Donald Trump has announced that the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire has been extended after ruling out using a nuclear weapon on Tehran.
“We had a great meeting with very high officials of Lebanon and very high officials of Israel”, the US president said from the Oval Office on Thursday. “They’ve agreed to an additional three weeks of no firing”.
Also on Thursday, Trump dismissed the idea that he could use a nuclear weapon against Iran, branding the question “stupid”.
Asked by reporters about the possibility, he said: “We've totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it.
“No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody”.
Trump said Tehran might have loaded up their weaponry "a little bit" during its ceasefire with Washington, but that the US military could knock that out in about one day.
The president has ordered the US Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” that is dropping mines in the Strait of Hormuz, casting doubt over the fragile ceasefire.
“Our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!”
Key Points
- Trump announces Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extension
- Trump orders US Navy to ‘shoot and kill’ Iranian mine boats in Strait of Hormuz
- Trump rules out using nuclear weapon on Iran
- Dozens of countries plan how to keep Strait of Hormuz open after war
- Pope urges US and Iran to return to peace talks
Italy dismisses Trump's suggestion of replacing Iran at World Cup
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarItaly has dismissed Donald Trump's suggestion of replacing Iran at the upcoming World Cup.
Paolo Zampolli, the US special envoy for global partnerships, had suggested the swap to President Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, according to the Financial Times.
Italian sports minister Andrea Abodi said it would not be appropriate for the "Azzurri" to replace the Iranian team.
He said, "first of all, it’s not possible. Secondly, it’s not a good idea".
Italy’s finance minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called the suggested swap “shameful".
Iran has not withdrawn from the World Cup, and the team is preparing to play in the US despite the war in the Middle East.
Lebanon thanks Trump for hosting ceasefire talks
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarLebanon and Israel extended their ceasefire for three weeks after a high-level meeting at the White House, Trump said last night.
Lebanese ambassador to the US Nada Moawa, who went into the meeting seeking an extension of the ceasefire, thanked Donald Trump for hosting the talks.
"I think with your help, with your support, we can make Lebanon great again," she said.
"The Meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Hezbollah, the Iran-aligned armed group that is fighting Israel, was not present at the talks. It says it has "the right to resist" occupying forces.
US burns through weapons stockpile in Iran war: report
04:30 , Rachel DobkinThe US has burned through its weapons stockpile during its war against Iran, according to a new report.
Around 1,100 long-range stealth cruise missiles, 1,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles and 1,000 Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles have been used in the war, The New York Times reported, citing internal US Defense Department estimates and congressional officials.
Iran War-weary Trump rambles on about sending his ‘pool guy’ to redo historic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
04:15 , Andrew FeinbergDonald Trump on Thursday shifted focus amid an Oval Office full of White House officials and pharmaceutical executives — and with the US war in Iran entering its eighth week — for an extended ramble about hiring his hotel company’s preferred swimming pool builder to renovate the historic reflecting pool on the National Mall.
The US president had been listening to executives from Regeneron — the company behind the Covid-19 treatment that saved his life when he contracted the virus in October 2020 — when he segued from talk about returning semiconductor manufacturing to the US to the renovations he ordered up at the White House and around Washington.
“The other thing that we're doing that's taking place right now is, the Lincoln Memorial has a beautiful reflecting pond, or lake. He called it a pool, lake and pond. Everything is different, but the word reflecting is a good term”, Trump said.
Read on...
Trump rambles on about his pool guy redoing historic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Watch: Trump rules out use of nuclear weapons on Iran
04:00 , Rachel DobkinIsrael says it hit Hezollah missile launcher in Lebanon
03:30 , Rachel DobkinThe Israeli military has said it hit a Hezbollah missile launcher in Lebanon after it was used in an attack against Israel, the Associated Press reported.
Hezbollah, the Lebanese Iran-backed militant group, said it fired rockets toward Israel in retaliation for a previous Israeli strike in Lebanon.
Israel’s announcement came shortly after US President Donald Trump said the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire would be extended by three weeks. The truce is formally between Israel and the government of Lebanon, not Hezbollah.
