Iran war live: IRGC captures 2 vessels in Strait of Hormuz amid US blockade
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/4/22/iran-war-live-trump-says-ceasefire-extended-as-talks-with-tehran-in-limbo
Iran war live: IRGC captures 2 vessels in Strait of Hormuz amid US blockade
Al Jazeera Live
- Iran’s IRGC says it has captured two vessels for “disrupting order and safety in the Strait of Hormuz”, Tasnim news agency is reporting.
- US President Donald Trump has announced an extension to the Iran ceasefire, as he continues to blockade Iranian ports, until Tehran submits a proposal for talks, and “discussions are concluded, one way or the other”.
- 15m ago(18:45 GMT)
Trump portrayed ceasefire extension as plea from Pakistani mediators
The only subject that Trump has essentially discussed since the announcement of the ceasefire extension was a social media post indicating that he believes the ongoing blockade is an essential piece of leverage to persuade the Iranians to come to the negotiating table.
But when it comes to the whole series of events that led up to the extension of the ceasefire – well, nobody knew what was happening.
The vice president’s plane was sitting on the tarmac waiting to leave. The president’s close advisers, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, were sitting in Miami waiting to fly direct to Islamabad. And then, in the course of the day, things seemed to get more and more uncertain. Vance came to the White House, along with the advisers who flew up from Miami.
The whole national security team gathered in the West Wing of the White House. All indications are that nobody who actually came to the White House knew what the result was going to be. Was this meeting going to end in a renewed declaration of war? Was it going to result in an extension?
Now, Trump portrayed his decision as a consequence of a plea from the Pakistani mediators, rather than a reluctance to renew the conflict and extend the war, which is deeply unpopular and is also potentially deeply damaging to the president and his Republican Party.
- 20m ago(18:39 GMT)
Hezbollah says it targets Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon in response to ceasefire violations
The Lebanese group says it has targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in Qantara in response to Israel’s ceasefire violations.
In a statement, Hezbollah cited an Israeli attack on the town of Yahmar al-Shaqif in southern Lebanon that killed at least two people and wounded several, according to state media.
- 25m ago(18:35 GMT)
Lebanon says Israel ‘pursued and targeted’ journalists after deadly strike
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israel “pursued” Lebanese journalists Zeinab Faraj and Amal Khalil by “targeting” the house where they took shelter after a first Israeli strike on the southern town of at-Tiri.
“When the Lebanese Red Cross arrived to transport the wounded the enemy obstructed the humanitarian mission, firing a stun grenade at the ambulance, and targeting it with gunfire,” the ministry said in a statement.
A wounded Faraj and the bodies of the two victims from the first attack were transported to a hospital, while rescue teams under fire were unable to retrieve Khalil, it said.
The ministry condemned Israel’s actions, calling the attacks “unacceptable” and “inhumane aggression.”
- 30m ago(18:30 GMT)
UN secretary-general ‘deeply saddened’ by death of peacekeeper in Lebanon
Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric says the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “deeply saddened” by the death of a French peacekeeper after he was injured in an attack on southern Lebanon on Saturday.
Dujarric identified the victim as Corporal Anisey Girardin, 31, a specialist dog handler. He was seriously wounded when his explosive ordnance disposal team operating under UNIFIL’s French contingent came under attack while clearing a road in Ghandouriyeh.
The spokesperson reiterated that the UN’s initial assessment is the peacekeepers came under fire from non-state armed groups, presumably Hezbollah.
UNIFIL Chief of Staff Major-General Paul Sanzey salutes the coffin of slain French peacekeeper [AFP] - 45m ago(18:15 GMT)
‘US denied any achievement in war and must realise it cannot enforce its vision on Iran’
We’ve spoken to Hassan Ahmadian, associate professor at the University of Tehran, about Trump’s claim on Tuesday as he announced the extension of the ceasefire that the Iranian government is “seriously fractured”.
Disagreeing with the claim, Ahmadian said “the institutionalised system in Tehran is up and running despite the assassinations of the top echelon of its leadership and commanders”.
