Latest Strait of Hormuz News and Updates

This page tracks the latest developments related to the Strait of Hormuz, including shipping disruptions, oil market reaction, security concerns, route analysis, and global trade implications.

As of April 18, 2026, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz has shifted from yesterday’s brief de-escalation back into a state of high tension and active conflict.

1. Reversal of the Strait Opening

The brief window of “reopening” announced by Iran yesterday has collapsed. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reimposed strict restrictions, returning the waterway to a state of military management. Iran has stated that the Strait will remain restricted until the United States lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports, a demand the U.S. has currently refused.

2. Reported Maritime Hostilities

The transition back to a closed status was marked by kinetic action today. Reports indicate that IRGC gunboats opened fire on commercial tankers attempting to use the shallow-water route near Larak Island. At least two vessels were forced to retreat, and one container ship reportedly sustained damage from a projectile. In response, U.S. Central Command has continued to intercept and turn back any vessels attempting to breach the ongoing blockade of Iranian sovereign territory.

3. The U.S. Response and Blockade Status

The U.S. administration has labeled the Iranian move as an attempt at “blackmail.” While diplomatic channels remain open through mediators in Pakistan and Oman, the U.S. military has maintained “Operation Epic Fury,” ensuring the naval blockade remains in full force. U.S. officials have signaled that the financial and physical pressure on Iran’s military infrastructure will not ease until a comprehensive nuclear and security deal is reached.

4. Impact on Global Markets

The market relief seen yesterday has largely evaporated. Oil prices, which fell significantly on the news of the reopening, are seeing sharp spikes today as energy supply fears return. The volatility continues to impact global shipping routes, with many companies opting for the much longer journey around the Cape of Good Hope rather than risking the Strait.

5. Diplomatic Standpoint

While the 10-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon appears to be holding for its first day, the broader U.S.-Iran ceasefire is nearing its expiration date next week. The focus of the international community has shifted to a high-stakes summit expected this weekend in Muscat, which is seen as perhaps the final opportunity to prevent the current “siege” from returning to a state of full-scale aerial warfare.

Here is the updated briefing on the current geopolitical landscape between the U.S. and Iran as of April 17, 2026.

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1. Partial Reopening of the Strait of Hormuz

In a significant—albeit cautious—move toward de-escalation, Tehran announced today that the Strait of Hormuz is once again open to commercial maritime traffic.

• The Constraint: Iran has mandated that all vessels utilize a specific, shallow-water corridor passing near Larak Island, likely to maintain closer surveillance on passing ships.
• U.S. Counter-Position: The Pentagon has clarified that while the Strait may be “open,” the U.S. Naval Blockade of all Iranian sovereign ports remains strictly enforced.
• Safety Warning: The U.S. Navy issued a “Notice to Mariners” today regarding the high probability of unmapped Iranian sea mines still drifting in the corridor.
• Economic Ripple: The news acted as a pressure-release valve for global markets; crude oil prices plunged over 10%, triggering a massive rally on Wall Street as the “energy war” narrative cooled.

2. The Lebanon-Israel Strategic Truce

A critical 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah officially commenced at midnight, providing a much-needed breathing room in the regional proxy war.

• The Trump Doctrine: President Trump characterized the truce as a “historic milestone,” signaling that stabilizing the Lebanese border is the essential first step toward a “Grand Bargain” with Iran itself.
• The “Prohibition”: Reports suggest the U.S. administration has taken a firm line, effectively “prohibiting” Israel from launching offensive sorties into Lebanon for the duration of the truce.
• Israeli Stance: Jerusalem has agreed to the pause but maintains it will exercise its right to “immediate and overwhelming” self-defense if the truce is violated.

3. The “Big Deal” vs. Diplomatic Deadlock

The diplomatic clock is ticking as the two-week ceasefire established in early April approaches its expiration date.

• Nuclear Red Lines: The U.S. and Israel have issued a joint ultimatum: Iran must surrender its entire stockpile of enriched uranium. Tehran has countered, offering to “downblend” (dilute) its 60% enriched reserves in exchange for the immediate lifting of all energy and banking sanctions.
• Active Mediation: Diplomatic teams from Pakistan and Oman are working around the clock to coordinate a high-stakes summit scheduled for this coming weekend.
• Economic Warfare: Despite the talks, the U.S. is maintaining “Operation Epic Fury.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted today that the current financial squeeze on Iran’s central bank is designed to serve as the “financial equivalent” of a kinetic strike, ensuring the U.S. negotiates from a position of absolute leverage.

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Intelligence Summary: We are currently in a “frozen conflict” state. The coming 48 hours of mediation in Muscat (Oman) will likely determine if this de-escalation leads to a permanent treaty or a return to active hostilities.

IRAN WAR — DAY 47.

Here are 10 things happening right now that you should know.

1. ISRAEL AND LEBANON AGREED TO A 10-DAY CEASEFIRE. IT STARTED AT 5PM TODAY.

President Trump announced it. Netanyahu confirmed it. Lebanon’s Prime Minister welcomed it.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon began at 5PM ET today, removing the single biggest obstacle to a second round of US-Iran talks.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry immediately welcomed it, calling it “consistent with the broader US-Iran agreement.” Hezbollah said it would abide by it if Israeli attacks stop.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN said: “We are not going anywhere.

We are holding our positions. If we feel threatened, we will react.”

Ten days. Not peace. A pause.

2. HEGSETH SAID THE BLOCKADE WILL LAST “AS LONG AS IT TAKES” — AND THREATENED IRAN’S ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE.

At a Pentagon press briefing today, Defense Secretary Hegseth made the US position crystal clear.

“Let me be clear — this blockade applies to all ships, regardless of nationality, heading into or from Iranian ports.”

Then he went further.

“We are reloading with more power than ever before. As you expose yourself with your movement to our watchful eye, we are locked and loaded on your critical dual-use infrastructure, on your remaining power generation and on your energy industry.”

The US is currently using less than 10% of its naval power to enforce the blockade.

16 warships. 11 destroyers.

And the top US military commander said American forces could expand ship interceptions beyond the Middle East — into the Pacific.

3. SECOND ROUND OF US-IRAN TALKS IS COMING. PAKISTAN IS SHUTTLING BETWEEN CAPITALS.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been in Saudi Arabia and Qatar today. He travels to Turkey next before returning home Saturday.

Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir met Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf in Tehran, delivering a US message and working toward a framework for round two.

Iran’s Foreign Minister said Tehran “remains committed to promoting peace” after meeting Munir.

The White House said it feels “good about prospects of a deal” — and confirmed Pakistan will likely host the next round.

No date confirmed yet. But the machinery is moving.

4. THE IMF JUST WARNED THIS WAR COULD TRIGGER A GLOBAL RECESSION.

The IMF cut its 2026 global growth forecast from 3.3% to 3.1% — directly citing the Iran war and Hormuz disruptions.

The Middle East and North Africa region was slashed from 3.9% growth to just 1.1%.

Several economies are now projected to contract outright in 2026: Iran, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Iran alone saw its forecast cut by 7.2 percentage points, from small growth to a 6.1% contraction.

The IMF’s Chief Economist said the impact will be…

“highly uneven — hitting countries in the conflict region, commodity-importing low-income countries, and emerging market economies hardest.”

5. THIS IS NOW A FOOD CRISIS — NOT JUST AN ENERGY CRISIS.

Chef José Andrés, who runs one of the world’s largest food relief operations — warned today that the Iran war is devastating global food supply, not just fuel.

The numbers back it up.

The Strait of Hormuz handles 30-35% of global urea exports, the fertilizer that grows the world’s food.

It handles 20-30% of global ammonia. When Hormuz closes, food costs rise everywhere.

The IMF confirmed it too, noting the war is disrupting far more than oil.

Fertilizers, chemicals, airlines, logistics — all hit simultaneously.

Higher energy costs mean higher farming costs.

Higher farming costs mean higher food prices. The bill lands on every dinner table on earth.

6. THE US MILITARY IS WATCHING IRAN REPAIR ITS MISSILE BASES IN REAL TIME.

Hegseth confirmed it at today’s press conference.

“Better intelligence than ever before. As you expose yourself with your movement to our watchful eye, we are locked and loaded.”

Satellite images reviewed by CNN show Iran actively clearing blocked tunnel entrances at its underground missile bases — what military analysts call “missile cities.”

The US designed those strikes specifically to bury the launchers underground.

Iran is digging them out.

The ceasefire is giving both sides time to reload.

7. TRUMP SAID THE WAR IS “VERY CLOSE TO OVER.”

On Fox Business this morning, Trump said he believed the conflict would end “fairly soon.”

Worth noting, Trump said Iran’s military was “destroyed” on March 9th.

Oil was supposed to be flowing freely by then.

The Islamabad talks were supposed to produce a deal. The ceasefire was supposed to hold.

The gap between what Trump says and what is actually happening on the ground has been consistent throughout this war.

8. IRAN’S THREAT TO CLOSE THE RED SEA IS NOW OFFICIAL AND CONFIRMED.

Iran’s military formally warned today that if the US blockade continues, it will halt trade across the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Red Sea.

The Red Sea handles approximately 12% of global trade.

The Suez Canal sits at its northern end.

Combined with Hormuz — Iran is threatening to simultaneously close two of the world’s most critical maritime corridors.

9. THE US MILITARY HAS DESTROYED 158 IRANIAN NAVAL VESSELS.

Trump confirmed the number on Truth Social today.

158 ships. Destroyed. Since February 28th.

What remains, according to Trump, is a “small number of fast attack ships” that the US has not hit because it did not consider them a significant threat.

The warning that followed: if any of those ships approach the blockade, they will be “immediately eliminated.”

10. THE CEASEFIRE EXPIRES IN 6 DAYS. APRIL 22ND.

– A Lebanon ceasefire just started — 10 days.

– The US-Iran ceasefire expires — 6 days.

– A 2nd round of talks has no confirmed date.

The blockade has no end date, “as long as it takes.”

Iran is repairing missile bases.

The US is watching it happen.

Pakistan is flying between capitals. The IMF is warning of recession. The world’s food supply is under pressure.

Day 47.

Six days left.

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 IRAN WAR — DAY 46. Here are 10 things happening right now that you should know.

1. PAKISTAN’S ARMY CHIEF JUST LANDED IN TEHRAN. TODAY. CARRYING A US MESSAGE.

Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Tehran this morning leading a high-level delegation — Foreign Ministry representatives, security officials, and technical experts. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi received him personally.

The purpose: deliver a new message from Washington and lay the groundwork for a second round of negotiations.

This is the most significant diplomatic development of the day and it is happening right now.

2. THE US AND IRAN ARE REPORTEDLY MOVING CLOSER TO A FRAMEWORK.

Axios reported this morning, citing two US officials that the United States and Iran have made progress in back-channel talks and are moving closer to a framework agreement to end the war.

No details on what that framework includes. No confirmation from Iran. But the fact that Munir flew to Tehran today rather than waiting for Iran to come to Pakistan tells you the urgency is real.

The ceasefire expires in 7 days. April 22nd.

3. IRAN IS NOW THREATENING TO SHUT DOWN THE RED SEA.

Iran’s military issued a direct warning today: if the US naval blockade of Iranian ports continues, Iran will block trade through the Red Sea — in addition to the Gulf and Sea of Oman.

The Red Sea handles roughly 12% of global trade. The Houthis in Yemen already disrupted it significantly in 2024. If Iran now activates that threat — two of the world’s most critical shipping routes are simultaneously closed.

The global economic consequences would be severe enough to make the current crisis look manageable by comparison.

4. IRAN IS REPAIRING ITS MISSILE BASES DURING THE CEASEFIRE. SATELLITE IMAGES CONFIRM IT.

CNN reviewed satellite images taken on April 10th, two days into the ceasefire — showing Iran actively clearing debris from the entrances to its underground missile bases.

Front-end loaders scooping rubble. Dump trucks lined up outside blocked tunnel entrances. The work ongoing across multiple sites.

The US and Israel had spent weeks striking those tunnel entrances specifically to trap missile launchers underground. Iran is digging them out.

US intelligence assesses that roughly half of Iran’s missile launchers survived the war intact. 

Many of those may have been buried — not destroyed. The ceasefire is giving Iran time to unbury them.

5. TRUMP SAYS THE WAR IS “VERY CLOSE TO OVER.” AND WARNS HE CAN END IT ANOTHER WAY.

On Fox Business this morning Trump said: 

“I think they want to make a deal very badly” — signalling talks could resume within days.

Then in the same interview he warned: “We could take out every one of their bridges and power plants in one hour.”

6. CHINA CALLED IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTER TODAY AND TOLD TEHRAN TO KEEP TALKING.

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi called Abbas Araghchi directly. According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Wang said Beijing “supports maintaining the momentum of the ceasefire and peace talks” and that negotiations are “in the fundamental interests of the Iranian people.”

This is the second major public signal from China this week — after Xi’s four-point proposal on Tuesday.

China is now actively and openly pushing Iran toward a deal. 

7. THE US BLOCKADE IS “FULLY IMPLEMENTED” — BUT SHIPS ARE STILL SLIPPING THROUGH.

CENTCOM declared the blockade “fully implemented” after 36 hours. More than 10,000 US military personnel executing it.

And yet — MarineTraffic data shows at least one additional tanker departed from an Iranian port and passed through the Strait of Hormuz today despite the blockade.

8. IRAN USED A CHINESE SPY SATELLITE TO TARGET US MILITARY BASES.

A new report confirmed today that during the war, Iran used a Chinese military satellite to identify and target US military bases across the Middle East.

China has publicly said it does not support the war. Its satellite was reportedly used to prosecute it.

9. LEBANON ANNOUNCED A ONE-WEEK CEASEFIRE WITH ISRAEL BEGINS TONIGHT.

An Iranian official confirmed today that a one-week ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel is set to begin tonight.

If confirmed and implemented, this removes the single biggest obstacle to the broader US-Iran talks. 

Iran has repeatedly said it cannot negotiate while Israel bombs Lebanon. 

A Lebanon pause would clear the path for a second round of Islamabad talks.

Watch whether it holds. Hezbollah has not confirmed it.

10. THE TOTAL DEATH TOLL IS NOW OVER 5,500.

More than 5,500 people have been killed across Iran and Lebanon since this war began on February 28th.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed at least 2,167 killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon alone, including 172 children and 91 health workers. At least 43 deaths in the last 24 hours.

46 days. 7 days until the ceasefire expires.

The army chief of Pakistan is in Tehran tonight carrying a message from Washington.

This is Day 46. 

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 **IRAN WAR — DAY 45.**

Here are 10 things happening right now that most people don’t know.

1. TRUMP SAYS IRAN CALLED HIM. THEY “WANT TO WORK A DEAL.”

This is the biggest development of the day and it just broke.

After announcing a naval blockade, after 21 hours of failed talks, after threatening to “eliminate” Iranian ships, President Trump said today that Iranian officials have called and “want to work a deal.”

He told reporters he was contacted by “the right people” in Iran.

Pakistan is already offering to host the next round of talks in Islamabad.

The S&P 500 rallied over 1% on that statement alone — erasing all its losses since the war began February 28th.

2. TRUMP THREATENED TO “ELIMINATE” IRANIAN SHIPS THAT APPROACH THE BLOCKADE.

On Truth Social this morning, Trump posted:

“Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at sea.”

He first claimed Iran’s navy had been “obliterated.” Then clarified that the US had not hit Iran’s fast attack ships because it didn’t consider them a threat.

Within hours of that post, he was claiming Iran called wanting a deal.

3. THOUSANDS OF IRANIANS RALLIED IN TEHRAN TODAY AGAINST THE BLOCKADE.

As the US blockade took effect, thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran in public protest — calling it piracy.

Iran’s armed forces issued an official statement: 

“The imposition of restrictions on the movement of vessels in international waters is an illegal act and amounts to piracy.”

The IRGC warned that Iran would introduce “new forms of warfare that opponents would have limited ability to counter.” 