Marco Rubio says he's 'optimistic' of 'permanent peace' between Israel and Lebanon
03:00 , Rachel DobkinUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he's “optimistic” of there being “permanent peace” between Israel and Lebanon.
“I’m very optimistic that in a few weeks we’ll be even closer to the kind of permanent peace that the people of Israel and Lebanon deserve”, he said from the Oval Office Thursday.
Clearing all Strait of Hormuz mines could take six months, Pentagon warns
02:30 , Jane DaltonIt may take up to six months to completely clear the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian mines, according to a new report.
A US Defense Department official relayed the estimate to lawmakers during a closed-door congressional briefing on Tuesday, three sources familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
The assessment points to potentially long-lasting economic consequences, as the strait — now subject to dueling U.S. and Iranian blockades — is a critical trade artery that carried 20 percent of the world’s oil before the war.
Read more from Brendan Rascius:
It could take 6 months to clear all the mines from the Strait of Hormuz: report
Israeli official questions fragile ceasefire: 'It's not 100 per cent'
02:00 , Rachel DobkinDanny Danon, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, has questioned his country’s fragile ceasefire with Lebanon.
The ceasefire, which has been extended for three more weeks, is formally between Israel and Lebanon. But it's the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that has been exchanging fire with Israel, not the Lebanese government.
“The Lebanese government have no control of Hezbollah and Hezbollah is sending rockets trying to sabotage the ceasefire”, Danon told CNN. “And Israel, we have to retaliate. Every time we see a threat, we take action”.
The ambassador said the extended truce is “a significantly better situation. It’s not 100%. I hope …to see that the Lebanese military are actually able to implement and to enforce this ceasefire”.
Trump boasts about 'historic' meeting with Israeli and Lebanese officials
01:30 , Rachel DobkinDonald Trump has boasted about his meeting with Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington, D.C., Thursday, hinting at a possible visit from the countries’ leaders.
Trump, along with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other US officials, met with “high ranking representatives” from Israel and Lebanon at the White House, the US president wrote on Truth Social.
“The Meeting went very well! The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah”, Trump said, referring to the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group.
Trump mentioned the three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, adding, “I look forward in the near future to hosting the Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, and the President of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun”.
“It was a Great Honor to be a participant at this very Historic Meeting!” he said.
Watch: Trump and Hegseth go on firing spree of US generals
01:00 , Jane Dalton
Trump and Hegseth go on firing spree of US generals in push to reshape military
Watch: Trump announces extension to Israel-Lebanon ceasefire after ruling out using nuclear weapon on Tehran
Friday 24 April 2026 00:31 , Rachel DobkinOpinion: Trump has locked himself in a forever war and thrown away the key
Friday 24 April 2026 00:02 , Jane Dalton
Trump has locked himself in a forever war and thrown away the key
Vance calls Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extension 'historic moment'
Thursday 23 April 2026 23:30 , Rachel DobkinUS Vice President JD Vance has called the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extension a “historic moment”.
“I think this is a major, historic moment”, he said from the Oval Office Thursday. “We're going to extend the ceasefire for three weeks, that’s already in place between Israel and Lebanon. Of course, it would have happened without the President’s direct engagement”.
Trump announces Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extension
Thursday 23 April 2026 23:12 , Rachel DobkinDonald Trump has announced that the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire has been extended.
“We had a great meeting with very high officials of Lebanon and very high officials of Israel”, the US president said from the Oval Office on Thursday. “They’ve agreed to an additional three weeks of no firing”.
It’s unclear whether the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah would honor the ceasefire extension.
Watch: US military boards ship carrying Iranian oil in Indian ocean
Thursday 23 April 2026 23:00 , Jane DaltonTrump orders US Navy to ‘shoot and kill’ Iranian mine boats in Hormuz - full report
Thursday 23 April 2026 22:30 , Jane Dalton
Trump tells US Navy to ‘shoot to kill’ Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz
Italy dismisses replacing Iran at World Cup
Thursday 23 April 2026 22:00 , Jane Dalton
Italy dismisses replacing Iran at the World Cup after suggestion by Trump official
Trump rules out using nuclear weapon on Iran
Thursday 23 April 2026 21:21 , Jane DaltonPresident Donald Trump has dismissed the idea that he would use a nuclear weapon on Iran.
