LIVE DEVELOPMENTS — updated Thursday, April 30, 2026  

Gen. Caine Confirms Russian Involvement In Iran War: ‘Putin Is Taking Serious Action To Undermine Our Success’

TRUSTED ANALYSIS

Day 938 — Friday, May 1

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Russian President Vladimir Putin has aided Iran’s war effort.

He declined to go into details, citing the public nature of the hearing, but said, ”There’s definitely some action there.”

Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., agreed.

“There’s no question that Vladimir Putin’s Russia is taking serious action to undermine our efforts for success in Iran,” Wicker said.

Wicker’s opening statement warned about the “four dictatorships” aligned, including Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

“Xi Jinping leads not only China, but also an axis of aggressors,” Wicker said. “This growing alliance cannot be denied. It includes China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

“These four dictatorships,” he continued “support each other’s aggressive endeavors. They prop each other up financially, and they scheme to undermine America’s objectives.”

Fox News

Day 938 — Friday, May 1

The United States recently shipped 6,500 tons of munitions and materiel to Israel within 24 hours, using two large sea vessels and multiple cargo aircraft, the Defense Ministry reported Thursday.

In a large-scale global logistics operation, the two cargo ships docked at the ports of Ashdod and Haifa, carrying thousands of air and ground munitions, military trucks, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), and additional military equipment, it said.

The operation was led by the ministry’s Defense Procurement Directorate in coordination with its International Shipping Division, its mission to the US, and the IDF Planning Directorate.

The equipment was loaded onto hundreds of trucks from the ministry’s Logistics and Assets Department and the IDF Technological and Logistics Directorate. It was then transferred to IDF bases throughout the country in an operation at the Port of Ashdod overseen by Defense Ministry Director-General Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amir Baram.

The air and sea bridge remains the “central tool for building readiness as the security situation continues to develop,” the Defense Ministry said. “Since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, Israel has received more than 115,600 tons of military equipment in 403 airlifts and 10 sealifts.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel “stands ready at every moment to act against its enemies, on every front, and wherever necessary. This expanding air and sea bridge directly strengthens the IDF’s capabilities and operational superiority.”

Baram said: “At any given moment, cargo aircraft and ships are en route to Israel, carrying thousands of tons of munitions and military equipment. This is core to the ministry’s strategy: supporting every IDF need, both through massive near-term procurement and by building readiness for a demanding security decade ahead. The impressive procurement and shipping operation we have completed will continue to expand in the weeks ahead.”

Jerusalem Post

Day 937 — Thursday, April 30

US President Donald Trump told Axios on Wednesday that he intends to maintain a naval blockade on Iran until Tehran agrees to terms addressing American concerns over its nuclear program.

The President dismissed an Iranian proposal that would have involved reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing the blockade before resuming nuclear negotiations at a later stage.

Sources familiar with the situation told Axios that US Central Command has prepared a plan involving a limited but intense series of strikes on Iranian targets, aimed at breaking the current stalemate. These strikes would likely focus on infrastructure, after which Washington would seek to bring Iran back to negotiations under increased pressure.

Trump indicated that, at present, he views the blockade as a more effective tool than direct military action, telling Axios, “The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing.” He has not authorized any strikes as of Tuesday night, according to the report, and declined to elaborate on potential military plans during the interview.

Trump said the blockade is exerting significant pressure on Iran, stating, “They are choking like a stuffed pig,” and emphasized that the United States will not allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons. “They can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said. He added that Iran is interested in reaching an agreement in order to see the blockade lifted, saying, “They want to settle,” but reiterated his reluctance to ease the measure under current conditions.

The President also claimed that Iran’s oil infrastructure is under strain due to its inability to export, though some analysts have questioned the immediacy of such risks.

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian security official, quoted by the English-language state outlet Press TV, warned that the naval blockade could provoke a strong response. The official stated that Iran has so far exercised restraint to allow space for diplomacy, but cautioned that continued pressure could lead to retaliatory measures.

Arutz Sheva

Day 937 — Thursday, April 30

A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly running amok in a prominent London Jewish neighbourhood, stabbing two men, in what police are now calling a terrorist incident.

Two men were rushed to hospital on Wednesday morning after being stabbed by a knifeman in the Golders Green area of North London. Both victims were seriously injured but are in stable condition.

The first attack took place outside the Hager’s Shul synagogue, where a 34-year-old Jewish man who had just walked out of the building was set upon and repeatedly stabbed. Security footage from outside the synagogue shows the moment the assailant affects casually walking along the street before suddenly lunging at a man in the process of adjusting his hat, giving the victim no time to react or protect himself.

Shortly after, it is said the assailant struck again further up the road, stabbing a 76-year-old man. Coincidentally, walking between the locations of the two attacks took the assailant past the front doors of the North London Hatzola, a Jewish ambulance charity, which was the site of an antisemitic arson attack last month.

After the two stabbings, the alleged suspect then clashed with Shomrim — a Jewish community security charity active in north London — and police before being arrested. Footage from the scene of the arrest, itself just 300 yards away from where the Hatzolah ambulances were burnt out in March, officers can be seen running with the suspect away from the North Circular road, and employing their ‘tazer’ stun-guns.

Eventually the suspect, an apparently robustly-built African-heritage male wearing light coloured clothes under a navy blue jacket, falls, and is kicked in the head by an officer several times as he resists arrest. A Shomrim volunteer can be seen sitting on the suspect’s legs as officers wrestle the man into cuffs.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement that “The suspect also attempted to stab police officers, and was Tasered before being arrested. No officers were injured.”

Counter terror police quickly took over investigation into the case, and shortly afterwards it was declared a suspected terrorist incident.

Given the frequency with which British Jews are the target of attacks now, the latest apparent terror attack has quickly seems demands of the UK government to stop talking about the need to take action, and to actually take action. The Isareli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that there have been “enough words” about antisemitism in Britain, and that “The UK must act decisively and urgently”. They said:

“After attacks on synagogues, Jewish institutions, community ambulances and now Jews targeted in Golders Green, the UK government can no longer claim this is under control. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statements are no substitute for confronting the roots of antisemitism festering across United Kingdom. British Jews should not need security patrols and emergency volunteers to live openly as Jews.”