No details were given on what those new forms are.

Iran is also implementing what it called a “permanent mechanism” to control the Strait signaling it views this as a long-term reality, not a temporary wartime measure.

4. THE UK, FRANCE, AND EUROPE ARE REFUSING TO JOIN THE BLOCKADE.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said directly: “We are not supporting a blockade of Iran’s ports.”

He said the UK’s focus is reopening the strait — not blocking it. He added that this is “the only way to get energy bills down for people in the UK who are paying the price of this war.”

France went further. 

President Macron announced France and the UK would co-organize a conference of countries prepared to contribute to “a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation” in the Strait — explicitly separate from the US blockade.

France, Spain, Turkey and China have all condemned the move.

5. ISRAEL AND LEBANON MEET IN WASHINGTON TODAY — FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1983.

The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors are meeting at the US State Department today.

The first official direct talks between the two countries in 43 years.

Israel’s goal: disarmament of Hezbollah. Lebanon’s goal: a ceasefire first, then everything else.

Hezbollah’s chief Naim Qassem has already rejected the talks and demanded Lebanon’s president cancel them.

The Lebanese government said Israel has destroyed roughly 40,000 houses in Lebanon in the last 35 days. Over 2,089 people killed.

Netanyahu crossed into Lebanon on Sunday and said displaced residents of southern Lebanon will not be allowed to return to their homes. 

Israel’s Defense Minister said the goal is to destroy houses in the area to prevent Hezbollah from using them.

6. IRAN PUBLISHED A MAP ROUTING SHIPS AWAY FROM ITS MINES IN HORMUZ.

The IRGC released a navigation map of the Strait of Hormuz showing a “safe route” for ships — directing vessels farther north, closer to the Iranian coast, and away from the traditional route near Oman.

The statement said all vessels must use the new map due to “the likelihood of the presence of various types of anti-ship mines in the main traffic zone.”

Iran is now effectively charging a toll, controlling the route, and publishing the navigation chart.

7. TURKEY’S ERDOGAN HAS THREATENED MILITARY ACTION AGAINST ISRAEL.

A new escalation that hasn’t gotten enough attention.

Turkish President Erdogan has threatened military action against Israel over its continued operations in Lebanon. 

This follows Turkey’s earlier condemnation of the blockade.

Turkey is a NATO member. Israel is a US ally. 

If this threat moves toward action, it creates a direct collision between NATO’s eastern anchor and America’s closest Middle Eastern partner.

8. THE US ENERGY SECRETARY CONFIRMED: PRICES WILL KEEP RISING.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said it plainly at a Washington conference Monday:

“We’re going to see energy prices high, and maybe even rising” until “meaningful ship traffic” gets through the Strait of Hormuz.

Oil closed around $99 a barrel Monday. It was $67 before the war began.

That is a 48% increase in 45 days. And the Energy Secretary just confirmed it is not coming down until the strait reopens.

9. THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL IS CALLING FOR TALKS TO RESUME IMMEDIATELY.

UN Secretary General António Guterres called today for the US and Iran to resume negotiations — saying the blockade risks collapsing the fragile ceasefire entirely.

The ceasefire officially expires in 8 days. April 22.

No next round of talks is officially scheduled. No framework exists. No date has been confirmed.

Pakistan says it is ready to host again. Iran says the ball is in America’s court. 

America says the ball is in Iran’s court.

10. THE CEASEFIRE IS STILL TECHNICALLY IN EFFECT. EVERYTHING ELSE SUGGESTS OTHERWISE.

–  A US blockade of Iranian ports is active.

–  Iran is threatening new forms of warfare.

–  Hezbollah is firing rockets into northern Israel.

–  Israel is bombing Lebanon.

–  Thousands are protesting in Tehran.

–  Europe is refusing to follow America.

–  Erdogan is threatening Israel.

–  And Trump says Iran called wanting a deal.

The ceasefire expires in 8 days.

Day 45.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 44. Here are 10 things happening right now that most people don’t know.

1. THE US BLOCKADE OF IRAN’S PORTS BEGINS TODAY. RIGHT NOW. AT 10AM ET.

CENTCOM confirmed it:

“U.S. Central Command forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10 a.m. ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation.”

Every ship. Every nation. Any vessel heading to or from an Iranian port stopped by the US Navy.

Iran was already blockading the Strait. Now the US is blockading Iran’s ports back.

2. OIL JUST CROSSED $104 A BARREL. MARKETS ARE FALLING ACROSS ASIA.

The moment the blockade was announced, markets moved.

– US crude jumped 8.7% to $104.8 a barrel.

– Brent crossed $102.

– Japan’s Nikkei fell 1%.

– South Korea’s Kospi dropped 1.1%.

– Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped nearly 1.5%.

Before this war began on February 28th, oil was at $67 a barrel.

It has gone up 56% in 44 days.

And it is going higher this morning.

3. IRAN CALLED THE BLOCKADE “PIRACY.” AND ISSUED A DIRECT THREAT.

Iran’s armed forces responded immediately:

“The imposition of restrictions on the movement of vessels in international waters is an illegal act and amounts to piracy.”

The IRGC went further warning that “no port in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman will be safe” if Iranian ports are threatened.

Their exact words: “Security of ports in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is either for everyone or for no one.”

This is a threat to close or attack every port in the Gulf including those of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

4. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS CLAIMING THE CEASEFIRE IS “HOLDING WELL.” WHILE ANNOUNCING A BLOCKADE.

In the same 24-hour window Trump announced a naval blockade of Iran — he also told reporters the ceasefire was “holding well.”

The ceasefire is supposed to last until April 22.

The blockade begins today.

Both things are simultaneously true and completely contradictory.

5. GERMANY JUST CUT FUEL TAXES — BECAUSE OF THIS WAR.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced today that Germany will slash petrol and diesel taxes by 17 euro cents per litre for two months — a direct response to the energy shock from the Iran war.

– Germany’s fuel prices have risen 14%.

– Gas prices across the EU are up 60-70%.

– The EU’s total fossil fuel import bill has increased by €14 billion since February 28th.

Merz said explicitly: “This war is the root cause of the problems we face in our own country.”

6. CENTCOM QUIETLY WALKED BACK TRUMP’S BLOCKADE — WITHIN HOURS.

Trump announced a blockade of “any and all ships” entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz.

CENTCOM’s actual statement was — the blockade would only apply to vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports, and that other traffic would not be impeded.

7. ONLY 17 SHIPS CROSSED THE STRAIT ON SATURDAY. PRE-WAR WAS 130 DAILY.

Maritime intelligence firm Windward confirmed it.

Only 17 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday — down from roughly 130 per day before the war began.

The ceasefire was supposed to reopen it. It didn’t.

230 loaded oil tankers are still sitting inside the Gulf.

Unable to leave. The oil is there. The ships are there. The world needs it. And nobody can move it.

8. IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER’S ADVISOR SAID THE “KEY TO HORMUZ” REMAINS IN IRAN’S HANDS.

Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei — made a direct statement Sunday:

“The key to the Strait of Hormuz remains in the Islamic Republic’s hands.”

Not a negotiating position. A declaration of permanent ownership.

Iran is not framing Hormuz as a temporary bargaining chip. It is framing it as sovereign Iranian territory.

That framing makes any deal on the strait exponentially harder to reach.

9. ISRAEL AND LEBANON DIPLOMATS ARE MEETING IN WASHINGTON THIS WEEK.

While all attention is on Hormuz and the blockade, a separate but connected negotiation is beginning.

Israeli and Lebanese diplomats are scheduled to meet in Washington this week for the first time.

Israel’s stated goal: disarmament of Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s stated goal: a ceasefire first, then talks.

Those two positions have not moved closer.

But the fact that they are meeting at all after 44 days of war and over 1,700 dead in Lebanon, is the one genuinely new diplomatic development this week that has nothing to do with Iran directly.

10. THE CEASEFIRE EXPIRES IN 9 DAYS. APRIL 22.

A US naval blockade just started.

Iran is threatening to make every Gulf port unsafe.

Oil is at $104.

Asian markets are falling.

Germany is cutting fuel taxes.

The Strait has 17 ships where 130 used to be.

And the ceasefire that was supposed to lead to peace expires in 9 days.

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This is Day 44.

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 IRAN WAR — DAY 43. Here are 10 things happening right now that most people don’t know.

1. TRUMP JUST ORDERED A FULL NAVAL BLOCKADE OF IRAN.

Hours after talks collapsed, Trump posted on Truth Social:

“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.”

Iran had been blockading the strait for 43 days.

Now the US is blockading Iran back.

Two blockades. One strait. 20% of the world’s oil supply stuck in the middle.

2. 21 HOURS. NO DEAL. VANCE WALKED OUT.

The highest-level US-Iran meeting in 47 years ended without an agreement.

Vance’s exact words leaving Islamabad:

“Iran has chosen not to accept our terms. The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement. 

And I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America.”

Iran’s response:

The talks were conducted in “an atmosphere of mistrust.” Washington needs to decide “whether it can earn our trust or not.”

Both sides left unsatisfied. Both sides blamed the other.

3. THE NUCLEAR QUESTION BROKE EVERYTHING.

Vance confirmed what broke the talks.

One demand. One issue. One red line.

“We haven’t received a commitment yet that Iran will not seek a nuclear weapon and will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon. 

We haven’t seen that yet. We hope that we will.”

Iran refused to accept it.

That is where 21 hours of negotiations ended.

4. IRAN LOST TRACK OF ITS OWN SEA MINES IN THE STRAIT.

This is not a headline. This is a catastrophe waiting to happen.

The New York Times reported, citing US officials, that Iran has been unable to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz because it cannot find and remove the naval mines it laid in the waterway.

Iran planted the mines. Iran lost the mines. 230 oil tankers are sitting in the Gulf. And nobody knows exactly where the mines are.

US CENTCOM has now begun active mine-clearing operations in the strait. 

US Navy destroyers entered Hormuz for the first time since the war began. Iran threatened to attack them, calling it a ceasefire violation.

5. NETANYAHU SAID THE WAR WITH IRAN IS “NOT OVER YET.”

As Vance was leaving Islamabad empty-handed, Netanyahu issued a statement saying Israel’s war with Iran is “not over yet.”

He did not elaborate.

He didn’t need to.

6. TRUMP WAS AT A UFC FIGHT IN MIAMI WHILE THE TALKS WERE HAPPENING.

While Vance was in a room with Iranian officials for 21 hours negotiating the most consequential diplomatic encounter since 1979 — Trump was ringside at a UFC event in Miami.

Secretary of State Rubio was seen whispering to him from nearby seats as reporters watched.

When asked about the talks afterward, Trump said: “Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me. Regardless of what happens, we win.”

7. IRAN STILL HAS HALF ITS MISSILES. US INTELLIGENCE CONFIRMED IT.

Despite Defense Secretary Hegseth claiming earlier this week that Iran’s missile capabilities were “functionally destroyed” — US intelligence tells a different story.

The Wall Street Journal reported that US intelligence believes Tehran has preserved roughly half its missile and attack drone stockpile. 

Iran is capable of repairing damaged launchers and digging out buried ones. 

8. IRAN BLAMED THE US. THE US BLAMED IRAN. PAKISTAN ASKED BOTH TO KEEP TALKING.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the talks were conducted with good intentions but that Washington had made demands incompatible with Iranian sovereignty.

The US said it had been “quite flexible” and that Iran chose not to accept reasonable terms.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar released a statement thanking both delegations and urging them to “uphold the ceasefire until a deal can be reached.”

The ceasefire expires in 9 days. April 22.

9. MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE PRAYED AT AL-AQSA FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE WAR BEGAN.

Not everything today is escalation.

More than 100,000 Muslims attended Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, the first time the holy site has been accessible at this scale since the war began on February 28th. 

The mosque’s Islamic authority confirmed the numbers.

For 43 days, the war closed off access to one of Islam’s holiest sites. Today, briefly, that changed.

10. THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW HANGING BY A THREAD.

–  No deal from Islamabad. 

–  A US naval blockade announced. 

–  Iran’s mines still in the water. 

–  Netanyahu saying the war isn’t over. 

–  The Hormuz still not open. 

–  Lebanon still being bombed. 

–  And 9 days until the ceasefire expires.

Pakistan said it will continue trying to facilitate dialogue.

But as of this morning, there is no next meeting scheduled. There is no framework agreed. And there is no deal.

9 days. The clock is running.

This is Day 43.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 42. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. BOTH DELEGATIONS ARE IN THE ROOM IN ISLAMABAD. RIGHT NOW. TODAY.

Vance landed after 16 hours of travel. Iran’s delegation, 71 people including negotiators, experts, security and media — arrived at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, greeted by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister and Army Chief. 

Pakistan’s goal heading into today is described officially as “modest”, not a deal, but enough common ground to keep talking.

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2. IRAN WALKED IN WITH THREE WORDS: “GOODWILL. NO TRUST.”

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf said it out loud upon landing in Islamabad: “We have good intentions but we do not trust. 

Our experience of negotiations with the Americans has always been met with failure and broken promises. 

They attacked us twice in the middle of negotiations.”

He then carried photos of Iranian civilian war victims onto the flight and posted it on X. 

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3. IRAN SET PRECONDITIONS BEFORE TALKS EVEN START.

Ghalibaf announced two conditions that must be met before negotiations can begin. 

First, a ceasefire in Lebanon. 

Second, the release of Iran’s frozen financial assets abroad. 

The US has not agreed to either. 

Talks were supposed to begin this morning local time. 

As of now, it is unclear whether substantive talks have actually started or whether the two sides are still arguing about whether to talk at all.

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4. TRUMP SAID THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD: “NO NUCLEAR WEAPON. THAT’S 99% OF IT.”

Speaking at Joint Base Andrews before flying to his winery in Virginia, Trump made his clearest statement yet about what this negotiation is actually about. 

Not Hormuz. Not Lebanon. Not sanctions. 

Nuclear. 

He also warned that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen “with or without” Iran’s cooperation and that if talks don’t go well, the US will “finish it off one way or the other.”

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5. THE TALKS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BOTH INDIRECT AND DIRECT — A FIRST.

A US official confirmed to CNN that today’s negotiations are expected to begin through Pakistani mediators with both sides agreeing on the agenda separately before moving to face-to-face discussions later in the day. 

Previous rounds of talks have been almost entirely indirect, through Omani intermediaries. 

Direct contact between Witkoff and Araghchi has happened but has been limited. 

If both sides sit across a table today, that would be the most significant US-Iran direct engagement since 1979.

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6. LEBANON IS THE TRIPWIRE THAT COULD BLOW EVERYTHING UP TODAY.

Israel struck over 100 Hezbollah targets in a single day this week, killing at least 200 people in Lebanon. 

Iran’s national security adviser issued a stark warning: 

“Without fully restraining America’s rabid dog in Lebanon, there will be no ceasefire or negotiations, and the missiles are ready to launch.”

Lebanese and Israeli diplomats spoke by phone today. 

They will meet in Washington on Tuesday. 

But Israel’s ambassador to the US made clear: Israel will not discuss a ceasefire in Lebanon. It will only discuss disarmament of Hezbollah.

7. THE POPE CONDEMNED THE WAR FROM ROME. DIRECTLY.

Pope Leo XIV, speaking to top bishops of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq, said this week that “God does not bless any conflict” and does not side with those who drop bombs. 

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8. THE HORMUZ IS STILL NOT OPEN. 230 OIL TANKERS SITTING INSIDE THE GULF.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company CEO Sultan Al Jaber confirmed this week: “The Strait of Hormuz is not open. 

Access is being restricted, conditioned and controlled.” 

230 fully loaded oil tankers are sitting inside the Gulf unable to leave. 

Iran’s position — ships must coordinate with the IRGC for permission to transit. 

The US position — the strait must be open without limitation, conditions or tolls. Those two positions also cannot both be true.

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9. WITKOFF AND KUSHNER ARE IN THE ROOM — AND IRAN DOESN’T WANT THEM THERE.