He added: “They fought a war for 39 days, and they were successful in denying the United States any achievement on the ground, and they accumulated new strategic points.”
Ahmadian said the perception within Iran is that any talks with the US now should be built on what was achieved during the fighting.
“The United States was denied any achievement in the war, and it has to come to terms with the reality that it cannot enforce its vision on Iran – through military means or diplomacy,” he said.
“Diplomacy is give and take. It’s not imposition,” he added, referring to Witkoff previously saying the US president is “curious” as to why Tehran has not “capitulated” during Washington’s military build-up in the region.
- 50m ago(18:10 GMT)
Several wounded in Israeli attack on southern Lebanese town
An Israeli drone attack has hit the town of Qaqaiyat al-Jisr in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh district.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the attack wounded several people.
We’ll bring you more as soon as we have it.
- 55m ago(18:05 GMT)
Is the US blockade on Iran working?
The US has promised to block ships from Iran’s ports until the country makes a deal to end their war. But is the blockade working?
Analysts and ship-tracking data paint a complicated picture. Shifting objectives and shadowy activity by vessels make the success of the US operation hard to measure.
“There’s been confusion over the scope and the parameters of the blockade because of conflicting information given by the US administration and some delays in when information has been released,” Bridget Diakun, an analyst at the shipping journal Lloyd’s List Intelligence, told AFP.
Tracking data and satellite images analysed by maritime firms show dozens of ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, including Iranian-flagged vessels under US sanctions and vessels going to and from Iranian ports.
Once inside the Gulf, Diakun said, vessels can “spoof” their transponders to hide their positions and even perform ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian oil, testing the terms of the US blockade.
- 1h ago(17:55 GMT)
Iran’s Pezeshkian says breach of commitments, blockade and threats main obstacles to negotiations
We have a new statement by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who says his country “has welcomed dialogue and agreement and continues to do so”.
In a social media post, he added: “Breach of commitments, blockade and threats are main obstacles to genuine negotiations.”
And in an apparent reference to the US, Pezeshkian concluded, “World sees your endless hypocritical rhetoric and contradiction between claims and actions.”
- 1h ago(17:45 GMT)
Israeli army denies targeting journalists in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military has issued a statement saying it “does not target journalists and acts to mitigate harm to them” while also denying preventing rescue services from reaching the site of an attack in at-Tiri.
It said it struck two vehicles in southern Lebanon that departed from a military structure used by Hezbollah and it later received reports two journalists were wounded as a result of the strikes.
UN experts have repeatedly found Israel to have directly targeted journalists both in Lebanon and in Gaza.
- 1h ago(17:30 GMT)
Israeli settlers open fire near Ramallah, kill Palestinian
Israeli settlers have opened fire on Palestinian residents in the occupied West Bank, killing a 29-year-old Palestinian man.
Settlers surrounded the town of Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, and fired live ammunition, the Wafa news agency reported.
Odeh Atef Odeh Awawdeh was shot in the back and later died of his wounds at the Ramallah Medical Complex, it said.
Violence in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, has risen sharply since Israel’s genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza began in October 2023.
- 1h ago(17:25 GMT)
Red Cross vehicle transporting wounded journalist under fire in south Lebanon
State-run media report a Red Cross vehicle carrying wounded journalist Zeinab Faraj from the site of an Israeli strike in at-Tiri has come under fire.
The National News Agency said bullet marks were visible on the vehicle as it arrived at the Tebnine Governmental Hospital.
- 1h ago(17:20 GMT)
Iran says it ‘appreciates’ Pakistan’s efforts to end war but ‘taking necessary measures’
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says Tehran appreciates Pakistan’s efforts to end the war launched by Israel and the United States in February.
He made the remarks without commenting on a ceasefire extension announced by the United States a day earlier.
Baghaei was asked by journalists to comment on the truce extension, which President Trump said he approved following a request by Pakistani mediators, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported.
“While appreciating Pakistan’s efforts to end the imposed war and establish peace,” Baghaei stressed Tehran “is taking the necessary measures to safeguard Iran’s national interests and security”.