Britain’s Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis also said the time for talk is over. He said: “Following the anti-Semitic stabbing of two Jewish people on the streets of Golders Green this morning, words of condemnation are no longer sufficient. This must be a moment that demands meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader and every decent person in our country. This is a hatred that we must face down together.”

President Trump’s special envoy on antisemitism Ambassador Yehuda Kaploun hit the same notes, adding: “Heartbroken and outraged by another violent anti-Semitic attack – again in the UK. Enough is enough. The UK must take decisive action to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities now.”

In scenes reminiscent of the recent Manchester Synagogue attack, where the then-Home Secretary David Lammy was heckled by members of the Jewish community who told him the government had failed to keep them safe, the chief of the Metropolitan Police was shouted down by local residents in Golders Green.

Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley was met with a barrage of shouts of “resign” and “shame on you” as he attempted to talk to press. Labour Member of Parliament for Golders Green Sarah Sackman was also met with “resign” and “shame” jeers at the same press conference.

Breitbart

Day 936 — Wednesday, April 29

The Trump administration turned up the dial on its “Economic Fury” operation on Tuesday, implementing sanctions on 35 people and entities tied, it said, to Iran’s shadow banking sector.

The U.S. Treasury Department said that the designated people and entities helped move the equivalent of tens of billions of dollars in a coordinated effort to evade sanctions, funding Iran’s military capabilities and terror sponsorship.

“Iran’s shadow banking system serves as a critical financial lifeline for its armed forces, enabling activities that disrupt global trade and fuel violence across the Middle East,” stated Scott Bessent, the U.S. treasury secretary.

“Illicit funds funneled through this network support the regime’s ongoing terrorist operations, posing a direct threat to U.S. personnel, regional allies and the global economy,” he stated. “Financial institutions are on notice. Any institution that facilitates or engages with these networks is at risk of severe consequences.”

Largely cut off from Western financial systems, Iran turns to private companies to manage payments for imports and exports, facilitated through shell companies.

Tuesday’s sanctions hit Farab Soroush Afagh Qeshm Company, which works with Iran’s Shahr Bank to enable Iranian oil sales, the Treasury Department said. Two of the company’s senior executives were also designated.

Other front companies working with Bank Sina and Bank Sepah, affiliated with Iran’s supreme leader and the military respectively, were also sanctioned, as were Nix Energy and Tai Lung Trading, which the department accuses of facilitating the transfer of millions of dollars on behalf of already-sanctioned Iranian individuals.

“By dismantling these financial channels, we advance the administration’s policy in the conflict with Iran and underscore our commitment to imposing maximum pressure on Iran,” stated Tommy Pigott, U.S. State Department spokesman.

“While the Iranian regime enriches corrupt elites, ordinary Iranians suffer under a deteriorating economy,” Pigott said.

The administration’s sanctions-driven “Economic Fury” campaign is being run in tandem with the military’s operation “Epic Fury,” as messaging continues to be passed between Washington and Tehran on a possible resolution to their two-month-old conflict.

JNS

Day 936 — Wednesday, April 29

An American soldier stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana was arrested last week after he told users on the popular messaging platform Discord that he planned to conduct a mass shooting at a synagogue.

Jakob Marcoulier, 22, was arrested on Thursday and charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce after the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received a tip in February that he had made threats toward synagogues, according to the US attorney’s office for the Western District of Louisiana.

According to court documents, the FBI obtained audio from Discord in which Marcoulier allegedly said, “After this deployment if the Jews still have reign over our government, I am going to walk into a synagogue with my AK, with a 75-round drum mag, and all of my extra mags, with my level four plates, and my haka helmet that’s three plus, and I am going to kill every single Jew I know inside of that synagogue. And that’s my goal in life.”

During the communications, Marcoulier told the other users, “You guys will never do anything about but I will. I just have to finish this. I have to go back overseas and do what I have to do. And then you’ll see me in the news. I promise you.”

The Iran war has put Jewish institutions across the country and around the world on high alert, with attacks on synagogues, including arsons in Europe and a synagogue ramming in suburban Detroit last month.

“Threats against synagogues and Jewish Americans are threats to the religious freedom promised to every single one of us, and this Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting those freedoms,” United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller said in a statement.

Jerusalem Post

Day 935 — Tuesday, April 28

U.S. President Donald Trump’s red lines for a deal with Iran have been made “very, very clear,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday, following Tehran’s latest proposal to end hostilities.

“I will confirm the president has met with his national-security team this morning,” Leavitt told reporters during a briefing. “I don’t want to get ahead of the president or his national-security team. What I will reiterate is that the president’s red lines with respect to Iran have been made very, very clear, not just to the American public, but also to them [the Iranians], as well.”

“I wouldn’t say [the president and national-security team] are considering it,” she added. “I would just say that there was a discussion this morning that I don’t want to get ahead of, and you’ll hear directly from the president, I’m sure, on this topic very soon.”

Under the Islamic Republic’s latest proposal, the regime would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a long-term ceasefire or permanent end to the war, a U.S. official and two sources with knowledge of the matter told Axios.

Nuclear negotiations would only start at a later stage, after the U.S. military lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to the reported details of the plan.

A U.S. official briefed on Monday’s meeting at the White House told Reuters that Trump was unhappy with the proposal.

Washington has repeatedly stressed that the nuclear issue must be dealt with from the outset, and Trump was unhappy with Tehran’s offer for that reason, the official said.

CNN cited a source familiar with the matter as saying that the president was unlikely to accept the plan, as it could remove a key piece of American leverage in the talks.

Israel has reportedly urged the United States to continue its closure of the Strait of Hormuz and not ease the naval blockade as a goodwill gesture during the talks.

According to Israeli assessments cited by Channel 12 on Sunday, the continued blockade is expected to increase pressure on the Islamic regime by reducing revenues, exacerbating internal divisions and leaving it with a choice: ease its negotiating positions or face greater instability, potentially including renewed U.S.-Israeli military action.

According to senior Israeli officials, if Tehran does not soften its position even after a prolonged blockade, the U.S. may opt for a return to fighting. Israeli officials have discussed the option of broad strikes targeting the Islamic Republic’s energy infrastructure, per Channel 12.

