spiritual father of the Catholic religious order that Leo belongs to. While in Algeria, the pope paid a personal pilgrimage to the place where Augustine served as a bishop in the late fourth and early fifth centuries, and he has pointed out that people do not see the war in Iran as just.
Pope Leo XIV arrives at Bamenda airport in Cameroon during his tour of Africa. Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
Vatican News argued in an editorial published a day after Vance’s remarks that in recent decades, Catholic teaching has shown “how increasingly difficult it is to claim that a ‘just war’ exists,” particularly in an “atomic era.”
Editorial Director Andrea Tornielli insisted that Leo XIV, “faced with the madness of escalating conflict and disproportionate spending on rearmament,” is continuing “along the path opened by his predecessors, calling for peace, dialogue, and negotiation with both realism and prophetic clarity.”
‘Empires come and go’
Vance’s criticisms of the pope are likely to be taken more seriously by the Vatican, though. As a Catholic convert, he’s already used a teaching of St Augustine to defend the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Leo, meanwhile, has been critical of the treatment of immigrants in the US.
“From the time Vance entered the Church, he has aligned himself with a cadre of extreme right-wing philosophers, theologians, and pundits who claim to be the authentic interpreters of Augustine’s City of God [a major work],” Dawn Eden Goldstein, a Catholic author and academic, told Xenix news .
Leo became pope just a few months after Trump’s re-election as president. Previously, the idea of a pope from the US was deemed impossible because the cardinals would not want to ally the Church with the world’s dominant power. Yet Trump’s return to the White House changed how the cardinals viewed the US on the world stage. It opened the door for them to break with tradition, and the figure of Robert Prevost, with his long experience in Latin America, made him an attractive figure.
She said that Pope Leo’s “undeniable expertise in Augustine’s thought… poses a direct threat to the efforts of the vice president and his post-liberal friends to present themselves to Catholics as authoritative interpreters of the Church’s social and political teachings.”
The historic decision was not dissimilar to that of the 1978 conclave that elected John Paul II. The first Polish pope, and first non-Italian pontiff in 400 years, was chosen at the height of the Cold War and would go onto play a crucial role in the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe.
“The latest incident reminds me of Harold Macmillan [a former British prime minister] who said that among the three institutions no sensible person should attack is the Vatican,” said Gerard O’Connell, Vatican correspondent for America magazine, a Catholic media outlet, and an experienced observer of church affairs. “I imagine the Vatican will view this through the lens of history, knowing that empires come and go.”
Individuals assemble beneath a massive image of Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, at a memorial to commemorate the 40th day following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli coordinated attacks, in Tehran, Iran, on April 9. Majid Saeedi/Getty Images
For many years, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the constant presence in Iranian decision-making. Not a week went by without a talk, a decision, a meticulously planned involvement. Throughout the Obama-era discussions regarding Tehran’s nuclear program, he was quite prominent, occasionally undermining his own diplomats.
However, everything shifted after his assassination and the rapid elevation of his son Mojtaba as his successor.
Iranians have neither seen him nor heard their new leader. A state television anchor read aloud his initial claimed message while displaying a still image.
As the US and Iran engage in diplomacy, it remains uncertain what role, if any, Khamenei the younger is fulfilling. Is he aware? Is he establishing the guidelines, defining the limits his negotiators require? Or is the leadership position effectively unoccupied, with the lack of presence being more a political fact than a deliberate strategy?
We just don’t know, and Iran’s unclear political structure complicates the search for answers even further. However, the more time Khamenei spends away from the public, the more intense the inquiries will grow.
Up until now, any agreement lacking the endorsement of a supreme leader was not one the Iranian political system could maintain. Have we moved into a new stage in Iranian politics where the leader’s apparent approval is no longer necessary?
Lebanese presidency “unaware” of conversation between Aoun and Netanyahu.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun participates in a press conference at the presidential palace in Baabda, Lebanon, on February 16. Mohamed Azakir/Reuters/Archive
A spokesperson stated Thursday that the Lebanese presidency is “unaware of any call” between President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, coming just hours after US and Israeli officials suggested direct discussions between the two leaders.
“A spokesperson for Aoun informed Xenix news that they are unaware of any call taking place; if it occurs, an announcement will be made.”
On Thursday, Israeli officials announced that Netanyahu and Aoun were set to converse – following the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in over forty years that took place in Washington, DC, earlier this week.