It has now been confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner, the same two envoys who led the nuclear talks that collapsed in February, right before the war started — are part of the US delegation again. 

Iran’s distrust of both men is documented and public. 

Tehran refused to engage with either of them after the Geneva talks broke down. 

CNN reported that Iran specifically requested Vance because they view him as more willing to end the conflict than Witkoff or Kushner. 

Having all three in the room is a deliberate signal from Trump that he controls the terms, not Iran.

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10. THE CEASEFIRE EXPIRES IN 11 DAYS. APRIL 22.

Eleven days to resolve uranium enrichment. 

Eleven days to resolve Lebanon. 

Eleven days to reopen Hormuz. 

Eleven days to bridge the gap between a US 15-point proposal and an Iranian 10-point counter — two documents that don’t agree on a single major issue.

This is Day 42.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 41. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. THE TALKS ARE HAPPENING TODAY — RIGHT NOW IN ISLAMABAD. AND THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING THE WRONG THING.

Asian markets are already moving on it.

– Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained over 1%,

– Japan’s Nikkei rose 1.5%,

– South Korea’s Kospi up 1.8%.

– Oil crept back up to nearly $98 a barrel.

Markets are pricing in hope, even as disagreements on Lebanon threaten to blow the whole thing up before it starts.

This is the most important room on the planet today.

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2. TRUMP CALLED IRAN LEADERS PRIVATELY “MUCH MORE REASONABLE.” THIS IS NEW AND SIGNIFICANT.

In a phone interview this morning, Trump said he was “very optimistic” a deal was reachable.

He said Iran’s leaders “talk much differently when you’re at a meeting than they do to the press.

They’re much more reasonable.”

Then he added: “They’re agreeing to all the things that they have to agree to.

Remember, they’ve been conquered. They have no military.”

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3. IRAN PUT SEA MINES IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. THIS WAS CONFIRMED TODAY.

Iran suggested it had placed sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz while offering alternative routes for the few ships currently transiting.

The British Navy has already deployed a specialized vessel, the RFA Lyme Bay fitted with mine-hunting drones to the strait.

This is not a ceasefire move. This is a leverage move.

Iran is saying to the negotiating table in Islamabad: we can make this waterway permanently dangerous long after the bombs stop.

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4. TRUMP PERSONALLY CALLED NETANYAHU AND ASKED HIM TO SCALE BACK LEBANON STRIKES. NETANYAHU’S ANSWER WAS EFFECTIVELY — NO.

Trump called Netanyahu and asked him to pull back on the Lebanon strikes to help ensure the success of the Islamabad negotiations.

A senior administration official confirmed this.

Netanyahu responded by saying Israel is seeking to open direct negotiations with Lebanon while simultaneously issuing fresh evacuation orders for Beirut.

So Israel’s answer to “please stop bombing” was “we’ll talk to Lebanon about stopping while we keep bombing.”

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5. IRAN-BACKED MILITIAS IN IRAQ ATTACKED US DIPLOMATS — DURING THE CEASEFIRE.

The US Embassy in Baghdad issued a security alert confirming that Iran-aligned Iraqi militias conducted drone attacks near the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center and Baghdad International Airport warning US citizens to avoid air travel in Iraq entirely due to risks of missiles, drones and mortars.

The US summoned Iraq’s ambassador in Washington to express “strong condemnation,” telling the Iraqi government it had failed to prevent these attacks while some elements within the Iraqi government continue providing “political, financial, and operational cover” for the militias.

A ceasefire between the US and Iran.

And Iran’s proxy militias are still attacking American diplomats.

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6. IRAN’S IRGC CONFIRMED THE CEASEFIRE — BUT KEPT ITS “FINGERS ON THE TRIGGER.”

The IRGC issued a statement saying it would respect the two-week ceasefire but would remain “prepared to create an even greater epic should the enemy make another miscalculation.”

It added that it was “heeding the orders of the Supreme Commander,” the newly elected Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

The political leadership agreed to a pause. The military wing is saying it agreed to nothing permanent.

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7. IRAN’S OWN PRESIDENT WAS FIGHTING WITH THE IRGC OVER HOW THE WAR WAS BEING CONDUCTED.

This one didn’t make enough headlines.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reportedly clashed directly with IRGC chief-commander Ahmad Vahidi over how the war was being conducted.

Pezeshkian warned that without a ceasefire, Iran’s economy could collapse within three to four weeks.

He criticized the IRGC’s attacks on neighboring countries and called for the restoration of executive powers to the civilian government.

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8. TRUMP BLASTED TUCKER CARLSON, ALEX JONES, AND CANDACE OWENS AS “NUT JOBS” FOR OPPOSING THE WAR.

Trump publicly attacked right-wing pundits who criticized the Iran war slamming Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, Alex Jones, and Candace Owens as “stupid people” and “NUT JOBS” in a lengthy social media post.

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9. A SENIOR ADVISER TO IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER DIED FROM WOUNDS SUSTAINED IN THE WAR. CONFIRMED TODAY.

Kamal Kharazi, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader has died after being injured in what Tehran said was a US-Israeli strike targeting his home earlier this month.

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10. THE DEATH TOLL AS OF TODAY.

The US-based rights group HRANA puts the total killed at nearly 3,400 — including more than 1,600 civilians.

– More than 1,700 people have been killed in Lebanon.

– 23 in Israel.

– 13 American service members killed in combat.

That is the number that should be at the top of every conversation happening in Islamabad today.

Not enrichment percentages. Not Hormuz tolls. Not geopolitical positioning.

3,400 people.

Today is the day we find out if that number stops growing or keeps climbing.

Watch the room.

My guess is, it’s not ending anytime soon.

The 2 sides are still far apart in their asks.

IRAN WAR — DAY 40. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. IRAN CLAIMED IT RE-CLOSED HORMUZ HOURS AFTER AGREEING TO OPEN IT.

This is the most alarming development of Day 40. The ceasefire was announced. 

Ships began moving. And then Iran’s IRGC claimed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had stopped again — citing Israel’s continued strikes on Lebanon as a ceasefire violation. 

The White House called the reports false. 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Iran’s accusations of U.S. ceasefire violations are untrue and that Hormuz remains open. 

As of this writing, the shipping industry is still waiting for clarity. 

One shipping executive said: “For sure, some ships will now exit the area — but it’s still tense.”

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2. ISRAEL LAUNCHED DEVASTATING STRIKES ON LEBANON HOURS AFTER THE CEASEFIRE. 254 KILLED.

Hours after the ceasefire was announced, Israel launched what Lebanon’s health ministry described as one of the most intense waves of strikes of the war, killing at least 254 people across the country including in Beirut. 

Netanyahu called it “the greatest blow” to Hezbollah. 

The UN Human Rights Commissioner responded: “The scale of the killing and destruction in Lebanon today is nothing short of horrific. Such carnage, within hours of agreeing to a ceasefire with Iran, defies belief.”

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3. IRAN’S INTERNET BLACKOUT ENTERED ITS 40TH DAY. 936 HOURS OF TOTAL DISCONNECTION.

NetBlocks confirmed that Iran’s internet blackout has now lasted 40 consecutive days, 936 hours of near-total disconnection from the outside world. 

Their statement: “The wartime censorship measure continues even as the U.S. and Iran regimes each declare victory, with the Iranian people once again left in the dark.” 

93 million people. No internet. No outside information. For 40 days.

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4. TRUMP SAYS CHINA HELPED BRING IRAN TO THE TABLE.

Trump told AFP he believes China played a role in pushing Iran to agree to the two-week ceasefire. “I hear yes,” he said when asked whether Beijing was involved. 

This is the first public acknowledgment that China which has been buying discounted Iranian oil throughout this war and has been the primary target of the U.S. supply chain disruption strategy may have quietly pushed Tehran toward a deal. 

If true, it changes the entire geopolitical picture of what was agreed and why.

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5. VANCE IS LIKELY TO LEAD THE U.S. DELEGATION IN ISLAMABAD ON FRIDAY.

Peace talks begin Friday April 10th in Islamabad, Pakistan. 

Multiple sources confirmed to Axios that Vice President JD Vance is likely to lead the American delegation. 

This is an extraordinary signal sending the Vice President to negotiate directly with Iran is the highest-level U.S. diplomatic engagement with Tehran in decades. 

Vance said Wednesday: “Fundamentally, we’re in a good spot. 

They’re reopening the straits. We have a ceasefire. And frankly, if they break their end of the bargain, then they’re going to see some serious consequences.”

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6. IRAN’S 10-POINT PEACE PLAN — WHAT TEHRAN IS ACTUALLY DEMANDING.

Iran confirmed its peace proposal includes lifting all U.S. and UN sanctions, release of all Iranian assets held overseas, U.S. military withdrawal from the Middle East, financial reparations for war damages, an end to all attacks on Iran’s allies including Hezbollah, and recognition of Iran’s right to enrich uranium in exchange for a pledge not to build nuclear weapons. 

Trump called this “a workable basis.” 

He has not confirmed which of these demands he accepts. 

The nuclear enrichment question, the stated reason this war started

remains entirely unresolved.

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7. THE POPE SPOKE ON THE WAR. AND CONDEMNED THE THREATS ON CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE.

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope called on “all people of goodwill to search always for peace and not violence, to reject war.” 

He stated that attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law and “a sign of the hatred, the division, the destruction the human being is capable of.” 

His remarks came directly in reference to Trump’s threats to destroy Iran’s power plants and bridges before the ceasefire was reached.

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8. TRUMP IS “CLEARLY DISAPPOINTED” WITH NATO ALLIES. NATO CHIEF CONFIRMS IT.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met Trump on Wednesday and told CNN afterwards that Trump is “clearly disappointed” with NATO allies for not supporting the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran to the extent he wanted. 

Rutte said many European nations helped in other ways – logistics, overflights, basing, but acknowledged the rift. 

This is a significant fracture. 

The Iran war has exposed a deeper divide between the U.S. and its European partners than any conflict since Iraq in 2003.

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9. THE CEASEFIRE ORDER MAY TAKE TIME TO REACH IRGC LOWER RANKS.

A U.S. Defense official confirmed to reporters that while the ceasefire order has been issued, “it might take time for the ceasefire order to filter down to the lower ranks of the Revolutionary Guards.” 

This is the sentence buried in every update that matters most. 

The IRGC operated independently throughout this war — individual commanders making their own decisions. 

The political leadership signed a ceasefire. 

Whether every IRGC unit received and will follow that order is a different question entirely.

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10. OIL FELL 13%. GAS WILL STILL PEAK AT $4.30. MIDDLE EAST PRODUCTION WON’T RECOVER UNTIL LATE 2026.

Markets celebrated the ceasefire with oil falling 13% and S&P 500 futures rising more than 2%. 

But the U.S. Energy Information Administration immediately tempered the optimism, gas prices are still expected to peak at $4.30 a gallon this month. 

Gulf oil production shut-ins of 9.1 million barrels per day will not return close to pre-war levels until late 2026. 

Qatar’s LNG facility damage alone could delay supplies for years. 

The economic damage of 40 days does not undo itself because two leaders signed a piece of paper.

—

Today is Day 40. 

A ceasefire exists — fragile, disputed, partially violated, and differently interpreted by every party that signed it. 

Talks begin Friday in Islamabad. 

Lebanon is still being bombed. The IRGC is still armed. 

Iran’s nuclear uranium sits untouched. And the most important geopolitical negotiations of this decade begin in 48 hours.

Watch Islamabad closely.

IRAN WAR — DAY 39. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. A CEASEFIRE EXISTS. BUT IRAN KEPT FIRING AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED.

The U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 7th — named the Islamabad Accords.

The U.S. military ordered all offensive operations to cease immediately. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council accepted.

And then Kuwait reported 28 Iranian drones targeting vital oil installations and power stations after the ceasefire was declared.

The UAE reported ongoing missile and drone attacks. Israel and UAE both sounded missile alerts on the morning of Day 39.

Explosions occurred at Iran’s Lavan Island refinery and Sirri Island oil sites with Iran itself saying the source of the blasts was unknown.

A ceasefire was signed. The fighting did not fully stop.

2. IRAN AND TRUMP ARE DESCRIBING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DEALS.

Trump:

“Total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council:

“Nearly all the objectives of the war have been achieved. Good news to the dear nation of Iran.”

Iran says the U.S. accepted its 10-point proposal which includes lifting all sanctions, U.S. military withdrawal from the Middle East, reparations for war damages, and Iran’s right to continue nuclear enrichment.

Trump has not confirmed any of these conditions.

Both sides are telling their own populations they won.

They cannot both be right. What actually happened will only become clear in Islamabad on Friday.

3. ISRAEL SAID THE CEASEFIRE DOES NOT INCLUDE LEBANON. PAKISTAN SAID IT DOES.

Pakistan’s PM Sharif who brokered the deal announced the ceasefire includes “Lebanon and elsewhere. Effective immediately.”

Netanyahu’s office said the opposite: the ceasefire “does not include Lebanon.”

Israel’s military confirmed it has ceased fire against Iran specifically while simultaneously continuing air strikes and ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Two mediators. One deal. Contradictory terms.

The Lebanon question is now the most dangerous unresolved thread in this ceasefire.

4. OIL DROPPED 9% IN 30 MINUTES. GAS PRICES ARE STILL EXPECTED TO HIT $4.30.

The moment the ceasefire was announced, WTI crude fell from above $114 to around $96 a barrel. Markets surged globally.

But the U.S. Energy Information Administration issued a sobering assessment:

Gas prices are expected to peak at $4.30 a gallon this month and Middle East oil production shut-ins of 9.1 million barrels per day will not return close to pre-war levels until late 2026.

Even if the Strait reopens tomorrow, the economic damage of 39 days does not reverse in 39 hours.

5. IRAN’S 10-POINT PROPOSAL — AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY DEMANDS.

Iran’s peace proposal which Trump called “a workable basis” — includes:

– Full lifting of all U.S. and UN sanctions

– Release of all Iranian assets held overseas

– Complete U.S. military withdrawal from the Middle East

– Financial compensation for war damages

– End to all attacks on Iran and its allies including Hezbollah, and

– Iran’s right to nuclear enrichment.

These are not minor negotiating positions. These are maximalist demands.

The gap between what Iran is asking and what the U.S. has publicly committed to is enormous.

6. IRAN CONTINUED EXECUTING POLITICAL PRISONERS DURING THE WAR. AND ACCELERATED IT.

This detail is being buried under ceasefire headlines.

Iran’s judiciary chief called on April 7th for “accelerating and increasing death sentences” against what he called “enemy elements.”

Six members of an opposition organization were executed between March 30 and April 4th alone.

The regime used the cover of war to intensify domestic repression, executing dissidents while the world’s attention was on Hormuz and missiles.

7. AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST HELD HOSTAGE IN IRAQ WAS FREED.

U.S. journalist Shelly Kittleson, who had been abducted by a militant group in Iraq, was freed on April 7th confirmed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The timing on the day of the ceasefire announcement was not coincidental.

It was part of the broader diplomatic movement surrounding the deal.

8. TRUMP SAYS IRAN’S URANIUM WILL BE “PERFECTLY TAKEN CARE OF.” IRAN SAYS IT KEEPS ENRICHMENT RIGHTS.

When asked what would happen to Iran’s 450kg of 60% enriched uranium — enough for nine to eleven nuclear weapons…Trump told AFP: “That will be perfectly taken care of or I wouldn’t have settled.”

Iran’s position in its own 10-point proposal explicitly includes the right to nuclear enrichment.

These two statements are directly contradictory.

The nuclear question which was the entire stated reason this war started remains completely unresolved in the ceasefire text.

9. THE DEATH TOLL AFTER 39 DAYS. CONFIRMED BY MULTIPLE SOURCES.

– More than 3,400 people have been killed across the Middle East. – Over 1,600 civilians.

– More than 1,500 killed in Lebanon.

– 23 in Israel.