The Trump administration will not tolerate Iranian efforts to hold international waterways hostage, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News on Monday.

“They cannot normalize, nor can we tolerate them trying to normalize, a system in which the Iranians decide who gets to use an international waterway and how much you have to pay them to use it,” Washington’s top diplomat told Fox‘s chief foreign correspondent, Trey Yingst.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a call on Sunday that Washington “must first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade,” as a condition for “resolving issues.”

Pezeshkian said American maritime restrictions on Iran were a “clear breach of the ceasefire understandings.” Such measures, along with “threatening rhetoric” from the U.S. administration, have increased Tehran’s doubts regarding America’s commitment to the diplomatic process, he said, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency.

JNs

Day 935 — Tuesday, April 28

Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, defended Iran and accused Western countries of hypocrisy on Monday, arguing that the Islamic Republic has a right to restrict movement in the Strait of Hormuz.

“There was an attempt to pin full responsibility on Iran as if it was Iran which attacked its neighbors and Iran is deliberately obstructing the navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” Nebenzia said at a UN Security Council meeting. “In times of war, a coastal state that is under attack may limit navigation in its territorial waters for the purpose of security.”

Nebenzia also compared Western nations to pirates.

“Unlike pirates who raise their black flags with a skull and crossbones in their vessels, Western countries are attempting to conceal their lawless actions with references to unilateral coercive measures,” Nebenzia said.

“This is merely a fig leaf, the purpose of which is to conceal the fact that the [European Union] is engaged in blatant robbery at sea,” he added.

This comes after Russia and China earlier this month vetoed a Security Council draft resolution that sought to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Fox News

Day 934 — Monday, April 27

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israel Defense Forces to “vigorously” attack the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group, his office announced on Saturday night.

The announcement followed the launch of several rockets and UAVs from Lebanon toward northern Israeli communities earlier in the day, in violation of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Beirut.

The IDF announced the interception of one rocket after air-raid sirens were activated in Kibbutz Manara, Kibbutz Misgav Am and Moshav Margaliot on Saturday afternoon. A second rocket struck in an open area in the north, it said. “There are no casualties; this is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement by the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” the military stated.

Approximately an hour later, alerts were activated in several areas in the north due to a drone infiltration.

“The air force successfully intercepted a suspicious aerial target launched from the direction of Lebanon into Israeli territory. Contact was lost with another suspicious aerial target,” the IDF announced.

In response, the military struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Southern Lebanon, including “military” structures used by its Radwan Force, which functions as Hezbollah’s special operations unit and for years trained to invade northern Israel and seize communities there.

The structures, located in IDF-controlled territory south of the ceasefire line, were struck to remove threats “following Hezbollah’s use of these buildings to advance terrorist activities against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel,” it said.

Some two hours after the army announced the renewed airstrikes, more air-raid sirens blared in the area of Malkia, a kibbutz in the Galilee Panhandle, warning of a suspected UAV infiltration.

“A suspicious aerial target was identified, and contact with it was lost. The incident has concluded,” the IDF stated.

The IDF continued its campaign against Iran’s Lebanese proxy over the weekend, eliminating more than 15 Hezbollah terrorists, including three it said were killed while transporting weapons.

Air-raid sirens continued to blare in Israel’s north on Sunday afternoon, with alarms activated in a number of communities in the Western Galilee. The IDF subsequently announced it intercepted three UAVs before they crossed into the Jewish state from Lebanon.

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday, Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of “essentially disintegrating the ceasefire” through its incessant terrorist attacks.

“Therefore, as far as we are concerned, what obligates us is the security of Israel, the security of our soldiers, and the security of our communities,” the premier said. “We are acting vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and incidentally, with Lebanon as well.”

The IDF will maintain its freedom “not only to respond to attacks, which is obvious, but to thwart immediate threats and also to neutralize emerging threats,” he added.

Over the past two weeks, the military eliminated 46 Hezbollah terrorists, and “we will act with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,” said Netanyahu.

“One might get the impression that the IDF is not active there. It is active, and it is acting with force,” he continued.

Netanyahu on Friday vowed to maintain “full freedom of action against any threat, including emerging ones,” in Lebanon. “We attacked yesterday and we attacked today. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the north,” he said.

Jerusalem has “begun a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon,” and according to the prime minister, “it is clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend the ceasefire between the two countries for three weeks.

The announcement followed a meeting at the White House between Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad.

“The meeting went very well,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters in the Oval Office that the truce would be under the same terms as the 10-day ceasefire which the two countries agreed to on April 16.

Hezbollah ended a previous ceasefire, reached in November 2024, on March 2, when it fired rockets into Israel in solidarity with Iran. Israel and the U.S. launched a military operation in Iran on Feb. 28, which they suspended on April 8 pending talks between Iran and the U.S.

Metula Local Council head David Azulai told Ynet on Sunday that Netanyahu’s announcement of “vigorous” attacks was “pathetic.”

“There was nothing. There were strikes in Southern Lebanon, but not where they needed to be. There’s nothing new—this is just to tell us, ‘See, we’re attacking.’ It’s all one big bluff. We’ve been abandoned to our fate,” he charged.

Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council in the Western Galilee, added, “We understand that this is a sham ceasefire, and expect the prime minister and the defense minister to give the IDF the freedom of action to do everything necessary so that Hezbollah does not threaten the citizens of the State of Israel.”

JNS

Day 934 — Monday, April 27

A Devon man was arrested by Counter Terrorism Policing on Sunday on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts in relation to a series of attacks on Jewish, Israeli, and Iranian dissident sites in London, the Metropolitan Police announced on Monday morning.

The 37-year-old Barnstaple man was taken to a London police station for questioning.

The Sunday arrest brought the total number of people arrested since the March 23 Golders Green arsons to 26. According to the Met, eight people have been charged with arson-related offenses, and one person was convicted of arson.

The spate of attacks began with the arson of four Hatzola ambulances in the Golders Green area.