Asked by reporters whether he would, he said: “No. Why do I need it? Why would a stupid question like that be asked? Why would I? Why would I use a nuclear weapon?
“We've totally, in a very conventional way, decimated them without it.
“No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody.”
Trump threatens to end war by force
Thursday 23 April 2026 21:14 , Jane DaltonUS president Donald Trump has said if Iran does not want to make a deal, he will finish the war by force.
“If they don't want to make a deal, then I'll finish it up militarily with the other 25% of the targets,” he said in the White House.
“We've had 78% of the targets that we've wanted to hit. We've knocked out their manufacturing, we've knocked out their missile production, we've knocked out their drone production.
“We've knocked out everything. In some cases, when I say knock it out, 70, 80, 90% - it's amazing what we've done.”
Iran may have loaded up their weaponry "a little bit" during the two-week ceasefire, he said, but added that the US military can knock that out in about one day.
Watch: Iran demonstrates apparent ballistic missile at Tehran rally
Thursday 23 April 2026 21:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Iran shows off what appears to be a ballistic missile at Tehran rally
Dozens of countries plan how to keep Hormuz open after war
Thursday 23 April 2026 20:54 , Jane DaltonMilitary planners from countries seeking to join a UK and France-led mission to keep the Strait of Hormuz open once the Iran war ends have held “constructive” talks in London.
More than 40 nations sent planners to the two-day conference at the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, northwest London.
They had aimed to build on talks held by Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris last week, and agree a defensive plan that would restore confidence for commercial shipping.
Defence secretary John Healey told attendees that “millions of people” were relying on them to succeed because of the importance of the strait.
Drug prices rise by up to 30 per cent due to Iran war, pharmacists warn
Thursday 23 April 2026 20:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe cost of essential medicines in England has risen by up to 30 per cent because of the war in Iran, pharmacists have warned.
Oil and gas prices continue to climb in what the International Energy Agency has dubbed the worst energy crisis in history due to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, where the US have implemented a blockade and Iran is attacking vessels.
In turn this has led to increased manufacturing and transport costs for suppliers, who are now paying 40 to 50 per cent for stock, the National Pharmacy Association told The Guardian.
Drug prices rise by up to 30 per cent due to Iran war, pharmacists warn
All the alternative routes for Middle East oil and gas to bypass the Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 23 April 2026 19:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with only three vessels passing the waterway in the past 24 hours, shipping data showed.
The Strait is considered the world's most important oil chokepoint and had been handling roughly one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supply before the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran began on February 28.
More than a dozen tankers passed through the Strait after Iran briefly declared it open on Friday. But a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appeared in jeopardy on Tuesday as Iran vowed to retaliate for the U.S. seizure of one of its vessels and refused to join new peace talks.
Read more here:
All the alternative routes for Middle East oil and gas to bypass the Strait of Hormuz
Pope urges US and Iran to return to peace talks
Thursday 23 April 2026 19:15 , Jane DaltonThe Pope has urged the US and Iran to return to peace talks.
He also firmly condemned the killing of protesters in Iran, after US president Donald Trump criticised him last week for not doing so while speaking out against the US-Israel war with Iran.
Leo also decried the deaths of "so many" civilians in the war and lamented the collapse of n peace talks.
"I condemn all actions that are unjust. I condemn the taking of people's lives," the Pope said when asked about reports that Iran had killed thousands of protesters.
Leo was attacked by Trump on social media as "terrible" on 12 April, after the Pope emerged as an outspoken critic of the war and the president's hardline anti-immigration policies.
Lebanese journalist killed by Israeli strike was left under rubble for hours with no medical care, say officials
Thursday 23 April 2026 19:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainA journalist has been killed in an Israeli air strike while seeking shelter and then left under the rubble for hours without medical care, officials have told The Independent.
Amal Khalil, who worked for Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, was killed in the village of al-Tayri while covering Israel’s bombing of southern Lebanon on Wednesday.
Two strikes are reported to have struck the town in the Bint Jbeil district, killing two people and injuring one.