Diplomacy not dead as as neither side wants to go back to war: Pakistan ex-UN ambassador - 1h ago(17:10 GMT)
Israel continues attacks on Lebanon despite ceasefire; Netanyahu faces domestic criticism
Israel considers its actions in Lebanon to be within the bounds of the ceasefire agreement, and this is in line with its conduct in the previous ceasefire in November 2024, and in Gaza, as well.
The Israeli military continues to demolish homes in southern Lebanon and to operate against Hezbollah or anybody breaching the so-called “yellow line”.
We did not get any comment from the Israelis, even after the attack on journalists in at-Tiri, and there is little discussion about the upcoming talks between Israel and Lebanon.
Israelis are very upset with Prime Minister Netanyahu because this is not a ceasefire he chose, but which was imposed by US President Trump.
The Israeli government promised to completely dismantle Hezbollah, but the group is still there, so the prime minister has to defend himself against accusations of not having control over the warfront, and is looking at a very difficult election in October.
- 2h ago(17:00 GMT)
Israeli drone reportedly dropped grenade on rescuers trying to retrieve wounded journalist
A Lebanese military source tells Al Jazeera that Israeli forces targeted Red Cross rescue workers and prevented them from searching for missing journalist Amal Khalil after attacks on the south.
An Israeli drone dropped a grenade on rescuers trying to lift a wounded journalist from the rubble in southern Lebanon, an unnamed senior Lebanese military official told Reuters news agency.
The official said the Lebanese army asked the Israeli military through a US-led mechanism to allow rescuers to retrieve the wounded journalist.
The fate of the other missing reporter remains unclear after the attacks on at-Tiri town.
- 2h ago(16:49 GMT)
Iran’s top negotiator says opening Strait of Hormuz ‘impossible’ amid ceasefire breach
“A complete ceasefire only makes sense if it is not violated by the maritime blockade and the hostage-taking of the world’s economy and if the Zionist warmongering across all fronts is halted,” lead Iranian negotiator and parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf writes on X.
“Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible with such a flagrant breach of the ceasefire. They did not achieve their goals through military aggression, nor will they through bullying.
“The only way forward is to recognise the rights of the Iranian nation.”
- 2h ago(16:40 GMT)
Lebanon president calls on Red Cross to coordinate with army to rescue journalist
Earlier, we reported on Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon that targeted two local journalists covering a previous deadly strike on civilians.
Journalist Zainab Faraj has reportedly been rescued but is badly wounded, while reporter Amal Khalil remains missing in the town of at-Tiri.
“President [Joseph] Aoun requested that the Lebanese Red Cross work to rescue the two journalists and their companions, and to coordinate with the army and international forces to carry out the rescue operation in the shortest possible time, renewing his call for non-interference with media workers during the performance of their professional duties,” a statement by the president’s office said.
- 2h ago(16:30 GMT)
Iran wants lifting of economic sanctions to be part of deal with US
Muhanad Seloom, assistant professor of international politics and security at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, says Iran wants the war to end with “a deal it can sell as a victory to its people”.
In his assessment, Tehran is “desperate” for the immediate lifting of US sanctions and would be willing in exchange to give up its enriched uranium.
The analyst said he believes the US would be unlikely to accept this condition, but could offer to phase out its sanctions in the future, which Tehran would turn down.
Seloom told Al Jazeera the decision-making process in Iran appears to now be in the hands of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi play a subordinate role.
- 2h ago(16:25 GMT)
Red Cross rescues journalist after Israeli strike in southern Lebanon
We’ve reported on an Israeli strike in at-Tiri that damaged a vehicle carrying two journalists from the local Al Akhbar newspaper.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency is now reporting that Red Cross teams were able to reach one of the journalists, Zeinab Faraj, who was injured.
Work is still under way to retrieve her colleague, Amal Khalil, from the scene of the attack, which was surrounded by Israeli forces.
Earlier, NNA reported a strike on the road connecting the towns of at-Tiri and Hadatha prevented ambulance crews from reaching the site of the attack.