Jerusalem Post

Day 934 — Monday, April 27

Hezbollah will not surrender its weapons under any circumstances, the group’s leader Naim Qassem said on Friday, amid intensified US pressure on Lebanon to disarm the Iran-backed organisation and ongoing Israeli strikes against its operatives in southern Lebanon.

In remarks broadcast on a Hezbollah-affiliated television channel, Qassem rejected the idea outright. “We will not let anyone disarm Hezbollah or disarm the resistance” against Israel, he said, adding that “this idea of disarmament must be removed from the dictionary.”

Qassem said Hezbollah remained open to discussions about a broader “defence strategy,” but only on its own terms. Such talks, he stressed, could not take place “under the pressure of occupation” by Israel. He also called for Israel to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon, end its military actions, and for the Lebanese state to begin reconstruction efforts in affected areas.

His comments followed similar statements from senior Hezbollah figures, who have also ruled out any transfer of weapons unless Israel halts its “aggression” and withdraws completely from Lebanese territory. One official, Wafic Safa, said the issue was not disarmament but a national defence strategy aligned with the Lebanese presidency’s stated goals.

The debate comes as President Joseph Aoun has pledged to ensure that 2025 becomes the year in which the Lebanese state holds a monopoly on arms. His position reflects growing internal and external calls for Hezbollah to integrate its military capabilities under state control.

However, Hezbollah continues to frame its arsenal as essential to Lebanon’s defence, insisting it will remain armed as long as Israeli forces operate in the region.

Arutz Sheva

Day 933 — Sunday, April 26

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he canceled the trip of the American delegation to Islamabad for talks on an agreement with Tehran as the Iranian representatives had already left Pakistan.

Explaining his decision on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership.’

“Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!” the president added.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to touch down in Islamabad to continue the indirect negotiations with Tehran through Pakistani mediators, but the Iranian delegation has reportedly left the country.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Friday and met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff Asim Munir, according to the Associated Press.

Araghchi said on his Telegram account that he is currently on a trip to Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow “to coordinate closely with [Iran’s] partners on bilateral issues and consultations on regional developments.”

He emphasized “Pakistan’s special position in Iran’s foreign policy and relations and Iran’s will to further develop relations between the two countries.”

He did not disclose Tehran’s demands but said that his country’s “principled positions” were conveyed to Islamabad.

Trump spoke with Axios on Saturday, saying that “I see no point of sending [Witkoff and Kushner] on an 18-hour flight in the current situation. … We are not gonna travel just to sit there.”

Asked whether the breakdown in talks means the war was to resume, the president said, “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet. We have all the cards. We are not going to go there to sit around talking about nothing.”

On Thursday, Iranian officials presented a unified front after reports surfaced that Tehran’s leadership was fractured.

“In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates,’ President Masoud Pezeshkian tweeted.

“We are all Iranians and revolutionaries. With ironclad unity of nation and state and obedience to the Supreme Leader, we will make the aggressor regret. One God, one nation, one leader, one path; victory for Iran, dearer than life,” he wrote.

JNS

Day 932 — Saturday, April 25

Reza Pahlavi posted a video to X on Friday criticizing European media coverage of unrest in Iran, accusing journalists of ignoring what he described as mass killings and political executions.

In the video, Pahlavi said he recently held press conferences in Stockholm and Berlin attended by more than 150 journalists, claiming that none asked about “40,000 Iranians” he said were killed during protests or about political prisoners facing execution.

He argued that European media has “abdicated their professional responsibilities” by focusing more on criticism of the U.S. and Israel than on the actions of the Iranian regime.

The remarks come a day after Pahlavi was splattered with red liquid while leaving a press conference in Berlin, according to reporting from The Associated Press. He was not injured, and German police detained a suspect at the scene. Authorities said the substance appeared to be tomato juice.

Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s former shah, has been traveling across Europe in recent weeks seeking to rally support and position himself in discussions about Iran’s future. He said in the video he will continue advocating for a democratic Iran regardless of international backing.

Fox News

Day 932 — Saturday, April 25

The Trump administration announced it’s imposing new sanctions against Iran’s shadow fleet of oil tankers.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed the punishment on a Chinese teapot refinery along with 40 shipping companies and vessels that operate as part of Iran’s shadow fleet, whose transportation of petroleum and petrochemicals provides a financial lifeline to Iran’s regime.

The sanctions are part of a campaign called Economic Fury.

“Economic Fury is imposing a financial stranglehold on the Iranian regime, hampering its aggression in the Middle East, and helping to curtail its nuclear ambitions,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. 

“At President Trump’s direction, Treasury will continue to constrict the network of vessels, intermediaries, and buyers Iran relies on to move its oil to global markets,” Bessent added.

“Any person or vessel facilitating these flows — through covert trade and finance — risks exposure to U.S. sanctions,” he continued.

The shadow fleet is the name given to the hundreds of illegal tankers that countries such as China, Venezuela, and Russia operate while trying to evade sanctions from countries including the U.S., the Washington Examiner reported.

Experts told the Examiner they believe 1,000 vessels are transporting oil in violation of various sanctions.

Hengli Petrochemical Refinery Co., the sanctioned Chinese refinery, is one of Iran’s largest buyers of crude oil and other petroleum products, having purchased billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum. 

China-based independent teapot refineries continue to play a vital role in sustaining Iran’s oil economy.

Since at least 2023, Hengli has received Iranian oil cargoes from a host of sanctioned shadow fleet vessels, which alone have delivered over 5 million barrels of Iranian crude oil. 

“Constraining Iran’s maritime trade through the blockade directly targets the regime’s primary revenue lifelines,” a senior administration official told the Examiner.

“Any person or vessel facilitating these illicit flows — through covert trade and finance — risks exposure to U.S. sanctions,” the official added.

Newsmax

Day 931 — Friday, April 24

“Israel is prepared to renew the war against Iran,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said at the end of a situational assessment on Thursday, with the military awaiting the green light from the United States to “complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty.“

“The IDF is prepared for both defense and attack, and the targets are marked,” said Katz.

