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Displaced people have continued to return to their homes in the south of Lebanon, but uncertainty remains over how long it will be until they are forced to flee again.
Despite warnings earlier this week from the Lebanese army against moving south, the Lebanese government hopes the ceasefire will allow people to go back to their villages and force Israeli troops to withdraw.
After the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) resumed attacks against Hezbollah, the IDF said on Saturday that it had established a “yellow line” in southern Lebanon, similar to the buffer zone in Gaza separating Israeli forces from Hamas territory.
As the displaced streamed back, often to find their homes uninhabitable, many people were waiting “to see what happens” before returning for good.
“I am afraid to return to my home because the situation is not stable yet,” said Samah Hajoul, who briefly went back to her flat in Beirut’s southern suburbs, in an interview with AFP. She found her flat had broken windows, but little other damage.
“We do not feel safe to return, for fear that something might happen at night and I would not be able to carry my children and flee with them.”
Hezbollah, which has a strong hold over many of the worst-affected areas in the south, provided little reassurance.
Mahmud Qamati, a senior official with Hezbollah, warned on Saturday that “Israeli treachery is expected at any time, and this is a temporary truce”.
“Take a breath, relax a little, but do not abandon the places you have taken refuge in until we are completely reassured about your return,” he said.
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A senior Iranian official called free passage through the Strait of Hormuz a “fiction”, as the crisis in the vital shipping passage continued to escalate.
After Iran again shuttered the Strait to vessel traffic over the continuation of the US naval blockade, Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry, said no one could stop Tehran from “taking necessary measures” to defend the waterway.
“No rule of international law forbids Iran, the coastal State, from taking necessary measures to stop the Strait of Hormuz being used for waging military aggression against Iran,” he said.
“And ‘unconditional transit passage’ in Hormuz? That fiction sailed the moment US/Israeli aggression brought US military assets into the strait’s backyard.”
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Iran’s top negotiator said there has been “progress” in talks with the US, but “there is still a big distance” to overcome.
Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, made the comments on state TV on Saturday, three days before the expiry of the two-week ceasefire.
With no confirmed date for another meeting between American and Iranian negotiators, a senior US official told Axios that the conflict could resume within days if no breakthrough is reached.
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Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general, condemned a suspected Hezbollah ambush that killed a French peacekeeper and wounded three other soldiers in southern Lebanon.
It is the third incident in the last few weeks where peacekeepers have died in the country.
“I strongly condemn Saturday’s attack on UNIFIL during which one French peacekeeper was killed and another three were injured.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the fallen peacekeeper, and wish a full and fast recovery to the injured peacekeepers.”
Mr Guterres said “these attacks must stop” and called for Israel and Lebanon to uphold the ceasefire.
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Iran almost fired at a US minesweeper in the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian official said on state TV.
Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, said Tehran had threatened to shoot at the vessel if it moved from its position.
“We have dealt decisively with the US attempt to clear mines and consider it a violation of the ceasefire and we went to the point of conflict, but the enemy retreated,” he said.
Mr Ghalibaf said he had told the US delegation about the incident during negotiations in Islamabad, and the US had ordered the ship to turn around. It is unclear when the confrontation occurred.
The speaker also criticised the US naval blockade in the Strait, calling it a “clumsy and ignorant decision”.
“It is not possible that others can pass through the Strait of Hormuz but we cannot. If the US does not lift the blockade, traffic in the Strait of Hormuz will definitely be restricted,” he said.
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An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldier was killed in southern Lebanon in the first Israeli fatality since the 10-day ceasefire was announced on Thursday.
Sgt Mjr Barak Kalfon, 48, died on Friday after he was wounded in southern Lebanon, the IDF said. Three other soldiers were injured, two of whom are in moderate condition and another in light condition.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to Kalfon on social media, saying: “On behalf of all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I send our heartfelt condolences to the family of Warrant Officer (Res.) Barak Kalfon, of blessed memory, who fought heroically and fell in southern Lebanon.
“We embrace Barak’s family and loved ones in their difficult hour, and wish a speedy recovery to our wounded fighters.
“Our forces will continue to operate in the security zone to thwart threats directed against them and our communities, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement. May his memory be blessed and cherished forever.”