Maira Butt and Bel Trew report:
Journalist killed by Israeli air strike was left under rubble for hours
The US was due to host a second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday, with Lebanon seeking an extension of a ceasefire reached last week in a war that has run in parallel to the Iran war.
Israeli strikes killed five people including a journalist in Lebanon on Wednesday, the deadliest day there since the US-brokered truce took effect.
Iran says maintaining the Lebanon ceasefire is a pre-condition for talks on the wider war.
Pakistan's junior interior minister told Reuters security plans for talks still in place
Thursday 23 April 2026 18:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPakistan, which hosted talks this month and had been preparing for a second round before it was called off on Tuesday, was still in touch with both sides, a Pakistani government source said.
Iranian officials were still declining to commit to attend over the U.S. blockade, the source added.
Talal Chaudhry, a junior interior minister, told Reuters security plans for talks were still in place and Pakistan was "fully prepared to host an event of this scale with confidence".
Trump claims US blocking all Strait of Hormuz as well as ports
Thursday 23 April 2026 17:45 , Jane DaltonDonald Trump has claimed the US has total control over the Strait of Hormuz – contradicting US Central Command, which has previously said only vessels going to Iranian ports would be blocked, while other traffic would be allowed through.
Iran also claims to be controlling access to the strait.
The US leader wrote on social media: “No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy. It is “Sealed up Tight,” until such time as Iran is able to make a DEAL!!!”
He also wrote: “Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know! The infighting is between the “Hardliners,” who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the “Moderates,” who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is CRAZY!”
'Neither peace nor war'
Thursday 23 April 2026 17:30 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTehran says it will not consider opening the strait, normally the route for a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas, until the U.S. lifts its blockade of Iran's shipping, which Washington imposed during the ceasefire and Tehran calls a violation of that truce.
Trump cancelled threats to restart attacks on Iran in the ceasefire's final hours on Tuesday, but refuses to lift the blockade. There has been no formal extension of the ceasefire, and no plans have been announced for further talks.
Iranians, who endured six weeks of U.S. and Israeli bombardment before the ceasefire on April 8, described a nerve-wracking environment under threat of renewed attack.
"In a situation that is neither peace nor war, things are somewhat frightening. At every moment, you think that Israel or the U.S. might launch an attack," Arash, 35, a government employee in Tehran, told Reuters by phone.
Pentagon chief to hold press conference on Iran war
03:32 , Rachel DobkinUS Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will hold a press conference on the Iran war at 8 a.m., Washington time, Friday.
ANNOUNCEMENT: pic.twitter.com/v08L5eFzaf
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) April 24, 2026
Fallout from Iran war is ‘major new threat to foreign aid’
Thursday 23 April 2026 17:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe economic fallout from the conflict in the Middle East has become a major new threat to humanitarian aid efforts as Gulf nations that have grown to become major aid donors reprioritise, experts have warned.
Humanitarian groups are already reeling from sweeping cuts to foreign aid programmes from traditional aid donors like the US and UK, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) targeting just $23bn (£17bn) in humanitarian funding this year, which is significantly down on the $37bn raised in 2024.
But while Western countries have been signalling a retrenchment, Gulf states have become ever more significant donors over the past few years, with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait collectively providing some $6bn in humanitarian aid last year.
Read more from Nick Ferris here:
It could take 6 months to clear all the mines from the Strait of Hormuz, Pentagon warns
Thursday 23 April 2026 16:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainIt may take up to six months to completely clear the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian mines, according to a new report.
A Defense Department official relayed the estimate to lawmakers during a closed-door congressional briefing on Tuesday, three sources familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
The assessment points to potentially long-lasting economic consequences, as the strait — now subject to dueling U.S. and Iranian blockades — is a critical trade artery that carried 20 percent of the world’s oil before the war.
Read more here:
It could take 6 months to clear all the mines from the Strait of Hormuz: report
Watch: Trump orders navy to immediately ‘shoot and kill’ all Iran’s mine boats in Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 23 April 2026 16:08 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTrump orders Navy to ‘shoot and kill’ over Hormuz Strait mines and loses it over Iran peace deal failure: ‘CRAZY!’