US President Donald Trump mentioned in a social media post that the leaders of Israel and Lebanon would converse – without providing specifics on the location or means of their communication.
• Diplomatic engagement: Iranian authorities and the head of Pakistan’s military are set to convene in Tehran today to talk about communications exchanged between Iran and the US. On Wednesday, the White House expressed hope for an agreement, mentioning that a possible second set of negotiations could take place in Pakistan.
• Israel-Lebanon discussions: According to an Israeli official and President Donald Trump, the leaders of Israel and Lebanon will engage in conversation today for the first time in many years. A source stated that Israel’s security cabinet convened yesterday to consider a potential ceasefire while its military persisted in its attacks on Iran-aligned Hezbollah.
• Naval blockade: Iran’s forces have warned of interference with shipping in the Red Sea should the US persist with its blockade of Iranian ports. Coverage of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz varies, but the key trade route is largely closed.
Bank of England anticipates increased inflation in several nations, no interest rate reductions in the UK for 2026.
Governor Andrew Bailey of the Bank of England addresses an audience in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. Ken Cedeno/Reuters
Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey has cautioned that the energy crisis triggered by the conflict with Iran will increase prices in several nations and may eliminate the possibility of interest rate cuts in the United Kingdom.
“This represents a significant energy shock,” he stated in a broadcast interview with the BBC on Wednesday during the annual Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Washington, DC. In various regions globally, “inflation is expected to rise and (the conflict) will adversely impact (economic) activity,” he stated.
Bailey noted that elevated inflation and sluggish economic growth have presented central banks with a “highly challenging dilemma.” Prior to the war, he anticipated “one or two” interest rate reductions this year in the UK, but that was no longer the primary forecast of the BOE.
Conversely, the central bank won’t hurriedly increase interest rates but will instead observe the effects of the war on the UK’s economy and inflation. “It’s genuinely too soon to make firm assessments on that,” he stated.
In the meantime, UK finance minister Rachel Reeves stated that it was a “blunder” for the United States to have halted negotiations with Iran and initiated the conflict initially. “I don’t believe we are any safer today than we were a few weeks back,” she stated Wednesday at the Invest In America Forum in Washington, DC.
An emergency responder works at the site of an Israeli strike, in Al-Mazraa in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi Purchase
There’s confusion and disagreement over the Strait of Hormuz and whether Lebanon was part of the deal. Meanwhile, the US and Iran prepare for peace talks in Islamabad this weekend.
Lebanon: Hundreds killed and wounded in Israeli attacks Wednesday
• International backlash: Condemnation of Israel’s largest strikes on Lebanonsince the war started is mounting. Iran and Pakistan insist Lebanon is part of the ceasefire deal but the US and Israelclaim the agreement doesn’t cover Hezbollah in Lebanon
• Fragile ceasefire tested: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz stopped following Israel’s massive attack on Lebanon Wednesday which Iran said was a ceasefire violation.
• US military: Trump says all US ships, aircraft, weapons, military personnel will remain “in place, in and around, Iran” until a full agreement is reached.AllCatch Up
Israel says it killed Hezbollah chief’s personal secretary in Beirut strike on Wednesday
By Eugenia Yosef
The Israeli military said Thursday it killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah deputy chief Naim Qassem, in an airstrike near Beirut on Wednesday.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) described Harshi in a statement as “a close associate and personal adviser to Naim Qassem and played a central role in managing and securing his office.”
The announcement came after a day of massive Israeli strikes in Lebanon, which Israel said was its largest coordinated strike since the war began.
According to the IDF, more than 100 command centers and military sites of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah were struck simultaneously across the country. Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 182 people were killed and 890 were wounded in the attacks.
Overnight, Israeli forces continued operations in southern Lebanon. The IDF said it hit two key crossings over the Litani River, which it claims are used by Hezbollah to transfer weapons, rockets and launchers, along with weapons storage facilities, launchers, and command centers in the area.
What’s the status of the ceasefire and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz? It’s murky
There is moreconfusion over the already shakyceasefire, with Iran accusing Israel of breaking it by launching a massive attack on Lebanon. ButIsrael and the US insist Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire agreement with Iran.