The IDF said on Saturday that it had resumed attacks against Hezbollah after claiming it had violated the ceasefire agreement.
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Hezbollah’s secretary general called the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon “an insult to our country” as he outlined conditions for a long-term peace agreement with Israel.
In comments to pro-Hezbollah media, Naim Qassem said the truce – which Donald Trump said included the terror group – “means nothing in practical terms”, and listed five steps to take after its expiry.
His demands included a permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of prisoners, permission for residents of southern Lebanon to return to their homes, and international support for reconstruction of the country.
Qassem said Hezbollah would be “open to maximum cooperation” with the Lebanese government and on turning “a new page”.
However, he warned, the group’s fighters “will remain in the field with their hands on the trigger, and will respond to the aggression’s violations accordingly”.
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The US will not be blackmailed by Iran, Donald Trump has declared, after Iranian gunboats attacked cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran closed the vital oil passage on Saturday morning in response to a continuing US blockade of its ports, just hours after agreeing to reopen it.
Two Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vessels opened fire on the ships 23 miles north-east of Oman, without warning their crews, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre.
“They wanted to close up the strait again, as they’ve been doing for years. But they can’t blackmail us,” Mr Trump said on Saturday. The day before, he claimed the waterway would “no longer be used as a weapon against the world”.
Tehran said any vessels that approached the strait from Saturday evening would be considered “enemy” and would be targeted.
The US military has drawn up its own plans to board and seize Iranian-linked ships in the coming days, strengthening its economic stranglehold on Tehran in an attempt to force a reopening of the strait, the Wall Street Journal reported.
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Donald Trump convened a Situation Room meeting on Saturday morning to discuss the Strait of Hormuz and peace deal negotiations, Axios reported.
The war is entering a precarious period, with no confirmed date for another meeting between American and Iranian negotiators, and the ceasefire set to expire in three days.
A senior US official told Axios that the conflict could resume within days if no breakthrough is reached.
US vice-president JD Vance, who is expected to be involved in the next round of negotiations, and US secretary of war Pete Hegseth were among the senior Cabinet officials present at the meeting.
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The Met has confirmed that jars placed near the Israeli embassy in London did not contain any harmful substances.
Counter terror police are investigating after a pro-Iran group claimed to have attacked the embassy with drones containing dangerous materials.
Two jars containing a powdered substance were found nearby, and police temporarily closed Kensington Gardens as a precautionary measure.
The Met said: “Although the items found have been assessed as being non-hazardous, we continue to investigate whether they may have any link to the online video. This work is being carried out by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London and our enquiries remain ongoing.
“While the Embassy of Israel was not attacked, we continue to work closely with the Embassy and its security team to keep the site safe and secure.”
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The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to target ships that ignore warnings in the Strait of Hormuz.
Hours after two IRGC vessels shot at two Indian-flagged tankers, the IRGC’s navy warned that approaching the Strait would be considered “cooperation with the enemy”, appearing to refer to the US.
Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iran “can’t blackmail us” in the Strait, as the IRGC insisted that Mr Trump’s statements “have no validity”, and warned on state TV that the US navy would receive a “hard blow” if it attacked Iranian vessels.
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The Pope has said it is not in his interest to debate Donald Trump after a row over the war in Iran.
The first American pontiff said earlier this week that the world was “ravaged by a handful of tyrants” amid an unprecedented clash with the US president.
On Saturday, he insisted the speech was written a fortnight beforehand and was not a direct response to Mr Trump’s criticisms.
Speaking aboard his flight to Angola for the third leg of his 10-day Africa tour, Pope Leo said: “There has been a certain narrative that has not been accurate in all its aspects.
“The talk that I gave at the prayer meeting for peace a couple of days ago was prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting.
“And yet as it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate again the president, which is not in my interest at all.”
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Israel has said it launched an attack in Lebanon, accusing Hezbollah, the Iranian proxy group, of violating a ceasefire agreed on Friday.
A “terrorist cell” was hit after it apparently approached Israel Defence Forces (IDF) troops. “The terrorists posed a threat to the troops, and in response the IDF eliminated them,” it said in a statement.