– 13 U.S. service members killed in combat, two more from non-combat causes.

The number of wounded across all countries runs into the tens of thousands. Iran has not released its own official updated count.

10. TALKS BEGIN FRIDAY IN ISLAMABAD. THE NEXT 14 DAYS WILL DECIDE EVERYTHING.

Pakistan’s PM invited delegations from both the U.S. and Iran to Islamabad on Friday April 10th “to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement to settle all disputes.”

Whether Israel participates given its refusal to include Lebanon — remains unclear.

Whether Iran’s IRGC, which operated independently throughout this war, will respect whatever its political leadership agrees to is also unclear.

.

This is Day 39.

Turn on your notifications & follow because this affects all of us.

A CEASEFIRE WAS ANNOUNCED LAST NIGHT. MISSILES WERE STILL FLYING THIS MORNING.

Let me give you the full honest picture – MY ANALYSIS

Because what happened in the last 24 hours is more complicated than any headline is telling you.

And I have some thoughts on what it means for you personally.

FIRST — WHAT EACH SIDE ACTUALLY WANTED FROM THIS WAR.

Before we talk about the ceasefire, understand what everyone came to this table with. 

Because until you know what each side wanted, you cannot judge whether anyone actually won.

1. Israel came for two things. 

–  Destroy Iran’s nuclear program. 

–  And achieve regime change, remove the hardline leadership that has openly stated it would nuke Israel the moment it acquires a nuclear weapon. 

Everything else was secondary.

2. The United States came for three things. 

–  Nuclear dismantlement. 

–  Regime change. 

–  And though rarely stated publicly, control of Iranian oil, and disruption of the cheap energy supply chain that was feeding China’s manufacturing dominance. 

Iran was selling discounted oil to China. That had to stop.

3.  Iran fought back with one weapon above all others. 

Not missiles. Not drones. The Strait of Hormuz. 

Closing the world’s most critical oil chokepoint was Iran’s way of saying if we suffer, everyone suffers. 

And it worked. Oil hit $126 a barrel. A global energy crisis unfolded. And the world came looking for a deal.

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WHAT THE CEASEFIRE ACTUALLY SAYS — AND WHAT IT DOESN’T.

President Trump posted his ceasefire announcement 90 minutes before his own 8PM deadline. 

He credited Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for requesting he stand down. 

He called Iran’s 10-point proposal “a workable basis on which to negotiate.” The U.S. military immediately ordered all offensive operations to cease.

Iran accepted. 

Its Supreme National Security Council confirmed the deal and then issued this statement:

“This does not signify the termination of the war. Our hands remain upon the trigger, and should the slightest error be committed by the enemy, it shall be met with full force.”

Iran also declared it a victory. Its foreign minister said Iranian forces would “cease their defensive operations”, framing 38 days of war as defense, not aggression.

Trump called it “a total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it.”

Both sides cannot be right. That gap will define the next two weeks.

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IS THE CEASEFIRE ACTUALLY HOLDING?

Here is what is verified as of this morning.

Israel and the UAE both sounded missile alerts after the ceasefire was announced. 

Iran continued firing at Israel and Gulf states in the hours following the deal. 

The Times of Israel confirmed: 

“Neither Iran nor the US has offered any time for the ceasefire to begin, with the Islamic Republic continuing to attack Israel along with Gulf states.”

Iran’s IRGC — the paramilitary force that ran this war largely independently of Iran’s political leadership has not publicly confirmed it is standing down. 

Throughout this war, individual IRGC commanders made their own decisions about what to strike and when. 

Whether they received or will follow a ceasefire order from the political leadership remains genuinely unclear.

And critically — Netanyahu confirmed the ceasefire does not include Lebanon. 

Israel’s war on Hezbollah continues. 

That means Iran’s closest regional ally is still under active military attack. 

Whether Iran’s leadership can or will hold its forces back under those circumstances is the central question nobody has answered yet.

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THE REAL VICTORY WILL ONLY BE KNOWN LATER.

Every side is claiming victory today. As they always do after every war in history.

President Trump says total victory. Iran says it successfully defended itself and maintained control of Hormuz. 

Pakistan says it stopped a catastrophe and gets to host the negotiations. 

All three narratives cannot simultaneously be true.

The real outcome — what was actually agreed, what was actually conceded, who actually got what they came for, will only emerge after the negotiations.

Until then, everything you read is spin. From every direction.

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MY MESSAGE TO YOU.

Today is better than yesterday. A ceasefire, even an imperfect, disputed, partially violated one is better than the alternative that was hours away last night.

I genuinely mean that.

But do not mistake a pause for peace.

If you are in a region affected by this conflict, please follow your government’s guidance. 

Stay away from areas that have been targeted. 

Iran’s IRGC is still armed, still organized, and still capable. 

The ceasefire has not been universally confirmed by all the military actors involved in this war.

And financially — nothing that happened last night changes the structural realities this war exposed. 

Oil fell 9% the moment the ceasefire was announced. 

It will rise again if the deal collapses. 

The disruptions to fertilizer, aviation fuel, LNG, and global supply chains do not reverse overnight even if peace holds permanently.

The wealthy prepared before February 28th. They are in a fundamentally different position today than those who did not.

I have said it before. I will keep saying it.

GOLD. SILVER. BITCOIN. Real assets. Things you own unconditionally. 

Things no ceasefire announcement can take from you and no collapse of negotiations can destroy.

This ceasefire is great news. I hope it holds.

But prepare as if it might not.

Because the history of this region and the history of every ceasefire in modern warfare says the odds are not in its favor.

Watch the upcoming negotiations.

This is far from over.

IRAN ISRAEL USA CEASEFIRE! HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED!

THIS MORNING — PRESIDENT TRUMP:

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

Those were the words of the President of the United States on Truth Social, 12 hours before his 8PM deadline. 

Bridges were already being struck. 

Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub was hit overnight with dozens of strikes. Railways were destroyed. Two people killed at a bridge in Kashan. 

18 civilians killed in Alborz Province. Iran called on young people to form human chains around power plants with their own bodies.

The world genuinely did not know what would happen at 8PM.

—

THEN — PAKISTAN.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the same man who told the world earlier this year that he was “ashamed” to go begging for money walked into the most consequential diplomatic moment of this war and asked Trump directly to stand down.

He posted publicly: 

“Diplomatic efforts are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully. 

To allow diplomacy to run its course, I earnestly request President Trump to extend the deadline for two weeks.”

Trump said he knew Sharif well. Called him “a highly respected man, all over.”

For anyone who doesn’t know this, this is USA telling Pakistan what to do, what to post. 

Not negotiations. 

—

TRUMP’S CEASEFIRE ANNOUNCEMENT

“Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran — and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. 

This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE.”

He called Iran’s 10-point proposal “a workable basis on which to negotiate” and said “almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to.”

The U.S. military was ordered to cease all offensive operations effective immediately.

—

IRAN’S RESPONSE:

Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi announced that Iranian forces would “cease their defensive operations” if the U.S. halts its attacks. 

He confirmed: 

“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iranian armed forces.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council accepted the ceasefire and framed it publicly as a victory. 

Iran claimed the agreement included “continued Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz.” 

Trump’s announcement did not mention that condition.

Both sides are describing the same deal differently. That gap will matter enormously in the two weeks ahead.

—

PAKISTAN’S MOMENT

Sharif posted: 

“With the greatest humility, I am pleased to announce that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate ceasefire everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere — EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. 

I warmly welcome the sagacious gesture and invite their delegations to Islamabad on Friday April 10th to further negotiate for a conclusive agreement.”

The talks will be held in Islamabad. 

Pakistan — broke, begging for loan rollovers, its IMF guarantee crumbling somehow became the country that stopped the bombs? 

—

ISRAEL

Netanyahu’s office said Israel supports Trump’s decision but issued one critical caveat: 

“The two-week ceasefire does not include Lebanon.” 

Israel’s war on Hezbollah continues.

—

WHAT HAPPENED TO OIL:

The moment the ceasefire was announced, U.S. crude (WTI) fell from above $114 to around $96 a barrel — a 9% drop in under 30 minutes. 

38 days of energy crisis repriced in half an hour.

—

WHAT NOBODY IS SAYING

This is not peace. This is a pause. Iran believes it maintained control of Hormuz. 

The U.S. believes Iran agreed to fully open it. 

Those two interpretations cannot both be true. In 14 days, in Islamabad someone will have to blink again.

But tonight for the first time since February 28th, the bombs have stopped.

38 days. 3,400 people dead. A global energy crisis. 

And finally we get a 2-week ceasefire. 

At least for now, let’s see if it holds up.

IRAN WAR — DAY 38. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. TRUMP SAID “THE ENTIRE COUNTRY CAN BE TAKEN OUT IN ONE NIGHT. AND THAT NIGHT MIGHT BE TOMORROW NIGHT.”

Standing at a White House press conference, Trump escalated beyond all previous threats. 

He called his Tuesday 8PM deadline final. 

Defense Secretary Hegseth announced: “Today will be the largest volume of strikes since day one. Tomorrow — even more than today.” 

When a reporter asked Trump if he was concerned about committing a war crime by targeting civilian infrastructure, he said: “No. I hope I don’t have to do it.” 

The deadline is hours away as this is written.

2. EGYPT, PAKISTAN AND TURKEY PROPOSED A 45-DAY CEASEFIRE. IRAN REJECTED IT. TRUMP CALLED IT “NOT GOOD ENOUGH.”

Mediators from Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey sent a last-ditch proposal to both sides — a 45-day ceasefire, reopening of Hormuz, and a pathway to a permanent end to the war. 

Iran rejected it immediately, saying it would only accept a permanent end to the war with guarantees it will not be attacked again. 

Iran’s diplomat in Cairo said: “We no longer trust the Trump administration after the U.S. bombed us twice during previous rounds of talks.” 

Trump acknowledged the proposal but said it was “significant — but not good enough.” 

Iran then sent its own 10-point counter-proposal through Pakistan.

3. ISRAEL KILLED THE IRGC’S INTELLIGENCE CHIEF. AND STRUCK THREE TEHRAN AIRPORTS IN ONE NIGHT.

Israel assassinated Majid Khademi, the head of intelligence for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

It then struck three Tehran airports overnight — Bahram, Mehrabad, and Azmayesh destroying dozens of helicopters and aircraft belonging to the Iranian Air Force. 

Iran confirmed both. 

This is systematic dismantling — not just of military capability, but of command, intelligence, and transport infrastructure simultaneously.

4. IRAN HAS HAD NO INTERNET FOR 38 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. THE LONGEST NATIONAL BLACKOUT EVER RECORDED.

NetBlocks confirmed on Day 38 that Iran’s internet blackout is now the longest national-scale outage ever recorded in history. 

An entire country of 93 million people cut off from the world. 

A Tehran resident told journalists: “Constantly there is the sound of bombs, air defenses, drones.” 

Another said he takes sleeping pills to get through the nightly bombardments, worried about power, gas, and water cuts. “Stop this war,” he said.

5. SIX CHILDREN UNDER 10 WERE KILLED OVERNIGHT IN TEHRAN.

Four girls and two boys below the age of 10 were killed in overnight U.S.-Israeli attacks on a residential area in Tehran’s Baharestan county, according to Iran’s Fars news agency. 

A strike near Eslamshar, southwest of Tehran, killed at least 15 more people. 

Five were killed in Qom. Three in Tehran. Six in other cities. These are the numbers behind the headlines.

6. AN IRANIAN DRONE STRUCK KUWAIT’S ALI AL SALEM AIR BASE. 15 AMERICANS INJURED.

An Iranian drone strike on Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait overnight injured 15 American service members, confirmed by two U.S. officials. 

Iran is not just targeting infrastructure anymore. It is targeting American personnel directly inside allied countries.

7. ISRAEL STRUCK IRAN’S SOUTH PARS GAS FIELD — THE WORLD’S LARGEST. AGAIN.

Israel struck a key petrochemical plant at South Pars, the world’s largest natural gas field, shared with Qatar, and critical to electricity production for Iran’s 93 million people. 

Two senior IRGC commanders were killed in the strike. 

Iran’s former foreign minister warned Arab countries that if Trump follows through on power plant strikes, the entire region will go “dark.” 

The Red Cross stated: “Deliberate threats against essential civilian infrastructure must not become the new norm in warfare.”

8. GAS PRICES IN AMERICA HIT $4.12 A GALLON. UP 38% SINCE THE WAR STARTED.

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States edged up to $4.12, up 38% since February 28th. 

Prices have increased on all but three days since March 1. 

Those three declines were by a fraction of a penny each. 

More increases are expected. Oil is now above $109 a barrel, 50% higher than when the war began.

9. IRAN DEMANDED FINANCIAL REPARATIONS AND A GUARANTEE IT WILL NEVER BE ATTACKED AGAIN. AS ITS CONDITION FOR PEACE.

Iran’s position is now clear and public. 

It will not accept a temporary ceasefire. It will not negotiate under ultimatums. 

Its conditions for ending the war include financial reparations for war damages, lifting of all sanctions, and a binding international guarantee that the United States and Israel will never attack it again. 

The U.S. has so far called this position “illogical and excessive.” 

Both sides are talking through intermediaries. Neither side has moved enough.

10. 38 DAYS IN. THE TOTAL HUMAN COST. ACROSS FIVE COUNTRIES.

–  More than 3,400 people have been killed across the Middle East since February 28th. 

–  Over 1,900 in Iran. 

–  At least 1,400 in Lebanon. 

–  Dozens in Israel, the Gulf states, and Iraq. 

–  13 American service members killed. 365 wounded. 

Iran has no internet. No supreme leader. A collapsing currency. 

Airports being bombed. Universities in ruins. And a government that is still saying: we will not surrender.

Tonight at 8PM Eastern, the world finds out what happens next.

This is Day 38.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 37. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. PRESIDENT TRUMP JUST SET A DEADLINE. TUESDAY 8PM. “EVERY POWER PLANT IN IRAN GOES DARK.”

Trump told the Wall Street Journal the U.S. will destroy “every power plant” in Iran if the country doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday. 

“If they don’t do something by Tuesday evening, they won’t have any power plants and they won’t have any bridges standing.”

He then posted on Truth Social: 

“Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one. Open the F***in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH!”

Iran’s response: The strait won’t reopen until Iran is “fully compensated” for war damages.

2. DELTA FORCE AND SEAL TEAM SIX WERE INSIDE IRAN. BOTH.

The elite Army Delta Force and Navy SEAL Team Six were among the hundreds of special operations troops involved in the rescue of the U.S. Air Force colonel stranded inside Iran. 

The injured officer was ultimately rescued following two days of risky operations after his F-15E was shot down during a night mission in southwestern Iran.

3. IRAN CLAIMS IT DESTROYED TWO C-130s AND TWO BLACK HAWKS DURING THE RESCUE.

The IRGC claimed on Sunday that Iranian forces destroyed two C-130 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters during the rescue operation for the U.S. pilot in southern Isfahan. 

It also claimed to have destroyed an MQ-9 Reaper drone during the operation.

4. IRAN STRUCK ORACLE’S OFFICE BUILDING IN DUBAI.

Iran targeted Oracle’s multistory office building in Dubai overnight. 

Authorities said debris fell on the facade of the building. 

The apparent drone attack occurred when offices would normally be empty and no injuries were reported. 

Iran said the attack was in response to the attempted assassination of former Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi — who was severely wounded while his wife was killed.

5. THE FEDERAL RESERVE IS NOW ALARMED. INTEREST RATE CUTS FOR 2026 ARE IN JEOPARDY.

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee said the Iran war risks fueling inflation, making it harder for the Fed to ease interest rates in 2026. 

Before the conflict, he was confident the Fed could cut its benchmark rate this year. 

That optimism has waned as the war drives up oil and fuel prices.

6. 365 AMERICAN SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WOUNDED. 13 KILLED.

A total of 365 American service members have been injured as part of U.S. operations against Iran, according to newly released Pentagon figures.