Israel attacks Lebanon: Israel Wednesday launched its largest strikes on Lebanon since the war began. Lebanese authorities say the attacks have killed at least 182 people and wounded 890 more. Israel said its strikes targeted the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, while Lebanon’s prime minister said it hit unarmed civilians. Iran claims this was a violation of the ceasefire. Pakistan, which mediated talks and presented the two-week ceasefire proposal to US President Donald Trump, has said Lebanon is included in the ceasefire. But Israel and the US are saying otherwise.
Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Thursday that shipping through the critical waterway slowed sharply and then stopped, following Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon. Marine tracking data showed no ships were transiting the strait early Thursday, after an earlier report that traffic had begun to resume after the ceasefire came into effect. US Vice President JD Vance restated that if Iran does not follow through on promises to reopen the strait, the ceasefire will end.
The ceasefire terms: Adding to the confusion about the terms of the agreement, Vance said there have been three different 10-point proposals. There is Iran’s initial proposal, which US negotiators immediately rejected; a second draft, which Trump accepted; and a third, “maximalist” version circulating on social media, he said.
Trump’s comments: All US ships, aircraft, weapons, military personnel will remain “in place, in and around, Iran” until a full agreement is reached, Trump said in a Truth Social post late Wednesday. Iran must have “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE,” Trump added. Earlier this week, he said he would rather the US instead of Iran impose a toll on ships passing through the strait, before later suggesting the US may be involved in securing the waterway in a “joint venture” with Iran. Prior to the war, the strait was an international waterway where no tolls were charged.
Talks in Pakistan: Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will go to Islamabad, Pakistan, for negotiations with Iran beginning Saturday. However, the speaker of Iran’s parliament alleged that parts of Iran’s proposal were violated before the talks even begin.
How Pakistan became an unlikely bridge between Washington and Tehran
Army troops patrol a street in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Thursday. Anjum Naveed/AP
The streets of Islamabad have been emptied by a sudden two-day public holiday, declared to enforce a strict security lockdown in the Pakistani capital.
Behind the barricades, diplomatic activity is operating at a fever pitch as the world holds its breath for this weekend’s make-or-break ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran.
Pakistan, a nation more frequently making international headlines over rising militant activity and its shaky economy, is hosting the first direct talks between Washington and Tehran, working to end a weeks-long war that has left thousands dead and sent shockwaves across the globe.
It is a stunning pivot for a country historically viewed through the lens of deep security concerns. The breakthrough underscores just how much Islamabad’s relationship with the White House has evolved since President Donald Trump’s first term, when he accused Pakistan of giving Washington “nothing but lies and deceit.”
Vice President JD Vance along with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to attend this weekend’s talks, with Vance the most senior US official to visit Pakistan since 2011.
Analysts attribute this transformation to a combination of geographic necessity, deft diplomacy, and shifting regional alliances. Together, these factors have transformed Pakistan into an indispensable mediator, elevating the country’s profile on the global stage.
More than 24 hours into ceasefire, strait traffic still negligible, data shows
Vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains negligible more than a day after President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.
As of Thursday morning local time, MarineTraffic data showed large clusters of ships still anchored in the Persian Gulf.
According to data from the tracker a day earlier, over 400 tankers, 34 LPG tankers and 19 LNG vessels remain in the region.
Trump said the strait would be “OPEN & SAFE” in a Truth Social post late Wednesday. Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that shipping through the waterway had stopped following Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon, which Tehran said was a violation of the ceasefire.
Since the ceasefire was announced, a small number of ships have transited the strait, including the Greek-owned bulk carrier NJ Earth and Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Daytona Beach.
Prior to the war, an average of 107 cargo-carrying vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz each day, according to Lloyd’s List.
Experts have warned that it will likely take some time before more ships make the transit in larger numbers.
“This is very much a watch and wait situation,” said Simon Kaye, global director of reinsurance for NorthStandard, which provides liability insurance for much of the world’s shipping fleet.
“It can’t be a complete rush to the exits. Each ship needs to get special dispensation to transit the strait,” he said.
“As a result of that, will there be preference for Gulf states, US ships, or anyone else who back-channeled through Tehran?”
• 11th hour deal: Both President Donald Trump and Iran have portrayed the last minute ceasefire deal as a victory for their nations. The ceasefire pauses a spiraling conflict that has upended the global economy and sparked a historic oil crisis.
• Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s military will coordinate passage of vessels through the critical Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire, Iran’s foreign minister said. Trump said reopening the strait was a key condition of the ceasefire deal.