It added: “Additionally struck was an underground shaft in the area south of the forward defence line, and Hezbollah terrorists who were identified entering it.”
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Tankers will only be allowed to cross the Strait of Hormuz if they pay, a senior Iranian official told CNN.
“Given the limitation on the number of vessels that will be allowed to pass, Iran has decided to give priority to those vessels that respond more quickly to the new Strait of Hormuz protocols and pay the costs of security and safety services,” the individual said.
Vessels that do not pay the fees will have their passage “postponed”, they added.
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Two Indian-flagged vessels were attacked while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, India’s foreign ministry has said.
Vikram Misri, the Indian foreign secretary, summoned the Iranian ambassador, Mohammad Fathali, to convey his “deep concern”.
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Iran has said there is no set date for the next round of peace talks with the US.
Saeed Khatibzadeh, the Iranian deputy foreign minister, told reporters: “Until we agree on the framework, we cannot... set the date.”
He urged the US to abandon its “maximalist position” and called Donald Trump “confusing” and “contradictory”.
“I don’t want to judge what he means,” he said. “It is up to American and American people should decide whether his statements are consistent and are in accordance with the international law or not.”
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The US is reportedly preparing to board oil tankers linked to Iran as it intensifies its naval crackdown on the Islamic Republic.
Hundreds of Iranian-linked vessels that have been sanctioned by the Trump administration could be targets for boarding, according to The Wall Street Journal.
It is part of the administration’s strategy of heaping economic pressure on Tehran in an attempt force it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and make concessions in the country’s nuclear programme.
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Iran is reviewing new US peace proposals following talks with Pakistan, according to the regime’s national security council.
It said: “Iran is determined to exercise supervision and control over transit through the Strait of Hormuz until the definitive end of the war and realisation of lasting peace in the region.”
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A container ship in the Strait of Hormuz has been hit by a “projectile”, hours after the Iranian navy fired on a tanker transiting the sea passage.
The vessel was hit by an “unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers” about 29 miles off the coast of Oman, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations. It did not say who had been responsible.
No fires or environmental damage had been reported, it added. Authorities are investigation the incident.
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Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has insisted that it will control the Strait of Hormuz “until the war is definitively ended and lasting peace is achieved”.
The Islamic Republic’s state media reported that the country would take payment for costs related to security, safety and environmental protection in the waterway. It added that the US blockade was a ceasefire violation that prevented the “conditional and limited opening” of the strait.
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Donald Trump has insisted that Iran “can’t blackmail us” after the Islamic Republic “got a little cute, as they have been doing for 47 years”.
Speaking at the White House, the US president warned that his administration would continue its “tough stand” with the Iranian leadership following the decision to close the Strait of Hormuz.
He said: “They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no leaders. They have no nothing ... They wanted to close up the strait again, as they’ve been doing for years, but they can’t blackmail us.”
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Donald Trump has lashed out at the Spanish government, which has been critical of his war on Iran.
The US president said Spain was doing “badly” financially, adding that its economy was “absolutely horrendous”.
In a post on Truth Social released just before a press conference at the White House, he said: “Has anybody looked at how badly the country of Spain is doing? Their financial numbers, despite contributing almost nothing to Nato and their military defence, are absolutely horrendous. Sad to watch!!!”
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The master of a cruise ship reported a splash in the waters off Oman to a British maritime security agency.
UK Maritime Trade Operations was notified of the incident, about three and a half miles east of Oman, just after noon on Saturday. It urged all vessels to report any suspicious activity.
The report follows attacks on two cargo vessels, one of which was struck, in the Strait of Hormuz.
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US Central Command has released footage praising American service personnel.
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Donald Trump is about to speak at the White House in the coming minutes.
The US president has not addressed the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in his posts on Truth Social this morning.
Yesterday, he claimed Tehran had agreed to “never close” the maritime passage again.
The event is not strictly about Iran, but Mr Trump may speak on the issue given the importance he has placed on the strait being open.
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A UN peacekeeper from France has died after being shot at close range in Lebanon.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said “everything points to Hezbollah being responsible” for the incident, which killed Sgt Florian Montorio and injured three others. He demanded that the authorities in Lebanon “immediately arrest the perpetrators”.