 247 are Army, 63 Navy, 19 Marines, and 36 Air Force.

7. IRAN HIT KUWAIT AGAIN. POWER PLANTS AND DESALINATION FACILITIES.

Two Kuwaiti power and water desalination plants were damaged by Iranian drone attacks on Sunday, causing the shutdown of two electricity generating units.

Kuwait has now had its oil refinery, power plants, and water supply all targeted. 

8. IRAN FIRED ON U.S. BASES IN JORDAN OVERNIGHT.

The Iranian military announced it attacked U.S. bases in Jordan overnight. 

Saudi Arabia also reported the interception and destruction of an Iranian cruise missile.

9. PAKISTAN AND EGYPT ARE NOW THE SECRET BACK CHANNEL BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN ACCORDING TO PAKISTAN

Pakistan and Egypt are among the countries channeling communications between U.S. and Iranian officials, a Pakistani official source confirmed to CNN on Sunday.

Iran has rejected these claims multiple times.

10. THE HUMAN TOLL. 6,833 CASUALTIES EVACUATED TO HOSPITALS IN ISRAEL ALONE.

As of Sunday April 5, 6,833 casualties had been evacuated to hospitals in Israel since the war began. 

In Lebanon, more than 1,400 people have been killed. Iran reports over 2,076 dead and 26,500 wounded.

This is Day 37.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 36. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. PRESIDENT TRUMP JUST GAVE IRAN 48 HOURS. OR “ALL HELL WILL RAIN DOWN.”

On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran has 48 hours to make a deal or open the Strait of Hormuz before “all Hell will reign down on them.” 

Iran’s military responded by calling the ultimatum “helpless” and “stupid” — and warned that if Iran’s infrastructure continues to come under attack, “the gates of hell will be opened upon you.”

Two countries. Both threatening hell. 

2. THE MISSING AMERICAN PILOT WAS FOUND. HERE IS HOW CLOSE IT CAME.

U.S. forces located and evacuated the missing weapons systems officer who had been unaccounted for after the F-15E was shot down over Iran. 

Two senior U.S. officials and multiple regional sources confirmed the rescue to Fox News. 

The pilot spent over 24 hours inside hostile Iranian territory with civilians hunting him for a $60,000 bounty and local guns trained on American rescue helicopters overhead.

3. IRAN REVEALED IT USED A BRAND NEW AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM TO DOWN THE F-15.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command announced it used a new air defense system, not previously revealed to shoot down the American fighter jet, along with three drones and two cruise missiles. 

A spokesperson said: 

“The enemy should know that we rely on new air defense systems built by the young, knowledgeable, and proud people of this country, unveiling them one after another in the field.”

4. IRAN FIRED CLUSTER MUNITION MISSILES NEAR ISRAEL’S MILITARY HEADQUARTERS IN TEL AVIV.

On April 4, an Iranian missile strike hit in the vicinity of the IDF’s HaKirya headquarters in Tel Aviv. 

The missiles carried cluster bomb warheads banned by more than 100 countries scattering smaller bomblets over a wide area, posing severe risks to civilians long after the initial attack.

5. THE U.S. AND ISRAEL STRUCK IRAN’S PETROCHEMICAL HEARTLAND. 5 KILLED.

U.S. and Israeli forces struck two major petrochemical facilities in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province, the Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Zone, one of Iran’s largest industrial complexes, and the state-run Bandar Imam petrochemical complex, which produces chemicals, liquefied petroleum gas, polymers, and industrial products. 

At least five people were killed and dozens wounded.

6. A PROJECTILE LANDED AT THE PERIMETER OF IRAN’S BUSHEHR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. ONE KILLED.

A projectile landed near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran, killing a security guard, 

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization confirmed. 

Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company said nearly 200 of its staff members have evacuated the facility.

7. MORE THAN 30 IRANIAN UNIVERSITIES HAVE NOW BEEN STRUCK.

Iran’s science minister said more than 30 of the country’s universities have faced direct attacks during the war. 

Among the latest was Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, one of Iran’s most prestigious institutions, hit on April 4.

8. GAS AT THE PUMP IN AMERICA HIT $4.10 A GALLON. UP 12 CENTS IN ONE WEEK.

The average price of gasoline in the United States climbed to $4.10 a gallon, a 12-cent increase from just the week before, according to data from AAA. 

Brent crude has already surged more than 60% since the war began on February 28.

60% in 36 days. And nobody is talking about what happens if the Hormuz deadline is not met on Monday.

9. INDIA JUST BOUGHT OIL FROM IRAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS.

India purchased oil from Iran for the first time in years, confirmed by its oil and natural gas ministry, as the ongoing war continues to roil global energy markets.

10. THE HUMAN TOLL. OVER 2,076 IRANIANS DEAD. 30+ UNIVERSITIES HIT. 1,300 KILLED IN LEBANON.

At least 2,076 people have been killed and 26,500 wounded in Iran since the war began on February 28. 

In Lebanon, at least 1,001 people have been killed and more than one million Lebanese nationals, one sixth of the entire country — have been displaced.

Wars always end. The damage they leave behind never fully does.

This is Day 36.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 35. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. AMERICA LOST A FIGHTER JET OVER IRAN. THEN LOST ANOTHER.

On April 3, Iranian forces shot down a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle over Iran. The jet had two crew members. 

The pilot was rescued. The search for the weapons systems officer is still underway. 

During that very rescue mission, an A-10 Warthog was also downed, its pilot rescued — and two Black Hawk helicopters were hit by small arms fire.

2. IRAN REJECTED A U.S. CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL.

An unnamed source told Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency that Tehran had rejected a U.S. proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire. 

Iran’s military went further saying the war will continue until its enemies face “humiliation” and “surrender,” and specifically cautioning the U.S. against a ground invasion.

No off-ramp. No exit. Not yet.

3. TRUMP WANTS TO HIT IRAN “EXTREMELY HARD” FOR 2 TO 3 MORE WEEKS.

Trump told the nation the U.S. would hit Iran “extremely hard” for another 2 to 3 weeks. 

In that same speech, he threatened to bomb Iran back to the “Stone Ages” if it did not accept U.S. terms. 

Ceasefire efforts have since stalled, according to mediators cited by The Wall Street Journal.

4. THE PENTAGON JUST FIRED ITS TOP GENERAL. DURING A WAR.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly fired the U.S. Army’s top general and two other senior officers — prompting widespread speculation about a wartime leadership shake-up.

Firing generals in the middle of a shooting war. Let that sink in.

5. THE UAE INTERCEPTED 18 BALLISTIC MISSILES, 4 CRUISE MISSILES, AND 47 DRONES IN A SINGLE DAY.

On April 3 alone, UAE air defenses engaged 18 ballistic missiles, 4 cruise missiles, and 47 drones originating from Iran. 

Since the war began, UAE air defenses have engaged a total of 475 ballistic missiles, 23 cruise missiles, and 2,085 drones.

This is not a skirmish. This is a full regional war.

6. OIL IS ABOVE $100. AND CLIMBING.

The Strait of Hormuz blockade has halted most shipping and pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel. 

Russian Urals crude surged to $123.45. Brent rose past $109.

7. THE GLOBAL AIRLINE INDUSTRY IS BEING GUTTED.

Before this war started, the global airline industry had forecast record profits of $41 billion for 2026. 

With jet fuel costs more than doubling, carriers from Air New Zealand to Vietnam Airlines have started cutting flights. Korean Air shifted to “emergency management mode.” 

The Philippines’ president said grounding planes is a “distinct possibility.”

One war. Every flight on earth is now at risk.

8. IRAN HIT KUWAIT’S POWER AND WATER PLANTS.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy confirmed that one of its power generation and water desalination plants was struck in an Iranian attack, causing material damage.

Emergency teams were immediately deployed to maintain essential services.

Iran is not just fighting America and Israel. It is hitting the entire Gulf.

9. BRITAIN IS LEADING TALKS WITH 40 COUNTRIES TO REOPEN HORMUZ. THE U.S. IS NOT PARTICIPATING.

The United Kingdom is holding talks with about 40 countries on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass. 

The U.S. is not taking part.

10. THE HUMAN TOLL. 2,076 DEAD. 26,500 WOUNDED. 600 SCHOOLS HIT.

At least 2,076 people have been killed and 26,500 wounded in Iran since the war began on February 28. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says more than 600 schools and education centres have been struck.

Behind every number is a family. A child. A future that no longer exists.

.

.

.

Your savings in dollars are losing value every single day this war continues. 

Oil goes up. Gold goes up. Bitcoin goes up. The dollar buys less.

The middle class will pay for this war through inflation. They always do.

This is Day 35. 

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IRAN WAR — DAY 34. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. PRESIDENT TRUMP POSTED A VIDEO OF IRAN’S BIGGEST BRIDGE COLLAPSING. THEN THREATENED MORE.

US-Israeli strikes hit the B1 bridge between Tehran and Karaj, described as the highest bridge in the Middle East killing 8 people and wounding 95. 

Trump posted the video on Truth Social saying:

“The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again. Much more to follow!” 

He then posted: “Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants!” and warned Iran to make a deal “before it is too late.”

2. IRAN FIRED A NEW WAVE OF MISSILES AT ISRAEL ON PASSOVER EVE.

Iran launched fresh missile barrages at Israel on the first night of Passover, one of the holiest nights in the Jewish calendar. 

Israel’s Arrow and David’s Sling defence systems intercepted most threats. 

14 people including an 11-year-old girl were wounded near Tel Aviv. 

One missile used a cluster-submunition warhead — a tactical first in this conflict designed to overwhelm air defences.

3. OIL IS NOW AT $109 PER BARREL. ANALYSTS SAY $200 IS POSSIBLE.

Brent crude surged to $109 per barrel following Trump’s speech on Wednesday. 

Russian Urals crude spiked to $123.45 as buyers shifted away from blocked Gulf supplies. 

US government officials and Wall Street analysts have begun privately discussing the possibility of prices reaching $200 per barrel if the Strait remains closed past mid-April. 

Oil executives warn the world still hasn’t grasped the severity of the situation.

4. THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL VOTES FRIDAY ON A RESOLUTION TO SECURE THE STRAIT.

Bahrain has proposed a draft resolution authorising states to use “all necessary measures” to ensure free transit through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The measure has divided the 15-member Security Council. A UN vote is scheduled for Friday, April 3rd.

5. 40 COUNTRIES DEMANDED THE IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL REOPENING OF THE STRAIT.

The UK-led virtual summit expanded from 35 to 40 countries. 

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper announced they had called for the “immediate and unconditional” reopening of the Strait. 

Military planners from participating nations will now meet separately to discuss how to secure passage once fighting stops.

6. IRAN CALLED US DEMANDS “MAXIMALIST AND IRRATIONAL.” DENIED ANY NEGOTIATIONS.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Washington’s conditions for ending the war were “maximalist and irrational” and flatly denied any ceasefire negotiations were underway. 

Foreign Minister Araghchi said trust is “at zero.” 

Israel also said it had killed Iran’s ballistic missile chief Makram Atimi and several battalion commanders in a strike in the Kermanshah area confirmed by the IDF.

7. IRAN’S PRESIDENT WROTE AN OPEN LETTER DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

President Pezeshkian published an open letter in English on X addressed to Americans, saying Iran held “no hostility” toward US or European people, and asking whether the “America First” policy was truly being served by the war. 

He said Iran had tried to negotiate before the US attacked on February 28th.

8. A SENIOR IRANIAN POLITICIAN WAS WOUNDED IN AN AIRSTRIKE ON DAY 34.

A senior Iranian official was struck and wounded in a targeted airstrike, according to multiple sources. 

The IDF confirmed the strike. 

Details on the official’s identity and condition remain limited amid Iran’s near-total internet blackout which has been in place since the start of the war.

9. CHINA’S FOREIGN MINISTER CONDEMNED THE WAR AS A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

Wang Yi said US and Israeli attacks on Iran were a violation of international law and called on the UN Security Council to “prevent the escalation of conflict.” 

He held separate calls with his EU, German, and Saudi counterparts on Thursday. 

China remains Iran’s largest oil buyer and has allowed Chinese tankers to pass through the Strait.

10. ANALYSTS WARN THE WORLD HAS UNTIL MID-APRIL BEFORE THE OIL CRISIS GETS CATASTROPHICALLY WORSE.

BCA Research estimates the world has currently lost 4.5 to 5 million barrels per day of oil — about 5% of global supply. 

That number is projected to double by mid-April, making it the largest loss of crude supply in history. 

The Philippines declared a national energy emergency. 

Australia launched a National Fuel Security Plan. 

The IEA has called this the greatest global energy security challenge in history.

34 days. No Strait open. Oil at $109. Missiles on Passover. Bridge collapsed. UN vote tomorrow.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 33. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSED THE NATION LAST NIGHT.

In a prime-time speech from the White House, Trump said the “core strategic objectives are nearing completion” and that Iran “is really no longer a threat.” 

He vowed to hit Iran “extremely hard over the next two to three weeks” and bring them “back to the Stone Ages.” 

2. TRUMP CLAIMS IRAN ASKED FOR A CEASEFIRE. IRAN SAYS THAT IS FALSE.

Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran’s president had “just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE.” 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry called the claim “false and baseless.” 

Iran’s FM Araghchi told Al Jazeera: 

“You cannot speak to the people of Iran in the language of threats and deadlines.”

3. TRUMP IS STRONGLY CONSIDERING PULLING THE US OUT OF NATO.

In an interview with Britain’s Telegraph, Trump called NATO a “paper tiger” and said he is “absolutely” considering withdrawing from the 77-year-old alliance after NATO members refused to join the war or help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will visit the White House next week.

4. IRAN STRUCK AMAZON’S CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE IN BAHRAIN — AGAIN.

Iranian missiles hit Batelco, Bahrain’s largest telecom company in Hamala, which hosts Amazon Web Services infrastructure. 

AWS Bahrain is down. Extended recovery required. 

This is the second time in a month AWS has been hit. 

Customers have been told to migrate workloads out of the region.

5. US-ISRAEL HIT A PHARMACEUTICAL FACTORY IN TEHRAN.

US-Israeli forces bombed the Tofigh Daru pharmaceutical raw materials facility in Tehran, destroying its research and development department. 

Iranian officials called it “a blow to the national medical supply chain.”

6. A DESALINATION PLANT IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS NOW OUT OF SERVICE.

A desalination plant on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz was knocked out by strikes and is no longer operational. 

Iran has also struck a desalination plant in Kuwait, which relies on desalination for 90% of its drinking water.

7. THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ STAYS CLOSED. IRGC SAYS IT WILL NOT OPEN FOR ENEMIES.

The IRGC stated the Strait “will not be opened to the enemies of this nation.” 

Before the war, 130 ships per day passed through. 

Today the number remains fewer than 6. 

The UK will host a virtual summit of 35 countries on Thursday to discuss how to reopen it.

8. US HAS FLOWN OVER 12,000 COMBAT FLIGHTS IN 33 DAYS.

CENTCOM confirmed on Wednesday that US forces have flown more than 12,000 combat flights in support of Operation Epic Fury since February 28. 

Oil prices surged following Trump’s speech, which offered no clear exit strategy.

9. GAS PRICES HIT $4.06 PER GALLON — THE LARGEST ONE-DAY JUMP IN TWO WEEKS.

The average US gas price jumped nearly 5 cents in a single day to $4.06 per gallon, according to AAA, the largest one-day move in more than two weeks. 

WTI crude remains above $100 per barrel.

10. MORE THAN 2,000 IRANIANS HAVE NOW BEEN KILLED. OVER 2,300 DETAINED INSIDE IRAN.

The UN human rights office confirmed that more than 2,300 people have been detained on national security charges inside Iran since the war began. 

The UN warned that vague security claims are being used to “further repress” minorities and marginalized groups, and called for an immediate stop to executions.

33 days in. No exit confirmed. No Strait open. Gas at $4. NATO fracturing.