The Defense Minister discussed the Islamic regime’s practice of oppressing its people, saying, “The terrorist regime in Iran specializes mainly in internal repression of the population through the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij.“

Katz also accused Iran of “energy extortion, with the threat of raising global oil prices.“

“Its leaders are hiding in tunnels and have difficulty communicating and making decisions,” Katz continued, “its skies are wide open, and all its national infrastructure and strategic facilities are exposed to attacks, but it declares that it is victorious.“

Katz compared Iran to its proxy terror groups of Hamas and Hezbollah, saying the country “does not care about the heavy prices paid by the population.“

Turning to future IDF attack plans, Katz described them as “different and deadly,” stating that the military will strike “the most painful places,” adding that the attacks would “shake and collapse its [Iran’s] foundations.“

Iran has reportedly tasked foreign militias with keeping civilian protests down, according to social network expert Effi Banai, who spoke to 103FM’s Sivan Cohen on Thursday. 

Social media content emerging from Iran paints a complex and increasingly tense picture, Banai said, adding that the regime appears to be trying to prevent a widespread outbreak of protests by reinforcing its presence on the ground.

“We see the pressure on the regime on social media,” said Banai. “They have brought in militias from abroad, from Pakistan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. They are helping them impose order. They go around in trucks, in civilian clothing, carrying machine guns.“

“The soldiers speak Arabic rather than Persian, [which the locals notice and comment about on social media],” Banai added. “They are imposing terror in the streets so that people won’t go out and protest. The regime knows its people are hungry, desperate, and are afraid they will take to the streets again.”

Jerusalem Post

Day 931 — Friday, April 24

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend the ceasefire between the two countries for three more weeks, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Thursday.

The announcement follows a meeting at the White House between Israeli ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad.

“The meeting went very well,” Trump wrote on social media. “The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah.”U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters in the Oval Office that the truce would be under the same terms as the 10-day ceasefire to which the two countries agreed on April 16.

“We’re going to extend the ceasefire for three weeks that’s already in place between Israel and Lebanon,” Vance said.

In addition to Trump and Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa also attended Thursday’s meeting at the White House with the Israeli and Lebanese diplomats.

Trump added that he expects to host a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun “in the near future.”

JNS

Day 930 — Thursday, April 23

President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran that was due to expire on Wednesday night. The president pointed to what he called a “fractured” Iranian government and raised questions about who is really in charge in Tehran.

Just hours after the Trump announcement, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) rallied supporters with a parade that included ballistic missiles in the heart of the capital. The demonstrators chanted, “Strike the final blow, and hit the heart of Tel Aviv.”

Iran’s state-run television quoted a military spokesman who threatened the United States.

“In the event of aggression and any action against Islamic Iran, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately attack the predetermined targets with power, and teach the aggressive America and the child-killing Zionist entity another lesson more severely than before.”
The show of force and rhetoric has led some to believe that Iran is run by leaders willing to resume the war.

The actions roughly coincided with Trump’s announcement to continue the ceasefire.

The president said late on Tuesday that, at Pakistan’s request, the U.S. would extend the halt in fighting indefinitely as he waits for a unified proposal from the Islamic Republic.

The two-week truce was set to expire as a second round of talks led by Vice President JD Vance looked uncertain.

Meanwhile, in Israel, no official word from the government as the nation celebrated the 78th anniversary of modern Israel’s founding.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marked the milestone, declaring, “In shelters and hospitals, in moments of pain, in moments of joy, we have no other country and will not have another one. With God’s help, we will complete the victory, strengthen our state, and secure our future.”

CBN Israel

Day 930 — Thursday, April 23

The Arizona Legislature approved on Monday a resolution urging state agencies to use the term “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank” in official communications.

House Concurrent Resolution 2047, sponsored by David Livingston, a Republican state representative, recognizes what it describes as the “historical, biblical and legal legitimacy” of Judea and Samaria and formally rejects “West Bank” as a modern political construct.

The measure passed both chambers, clearing the Senate on April 20 after earlier approval in the House. The nonbinding resolution directs state entities to adopt the terminology in government documents and references.

“Today, as Israel honors those who gave their lives defending the nation, Arizona stands with the truth about that nation’s history,” Livingston stated.

The resolution, which Livingston introduced following a 2025 visit to the region, is part of a broader national effort by some lawmakers to promote the use of biblical names for the territory west of the Jordan River, which is widely referred to internationally as the West Bank.

“Judea and Samaria are central to Jewish history and faith,” he said. “They are not political labels to be swapped out for convenience. This resolution affirms what is true and rejects language created to deny it.”

Israel Bachar, Israel’s consul general for the Pacific Southwest, praised the move, stating that Arizona “has set a gold standard in terms of state legislative initiatives that protect and enhance the U.S.-Israel relationship on the state level.”

JNS

Day 929 — Wednesday, April 22

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran is losing approximately $500 million per day due to restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the Islamic Republic is seeking to reopen the strategic waterway as financial pressure mounts.

“Iran is collapsing financially! They want the Strait of Hormuz opened immediately- Starving for cash! Losing 500 Million Dollars a day. Military and Police complaining that they are not getting paid. SOS!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday.

“Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 Million Dollars a day,” Trump wrote in an earlier post, adding that Tehran is “starving for cash” and facing internal strain. “They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!), so they merely want to “save face.” People approached me four days ago, saying, ‘Sir, Iran wants to open up the Strait, immediately.’ But if we do that, there can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their Country, their leaders included!”

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass, meaning disruptions can significantly affect global energy markets.

Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday.

“Based on the fact that the government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” Trump stated.

The president said he has directed the military to continue the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and has extended the ceasefire “until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”

The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure on Feb. 28.

JNS

Day 929 — Wednesday, April 22

The US Treasury Department has imposed a new wave of sanctions on 14 individuals and entities across Iran, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, targeting the procurement networks fuelng Tehran’s missile and drone programs.

This move aims to disrupt the acquisition of specialized components as Iran attempts to restore its military capabilities following recent strikes by the United States and Israel.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent justified the measures by accusing the Iranian regime of using these technologies to threaten global energy markets and strike civilian targets.

The sanctions specifically hit three individuals involved in the supply chain for Shahed drones and a Turkish firm accused of providing materials for missile fuel production. Furthermore, the administration blacklisted two Boeing 777 aircraft operated by Mahan Air, an airline the US identifies as a primary transporter of military equipment.