Catherine Vautrin, France’s armed forces minister, said on Saturday that Sgt Montorio, serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), died in Deir Kifa after being shot in an ambush.
Nawaf Salam, the Lebanese prime minister, said he had issued “strict instructions” for an “immediate investigation” into the incident.
He said in a statement on social media: “I condemn the assault today on elements of the French battalion in Unifil. I have issued my strict instructions to conduct an immediate investigation to uncover the circumstances of this assault and to hold the perpetrators accountable. It is self-evident that this irresponsible behaviour causes great harm to Lebanon and its relations with friendly countries that support it in the world.”
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US Central Command has announced that it has forced a total of 23 ships to turn around near the Strait of Hormuz since its naval blockade was established.
It said AH-64 Apaches – a model of attack helicopter – were flying above region to provide “a visible presence in support of freedom of navigation”.
Iran closed the strait again in response to the continued American naval blockade in the Arabian Sea.
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The Israeli military has attacked Hezbollah after claiming it had violated the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
In a statement on social media, the force said it had recorded “several incident in which terrorists violated the ceasefire”, by approaching Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and “posing an immediate threat”.
It wrote: “In order to remove the threat, the IDF conducted precise strikes against the terrorists and terrorist infrastructure sites.”
The IDF added: “The IDF is operating in accordance with the directives of the political echelon.
“Accordingly, the IDF is authorised to take the necessary measures in self-defence against threats, while ensuring the security of Israeli civilians and the soldiers deployed in the area.
“Actions taken in self-defence and to remove immediate threats are not restricted by the ceasefire.”
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Two Indian vessels have been forced back out of the Strait of Hormuz after shots were fired by Iran’s navy, according to Iranian state media.
It said one of the vessels was an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi oil.
According to audio recordings of the incident, the captains of the ships insisted they had been given clearance to cross the strait.
However, the Iranian navy told tankers that no more vessels were allowed to sail through the maritime passage, according to Reuters.
🚨 BREAKING
— IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) (@iribnews_irib) April 18, 2026
Two Indian vessels were forced back west out of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran's Navy. Firing was involved.
One of the vessels is an Indian-flagged VLCC supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil. pic.twitter.com/Gb87u1AkP5
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Mojtaba Khamenei has pledged to “make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats” in a statement commemorating the anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Republic’s army.
The supreme leader – who has not been seen publicly since before the war – claimed Iranian forces had exposed the “weakness and humiliation” of the US and Israel to the world.
He praised the army, stating it was “bravely defending the land, water, and flag that belong to it”.
Khamenei continued: “It stands shoulder to shoulder with other fighters of the armed forces, grappling with the two armies... [and] exposing their weakness and humiliation to the eyes of the world.
“Just as its drones strike like lightning upon the American and Zionist aggressors, its valiant navy is ready to make the enemies taste the bitterness of new defeats.”
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Nearly every tanker heading out of the Persian Gulf has turned around before crossing the Strait of Hormuz, according to vessel-tracking data.
MarineTraffic analytics indicates that the Iranian navy has already implemented the closure of the maritime passage, fewer than two hours after it was announced.
Vessels appear to be travelling towards a point just south of Larak Island, which is understood to be the location where the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy gives sailors approval to cross the strait, before performing a U-turn and heading back deeper into the Persian Gulf.
At least eight tankers sailed through the waterway while it was open earlier today.
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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy has pledged to meet “every breach of promise” with a “fitting response”.
The force warned the Trump administration that it should stop threatening vessels travelling to and from the Islamic Republic if it wanted the Strait of Hormuz to be open.
It said: “Every breach of promise by America will be met with a fitting response.
“As long as the passage of vessels to and from Iran remains under threat, the status of the Strait of Hormuz will remain in its previous state.”
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A senior Iran commissioner has mocked Donald Trump by telling him to “enjoy” the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, suggested that tight restrictions in the key maritime passage would now be the “status quo” going forwards.
In a post on social media, he said: “We warned you, but you ignored it. Now ENJOY the Strait of Hormuz returning to the status quo.”