This is Day 33. Follow & turn on your notifications.

IRAN WAR — DAY 32. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1 — PRESIDENT TRUMP SPEAKS TO THE NATION TONIGHT.

Trump will address America at 9PM ET tonight with an “important update on Iran.” 

He says the war could end in 2 to 3 weeks. 

Iran’s Foreign Minister says they are prepared to fight for at least 6 months.

2 — GAS JUST HIT $4 A GALLON.

The average US gas price crossed $4 for the first time since 2022. Regular is at $4.018. Diesel is at $5.454. 

WTI crude is trading at $102 a barrel…up from $59 at the start of the year. That is a 73% increase in oil prices since February 28.

3 — IRAN THREATENED APPLE, GOOGLE, MICROSOFT, TESLA AND 13 OTHER US TECH COMPANIES.

The IRGC issued a direct warning to 17 American companies including Meta, IBM, Intel and HP that they face destruction of their facilities starting today, April 1, if assassinations of Iranian leaders continue.

4 — KUWAIT’S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS HIT.

Iranian drones struck fuel storage tanks at Kuwait International Airport today, causing a massive blaze. 

No casualties reported. 

A fully loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker, the Al-Salmi, was also hit by Iranian drones in Dubai waters yesterday.

5 — THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS STILL CLOSED.

Before the war, 130 ships a day passed through the Strait. Today, fewer than 6. 

Iran has effectively shut down 20% of the world’s oil supply. 

Approximately 2,000 vessels and 20,000 seafarers remain stranded in the region.

6 — IRAN’S PARLIAMENT IS MOVING TO EXIT THE NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY.

Iranian lawmakers have uploaded draft legislation to withdraw from the NPT, the treaty that prevents countries from building nuclear weapons. 

If passed, it would also revoke all restrictions from the 2015 nuclear deal. This has not happened yet. But it is moving.

7 — THE IRGC NAVY COMMANDER WHO RAN THE HORMUZ BLOCKADE WAS KILLED.

Israel struck and killed Alireza Tangsiri, the senior IRGC Navy commander overseeing the Strait of Hormuz blockade. 

Iran’s maritime posture has not changed.

8 — TRUMP TOLD US ALLIES: “GO GET YOUR OWN OIL.”

Trump told European allies including the UK to go to the Strait of Hormuz and handle it themselves. 

Italy blocked a US military aircraft from using its base in Sicily. 

Spain said it will not allow its bases or airspace to be used. 

Marco Rubio said the US-NATO relationship will need to be “very carefully reexamined” after this war.

9 — THE ECONOMIC DAMAGE IS HISTORIC.

The International Energy Agency has called this the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. 

LNG prices in Japan and South Korea are up 48%. 

Jet fuel has more than doubled. 

The Philippines declared a national energy emergency. 

The OECD has cut its global growth forecast to 2.9% and sharply raised inflation forecasts for G20 nations to 4%.

10 — TRUMP IS OPEN TO ENDING THE WAR WITHOUT REOPENING HORMUZ.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump told White House staff he would be open to ending the war even if the Strait of Hormuz stays closed. 

Markets rallied on that news. Then reality set in. 

Because even if fighting stops shipping insurance remains sky high, maritime workers refuse the journey, and Kuwait Petroleum’s CEO said it could take 3 to 4 months to return to full production.

This war started on February 28, 2026.

32 days later — oil is at $102, gas is at $4, the Strait is closed, US allies are walking away, and Iran just threatened Silicon Valley.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 31. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. BREAKING: Trump told aides he’s willing to end the war WITHOUT reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

The Wall Street Journal reported it today, citing administration officials.

Trump assessed that reopening Hormuz would push the conflict beyond his 4–6 week timeline.

His plan: wind down military operations, then pressure Iran diplomatically to open the strait or ask allies and Gulf nations to lead a reopening effort later.

The White House confirmed it. Press Secretary Leavitt said reopening Hormuz is NOT a “core objective” of ending the war.

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2. US gas prices crossed $4 a gallon today for the first time in over 3 years.

GasBuddy confirmed it Monday.

Up more than 50 cents since February 28th.

The IMF warned this week that countries in Asia and Africa are struggling to access oil supplies “even at inflated prices” and that higher food and fertilizer prices are already threatening food security in low-income economies.

This war is no longer just a Middle East story.

—

3. Pope Leo XIV said God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war. The White House pushed back.

In his Palm Sunday homily, the new Pope said Jesus “rejects war” and “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war — your hands are full of blood.”

The White House responded by saying there is “nothing wrong” with calling on Americans to pray for troops.

The Pope of the Catholic Church and the White House are publicly in disagreement.

—

4. Iran confirmed today that its IRGC Navy Commander was killed by Israel.

Alireza Tangsiri,  the man directly responsible for mining and blockading the Strait of Hormuz — was struck by Israel in Bandar Abbas on March 26. 

Iran’s IRGC confirmed his death today after he succumbed to severe injuries. US CENTCOM confirmed it too.

He was the architect of the Hormuz blockade. He personally oversaw which ships were allowed to pass.

He joins a growing list: Supreme Leader Khamenei, the Defence Minister, the IRGC commander, security chief Larijani, and dozens more.

—

5. Tehran had a blackout overnight. Power infrastructure directly targeted.

Israeli strikes hit power infrastructure inside Tehran itself.

A blackout occurred across the capital before power was restored, Iranian authorities confirmed.

This is a significant escalation from military and industrial targets to civilian power infrastructure in the capital city.

—

6. A ballistic missile from Iran entered Turkish airspace. NATO shot it down.

Turkey’s defence ministry confirmed an Iranian ballistic missile entered Turkish airspace and was intercepted by NATO air defense systems in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey is a NATO member.

An Iranian missile entering Turkish airspace is an act of aggression against the alliance.

NATO said nothing. It’s the fourth such incident this month.

—

7. Iran struck the US aluminum supply chain directly.

Iranian missiles and drones hit two major aluminum smelters this week, one in Bahrain, one in the UAE.

Both are among the largest aluminum producers in the world.

Times of Israel called it Iran “blowing a hole in the US aluminum supply chain.”

Steel, aluminum, oil, gas. Every industrial input is now under attack.

—

8. Rubio said talks failing is a “probability” the US must prepare for.

Secretary of State Rubio told reporters the US must be ready for the “probability” that negotiations with Iran collapse entirely.

Iran called US peace proposals “largely excessive, unrealistic and unreasonable.”

Trump is calling the same leaders he’s negotiating with part of a “new, more reasonable regime.”

Iran is calling the same proposals unreasonable.

Same day. Same war. Two completely different realities.

—

9. Three UN peacekeepers killed in Lebanon over the weekend.

An Indonesian peacekeeper killed Saturday. Two more on Monday.

France demanded an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

Israel said it was “reviewing the incidents.”

51 health workers killed in Lebanon this month.

—

10. The Pentagon is preparing for “weeks of ground operations” inside Iran.

The Washington Post reported it. The Pentagon confirmed readiness for limited ground operations.

3,500 Marines already in the region. 

2,200 more incoming. 

Portions of the 82nd Airborne also deploying.

Trump says he’s winding down. The Pentagon is preparing to go in

This is Day 31.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 30. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. President Trump just said “My favourite thing is to take the oil in Iran.”

In a Financial Times interview today, Trump said he wants to seize Kharg Island, the hub that handles 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports.

“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options.”

He added: “I don’t think they have any defence. We could take it very easily.”

10,000 troops have been ordered to deploy. 

3,500 Marines already arrived Friday. 

2,200 more are on the way. 

Portions of the 82nd Airborne are also being dispatched.

The Pentagon has confirmed plans exist for the operation. 

One White House source told Axios the strategy is: “Get them by the balls and use it for negotiations.”

—

2. Iran says it agreed to “most of” the 15-point US peace plan. Trump says Iran sent 20 ships of oil as proof.

Also today, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: “They gave us most of the points.”

He claimed Iran sent 20 ships loaded with oil, beginning delivery tomorrow to “prove they’re serious.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister has signaled skepticism of Washington’s position all week.

Two completely different stories. Same war. Same day.

—

3. Iran is threatening to leave the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Day 30 and Iranian politicians are now openly pushing for Iran to exit the NPT, the global agreement that governs nuclear weapons.

If Iran leaves the NPT inspections stop. Oversight ends. The path to a nuclear weapon becomes wide open.

This is the most significant escalation signal of the entire war.

The US and Israel went to war to stop Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran is now threatening to remove every legal barrier to building one.

—

4. Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, Iranian-backed Shia militia — were filmed entering Iran today.

Footage confirmed. PMF forces crossing into Iran.

A new ground actor is now inside Iranian territory.

Another player. Another front. Another complication for any ceasefire.

—

5. Four foreign ministers met in Islamabad today to end the war. Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt.

The most significant multilateral diplomatic push since the war began.

Pakistan — the messenger between Washington and Tehran said it is prepared to host direct US-Iran talks “in coming days.”

—

6. Iran’s parliament speaker said Tehran’s forces are “waiting” for a US ground invasion.

“They are secretly planning a ground invasion while floating negotiations,” said Speaker Ghalibaf.

“Our forces are waiting for them.”

—

7. Oil hit $116 a barrel overnight. Brent is heading for a record monthly jump.

Up more than 50% since February 28th.

The IEA called it the biggest oil shock in history.

Brent futures rose 3.2% to $116 in early Asia trading alone, on the back of today’s Kharg Island news and ongoing Houthi strikes.

—

8. Iran struck a chemical plant in Israel’s Ne’ot Hovav industrial zone. Hazardous leak feared.

A ballistic missile struck the Ne’ot Hovav chemical complex — home to some of Israel’s most hazardous industrial facilities.

One person injured. Authorities feared a hazardous chemical leak.

—

9. A first-born American-Israeli soldier was killed in Lebanon.

Sgt. Moshe Yitzhak Katz, 22 years old, from New Haven, Connecticut.

Killed by Hezbollah rocket fire in southern Lebanon overnight.

The first confirmed American-born IDF soldier killed in the campaign.

Three IDF soldiers killed in Lebanon in three consecutive days.

—

10. US Central Command has now struck over 11,000 targets in Iran. 

Iran’s death toll: 1,900+ killed, 20,000+ injured.

And Iran is still firing.

Still blocking the strait.

Still threatening to escalate.

This is Day 30.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 29. Here are Strait of Hormuz 10 Latest Updates

1. The Houthis fired — TWICE. 

And threatened something far bigger.

Day 29 opened with Yemen’s Houthi rebels launching not one but TWO separate ballistic missile barrages at Israel.

Both intercepted. Both claimed.

Their spokesman said attacks will continue “until the declared objectives are achieved.”

And then they added this: closing the Bab al-Mandeb strait through which 12% of global oil and 25% of all container trade flows is “among their options.”

The world rerouted from Hormuz to the Red Sea.

The Houthis just showed up at the Red Sea.

—

2. Iran threatened US university campuses in the Gulf.

The IRGC issued a direct warning: if strikes on Iranian universities continue, they will expand attacks to US university campuses in the Gulf including Texas A&M and Northwestern in Qatar, and NYU in Abu Dhabi.

They set a deadline: March 30th.

Tomorrow.

—

3. The world’s second-largest aluminum producer just took a direct hit.

Iranian missiles and drones struck Abu Dhabi.

A major global aluminum smelter, the second-largest supplier in the world reported “significant damage.”

This war is no longer just an oil story.

It is now hitting every industrial supply chain on earth.

—

4. The S&P 500 is heading for its 5th straight losing week.

Its longest losing streak in nearly 4 years.

Thursday was Wall Street’s worst single day since the war began.

S&P 500 down 1.7%. Nasdaq down 2.4% — now more than 10% below its all-time high. That is officially a correction.

Oil hit $110 a barrel this week.

The IMF says every 10% rise in oil prices adds 0.4% to inflation and cuts 0.15% from economic growth.

—

5. Iran let 20 Pakistani ships cross the Strait of Hormuz. The world called it a breakthrough.

Two ships per day.

Pakistan — the mediator between Washington and Tehran called it “a harbinger of peace.”

20 ships.

The strait normally handles millions of barrels a day.

20 ships is not a reopening.

It is a negotiating chip.

—

6. Kuwait International Airport was hit. A massive fire broke out.

A drone attack struck fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport, triggering a huge fire.

The airport’s radar system was severely damaged.

Kuwait’s air defenses have now intercepted 174 missiles and 385 drones since February 28th.

—

7. 2,500 US Marines just arrived in the Middle East.

The USS Tripoli arrived carrying the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Their mission: help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

A second aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush — is also deploying to the region.

America is not drawing down.

America is building up.

—

8. President Trump said the US still has 3,554 targets left to hit in Iran.

At a business conference in Miami Beach.

3,554 targets.

This war is nowhere near over.

—

9. Trump called NATO a “paper tiger” publicly.

NATO allies “weren’t there” when asked to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

G7 foreign ministers pressed Secretary of State Rubio for clarity on America’s Iran strategy.

None of them got a clear answer.

The Western alliance is fracturing in real time in public.

—

10. US Central Command has now struck over 11,000 targets in Iran since Day 1.

–  11,000 targets in 29 days.

–  Iran’s death toll: 1,900+ killed. 20,000+ injured.

And Iran is still firing.

Still blocking the strait.

Still threatening to escalate.

This is Day 29.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 28. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. IRAN STRUCK PRINCE SULTAN AIR BASE IN SAUDI ARABIA. US TROOPS WOUNDED. PLANES DAMAGED.

An Iranian missile and drone attack hit Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on Day 28. 

At least 10 to 12 US service members were injured, two with serious shrapnel wounds. 

Several US refueling aircraft were damaged. US CENTCOM confirmed separately that more than 300 American service members have now been wounded in total since February 28.

2. RUBIO TOLD G7 ALLIES THE WAR WILL LAST ANOTHER 2 TO 4 WEEKS.

In private discussions with G7 counterparts on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expected the war with Iran to continue for another two to four weeks. 

This directly contradicts the public diplomatic optimism being projected this week.

3. BUSHEHR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT STRUCK FOR THE THIRD TIME.

Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, the country’s only civilian nuclear facility, was struck by a projectile late Friday, marking the third attack on the facility in recent days. 

The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran said no casualties, material damage or technical disruptions were reported but blamed the US and Israel. The IAEA is monitoring.

4. ISRAEL STRUCK BALLISTIC MISSILE PRODUCTION SITES IN THE HEART OF TEHRAN.

The Israeli military said it struck sites “in the heart of Tehran” on Day 28 where ballistic missiles and other weapons are produced. 

It also hit missile launchers and storage sites across Western Iran. 

Israel’s Defence Minister vowed to “intensify and expand” attacks to additional targets.

5. IRAN TURNED BACK THREE SHIPS TRYING TO ENTER THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed it turned back three vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, stating the route remains closed to ships linked to its “enemies.” 

Analysts noted the incident confirms that safe passage cannot be guaranteed even for ships that believe they have clearance.

6. A CHINESE-AFFILIATED PROJECT IN THE GULF WAS HIT FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Iran struck Kuwait’s Shuwaikh Port and the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, a facility under construction as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. 

This appears to be the first time a Chinese-affiliated infrastructure project in the Gulf Arab states has come under direct attack in this war.

7. WITKOFF SAYS HE BELIEVES MEETINGS WITH IRAN WILL HAPPEN “THIS WEEK.”

US special envoy Steve Witkoff said he believes direct meetings to negotiate with Iran will happen this week. 

He confirmed Washington delivered a 15-point “action list” to Iran via Pakistan for a possible ceasefire. 

Iran has rejected it and issued its own five-point counter-proposal — including war reparations and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

8. THE S&P 500 JUST CLOSED ITS WORST WEEK SINCE THE WAR BEGAN.

US stocks dropped sharply on Day 28. 

The S&P 500 fell 1.7%, closing out its worst week since the war started and its fifth consecutive losing week. 