- 2h ago(16:20 GMT)
Israeli strikes impede rescue efforts for missing Lebanese journalist
Two journalists from the Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar went to the site of an earlier Israeli drone strike on a car that reportedly killed two civilians in the town of at-Tiri.
Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj went to the attack to report on it, and while they were there, there were further Israeli attacks on that town.
There has been an ongoing effort for several hours by the Red Cross and rescue workers to reach those two journalists. They were unable to do that for a long time because of continued Israeli attacks in the area, including one that hit a road and severed at-Tiri from the surrounding area.
What we understand is that one of those journalists, Zeinab, has been brought to a local hospital here in south Lebanon. She is in a very serious condition and will be requiring surgeries. She has been rescued by the Lebanese Red Cross and brought to safety, along with the bodies of the two people killed in the first attack.
But unfortunately, the correspondent Amal Khalil is still missing in that town. They have been unable to reach her till this point. Journalists here in Lebanon, as well as the information minister and many others, are calling on the Israelis to allow rescue teams to go back to the location, and to stop striking it.
But until this point, they have not been able to go back and find the second journalist who remains missing. In the last six weeks here in Lebanon, Israel has killed four journalists so far in this war.
- 2h ago(16:10 GMT)
Oil prices rise on uncertain prospects for US-Iran ceasefire
Oil prices climbed while stocks are mixed after President Trump announced the extension of a ceasefire with Iran, prompting investors to wait and see if peace talks will resume.
With the Strait of Hormuz still blocked to Gulf energy transit, traders remain wary that attacks could resume – even though Wall Street indices are at record highs after recovering losses since the Middle East war erupted in late February.
Analysts say expectations are high that both Trump and Iranian authorities want to end a war that has sent oil and gas prices soaring, threatening economic growth worldwide.
Equity investors “seem convinced that the war will soon be over, or that it will have little effect on the US economy, even if energy prices remain relatively elevated”, said David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation.
With Hormuz oil shipments still shut, Asian and European countries that rely most on Middle East energy supplies are scrambling to cope with soaring inflation that could derail growth.
“The ceasefire extension hasn’t done much to calm nerves given that worries remain about the impact of the energy squeeze on the global economy,” said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.
- 3h ago(16:00 GMT)
US extends Iran oil waivers after requests from vulnerable countries
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has extended sanctions relief on Iranian and Russian seaborne oil for 30 days because of requests from countries that are the most vulnerable to oil shortages from the closed Strait of Hormuz.
Bessent told a US Senate Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing that the requests came from finance leaders of about 10 countries during last week’s International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings.
The action reversed his comments last week that he would not renew expiring sanctions waivers.
- 3h ago(15:50 GMT)
‘Everybody is worried about miscalculation’
Former US General Mark Kimmitt says the current financial cost of the US military deployment in the Middle East is reasonable to maintain for the foreseeable future in the US’s effort to unlock the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian control.
“This is actually a moderate force presence, with exception of an extra aircraft carrier,” Kimmitt told Al Jazeera.
“We typically keep about 40,000 troops on the ground throughout the region, as well as one, often two, aircraft carriers. So I don’t necessarily see the marginal cost of this operation as prohibiting the United States from maintaining a presence for quite some time.”
However, Kimmit said the “risks” to military forces in the strait remain high.
“I think everybody is worried about miscalculation. You know [for example] one IRGC boat captain has decided he wants to leave his shelter cove near Bandar Abbas and attack an American ship – that’s the kind of miscalculation all of us need to be careful of.”
US, Iran ‘fighting their way to the negotiating table’, retired US general says - 3h ago(15:30 GMT)
WATCH: The war on Iran – Breaking down the words you’re hearing
The war on Iran: Breaking down the words you’re hearing - 3h ago(15:20 GMT)
Iran presidency spokesperson slams talk of divisions as ‘lies’
Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy for communications at the Iranian president’s office, has rejected talk of divisions among the Iranian leadership, a day after the US president said he was extending a ceasefire to enable a “fractured” Iran to come up with a unified proposal.
Without naming the US president, Tabatabaei said the “enemy” was engaging in “political propaganda”. He also claimed that unity within the Iranian leadership was “unprecedented and exemplary”.