• What happens next? Pakistan’s prime minister has invited delegations from both Iran and the US to Islamabad for talks on Friday. Earlier Tuesday, Pakistan proposed the two-week ceasefire to allow for diplomacy.
• Lebanon not included: The Israeli military today said it will continue its intensified ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office claimed Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire, despite Pakistan’s prime minister saying it is.Allcatch up
Smoke rises from an explosion in the Abbasiyeh neighbourhood following an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon, on Wednesday. Adnan Abidi/Reuters
The Israeli military just issued more “urgent” evacuation warnings for residents in Lebanon today, including in the southern suburbs of Beirut, which are considered a Hezbollah stronghold.
The IDF’s Arabic language spokesman Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation warning for seven different neighborhoods in the southern suburbs of Beirut. He also warned residents of a building in the city of Tyre – the second one today.
It comes after earlier warnings for residents of Tyre, where a large blast was seen shortly after, according to footage from Reuters news agency. Also on Wednesday morning, an airstrike in the Sidon area of southern Lebanon killed eight people and wounded 22 others, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.
For context: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire agreement between the US, Israel and Iran that was announced Tuesday. Israel’s position runs counter to a statement from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who helped broker the deal between the US and Iran, that said the agreement included Lebanon.
At least 1,530 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 130 children, and thousands more have been wounded since the war began, the country’s health ministry said in its latest update.
Pope Leo welcomes Iran ceasefire with “satisfaction”
Pope Leo XIV speaks during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Italy, on Wednesday. Gregorio Borgia/AP
Pope Leo XIV today welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war with “satisfaction.”
The pontiff, who has been an outspoken critic of the war, also hailed the pause in fighting as a sign of “hope.”
“Only through a return to negotiations can the war be brought to an end. I urge that this period of delicate diplomatic work be accompanied by prayer, in the hope that openness to dialogue may become the means to resolve other situations of conflict around the world,” he said at an address at the Vatican on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
It comes after Leo on Tuesday said that threats against the people of Iran are “truly unacceptable,” hours after US President Donald Trump had warned Tehran that a “whole civilization will die tonight.”
US Vice President J.D. Vance, right, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attend an election campaign rally in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday. Janos Kummer/Getty Images
While his boss spent Tuesday contemplating whether to wipe out “a whole civilization,” US Vice President JD Vance had taken time out of the Trump administration’s busy wartime schedule to visit Hungary.
That’s because Viktor Orbán – Hungary’s longtime prime minister, and a darling of the MAGA movement – is in electoral trouble.
After 16 years in power, Orbán faces his stiffest electoral challenge yet. While Orbán has run mostly on foreign policy, pledging to defend Hungary from the vague, alleged threats posed by Brussels and Kyiv, his opponent, Péter Magyar, has run on kitchen-table issues – corruption, health care and people’s wallets.
Vance’s visit to Budapest, just days before Hungary’s election, marked an extraordinary departure from democratic norms.
After decrying what he claimed was an egregious attempt by the European Union to interfere in Hungary’s election, without providing evidence, he then urged Hungarians to “go to the polls in the weekend, (and) stand with Viktor Orbán, because he stands with you.”
His endorsement – echoed by US President Donald Trump – is a measure of the deep ties Orbán has forged between the Hungarian and American right.
Whether Vance’s trip can buoy Orbán’s election campaign is not yet clear. Tisza, the opposition party led by Magyar, has held a double-digit lead over Orbán’s Fidesz party in most polls for more than a year.
Israel has halted strikes on Iran but will continue attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon
First responders carry a body recovered from the rubble into an ambulance at the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre on Wednesday. Kawnat Haju/AFP/Getty Images
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Wednesday that it has halted strikes in Iran but will continue ground operations against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“In accordance with directives from the political echelon, the IDF has ceased fire in the operation against Iran, and is highly prepared to respond defensively against any violation,” the IDF said in a statement.
The Israeli military also said it conducted a wide-scale wave of strikes on Iran overnight into Wednesday, “in order to significantly degrade and neutralize its launching capabilities” before the ceasefire.
“Simultaneously, in Lebanon, the IDF is continuing to conduct targeted ground operations against the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” the IDF statement added.
Earlier on Wednesday: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said that Lebanon is not included in the ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran. A large blast was seen in the coastal Lebanese city of Tyre on Wednesday morning, according to footage from Reuters news agency, shortly after Israel’s military issued an “urgent” evacuation warning to residents.