Thursday 23 April 2026 15:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainPresident Donald Trump on Thursday said he has ordered American naval forces to open fire on any Iranian vessel believed to be laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, something he previously claimed was not happening.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be ... that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.”
“There is to be no hesitation,” the president added.
Trump also claimed American minesweepers are currently clearing the narrow waterway “right now” and said he was ordering the minesweeping efforts to “continue ... at a tripled up level.”
Andrew Feinburg reports:
Trump orders Navy to ‘shoot and kill’ over Hormuz mines and rages over Iran deal
Italy ready to deploy up to four mine-sweeping vessels in Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 23 April 2026 15:28 , Alex CroftItaly is ready to deploy up to four vessels, including two minesweepers, as part of an international mission to clear the Strait of Hormuz, the navy's chief of staff said.
European leaders met in Paris last week to discuss a multinational effort to protect shipping through the strait, which was largely closed during the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
About a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz. More than a dozen countries, including Italy, have said they would join a mission to ensure safe passage once conditions allow.
"The contingency plan drawn up by the Chief of the Defence Staff envisages a group consisting of two minesweepers, an escort vessel and a logistics vessel," Navy Chief of Staff Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto told state broadcaster RAI late on Wednesday.
"Obviously we are not acting alone. We are part of an international coalition, and other nations will also send minesweepers," he said, adding that Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands had mine-clearing capabilities.
With Reuters
Britain and France insist progress can still be made on Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 23 April 2026 15:01 , James ReynoldsBritish defence minister John Healey and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin said they were confident that real progress could still be made on the key Strait of Hormuz.
"Turning diplomatic momentum into action demands sharp planning, frank discussion and firm commitments from allied and partner nations," they said in a joint statement released by Britain's Ministry of Defence, as the two countries hosted a meeting with military planners on the issue.
"We are grateful to those nations who have already indicated their willingness to contribute. We are confident that real progress can be made," the statement, described as a message to those attending the meeting, added.
Who is John Phelan? MAGA donor with no military experience sacked as Trump’s Navy Secretary
Thursday 23 April 2026 14:40 , James ReynoldsUS navy secretary John Phelan has left his role immediately amid reports of a falling out with defence secretary Pete Hegseth.
A Pentagon spokesperson said on Wednesday that the senior official had left his post after disagreeing with Hegseth and his deputy Stephen Feinberg over a number of issues, including how to revive the Navy’s shipbuilding program.
“President [Donald] Trump and Secretary Hegseth agreed new leadership at the Navy is needed,” a senior administration official told The Independent on Wednesday evening. “Secretary Hegseth informed John Phelan of this news prior to it being made public.”
Read the full story:
Who is John Phelan? MAGA donor with no military background sacked by Hegseth
Trump says US 'in total control' over Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 23 April 2026 14:20 , Alex CroftWe’ve heard more from Donald Trump, who says the US is in “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz while Iran is having a “very hard time figuring out who their leader is”.
Here is what the US president wrote on Truth Social:
Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don’t know!
The infighting is between the “Hardliners,” who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the “Moderates,” who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is CRAZY!
We have total control over the Strait of Hormuz. No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy. It is “Sealed up Tight,” until such time as Iran is able to make a DEAL!!!
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Trump says he has ordered US navy to 'shoot and kill' boats dropping mines in Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 23 April 2026 14:01 , Alex CroftWe’ve heard from US president Donald Trump on Truth Social, discussing the issue of Iranian mines being laid in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump says he has ordered the US navy to “shoot and kill” any boat that is dropping mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” he writes.
“There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now,” the US president added on Truth Social.
“I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!”
How is the US blocking the Strait of Hormuz?
Thursday 23 April 2026 13:30 , James ReynoldsThe US military said last Monday it would block shipping traffic in and out of Iran's ports.
It’s an issue that remains central to negotiations aimed at ending the war, with Iran drawing a red line and saying it will not submit to force.
What is the blockade for?
Trump says he aims to put pressure on Iran by stopping it from making money by selectively opening the Strait for a reported fee. He said the goal was to let “all or nothing” pass.
Critics say the blockade has forced up oil and gas prices again, and is exacerbating tensions with Iran, making peace talks less likely.
The UN’s maritime agency also says no country has a legal right to block shipping in straits used for international trade.