These financial restrictions effectively freeze the assets of the named parties and prohibit any US-linked transactions, deepening the economic isolation of Tehran’s defense sector.

The announcement comes at a volatile moment in regional diplomacy, with high-level talks in Pakistan recently collapsing and a temporary ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump nearing its expiration. By targeting the logistical networks enabling Iran’s military activity, Washington is signaling a return to intensive economic pressure as the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough regarding the Strait of Hormuz remains stalled.

i24 News

Day 929 — Wednesday, April 22

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he is pursuing peace negotiations with Israel, arguing that diplomacy is the only viable path to save Lebanon from continued war and economic and social collapse.

His remarks, made during a meeting with lawmakers aligned against Hezbollah and summarized by his office, offered justification for engaging with Israel — an unprecedented step in modern Lebanese politics.

“Lebanon faces two options: the continuation of the war with all its humanitarian, social, economic, and sovereign consequences, or negotiations to end the war and achieve lasting stability,” Aoun said, according to the statement released by his office.

“I have chosen negotiation, and I am full of hope that we will be able to save Lebanon,” he stressed.

Aoun emphasized that talks are the only realistic way to “end hostilities, secure the Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, and allow the deployment of the Lebanese army up to the internationally recognized southern border.”

Since Israel’s founding in 1948, Beirut has refused to recognize the Jewish state. Despite multiple military defeats of the Lebanses army during conflicts and Israel’s peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, Beirut has never formally acknowledged Israel.

The diplomatic push follows recent U.S.-brokered efforts under Donald Trump, whose administration facilitated high-level talks last week between Lebanese and Israeli officials aimed at reaching a broader agreement.

Notably, Aoun did not personally attend those discussions. Reports also indicate that Aoun declined to speak directly by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite encouragement from Trump.

Trump recently announced a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. However, Israeli military operations have been focused on Hezbollah targets within Lebanese territory rather than on the Lebanese state itself.

Aoun’s remarks come months after the Lebanese government passed a resolution demanding that Hezbollah disarm. The Iranian proxy group has pledged that it will never surrender its weapons.

WIN

Day 928 — Tuesday, April 21

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Monday that Israel did not persuade the United States to enter military operations against Iran, emphasizing that he has long believed that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon.

“Israel never talked me into the war with Iran,” the president wrote. “The results of Oct. 7, added to my lifelong opinion that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, did.”

The comments follow criticism from conservative media figures like Tucker Carlson, who called the U.S. president a “slave” to Israel, and Megyn Kelly, who said Israel “dragged” the United States into the war.

Joe Kent, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned his position while also alleging that Israel played a large role in drawing the United States into war with Iran, while former U.S. vice president Kamala Harris stated that Trump “entered a war, got pulled into it by Bibi Netanyahu, let us be clear about that.”

“Just like the results in Venezuela, which the media doesn’t like talking about, the results in Iran will be amazing,” the president wrote. “And if Iran’s new leaders (regime change!) are smart, Iran can have a great and prosperous future.”

JNS

Day 928 — Tuesday, April 21

Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke today a solemn ceremony held at the Mount Herzl National Hall for Israel’s Fallen.

“Between all of Israel’s wars there is a clear, direct line,” he said. “The State of Israel still fights for its existence and for its future, and our independence is not something given to us without cost.”

Katz also made a direct Threat to Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem.

“Nasrallah destroyed the Shiite community in Lebanon, and Naim Qassem will destroy it and will pay in the loss of homes and territory until he also pays with the loss of his head, as his predecessor did.”

Katz warned that Lebanon itself would face severe consequences if Hezbollah’s actions continue unchecked. “Lebanon will pay a heavy territorial price, like what happened to Hamas in Rafah and Beit Hanoun in Gaza.”

He went on to condemn regional militant leadership more broadly, stating that the heads of what he called the “axis of evil” are united in their fate. “They dwell together at the bottom of hell,” he said.

Katz also insited that the Lebanese government must assert control over its territory. “If the government of Lebanon continues to fail to meet its commitments, the IDF will do so in the continuation of military operations.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 928 — Tuesday, April 21

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denounced the U.S. Navy’s seizure of an Iranian cargo ship, calling for the “immediate release of the Iranian vessel, its sailors, crew and their families.”

The Foreign Ministry called the seizure “extremely dangerous” and “criminal.”

“There is no doubt that the Islamic Republic of Iran will use all its capacities to defend Iran’s national interests and security and to safeguard the rights and dignity of its citizens,” the Tuesday statement said.

“It is also clear that full responsibility for any further escalation in the region lies with the United States,” it added.

Iran had earlier vowed to respond after the U.S. seizure of its vessel.

Fox News

Day 927 — Monday, April 20

The US seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship after “blowing a hole” in its engine room when it tried to break past the Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump revealed Sunday.

The USS Spruance destroyer intercepted Iran’s Touska cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, taking custody of the ship after it refused warnings to stop, according to the president.

“Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them,” Trump boasted on Truth Social.

“Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel,” the president added. “The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!”

A CENTCOM video shared online by Reuters’ chief national security reporter showed the US Navy ship warning those aboard the Iranian cargo ship to vacate its engine room before firing multiple blasts.

“Motor vessel Touska, motor vessel Touska, vacate your engine room, vacate your engine room. We are prepared to subject you to disabling fire,” a Marine can be heard saying before the ship’s horn blows and blasts go off.

The seizure of the Iran-flagged vessel comes as Trump is pushing to lock down a peace deal with Iran before the two-week cease-fire wraps up on Tuesday.

New York Post

Day 927 — Monday, April 20

Hundreds of commercial tankers are stranded on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran shut the critical chokepoint on April 18, halting traffic and leaving crews trapped amid reports of gunfire and “traumatic experiences” on board.

The Strait of Hormuz is considered an international waterway under international law, through which ships have the right of transit passage, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a critical chokepoint for global energy markets, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Iranian gunboats opened fire on a tanker the same day, while a projectile struck a container vessel, damaging cargo.

Audio released by maritime monitoring group TankerTrackers appears to capture the moment a vessel and its crew came under fire while approaching the strait, including a distress call from a crew member.