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Iran has announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after accusing the US of maintaining its blockade of Iranian ports.
The Islamic Republic’s joint military command confirmed it would reimpose restrictions on the critical waterway as per “its previous state”.
It said the strait would again be “under strict management and control of the armed forces”, according to Iranian state media.
It remains unclear whether the reimposition of restrictions will take place immediately, with vessels still being tracked crossing the maritime passage.
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Yvette Cooper has said normal operations have not yet been resumed in the Strait of Hormuz despite Iran claiming it had opened the maritime passage yesterday.
The Foreign Secretary urged Tehran to allow global shipping to resume fully at a diplomacy forum in Antalya, Turkey.
She told Reuters: “We are at a critical diplomatic moment with a ceasefire now in place ... but we don’t yet have normal passage through the strait.”
Ms Cooper added that the truce needed to develop into a lasting peace given the waterway’s importance to the global economy.
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Dozens of ships have begun using Iran’s approved route to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to vessel-tracking data.
Vessels appear to be travelling towards a point just south of Larak Island, which is understood to be the location where the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy gives sailors approval to cross the maritime passage.
At least eight tankers have sailed through the strait today, with numerous others loitering in the area, MarineTraffic data indicates.
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Donald Trump announced that Benjamin Netanyahu and the leader of Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday.
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A total of 21 ships have been forced to turn around by America’s naval blockade after trying to exit the Persian Gulf, US Central Command has reported.
Donald Trump announced on Friday that the operation would “remain in full force and effect as it pertains to Iran”, despite Iran vowing to shut the waterway if it did.
It remains unclear whether the blockade is still in place, with vessel-tracking data showing that “the first major movement of ships” through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war seven weeks ago.
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Xi Jinping strode into the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and settled into his chair, flanked by his top advisers at a large mahogany table decorated with purple orchids.
Stately in a navy suit, China’s leader delivered brief opening remarks – just under a minute – to welcome Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish prime minister, sitting opposite.
“The world today is in turmoil and disorder. How a country approaches international law and the international order reflects its worldview, values and its approach to order and responsibility,” said Mr Xi, assuming the role of a respected world leader.
“China and Spain are both principled countries that value justice, and are willing to stand on the right side of history,” he continued, in a thinly veiled jab at Donald Trump’s assault on Iran, which has engulfed the Middle East in war for the past 50 days.
“We must oppose a return of the world to the ‘law of the jungle’, jointly safeguard genuine multilateralism and uphold global peace and development.”
Official readouts also noted how Mr Xi “emphasised that today’s turbulent world faces the struggle between right and might”.
It may sound hypocritical for a leader engaged in expanding China’s armed forces at breakneck speed to talk in such pious terms.
But Mr Xi’s first public remarks about the US-Israel war against Iran provided insight into how China is seeking to turn this conflict to its advantage. He is perhaps guided by the Chinese idiom “yin huo de fu”, which translates to a blessing in disguise – a chance to profit from a disaster.
In brief, China will cast itself, however incongruously, as benign and responsible while portraying America as ruthless and erratic. Chinese military chiefs will study America’s conduct of this war, striving to learn everything they can about the tactics and weaponry of their superpower adversary.
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Convoys of ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in both directions, according to MarineTraffic data.
Hugging the Omani coast, three Indian flagged vessels appear to have crossed the maritime passage.
In the north of the strait, ships heading towards China – among other destinations – appear to have sailed through.
The group of vessels heading out of the Persian Gulf included four liquefied petroleum gas carriers and several oil product and chemical tankers, with more tankers following, according to the data.
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Donald Trump has shared a video of him speaking at the Turning Point USA rally in Arizona, claiming he has saved “many, many millions of lives”.
The US president said: “This has been by far the most successful first year of any administration in the history of our country, acknowledged by everybody.
“To begin with, I ended eight wars and, it may be a little early to say this, but if we add Iran and Lebanon, that would be 10 wars ended – and many, many millions of lives saved.”
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Donald Trump reposted an AI-generated photo of himself with a gilt-coloured label saying “the peace president”.
The picture came from the X account of The Trump War Room – his campaign operation – accompanied by the caption, “trust Trump, not panicans”.