What is it doing?
A week on, and US Centcom says they have told 27 vessels to turn around or return to an Iranian port since the beginning of the blockade.
Matters came to a head on Sunday when the US attacked and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman trying to escape the blockade.
Where is it?
It is not exactly clear where the blockade is, as that information has not been made public.
The US is likely monitoring ships leaving Iranian ports and intercepting them east of the Strait of Hormuz, as they exit.
US ships have been spotted at the eastern edge of the Gulf of Oman.
Comment: Trump has locked himself in a forever war and thrown away the key
Thursday 23 April 2026 13:00 , James ReynoldsRather than an exit strategy or off-ramp, Trump has constructed a never-ending maze of endless negotiations – it’s almost as if he doesn’t want to bring this to a close, says Robert Fox:
Trump has locked himself in a forever war and thrown away the key
US forces intercept vessel carrying Iranian oil overnight
Thursday 23 April 2026 12:46 , Maira ButtUnited States Central Command has revealed that it intercepted a vessel carrying Iranian oil in an overnight operation.
“Overnight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility,” it wrote in a post on X on Thursday.
“We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate. International waters cannot be used as a shield by sanctioned actors. The Department of War will continue to deny illicit actors and their vessels freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain.”
Overnight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) April 23, 2026
We will continue global maritime enforcement to… pic.twitter.com/SWF6Jt9Ci4
Iran war pushing 30 million back into poverty as prices soar for fuel and fertiliser
Thursday 23 April 2026 12:30 , James ReynoldsMore than 30 million people will be pushed back into poverty by the impacts of the Iran war, including disruptions to fuel and fertiliser supplies just as farmers are planting crops, the UN said on Thursday.
Fertiliser shortages - worsened by the blocking of cargo vessels through the Strait of Hormuz - have already lowered agricultural productivity, UN development chief Alexander De Croo told Reuters.
That would likely hit crop yields later this year, the former Belgian prime minister added.
“Food insecurity will be at its peak level in a few months - and there is not much that you can do about it,” he said, also listing other fallouts of the crisis including energy shortages and falling remittances.
"Even if the war would stop tomorrow, those effects, you already have them, and they will be pushing back more than 30 million people into poverty," he said.
Britain's budget deficit falls to six-year low - but impact of Iran war starting to show
Thursday 23 April 2026 12:00 , James ReynoldsBritain's budget deficit for the last financial year narrowed to a six-year low but official data published on Thursday also showed an early impact of the Iran war as consumers scaled back their spending on fuel which has shot up in price.
Government borrowing in the 12 months to the end of March was equivalent to 4.3% of economic output - much bigger than before the COVID-19 pandemic but the smallest deficit since the 2019/20 financial year.
Thursday's data could represent a temporary high point for Britain's public finances as the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict broadens - with a slump in fuel duty revenues offering a taste of what could lie ahead.
Last week, the International Monetary Fund cut Britain's economic growth forecasts for 2026 by more than for any other Group of Seven nation due to the country's exposure to higher energy prices with its heavy use of natural gas.
The Resolution Foundation said under a severe but plausible scenario for the Iran war's impact, about 16 billion pounds would be lost from Reeves' estimated headroom of 24 billion pounds, underscoring her limited options for helping households.
Italy's energy crisis, driven by Iran, puts defence commitments in doubt
Thursday 23 April 2026 11:36 , James ReynoldsItaly may not be able to raise defence spending as planned due to growing economic difficulties and the need to counter spiralling energy prices, a government document said on Thursday.
Giorgia Meloni's government cut its growth projections on Wednesday and hiked forecasts for the budget deficit and public debt, reflecting surging energy prices and turmoil in the Middle East.
Italy is Europe's most gas-reliant economy, accounting for 38% of its energy supplies, according to the London-based Energy Institute. It is also the European Union's largest importer of LNG through the Persian Gulf.
Italy, along with most other NATO European countries, has agreed to a call from US President Donald Trump for an increase in defence and security spending to 5% of GDP by 2035.