“Sepah Navy! Motor tanker Sanmar Herald! You gave me clearance to go… you are firing now. Let me turn back!” the crew member can be heard saying in the recording, according to TankerTrackers.

Iranian state media confirmed that shots were fired near vessels to force them to turn back, while the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India said the foreign secretary was deeply concerned.

Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest container shipping line, told Fox News Digital that it had activated a crisis team as its crews remain stuck on board vessels in the region.

“We have been working from Friday afternoon until today with the entire crisis team to bring the vessels out — in vain, unfortunately,” said Nils Haupt, senior director of group communications at Hapag-Lloyd AG.

“These events can easily lead to traumatic experiences. There is also a significant risk from sea mines, which has made insuring vessels for passage through the Strait nearly impossible.”

“The crews are well, but they are becoming increasingly impatient and frustrated. It is very unfortunate that we could not leave today,” he added. “Many ships are still stuck in the Persian Gulf.”

“Our six ships are anchored near the port of Dubai, and all crews hope for an improvement in the situation,” Haupt said.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on April 18 that the strait would remain closed until the U.S. lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, warning ships not to move from anchorage or risk being treated as “enemy” collaborators.

Iran has previously argued that restrictions on its oil exports and shipping amount to “economic warfare,” framing actions in the Strait of Hormuz as a response to foreign pressure on its economy, according to statements from Iranian officials and state media in past incidents.

“Approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and any violating vessel will be targeted,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

The United States imposed the blockade on Iranian ports to pressure Tehran to reopen the strait, with U.S. Central Command saying the measures are being enforced “impartially against all vessels.”

Hapag-Lloyd said its vessels have been stuck for weeks following the initial closure after the outbreak of war with Iran on Feb. 28.

“For us, it is critical that our vessels can pass through the strait soon,” Haupt said.

“We offer all crew members unlimited data so they can video call loved ones and access entertainment. Crews are strong, but after weeks on board there is growing monotony and frustration.”

“One crew experienced a fire on board from bomb fragments. Others have seen missiles or drones near their vessels,” he added.

Fox News

Day 926 — Sunday, April 19

At a tense session of the UN General Assembly focused on the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz and its implications for global shipping, Israel’s ambassador, Danny Danon, sharply criticized France and raised allegations about its conduct.

The debate followed a failed attempt to pass a Bahraini-backed resolution in the Security Council, shifting the dispute to the broader Assembly. Speaking during the session, Danon took an unusually direct tone, singling out the French delegation.

Citing international reports, he claimed that French-owned vessels were able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without interference, while ships from other countries were detained by Iran. Addressing France’s ambassador, Danon posed a pointed question about whether payments had been made to secure safe passage.

He argued that giving in to such pressure only strengthens Iran, describing its actions in the strait as “economic terrorism” targeting a critical artery of global trade. According to Danon, countries that comply with such demands are not ensuring stability but encouraging further coercion.

Danon warned that yielding to these tactics could lead to escalating costs and greater threats in the future, urging nations to resist what he characterized as a pattern of extortion rather than accommodate it.

Arutz Sheva 

Day 925 — Saturday, April 18

Tennessee’s legislature has voted to change references in state documents to the biblical regions north and south of Jerusalem to “Judea and Samaria.”

The term, which has always applied to the region in Israel, will replace references to the “West Bank,” which was invented and used by the international community following the liberation of the region from the Jordanians in the Six-Day War of 1967.

“The ideological and cultural conflict over Judea and Samaria represents a broader civilizational struggle between Judeo-Christian values,” state House Bill 1446 and its Senate companion Bill 1663, known as the “Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act.”

The bills say the term “West Bank” is a “deliberate attempt to erase the Jewish identity of Judea and Samaria, and to obscure the deep historical, religious and legal connections of the Jewish people to the land.”

Both houses passed their respective bills on April 9, by votes of 24-8 in the Senate and 68-21 in the House of Representatives. The measure now heads to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, for his signature.

The law mandates that any tax-funded communications from state agencies or official state materials use the historical nomenclature, rather than the more recent internationally recognized term.

Debate over the legislation largely hinged on criticisms that the measure erased Palestinian heritage or amounted to biblical indoctrination, with others saying that the legislature has more pressing, relevant matters at hand.

The bill is similar to one passed in Arkansas last April. A similar effort this year in Florida died in the Senate Rules Committee.

JNS

Day 925 — Saturday, April 18

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun gave a speech to the nation on Friday, a day after a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect.

In the speech, Aoun defended the direct talks held with Israel earlier this week, stressing that Lebanon is no longer an “arena” for anyone’s wars.

“We are confident that we will save Lebanon… we have reclaimed Lebanon and Lebanon’s decision-making power for the first time in nearly half a century,” Aoun said.

He stressed, “Today, we negotiate for ourselves… we are no longer a pawn in anyone’s game, nor an arena for anyone’s wars, and we never will be again”.

“Now, we all stand before a new phase,” Aoun continued. “It is the phase of transition from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation.”

The Lebanese President insisted that direct talks with Israel are “not a sign of weakness nor a concession.”

He added that “negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation.”

US President Donald Trump, whose administration brokered the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, said on Wednesday that Aoun and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would speak on Thursday.

While such a conversation did not ultimately occur, Trump held separate phone calls with the two leaders on Thursday before announcing the ceasefire.

Arutz Sheva

Day 924 — Friday, April 17

Israel is preparing for a resumption of hostilities in Iran in case peace talks between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic are unsuccessful, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday.

In a message shared to his official social media account, Netanyahu stressed the U.S. and Israel are in constant communication over U.S. contacts with the Iranian regime.

“Our goals and those of the United States are identical: We want to see the enriched material removed from Iran, we want to see the cancellation of enrichment capabilities within Iran, and of course, we want to see the opening of the straits.”

“It is too early to say how this matter will end, or even how it will progress. In anticipation of the possibility that fighting may resume, we are prepared for any scenario,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump continues to place economic pressure on Iran, in an attempt to get the regime to agree to U.S. demands.

On Thursday, during a briefing at the Pentagon, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that the U.S. is also prepared to restart combat operations in Iran if no agreement is reached.