“Instead of weaving lies, they should cease their breach of promise, bullying, and deceit; the door to negotiations based on fairness, dignity, and rationality remains open,” he wrote on X.
- 3h ago(15:10 GMT)
Iran gov’t spokesperson says football team prepared to take part in World Cup
Iran says it is fully prepared for its national football team’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup co-hosted in the US.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told state broadcaster IRIB that the Ministry of Sports and Youth has ensured all necessary arrangements for the team’s participation.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said last week that Iran is expected to participate in the World Cup, set for June 11 to July 19.
US President Donald Trump said in March that while Iran’s team would be welcome at the tournament, he questioned whether it would be appropriate for them to attend because of their “life and safety”.
- 4h ago(15:00 GMT)
More than 62,000 housing units destroyed or damaged in Lebanon by Israeli attacks
Israeli attacks on Lebanon have damaged or destroyed more than 62,000 housing units in the country, a government estimate has found.
“Within about 45 days, we had 21,700 destroyed housing units and 40,500 damaged housing units,” Chadi Abdallah, head of the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS), said in a news conference.
The CNRS also estimates that “428 housing units were destroyed and 50 were damaged” during the first three days of the ceasefire, Abdallah said.
Lebanese Environment Minister Tamara Zein told reporters that Israel’s strikes did not spare residential neighbourhoods, civilian infrastructure and places of worship, and resulted in damage to large agricultural and forested areas.
Israeli attacks on Lebanon killed more than 2,400 people and displaced more than a million since the resumption of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2.
Israeli soldiers sing national anthem on ruins of Lebanese town - 4h ago(14:50 GMT)
Israeli attack in southern Lebanon damaged journalists’ car
Two journalists from local media outlet al-Akhbar were at the site of a previous attack on a car in the town of at-Tiri in southern Lebanon.
When the two, Amal Khalil and Zeinab Faraj, went to the scene to gather information, there were further Israeli strikes, and they were reportedly trapped at the site.
Their car was damaged, and they weren’t able to get out on their own. We understand that the Red Cross is making an attempt to reach them and that one of the journalists has been lightly injured.
- 4h ago(14:45 GMT)
Existential crisis in GCC over security, economy, tourism recovery
There remains a major existential crisis to GCC security and stability, to the countries’ economies and to getting back on track, reopening of airspace, normalising airport operations, getting tourists back and getting residents to return.
As long as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and there isn’t that normal maritime activity of cargo vessels of oil and gas, then that remains an existential problem for the GCC.
But after that ceasefire announcement by Trump, there would have been a sigh of relief knowing that the aerial bombardment was unlikely to begin once again.
- 4h ago(14:40 GMT)
Dozens of Israeli settlers attempt to enter Syria
The Israeli army says that it stopped around 40 Israeli settlers who attempted to enter Syria earlier today.
The army said the civilians gathered at the border and were able to infiltrate several hundred metres into the Israeli-military occupied buffer zone in Syria before being returned to Israel and taken into police custody.
The Israeli media identified the infiltrators as part of the right-wing group “Pioneers of Bashan”, which calls for establishing Jewish settlements in Lebanon and Syria.
- 4h ago(14:34 GMT)
Two killed in southern Lebanese town of Yahmar al-Shaqif
Two people have been killed and several wounded in an Israeli attack on the town of Yahmar al-Shaqif in southern Lebanon, Lebanon’s NNA is reporting.
- 4h ago(14:30 GMT)
Karachi port holds 3,000 containers bound for Iran amid Strait of Hormuz tensions
The impact of this naval blockade and the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has been significant.
In the last few days, documents have surfaced, seeking help to retrieve 3,000 containers stranded at Karachi’s port. These containers were trans-shipped and destined for Iran, but could not reach their destination, leading to their offloading in Karachi.
There is speculation about a land route being discussed with Pakistani authorities. Under this proposed plan, these containers would be transported by Pakistani trucks to the border. From there, Iranian trucks would take them into Iran.