Despite predicting a peace deal would be reached “in a day or two”, Mr Trump threatened to end the two-week ceasefire with Iran unless it signed a long-term agreement to end the war by Wednesday.
“Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade [on Iranian ports] is going to remain,” Mr Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday.
“So you have a blockade, and unfortunately we have to start dropping bombs again.”
The photo is the latest in a series of AI-generated pictures that the US president has promoted on his Truth Social account. He drew criticism last week for posting a photo depicting himself as Jesus Christ, which was later deleted.
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The US will extend sanctions relief for Russian oil and petroleum products as the Trump administration seeks to curb soaring fuel prices caused by the war in Iran.
The US treasury issued a licence authorising the delivery and sale of the products that have been loaded on ships from Friday, lasting until May 16, the department said.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb 2022, the US has sanctioned Moscow’s oil and gas exports to cut off a key source of funding for Vladimir Putin’s war.
However, the Trump administration temporarily lifted many of those sanctions in March to allow a glut of oil into the market in an effort to offset rising prices.
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Australia extended an easing on fuel-quality standards until September as the nation grapples with the impact of the Iran war on its fuel supply.
“I’ve decided to extend the period of higher sulphur for petrol in Australia,” Chris Bowen, the country’s energy minister, said on Saturday.
The relaxation, announced in March, increases the amount of sulphur permitted in fuel to 50 parts per million from the usual 10 parts.
Australia, which imports most of its fuel, has experienced concerning shortages as the war disrupts supply chains.
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The US president said there had been some “pretty good news” regarding Iran recently, but he declined to elaborate.
“We had some pretty good news 20 minutes ago, but it seems to be going very well in the Middle East with Iran,” Mr Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
“You’ll hear about. I just think it’s something that should happen. It’s something that only makes sense to happen. And I think it will,” Mr Trump said when asked what the good news was.
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Mr Trump said on Friday that he may end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war is agreed by Wednesday.
“Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade (on Iranian ports) is going to remain,” Mr Trump told reporters on Air Force One on his way back to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona.
“So you have a blockade, and unfortunately we have to start dropping bombs again.”
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Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, is “very happy” about the status of the Strait of Hormuz, Mr Trump said on Friday evening.
“President Xi is very happy that the Strait of Hormuz is open and/or rapidly opening,” the US president wrote on Truth Social.
“Our meeting in China will be a special one and, potentially, Historic. I look forward to being with President Xi — Much will be accomplished!”
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Donald Trump said he believes only minor differences remain between Washington and Tehran, adding that peace negotiations will continue over the weekend.
His remarks came despite senior Iranian officials denying that any agreement had been reached on transferring the country’s enriched uranium to the United States.
“Iran’s enriched uranium is not going to be transferred anywhere,” said Esmail Baghaei, a spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry.
Mr Trump also said he may travel to Islamabad if a deal is finalised, predicting that an agreement could be reached “in a day or two”.
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Donald Trump said the US would use excavators to recover “nuclear dust” in Iran created by the joint US-Israeli bombing of Tehran’s nuclear facilities in June.
Speaking at an event in Arizona hosted by Turning Point USA, the conservative organisation created by Charlie Kirk, Mr Trump said: “The USA will get all the nuclear dust. You know what the nuclear dust is? That was the white powdery substance created by our B2 bombers one evening seven months ago.
“We’ll need the biggest excavators you can imagine. But we’re going to go in, together with Iran. We’re going to get it. We’re going to take it back home to the USA very soon.”
The US president has repeatedly stated that Iran still possesses a stockpile of enriched uranium – a claim he has used to justify the war.
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Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, welcomed Iran’s agreement to stop blocking the Strait of Hormuz but said the situation remained “fragile”.
“This was positive news that we received last night,” Mr Albanese said on Saturday, after participating in a multinational summit on the issue.
“We hope that it holds, but what we know is that the impact will be long lasting.”
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 17, 2026Overnight, I joined a virtual Leaders' Summit on the Strait of Hormuz co-hosted by President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer.
Australia has consistently called for an end to this conflict.
The longer the war goes on, the more significant the impact on the global economy will…
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