Watch: Video purportedly shows Iranian soldiers seizing ships in Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 23 April 2026 10:44 , James ReynoldsPreview: Lebanon seeks ceasefire extension as clashes continue between Israel and Hezbollah
Thursday 23 April 2026 10:16 , James ReynoldsThe US will host a second meeting between Lebanese and Israeli envoys on Thursday, with Beirut seeking the extension of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
The ceasefire, which is set to expire on Sunday, has yielded a significant reduction in violence, but attacks have continued in southern Lebanon, where Israeli troops have seized a self-declared buffer zone.
Wednesday marked Lebanon's deadliest day since the ceasefire took effect on April 16, as Israeli strikes killed at least five people including a journalist.
Those killed by Israeli strikes included Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil, according to a senior Lebanese military official and her employer, the Al-Akhbar newspaper.
Hezbollah said it carried out four operations in south Lebanon on Wednesday, saying they were a response to Israeli strikes.
Norway sees huge losses as war in Iran bites
Thursday 23 April 2026 09:39 , James ReynoldsNorway's $2.2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, on Thursday reported a first-quarter loss of 636 billion Norwegian crowns ($68.44 billion) as the war in the Middle East weighed on global stocks.
Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), which holds around half of its funds in the United States, posted a negative return of 1.9% for the January-March period, beating its benchmark index by 0.01 percentage point.
"The result reflects a quarter with challenging market conditions," Deputy CEO Trond Grande said in a statement.
"We saw limited impact on fixed income and real estate, but it was the decline in equities, especially among large U.S. technology companies, that determined the outcome," he added.
As Trump blinks first on Iran, a glimmer of hope emerges for peace in the Middle East
Thursday 23 April 2026 09:07 , James ReynoldsEditorial: Pressure from China and hostile public opinion at home should concentrate Maga Republican minds and push the president towards jaw-jaw rather than war-war:
As Trump blinks first on Iran, a glimmer of hope emerges for peace in the Middle East
Recap: Iran says it cannot reopen Strait due to 'ceasefire violations'
Thursday 23 April 2026 08:25 , James ReynoldsIran has said that it is “impossible” to reopen the Strait of Hormuz due to alleged ceasefire violations by the US and Israel.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament and lead negotiator, wrote on X on Wednesday: “A complete ceasefire only makes sense if it is not violated by the maritime blockade and the hostage-taking of the world’s economy.... reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible with such a flagrant breach of the ceasefire.”
The status of a two-week-old ceasefire, due to have expired earlier this week, remained unclear on Thursday. Iran seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday and escorted them to Iranian shores, according to statements by the shipping companies.
آتشبس کامل وقتی معنا دارد که با محاصره دریایی و گروگانگیری اقتصاد دنیا نقض نشود و جنگ افروزی صهیونیستها در همه جبههها متوقف باشد؛ بازگشایی تنگه هرمز با نقض فاحش آتشبس ممکن نیست.
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 22, 2026
با تجاوز نظامی به اهداف خود نرسیدند،با قلدری هم نخواهند رسید. تنها راه، پذیرش حقوق ملت ایران است.
Iran executes man convicted of links to Mossad
Thursday 23 April 2026 07:42 , Alex CroftIran has executed a man convicted of links to both the exiled opposition group Mujahideen-e-Khalq and Israel's intelligence service, according to Mizan, the news outlet for Tehran’s judiciary.
Mizan identified the man as Soltanali Shirzadi Fakhr, alleging he had been a long-time member of the MEK and was found guilty of cooperating with Israeli intelligence.
His death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court and carried out after legal procedures were completed, Mizan added.
Major UK supermarkets warn Iran war could drag profits down
Thursday 23 April 2026 07:27 , Alex CroftBritain’s leading supermarkets are voicing concerns over how the Iran war may begin to impact its customers, with the company’s profits expected to drag lower than last year.
Sainsbury’s and Tesco have bot voiced concerns over their financial outlook as the Iran war squeezes the global economy. In the UK, inflation rose to 3.3 per cent on Wednesday in the first clear sign of the Iran war affecting official figures.
Tesco, which has a 28 per cent share of the UK grocery market, forecast adjusted operating profit of £3.0 billion to £3.3 billion for its year to end-February 2027.