Meanwhile, maritime experts and the shipping industry have revealed that Iran is charging tolls in Yuan, specifically for transactions with China, and also in cryptocurrency. This system includes a tiered approach. For oil, Iran charges approximately one dollar per barrel. Consequently, a ship carrying millions of barrels of oil would generate millions of dollars for Iran. For other cargo, the charges are determined based on the value of the oil barrels.
This system appears to have been beneficial for Iran, but the US has now found a way to disrupt this supply chain. The US blockade has proven effective, with dozens of ships reportedly stopped. Industry experts suggest the blockade serves more as a pressure point on Iran rather than an outright conflict.
- 4h ago(14:25 GMT)
Lebanon’s minister says Israel besieging journalists in at-Tiri
Lebanon’s Information Minister Paul Morcos says the government has been in contact with the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon and the Lebanese army regarding reports that Israel was “besieging journalists and photographers” following attacks in the southern town of at-Tiri.
“We strongly condemn this assault, holding Israel fully responsible for their safety, and affirming the necessity of immediately ensuring their protection and guaranteeing freedom of media work,” Morcos said on X.
- 4h ago(14:20 GMT)
WATCH: Israel’s ‘yellow line’ turns southern Lebanon villages into empty zones
Israel’s ‘yellow line’ turns southern Lebanon villages into empty zones - 4h ago(14:19 GMT)
Second Israeli strike reported in Lebanon’s at-Tiri
Lebanon’s National News Agency is reporting a second air strike in the southern town of at-Tiri, shortly after an attack killed two people.
The state-run news agency and our colleagues on the ground are reporting that two journalists working for local media outlets are at the site of the attack, but the Red Cross and the Lebanese Army are being prevented from reaching them by Israeli forces surrounding the area.
- 4h ago(14:10 GMT)
You cannot negotiate before the negotiations: Analyst
The main obstacle to restarting talks remains the US blockade, according to Maleeha Lodhi, former Pakistani ambassador to the US.
What it will take for Iran to back down from that very public position, “is very hard to say right now”, she told Al Jazeera.
On whether the ceasefire extension is a genuine diplomatic window or a tactical pause, Lodi said, “The Iranians seem to think it is a ploy, just a way to buy time.”
“Pakistani officials continue to work around the clock. They want to see both sides step back from the brink.
“Both sides have to be part of the negotiating process. You cannot negotiate before the negotiations. Come back to the table, put whatever issues you want in the mix, and then try to resolve your differences.”
- 5h ago(14:00 GMT)
Trump attempts to show strength in face of Iran’s defiance
Trump made clear the naval blockade is still an important piece of leverage for him.
A few days ago, the president was saying that the Strait of Hormuz doesn’t matter because the US doesn’t rely on it for oil.
However, it’s obviously a central part of his policy as the US is trying to show that it has not backed down in terms of extending this ceasefire. It’s important for Trump to continue to appear to show strength in the face of what is Iranian defiance of his wishes to get the talks going again.
Polls indicate that Trump’s personal standing is the lowest it has ever been, with one poll putting him at 30 percent. This is a very unpopular war in the US and it is having a dramatic political impact ahead of the November mid-term elections.
- 5h ago(13:52 GMT)
French peacekeeper dies after south Lebanon attack
A French peacekeeper, who was wounded in southern Lebanon on Saturday, has died, France’s President Emmanuel Macron says.
Another French peacekeeper, identified as Florian Montorio, died on the spot following the attack in the village of Ghandouriyeh.
An initial assessment by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) found the incident was “a deliberate attack” that likely came from non-state actors, allegedly Hezbollah.
- 5h ago(13:50 GMT)
WATCH: Two killed in Israeli settler attack on school in Ramallah
Deadly Israeli settler attack on school kills two in Ramallah - 5h ago(13:40 GMT)
Diplomacy not dead as as neither side wants to go back to war: Analyst
Pakistan’s last-minute intervention was decisive in securing the ceasefire extension, according to Maleeha Lodhi, former Pakistani ambassador to the US.
“Pakistan’s top military and civilian leadership conveyed to Washington the need to extend the ceasefire so that a window could be found and space created for diplomacy to be pursued,” she told Al Jazeera.