The Dow dropped 1.7%. The Nasdaq fell 2.1%. Brent crude settled at $101.89 a barrel, up more than 45% since February 28.

9. IRAN HAS NOW KILLED OR WOUNDED CIVILIANS ACROSS 9 COUNTRIES.

Iran has launched strikes across nine countries in the region: 

Israel, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. 

Total confirmed dead: 

–  Iran 1,900+ 

–  Lebanon 1,142+

–  Israel 19 civilians

–  Iraq 96+

–  Gulf states 30+. 

–  Over 300 US service members wounded. 

–  13 US service members killed.

10. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS IT’S TIME FOR SAUDI ARABIA AND ISRAEL TO NORMALIZE TIES.

Speaking at a Miami event sponsored by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund on Day 28, Trump said: “It’s now time” for Saudi-Israel normalization. 

“We’ve now taken them out, and they are out bigly. 

We got to get into the Abraham Accords.” This is the clearest signal yet of what Trump sees as the post-war political architecture of the Middle East.

Day 28. Almost one month of war.

Diplomacy is being discussed in public. Escalation is happening in private.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 27. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. PRESIDENT TRUMP EXTENDS THE ENERGY STRIKE PAUSE TO APRIL 6.

On Day 27, Trump announced a 10-day extension of his pause on strikes against Iranian power plants pushing the new deadline to April 6. 

He posted on Truth Social that the pause came “as per Iranian Government request” and that talks were going “very well.” 

Iran denied making any such request and said it had not yet delivered a final response to the 15-point peace proposal.

2. IRAN’S TOP NAVAL COMMANDER IS DEAD.

Israel confirmed the killing of Admiral Alireza Tangsiri — the commander of the IRGC Navy and the man most directly responsible for orchestrating the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz. 

The US military called on remaining IRGC Navy personnel to “immediately abandon their post.” 

His death is one of the most significant command-level strikes of the entire war.

3. THE US HAS DESTROYED TWO-THIRDS OF IRAN’S MISSILE AND DRONE PRODUCTION.

A senior US military officer confirmed on Day 27 that American strikes have hit roughly two-thirds of Iran’s facilities for producing missiles and drones. 

Iran is still firing. 

But its capacity to sustain the rate of fire is being degraded.

4. ISRAEL IS RACING TO HIT IRAN’S ARMS FACTORIES BEFORE A CEASEFIRE.

A person briefed on Israeli military operations told NPR that Israel is speeding up its targeting of Iranian arms factories over the next 48 hours…specifically to maximize damage before any ceasefire is declared. 

Israel launched a wave of extensive strikes on Isfahan on Day 27, targeting missile infrastructure and weapons storage.

5. THE PENTAGON IS CONSIDERING SENDING UP TO 10,000 MORE GROUND TROOPS.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon is reviewing plans to send up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East — on top of the 82nd Airborne deployment already underway and the two Marine Expeditionary Units en route. 

This would bring total US military presence in the region to over 60,000.

6. IRAN IS FORTIFYING KHARG ISLAND AGAINST A POSSIBLE US SEIZURE.

Kharg Island — Iran’s main oil export terminal, responsible for roughly 90% of its crude exports is being reinforced with troops, traps and air defenses according to US intelligence reporting. 

If the US seizes Kharg, Iran loses its primary economic artery. 

Iran has warned any such attempt would be met with “dangerous and costly” consequences.

7. THE OECD JUST ISSUED ITS STRONGEST ECONOMIC WARNING OF THE WAR.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development released its March 2026 interim forecast on Day 27. 

The numbers are significant. 

US inflation is now projected to hit 4.2% in 2026, up 1.2 percentage points from its December forecast and the highest in the G7. 

Global GDP growth has been revised down to 2.9%. 

The Eurozone is projected to grow just 0.8%. G20 inflation is forecast at 4.0%…1.2 points above previous estimates. 

The OECD stated plainly: the war has erased what would have been an upgrade to global growth forecasts.

8. RUSSIA IS PROVIDING INTELLIGENCE TO IRAN TO KILL AMERICANS.

The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas stated publicly that Russia is helping Iran with intelligence to target US forces — and is also supplying drones to Iran for attacks on neighboring countries and US military bases. 

This is a direct accusation from a major Western institution, made on the record.

9. IRAN IS PREPARING LEGISLATION TO PERMANENTLY FORMALIZE HORMUZ TOLLS.

Iran’s parliament is advancing a draft law that would codify sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and formalize the collection of transit fees from all vessels using the waterway. 

The Gulf Cooperation Council confirmed Iran is already charging fees — calling it a violation of international law. 

If passed into law, Iran would become the first nation in modern history to levy permanent unilateral tolls on an international strait.

10. THE DEATH TOLL CONTINUES TO RISE ACROSS THE REGION.

–  Iran: 1,750+ killed since February 28. 

–  Lebanon: 1,116 killed since March 2 — including 121 children and 42 health workers. 

–  Iraq: 96+ dead. 

–  US military: 13 service members dead. 

–  Israel: 18 civilians killed. The war is now in its fourth week with no confirmed ceasefire framework, no confirmed meeting date, and both sides still firing.

This is Day 27. 

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IRAN WAR — DAY 26. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. IRAN REJECTED THE US 15-POINT PROPOSAL. CALLED IT “MAXIMALIST.”

Tehran confirmed it received the peace plan delivered via Pakistan. 

A senior Iranian official publicly described it as “unreasonable” and said the war would end only “on Tehran’s own terms.” 

Iran’s military spokesman went further, mocking Washington: “Don’t dress up your defeat as an agreement.”

2. IRAN HAS ITS OWN 5 COUNTER-CONDITIONS.

Iran’s state media outlined Tehran’s terms for ending the war: 

–  A complete halt to all strikes, binding guarantees the war won’t restart

–  Full war reparations

–  Sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz — and all American bases out of the Gulf. 

The gap between the two sides remains enormous.

3. IRAN IS CHARGING SHIPS A FEE TO PASS THROUGH THE STRAIT.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed it will “absolutely” continue collecting passage fees from vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. 

That’s 20% of the world’s oil supply…now effectively a toll road controlled by Tehran.

4. SAUDI ARABIA’S BIGGEST OIL FACILITIES CAME UNDER ATTACK.

Iranian drones and missiles targeted Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province…home to Ghawar, the world’s largest conventional oilfield, and the Ras Tanura and Abqaiq facilities. 

Saudi forces shot down at least 32 drones and a ballistic missile in just 11 hours. 

Any direct hit on Abqaiq alone would remove roughly 7% of global oil supply overnight.

5. 2,000 VESSELS AND 20,000 SAILORS ARE STRANDED IN THE STRAIT.

Approximately 2,000 ships and 20,000 seafarers are currently trapped in the Strait of Hormuz — unable to move safely in either direction. 

This is no longer just an energy crisis. It is a global shipping paralysis.

6. IRAN SHUNNED TRUMP’S CHOSEN NEGOTIATORS.

Iranian representatives told the Trump administration they refuse to deal with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. 

Tehran has said it would only engage with Vice President JD Vance. The structure of any potential talks if they happen is still unresolved.

7. THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL SAID THE WAR IS “TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL.”

UN chief António Guterres addressed the Security Council on Day 26, warning that the conflict has spiraled beyond containment and that diplomacy must prevail immediately. 

Lebanon has now recorded over 1,094 killed. Iraq has seen at least 96 dead. The war has touched 13 countries.

8. THE ISLAMABAD TALKS HAVE NOT BEEN CONFIRMED BY EITHER SIDE.

Pakistan offered to host US-Iran talks this week. 

China’s top diplomat urged Iran to engage. France’s President Macron called for good-faith negotiations. 

Egypt and Turkey are pressing both sides. 

But as of Day 26 — neither Washington nor Tehran has officially confirmed any in-person meeting.

If negotiations happen, they will not happen in Islamabad. For it, you need a neutral country with good relationships on both sides. 

Islamabad may only be acting as a messenger. 

9. A PEW RESEARCH POLL FOUND 59% OF AMERICANS SAY THE MILITARY ACTION WAS THE WRONG DECISION.

The survey of 3,524 US adults conducted March 16–22 found 61% disapprove of how the war is being handled, and only 25% say military action is going extremely or very well. 

10. MORE THAN 1,750 IRANIANS HAVE NOW BEEN KILLED. THE WAR SHOWS NO SIGN OF STOPPING.

Iran’s deputy representative to the International Maritime Organization confirmed the toll of 1,750+ killed in Iran. 

Lebanon: 1,094+ dead. 

Iraq: 96+ dead. 

US military: 13 service members killed. 

Israel: 18 civilians killed. 

Strikes continue. Talks remain unconfirmed. Troops are still deploying.

Two sides. Fourteen countries affected. Two completely different definitions of what peace looks like.

Oil above $100. Shipping paralyzed. Saudi Arabia’s most critical oil infrastructure under daily attack.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 25. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. TRUMP SAYS VANCE AND RUBIO ARE LEADING IRAN NEGOTIATIONS.

Trump named names on Day 25, VP JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are now confirmed as leading US outreach to Iran. 

Trump described an Iranian offer as “a very significant prize” related to the Strait of Hormuz. He would not specify what it was.

.

2. IRAN SAYS THERE ARE NO TALKS. THEN ADMITS THERE IS “OUTREACH.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry called Trump’s claims “fake news.” 

Hours later, a senior Iranian source told CNN that Washington had initiated “outreach”, but that nothing had “reached the level of full-on negotiations.” 

Iran says it will listen to “sustainable” proposals. It is not asking for a meeting.

.

3. PAKISTAN PUBLICLY OFFERED TO HOST THE TALKS THIS WEEK.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif posted publicly: 

Pakistan “stands ready and honoured” to host talks between the US and Iran. 

An Israeli official told NPR that planning for in-person talks in Islamabad is already underway for later this week. 

Neither the US nor Iran has officially confirmed.

.

4. IRAN STRUCK TEL AVIV. A MISSILE HIT A STREET DIRECTLY.

Iranian missiles struck central Tel Aviv on Tuesday…buildings damaged, vehicles burning. 

Israel reported seven waves of missile attacks since midnight. 

The IDF confirmed Iran is now averaging ten missiles per day at Israel. The rate has held steady for days.

.

5. IRAN ATTACKED BUSHEHR. ITS OWN NUCLEAR FACILITY’S VICINITY.

Iran claimed the US and Israel struck the vicinity of the Bushehr nuclear power plant — the only operating nuclear reactor in Iran. 

The IAEA is monitoring. No radiation reported. 

If confirmed as a deliberate strike on nuclear infrastructure, it represents a significant new threshold in this war.

.

6. KUWAIT AIRPORT FUEL DEPOT ON FIRE AFTER DRONE ATTACK.

An Iranian drone struck the fuel depot at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire. 

Emergency services were deployed. No casualties reported. 

This is the first confirmed direct hit on a major Gulf civilian airport in the war.

.

7. THE PHILIPPINES DECLARED A NATIONAL ENERGY EMERGENCY.

The Philippines, a US ally with no involvement in the war — declared a state of national emergency lasting one year because of the Iran war’s impact on its energy supply. 

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting energy supply chains for countries thousands of miles from the battlefield.

.

8. AUSTRALIA’S FUEL CRISIS IS SPREADING TO HUNDREDS OF SERVICE STATIONS.

Hundreds of service stations across Australia have reported fuel shortfalls as the war disrupts global supplies. 

–  In New South Wales alone, 105 outlets are without diesel. 

–  In Victoria, 109 outlets ran out of at least one grade of petrol. 

–  In Queensland, 47 outlets are without diesel. 

Australia imports roughly 90% of its liquid fuel, leaving it highly vulnerable to global shocks. 

Diesel has climbed to 245.6 cents per litre, with isolated reports of $3 per litre in parts of Sydney — a 40% surge since late February.

.

9. 82nd AIRBORNE IS DEPLOYING. 1,000 MORE US SOLDIERS HEADING TO THE MIDDLE EAST.

Trump approved the deployment of approximately 1,000 soldiers from the elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. 

They join 50,000+ US troops already in the region, plus two Marine Expeditionary Units en route. 

The US military footprint is still expanding — on the same week President Trump says the war is “won.”

.

10. MORE THAN 82,000 CIVILIAN STRUCTURES DAMAGED OR DESTROYED IN IRAN.

–  The Iranian Red Crescent Society confirmed 82,000+ civilian structures hit in US-Israeli strikes. 

–  Over 1,500 Iranians killed. 

–  Over 21,000 wounded. 

–  Lebanon: 1,000+ dead, 1 million displaced. 

–  Israel: 18 civilians killed. 

–  US military: 13 service members dead, few died in an accident.

This is Day 25.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 24. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED A 5-DAY PAUSE. IRAN SAID THERE WERE NO TALKS. BOTH CLAIMED TO BE WINNING.

This is the defining story of Day 24. 

Trump announced on Monday morning in all caps on Truth Social  that the US and Iran had held “very good and productive conversations” and that he was postponing all strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded within hours: “There is no dialogue between Tehran and Washington.” 

Iran’s parliament speaker called it “fake news” designed to manipulate oil markets. 

And yet behind the scenes Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey and Qatar are all passing messages between both sides. 

The war paused. The denials continued. The talks appear real.

2. THE SECRET MEETING IS REPORTEDLY BEING PLANNED IN ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Axios, and the Financial Times, Pakistan is positioning itself as the lead mediator. 

Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir spoke with Trump on Sunday. 

A meeting between senior US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is reportedly being planned in Islamabad. 

Potentially as early as this week. 

Ghalibaf is a former IRGC general, former mayor of Tehran, and a close associate of the new Supreme Leader. 

He denied the talks publicly.

3. OIL DROPPED 8% IN MINUTES. THEN MARKETS RALLIED.

The moment Trump’s pause announcement hit, Brent crude fell more than 7% from $114 to below $99 a barrel. 

US markets opened sharply higher — the S&P 500 gained more than 1% in its strongest session since the war began. 

This is what a ceasefire trade looks like. 

Brent was $71 on February 27. It hit $114 on Sunday. 

The 5-day pause brought it back toward $99. 

That is still 40% above where it started. The market is not celebrating peace. It is pricing in the possibility of peace. There is a difference.

4. THE IEA CHIEF CALLED THIS THE GREATEST ENERGY THREAT IN HUMAN HISTORY.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said Monday that the global economy faces a “major, major threat” from this war’s disruption to oil and gas flows. 

He said the current crisis is worse than the 1973 and 1979 oil shocks combined. 

“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues to go in this direction,” Birol said. 

He added that at least 40 energy facilities across nine countries have been severely damaged in the conflict. 

And: “Only as of today, we lost 1” — the sentence cut off, but the data is clear. Nearly 20 million barrels per day of crude and product exports are currently disrupted.

5. IRAN DENIED EVERYTHING — AND KEPT FIRING.

While Tehran’s Foreign Ministry denied all talks, Iranian missiles and drones continued hitting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE and Bahrain throughout Monday. 

The UAE’s Defense Ministry confirmed intercepting seven ballistic missiles and 16 drones on the day. 

Since the war began, 352 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,789 UAVs have been launched at the UAE alone. 

Iran’s IRGC said it attacked the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. The firing did not slow down during the diplomatic pause.

6. ISRAEL LAUNCHED A “WIDE-SCALE WAVE” OF STRIKES ON TEHRAN — ON THE SAME DAY AS THE PAUSE.

While Trump announced a diplomatic pause, Israel struck Tehran on Monday morning anyway. 

The IDF said it launched an “extensive wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure.” 

Targets included IRGC headquarters, weapons production sites and missile component storage facilities in the capital. 

Israel has now struck over 200 targets this weekend alone. Netanyahu said Trump believes there is an opportunity to turn military gains into an agreement. 

Israel’s message was clear: the pause is America’s — not theirs.

7. IRAN’S SENIOR MILITARY ADVISER SAID THE WAR CONTINUES UNTIL FULL COMPENSATION.

Mohsen Rezaei, senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Monday that the war will not end until Tehran receives “full compensation for damage it has sustained.” 