That compares with 3.152 billion pounds in 2025/26, which was up 0.6% on the year before and slightly ahead of forecast.
US treasury secretary claims Gulf ‘allies’ seeking currency swaps amid Iran war crisis
Thursday 23 April 2026 07:10 , Maroosha MuzaffarTreasury secretary Scott Bessent said that “many” US allies in the Persian Gulf have sought financial support in the form of currency swap lines due to economic strain caused by the Iran war.
He said: “Many of our Gulf allies have requested swap lines. Swap lines, whether it’s from the Federal Reserve or the Treasury, are to maintain order in the dollar funding markets and to prevent the sale of the US assets in a disorderly way.”
“The swap line would both benefit the UAE and the US, and as I said, numerous other countries, including some of our Asian allies [who] have also requested them,” he said, without specifying which other countries.
IRGC releases footage of two ships it seized for trying to cross Hormuz ‘covertly’
Thursday 23 April 2026 06:55 , Maroosha MuzaffarIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps released footage claiming it seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz for alleged maritime violations. IRGC accused the vessels of “attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz covertly”.
The vessels were identified as the MSC Francesca and Epaminondas, and the incident marks the first such seizure since the war began in late February.
IRGC released footage of the interception of two vessels, MSC-FRANCESCA and EPAMINODES, after maritime violations in the Strait of Hormuz.
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) April 22, 2026
Follow: https://t.co/mLGcUTS2ei pic.twitter.com/ZUUBbzbA2N
At the same time, the US played down the escalation. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Donald Trump did not view the incident as a ceasefire violation “because these were not US ships, these were not Israeli ships. These were two international vessels”.
6 months needed to clear sea mines in Strait of Hormuz
Thursday 23 April 2026 06:50 , Maroosha MuzaffarUS officials have reportedly indicated it could take up to six months to clear sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
The estimate was reportedly shared by Pentagon officials during a classified briefing to lawmakers at a House Armed Services Committee meeting on Tuesday.
According to an AP report, the briefing left lawmakers with “more questions than answers” as key concerns – ranging from the cost of the war and its strategic objectives to details about an early attack on a school in Iran that killed around 165 people, mostly young girls – remained unresolved.
US navy chief leaves Trump administration
Thursday 23 April 2026 06:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarUS navy secretary John Phelan has left the Trump administration, marking another high-level departure in US security leadership amid the ongoing war with Iran.
A Pentagon spokesman said the department is “grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy”.
Phelan was appointed by Donald Trump in late 2024 and had limited prior military experience.
His departure comes as a significant portion of the US navy remains deployed in the Middle East due to the ongoing war.
Hung Cao will step in as acting secretary.
Lebanon expected to seek one-month extension of ceasefire with Israel in fresh talks
Thursday 23 April 2026 06:29 , Maroosha MuzaffarLebanon is expected to seek a one-month extension of its ceasefire with Israel during fresh talks in Washington, as the current truce nears its Sunday deadline.
The negotiations, only the second direct engagement between the two sides in decades, come amid ongoing tensions, with Israel saying it has no “serious disagreements” with Lebanon and urging cooperation against the Iran-backed Hezbollah, which is not part of the talks.
The meeting will be led by Marco Rubio, bringing together Israeli ambassador Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad, alongside US envoys.
An unnamed Lebanese official told AFP news agency that, besides a month-long extension of the truce, Lebanon will also request “an end of Israel’s bombing and destruction in the areas where it is present, and a commitment to the ceasefire”.
White House has not set a deadline for Iran to reach a deal
Thursday 23 April 2026 06:10 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Donald Trump administration has not set a firm deadline for Iran to reach a deal, according to Karoline Leavitt.
She said: “He [Trump] is maintaining and is generously offering a bit of flexibility to a regime who has been completely tarnished,” while describing internal divisions in Iran.
“This is a battle between the pragmatists and the hardliners in Iran right now, and the president wants a unified response.”
Leavitt added that no fixed timeline has been imposed, saying: “Ultimately, the timeline will be dictated by the commander-in-chief and the president of the United States.”
She added that “Operation Economic Fury” was continuing with what she called an “effective and successful” naval blockade and claimed that the US is “completely strangling” Iran’s economy.