On the current impasse, Lodhi said, “Both sides want an off-ramp.”
“Neither would want to go back to war. But at the same time, neither side wants to give the other any kind of a win before the talks even get going.
“President Trump seems to say different things at different times, and sometimes in the same breath. That does not build trust, and it does not build the positive atmosphere you need for talks.
“Hopes are not exactly fading, diplomacy is not dead. It is just getting harder to get it going.”
- 5h ago(13:30 GMT)
Iran says it will talk but the blockade must go first
The Iranians are saying they will continue talks in Islamabad as long as the US lifts its blockade.
So the extension of the ceasefire is a positive signal. But we are still dealing with positive and negative signals from Tehran.
The situation can be characterised by three factors. First, ambiguity. The clock was ticking, and now, there is an extension, but the possibility of another round of confrontation remains.
Second, breakability. We are expecting the unexpected, and the only certain point right now is uncertainty.
Third, complexity. We are talking about extending the ceasefire and possible diplomatic engagement, while knowing that there are too many sticking points. The Strait of Hormuz, the nuclear dossier, sanctions relief, frozen assets, Iran’s ballistic missiles, war reparations, and Iran’s regional relations. The positions of the two sides are far apart on these issues.
Sources say it is not just mistrust any more, it is suspicion regarding any rapprochement with the US.
- 5h ago(13:20 GMT)
Two killed in Israeli attack in southern Lebanon
Two people have been killed by an Israeli attack on a car in at-Tiri in southern Lebanon, National News Agency (NNA) is reporting.
Israeli forces also carried out a violent bombing in the town of Qantara.
Both attacks took place despite an ongoing 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon.
- 5h ago(13:10 GMT)
Gaza newborns fighting for survival as congenital anomalies rise
In the neonatal unit of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, newborns are fighting to survive during what doctors describe as an unprecedented rise in congenital anomalies linked to the conditions of war.
Two-week-old Ahmed is already showing signs of excess fluid in the brain. Sharing his unit is Suheir, two months old, born with multiple deformities affecting his mouth and ears, and Osama, also two months, with a hole in his heart and enlarged ventricles in his brain.
Osama’s mother, Najia Zu’rub, has not left the hospital since he was born.
“I became pregnant with him during the war, and the pregnancy was exhausting due to the lack of food,” she said.
“I didn’t even have safe drinking water and was living in inadequate tents. The doctors explained that his condition is not genetic. He is my first child, and there is no family history of such conditions.”
Zaher al-Whaidi, director of the Health Information Unit at the Palestinian Health Ministry, attributed the surge to five factors: widespread hunger, decline in healthcare services, overcrowding, contaminated drinking water and the effects of ongoing air strikes.
Last year, at least 457 neonatal deaths were reported, “a 50 percent increase compared to before the war”, al-Whaidi said.
- 6h ago(13:00 GMT)
‘Trump needs this ceasefire’
Claims by Trump that Iran’s leadership is fractured are based on unconfirmed reports, according to Professor Foad Izadi of the University of Tehran, who has pushed back against suggestions of a split between Iran’s negotiating team and its military commanders.
“Placing unconfirmed reports on one side and official statements on the other and then finding contradictions between them can be done, but we need to make sure the reports are accurate before drawing those conclusions,” he told Al Jazeera.
“Trump needs this ceasefire. The 60-day War Powers Act period ends next week. The last time the US House [of Representatives] voted on this war, it passed by just one vote. If there is a military confrontation between Iran and the US next week, there is a real chance the House would vote against it.”
He added that Trump is also “under enormous economic pressure, trying to manage an oil crisis”.
- 6h ago(12:55 GMT)
China denies US-detained ship contained ‘gift’ for Iran
China has again denied that a ship seized by US forces in the Gulf of Oman contained a “gift” from Beijing for Iran, a day after Trump made the accusation.
His comments came after former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley wrote on X that the ship was travelling from China to Iran and was linked to chemical shipments for missiles.
Responding to Haley’s accusations at a regular news briefing on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the ship was “a foreign container ship”, and that China opposed “any malicious association and speculation”.