Iran’s demands as relayed through mediators include: a permanent ceasefire, guarantees the war will not resume, and financial compensation. 

The US position: Iran must surrender its enriched uranium, end its nuclear program, abandon its ballistic missile capability, and stop funding proxies. 

The gap between these two positions is enormous.

8. UK PRIME MINISTER STARMER CALLED AN EMERGENCY ECONOMIC MEETING.

The economic shockwaves hit London hard enough on Monday that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called an emergency meeting to address the mounting economic fallout from the war. 

European natural gas prices have jumped 60% since February 28. 

The EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called publicly for “going to the negotiating table and ending the hostilities” — saying the situation is “critical for energy supply worldwide.” 

The war started in the Middle East. The emergency meetings are now happening in London and Brussels.

9. US CENTCOM: THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS “PHYSICALLY OPEN.” SHIPS JUST WON’T GO THROUGH.

US Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper said Monday that the Strait of Hormuz is technically “physically open” but ships are not transiting because Iran continues firing missiles and drones at vessels. 

He said the US has been “hunting and killing” Iranian watercraft used to attack shipping and that Iran’s military capabilities are “deteriorating.” 

He described Iran as “operating in a sign of desperation,” saying they have deliberately attacked civilian targets more than 300 times in recent weeks. 

10. THE HUMAN TOLL AT DAY 24.

–  Over 1,047 Iranian civilians confirmed killed, including 214 children, per the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. 

–  At least 1,039 killed in Lebanon since March 2, including 118 children. 

– 18 Israeli civilians killed. 

–  13 US military service members killed. 

–  More than 4,700 Israelis injured. 

–  Approximately 5,000 Israelis displaced from their homes. 

–  Iran’s Red Crescent previously reported over 21,000 wounded in Iran. 

–  And Israel’s IDF Chief confirmed the campaign is still at its “halfway” stage.

This is Day 24. 

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IRAN WAR — DAY 23. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1. IRAN’S RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ULTIMATUM: WE’LL COMPLETELY CLOSE THE STRAIT. FOREVER.

Trump gave Iran 48 hours to open the Strait of Hormuz or face obliteration of its power plants. 

Iran’s response on Sunday was direct. 

The IRGC announced the Strait will be “completely closed” if US power plant strikes happen and will NOT be reopened until Iran’s destroyed power plants are fully rebuilt. 

Iran’s Parliament Speaker added that energy and critical infrastructure across the entire region would be “destroyed in an irreversible manner.” 

2. OIL HIT $114 A BARREL ON SUNDAY. THE CORPORATE DEADLINE IS 2 WEEKS.

Brent crude climbed to $114.09 on Sunday after Iran’s Strait threat. 

US crude hit $100.29. 

Brent has now surged nearly 50% since the war began on February 28. 

Asian stock markets opened Monday in freefall. Japan’s Nikkei down 3.5%, South Korea’s Kospi down 4.9%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng down 2.7%. 

Corporate executives on a CNBC CFO Council call set their own deadline for resolution: roughly two weeks. 

After that, oil prices reprice significantly higher and global industrial activity starts getting rationed.

3. IRAN STRUCK DIMONA AND ARAD. NEAR ISRAEL’S NUCLEAR CENTER. 180 PEOPLE INJURED.

On Saturday night, Iranian missiles broke through Israeli air defenses and struck Dimona and Arad. Both cities close to Israel’s main nuclear research center. 

Total injured: approximately 180 people, including a 5-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy in serious condition. 

Netanyahu visited the crater in Dimona on Sunday and called it a “miracle” no one was killed. 

Israeli military confirmed the air defense systems “did not intercept the missiles” and said the incidents “will be reviewed.” 

It was the first time Israel’s nuclear city was targeted in this war.

4. NATANZ — IRAN’S MAIN NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT SITE — WAS STRUCK AGAIN SATURDAY.

The US struck Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility on Saturday. Iran confirmed it. 

The IAEA confirmed it. No radiation leakage was reported. 

Israel denied responsibility and said it was “not aware” of any strike there. The IAEA Director General reiterated a call for “military restraint to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident.” 

Russia called it “a blatant violation of international law.” Both sides are now striking each other’s nuclear infrastructure.

5. IRAQ CLOSED ITS AIRSPACE FOR 72 HOURS.

Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority announced Sunday it is extending its airspace closure for an additional 72 hours, effective until Wednesday…citing ongoing security assessments linked to the conflict. 

The decision affects all incoming, outgoing and transit flights. 

Iraq is increasingly becoming a battleground within the war, with Iran-backed militias attacking the US Embassy in Baghdad multiple times, and NATO relocating several hundred personnel from the country.

6. HEZBOLLAH KILLED A MAN IN NORTHERN ISRAEL. ISRAEL IS NOW STRIKING BRIDGES IN LEBANON.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an airstrike that killed a 61-year-old farmer in the northern Israeli town of Misgav Am. 

Note: Israel is separately investigating whether it may have been friendly fire. Israel has now struck a critical bridge over the Litani River in southern Lebanon — one of the main routes connecting the south to the rest of the country. 

Lebanon’s president called it “a prelude to a ground invasion.” Israel’s military spokesman confirmed: “More weeks of fighting against Iran and Hezbollah are expected.”

7. NATO SECRETARY GENERAL SAYS HE’S “ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED” THE STRAIT WILL REOPEN.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Fox News on Sunday he is “absolutely convinced” the alliance can reopen the Strait of Hormuz. 

He called the US operation “crucial” due to what he described as an “existential threat” from Iran. 

Still no specific plan. Still no ships deployed. 

Meanwhile, Iraq extended its airspace closure, Asian markets are crashing and US gas prices hit a national average of $3.94 per gallon over the weekend.

8. IRAN FIRED AT DIEGO GARCIA — 2,370 MILES FROM IRAN. EUROPE NOW “WITHIN RANGE.”

Iran’s intermediate-range missile strike at the joint US-UK Diego Garcia base on Friday was confirmed by IDF spokesman who said its range “is beyond what the enemy previously imagined.” 

He warned directly: “Berlin, Paris and Rome are all within direct threat range.” Iran has now fired ballistic missiles at a target nearly 2,400 miles away. 

The war has formally left the Middle East.

9. A HELICOPTER CRASHED IN QATAR. SEVEN KILLED.

Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed Sunday that a military helicopter crashed in regional waters, killing all seven people on board. 

The cause is under investigation. No connection to Iranian strikes has been confirmed — but the crash occurred in the same week Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG facility was heavily damaged by Iran, and as the entire Gulf remains under active missile and drone threat around the clock.

10. THE TOTAL DEATH TOLL: 2,000+ ACROSS THE REGION. THE IDF CHIEF SAYS THE WAR IS ONLY HALFWAY DONE.

Over 2,000 people have now been killed across Iran, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq and Gulf nations since February 28. 

Iran: 1,500+ dead, including 200+ children. Lebanon: 1,000+ dead, 1 million displaced. Israel: 17 civilians killed. US military: 13 service members. 

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir confirmed on Saturday the campaign is at its “halfway” stage. Israeli military spokesman said publicly: “More weeks of fighting are expected for us.”

Watch the oil. Watch the Strait. Watch your energy bill and your grocery receipt.

The battlefield is thousands of miles away. The cost is arriving at your doorstep.

This is Day 22.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 22. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1 — PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUED A 48-HOUR ULTIMATUM: OPEN THE STRAIT OR WE OBLITERATE YOUR POWER PLANTS.

Saturday night, Trump posted on Truth Social: “If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST.” 

Iran’s immediate response: all US energy infrastructure in the region will be targeted if Iran’s power or fuel facilities are struck. The 48-hour clock is running right now.

2 — IRAN FIRED MISSILES AT DIEGO GARCIA. THE US-UK BASE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.

Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia — the joint US-UK military base 2,370 miles from Iran’s coast — on Friday. 

Neither missile struck the base. But the message was unmistakable. 

Iran just told the world: our missiles reach further than anyone admitted. Berlin. Paris. Rome. All within range. 

IDF Spokesman said: “Europe is within direct threat range.”

3 — NATANZ — IRAN’S MAIN NUCLEAR ENRICHMENT SITE — WAS STRUCK AGAIN.

The US struck Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility on Saturday, the IAEA confirmed. 

No radiation leakage detected. 

But this is the same site the US hit in the opening week of the war and again in June 2025. 

Russia’s Foreign Ministry called it “a blatant violation of international law.” 

The IAEA Director General issued a direct call for “military restraint to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident.”

4 — IRAN RETALIATED BY HITTING DIMONA. ISRAEL’S NUCLEAR CITY.

Hours after Natanz was struck, Iran fired missiles at Dimona — the southern Israeli city where Israel’s nuclear research center is located. 

Iron Dome failed to intercept. 

A direct missile hit destroyed a one-story building. 

At least 47 people were injured, including a 10-year-old boy in serious condition. 

The IAEA confirmed no damage to the nuclear facility itself — but this is the first time Israel’s nuclear city has been targeted in this war.

5 — THEN IRAN HIT ARAD. MASS CASUALTY EVENT DECLARED.

A second direct strike hit the residential city of Arad in southern Israel the same night. 

Air defenses failed again. 

At least 84 people were wounded — 10 seriously, including a 5-year-old girl. 

Three residential buildings suffered extensive damage. Israeli firefighters described it as “a very severe scene.” Netanyahu vowed publicly the military campaign will “increase significantly” this week.

6 — UNITED AIRLINES IS PLANNING FOR OIL AT $175 A BARREL THROUGH END OF 2027.

This isn’t speculation from an analyst. This is a US airline CEO writing to his own employees. 

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told staff Friday the company is canceling flights and cutting routes because it is planning on the assumption that oil hits $175 per barrel and stays above $100 through end of 2027. 

“Honestly, I think there’s a good chance it won’t be that bad,” he wrote. “But there isn’t much downside for us to prepare for that outcome.” 

7 — ISRAEL’S DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS STRIKES WILL “INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY” THIS WEEK.

While Trump said “winding down” on Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Saturday the exact opposite: 

“This week, the intensity of the attacks that the IDF and the US military will carry out against the Iranian terror regime will significantly escalate.” 

The IDF also confirmed it has now hit over 200 targets this weekend alone. 

The two allies are sending completely contradictory signals — simultaneously.

8 — 22 COUNTRIES SIGNED A JOINT STATEMENT CONDEMNING IRAN’S STRAIT BLOCKADE.

The UAE, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Australia, and 13 others issued a joint statement Saturday condemning Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels and the “de facto closure” of the Strait of Hormuz. 22 nations. 

But Italy’s Defense Minister made clear: “There is no war mission. There will be no entry into Hormuz without a truce.” 

Words without ships.

9 — OVER 3,000 VESSELS ARE NOW STRANDED. THE PERSIAN GULF IS A PARKING LOT.

The International Maritime Organization confirmed that more than 3,000 vessels are currently stranded in the Middle East. 

The Persian Gulf has become, in their words, a parking lot. 

The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency has kept the threat level at “CRITICAL” — the highest possible — with 21 confirmed attacks on commercial vessels since March 1.

10 — THE TOTAL DEATH TOLL: 1,500+ IN IRAN. 1,000+ IN LEBANON. 17 IN ISRAEL. 13 US MILITARY.

Iranian state media confirmed more than 1,500 people killed in Iran — including over 200 children under 18. 

Lebanon: more than 1,000 dead, over 1 million displaced. 

Israel: 17 civilians killed. 

US military: 13 service members confirmed killed. And Iran’s IDF chief says the campaign is only at its “halfway” stage.

I’ve lived through war. I know what halfway looks like.

Watch the oil price. Watch the Strait. Watch your grocery bill.

The battlefield is far away. The consequences are arriving here.

This is Day 22.

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IRAN WAR — DAY 21. Here’s 10 Latest Updates You Should Probably Know…

1 — IRAN HIT KUWAIT’S BIGGEST OIL REFINERY. TWICE. IN ONE DAY.

Two waves of Iranian drones struck Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery on Friday — one of the largest in the Middle East, capable of processing 730,000 barrels of oil per day. Fires broke out. 

Saudi Arabia also shot down 20 drones in just a few hours targeting its oil-rich Eastern Province. 

The Gulf’s energy infrastructure is being systematically dismantled, refinery by refinery.

2 — IRAN IS NOW THREATENING TOURIST SITES WORLDWIDE.

Iran’s top military spokesman Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi warned Friday that “parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations” worldwide won’t be safe for Iran’s enemies. 

This is a direct signal that Iran is preparing to expand the battlefield far beyond the Middle East — potentially targeting Western economic interests globally.

3 — THE IRGC SPOKESMAN WHO SAID IRAN IS STILL BUILDING MISSILES WAS KILLED HOURS LATER.

Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini publicly disputed Israel’s claim that Iran’s missile production capability had been destroyed — insisting Iran is still manufacturing. 

Iranian state television then confirmed he was killed in an airstrike hours after making that statement. 

Iran’s regime is being decapitated in real time. But it keeps fighting.

4 — TRUMP SAYS “WINDING DOWN.” THEN SENDS MORE MARINES.

Trump posted on social media Friday that the US is considering “winding down” military operations. 

Hours earlier, the Pentagon announced it was sending more warships and another 2,500 Marines to the Middle East — joining 50,000+ US troops already in the region. 

The mixed messages are rattling markets and allies equally. Nobody knows what the actual strategy is.

5 — US JUST LIFTED SANCTIONS ON 140 MILLION BARRELS OF IRANIAN OIL.

In a stunning reversal, the Trump administration announced it is lifting sanctions on Iranian oil already loaded on ships — effective today through April 19. 

The reason? US gas prices hit a nationwide average of $3.91 a gallon on Friday — the highest since October 2022. 

American households are spending $20 to $40 MORE per week at the pump than before the war began. 

The US is now unsanctioning the country it is actively bombing to keep gas prices down.

6 — GAS PRICES HIT $3.91 A GALLON. GOLDMAN SACHS SAYS HIGH PRICES COULD LAST THROUGH 2027.

Americans have collectively pumped nearly $4.5 billion MORE into their gas tanks since the war began three weeks ago. 

Goldman Sachs warned Friday that elevated oil prices could persist all the way through 2027. 

Georgia became the first US state to suspend its fuel tax. Florida and Maryland refused to follow.

7 — AN ISRAELI RESERVIST WAS ARRESTED FOR SELLING IRON DOME SECRETS TO IRAN.

Israeli police arrested a 26-year-old Jerusalem resident — a reservist serving in the Iron Dome missile defense system — on suspicion of selling sensitive security intelligence to Iranian contacts. 

If confirmed, this is a catastrophic breach. Iran may have had advance knowledge of how Israel’s most critical defense system operates.

8 — IRAN’S NEW SUPREME LEADER HAS STILL NOT BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC.

Mojtaba Khamenei issued a written Nowruz statement read on Iranian television — but has not appeared publicly since becoming Supreme Leader after his father was assassinated on Day 1. 

The statement insisted US and Israeli attacks were “based on an illusion.” 

US and Israeli officials believe he was wounded in the opening strikes. Iran’s leadership is governing from hiding.

9 — 20 COUNTRIES JUST SIGNED A STATEMENT CONDEMNING IRAN’S STRAIT OF HORMUZ BLOCKADE.

Bahrain, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada, South Korea and 12 others issued a joint statement Friday condemning Iran’s attacks on commercial vessels and calling for the Strait to reopen. 

Meanwhile, Trump called NATO allies “cowards” for not sending warships. 

The alliance is fractured. No multinational force has actually deployed yet.

10 — THE WAR HIT JERUSALEM’S OLD CITY ON EID AND NOWRUZ SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Iranian missile debris landed near the Temple Mount and Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday — the most sacred day in the Muslim calendar, Eid al-Fitr. 

Iranians were simultaneously celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Israel struck Tehran anyway. 

The war now has no sacred days. No pauses. No holidays.

This is Day 21.

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