“As a responsible major country, China has always set a good example in fulfilling its due international obligation,” he added.
A cargo ship sails in the Gulf towards the Strait of Hormuz [AP] - 6h ago(12:50 GMT)
IRGC’s capture of vessels sending out messages to the US
At least three ships have been captured by the IRGC’s naval forces today.
The IRGC later released an official statement saying two ships were linked to what it called “the enemies”. According to the statement, the vessels were the MSC Francesca and Epaminondas, which it accused of endangering maritime safety by operating without the necessary permits and tampering with its navigation system.
There are two clear messages the IRGC naval forces are trying to send out. First, they are trying to demonstrate that the Strait of Hormuz is under their control and authority. They have previously stated that transits through this vital chokepoint must be approved by them, and they have announced a new pathway for vessels close to the Iranian coastline.
The second message is related to the broader context. The Americans are imposing a blockade on Iranian ships, and this is a retaliatory strategy. Iran is saying the strait will remain closed for as long as the blockade continues to impact Iranian vessels. A number of Iranian-affiliated ships have already been attacked or approached by the US military.
- 6h ago(12:40 GMT)
WATCH: Israeli settlers set Palestinian home on fire in occupied West Bank
Israeli settlers set Palestinian home on fire in occupied West Bank - 6h ago(12:30 GMT)
What we know about the vessels the IRGC says it has captured
- The IGRC says its naval force “this morning identified and stopped in the Strait of Hormuz two violating ships”.
- It said in a statement, the ships “operated without authorisation, repeatedly violated regulations, manipulated navigational aid systems and sought to covertly exit the Strait of Hormuz, endangering maritime security”.
- It added that the two container ships were “directed to the Iranian coast”.
- The two ships are the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, Iranian broadcaster IRIB posted on Telegram. It claimed that Francesca was linked to Israel while Epaminondas lacked “the necessary permits” and had been “tampering with navigation systems”.
- Ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic showed the vessels stopped near the Iranian coast on Wednesday.
Two vessels fired upon near Strait of Hormuz as ships caught between Iran and US blockades - 6h ago(12:15 GMT)
Israel fires interceptor missile towards southern Lebanon
An interceptor missile has been fired from northern Israel at a target over southern Lebanon, Israeli Channel 12 reports.
- 7h ago(12:00 GMT)
Lebanon’s president says negotiations ongoing to extend ceasefire
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says negotiations are ongoing to extend the ceasefire, warning that no party will be permitted to obstruct security measures or undermine stability.
“Preserving civil peace at this stage of our country’s history is a red line,” Aoun said on X, adding that he would “spare no effort to end the abnormal situation in Lebanon”.
Lebanon’s ambassador to the US, Nada Haddad Maaouad, will represent Lebanon at a preparatory meeting at the US State Department on Thursday, where she will raise the extension of the ceasefire and demand that Israel stop demolition operations in southern Lebanese villages and towns.
Aoun said negotiations are anchored on four conditions: stopping Israeli aggression, achieving an Israeli withdrawal, agreeing the return of prisoners and deploying the Lebanese army.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun [File: AFP] - 7h ago(11:45 GMT)
Latest developments
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has seized two vessels and transferred them to Iran’s coast, stating that “disrupting order and safety in the Strait of Hormuz is considered a red line for Iran”.
- Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has met Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan to discuss the “ongoing regional situation and peace efforts”.
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar tells Lebanon to “work together” with Israel to counter Hezbollah before talks between the two countries are set to resume in Washington, DC on Thursday.
- A drone attack in northern Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region has wounded three fighters at a camp near Erbil for the Iranian Kurdish PAK, or Kurdistan Freedom Party. The exiled nationalist separatist group has blamed the attack on Iran.
- Israeli forces have attacked mourners attending the funeral of two Palestinians killed in the village of al-Mughayyir in the occupied West Bank.
- Israeli forces have carried out bombings in residential areas in the cities of Bint Jbeil and Khiam and the town of Hanine in southern Lebanon.
No comments:
Post a Comment