“We’d prefer to do it the nice way through a deal led by our vice president and negotiating team,” Hegseth said, “or we can do it the hard way. We urge this new regime to choose wisely.”

Hegseth further stated that the Iranian regime “can choose a prosperous future, a golden bridge, and we hope that you do for the people of Iran,” but noted that if not, “they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy.”

“We are watching you,” the secretary stated. “Your capabilities are not the same as ours. Remember, this is not a fair fight.”

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that the U.S. is preparing the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

Bessent said the administration has “told companies, we have told countries that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions, which is a very stern measure. And the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent of what we saw in the kinetic activities.”

All israel News

Day 924 — Friday, April 17

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday following calls between U.S. president Donald Trump and the leaders of each country.

After Trump announced the truce on social media, the State Department released a statement with details of the agreement between the two sides.

“Israel and Lebanon will implement a cessation of hostilities” that will start at 5 p.m. Eastern on April 16 for “an initial period of 10 days, as a gesture of goodwill by the government of Israel, intended to enable good-faith negotiations toward a permanent security and peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon,” the agreement says.

The agreement adds that Israel will retain a right to self-defense “at any time, against planned, imminent or ongoing attacks” but will otherwise cease offensive military operations in Lebanon.

The agreement does not call for a withdrawal of Israeli ground forces from Lebanon and says that the initial ceasefire may be extended “as Lebanon effectively demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty.”

That condition appears to be tied to Lebanon’s ability to disarm Hezbollah, as the agreement requires the Lebanese government to take “meaningful steps” from the time the ceasefire begins to prevent Hezbollah and other terrorist groups from attacking Israel from Lebanese territory.

Trump wrote in a followup post to the truce announcement that he would invite Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House for “meaningful talks.”

The agreement released by the State Department says that those negotiations would be designed to resolve “all remaining issues” and reach a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which do not have diplomatic relations and have technically been in a state of war since Israel’s founding in 1948.

An open question about any ceasefire in Lebanon is whether Israel can prevent Hezbollah from carrying out attacks on Israeli border communities.

In a statement confirming the ceasefire, Netanyahu said that the agreement allowed for Israeli troops to maintain a “reinforced security buffer zone” inside Lebanon.

“This allows us, first and foremost, to block the danger of an invasion into our communities, and secondly, it allows us to prevent direct anti-tank fire into the communities,” Netanyahu said. “The residents are now protected from these two dangers.”

Netanyahu added that he had received assurances from Trump that the U.S. president intends to continue the naval blockade of Iran and dismantle the regime’s remaining nuclear capabilities.

JNS

Day 924 — Friday, April 17

An attempted attack near the London studios of Iran International, which is affiliated with the Iranian opposition, has heightened concerns over what the broadcaster says is a growing campaign of intimidation targeting its staff.

A suspicious vehicle was denied entry at the main entrance of its site on the evening of Wednesday, April 15. Shortly afterward, incendiary devices were thrown into the car park of a neighboring building just meters from its studios.

“Our security team responded immediately, and the police and fire brigade arrived shortly afterwards. We are grateful to them for their swift response,” Iran International’s editorial board said in a statement.

Footage posted to social media appeared to show the aftermath of the attack.

London’s Metropolitan Police said on Thursday that three people aged 16, 19 and 21 had been arrested in connection with the incident.

Police said the case is not currently being treated as terrorism but is being investigated by Counter Terrorism Policing London.

The incident comes amid a sharp increase in threats and pressure directed at Iran International journalists and their families, particularly following the recent war involving Iran.

The channel temporarily relocated its operations from London to Washington in February 2023 following intelligence warnings of state-backed threats.

In March 2024, one of its presenters was stabbed outside his London home in an attack investigated by counter-terrorism police.

Meanwhile, an Islamist group with possible links to Iran claimed responsibility for the Iran International attack, as well two other attacks in north London.

Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya – The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand – made the unsubstantiated claim by posting videos on social media.

In addition to the Iran International attack, the group also claimed Wednesday’s attack on the Finchley Reform Synagogue in London and a previous arson targeting four ambulances belonging to Hatzolah in Golders Green.

Arutz Sheva

Day 923 — Thursday, April 16

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Iran has an “inalienable” right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes during a state visit to China on Wednesday, according to the Times of Israel.

“The right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes is an inalienable right of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Lavrov said during a Tuesday press conference following a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to the Times of Israel.

Access to said uranium has been a hard line for U.S. President Donald Trump in ongoing peace negotiations with Iran.

“There will be no enrichment of Uranium,” Trump wrote in an April 8 post on Truth Social, adding that the U.S. would be working with Iran to dig up all remaining nuclear materials in the country to ensure the Islamic Republic would not have access to any uranium.

Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation during Saturday negotiations with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, doubled down on that red line.

“The enriched uranium that the Iranians currently possess, we have said that we want that to come our of their country, and we would like to take possession of it,” Vance told Fox News’ Brett Baier on Monday.

“The president doesn’t want to leave the next president or the president after that to be worrying about this program so we would like to get that material out of the country completely so that the United States has control over it.”

Despite the U.S. hard line, Russia’s top diplomat appeared to openly defy the U.S.’ demands, speaking in strong terms against what he viewed as American global control.

“Neither China nor Russia, nor the majority of countries throughout the world, can accept this approach,” Lavrov said in remarks posted to a Russian state website.

The peace talks in Iran stalled, according to Vance, because of their refusal to completely give up their nuclear program. Nuclear experts praised the decision.

“The U.S. team was wise to walk away once it became clear the Iranians would not agree to Washington’s core nuclear demands. Tehran maintaining enriched uranium stocks and uranium enrichment capabilities provides it with a pathway to nuclear weapons, plain and simple,” Andrea Stricker, deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ nonproliferation program, told Fox News Digital.

Fox News

Day 923 — Thursday, April 16

Israel’s and Lebanon’s leaders are expected to speak directly on Thursday for the first time in decades, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

“Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“It will happen tomorrow. Nice! President DJT,” added the American leader.

Trump did not specify which leaders would take part, whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun or Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Israeli and Lebanese officials last engaged in direct, U.S.-backed talks following the 1982 First Lebanon War, culminating in the May 17 Agreement. The pact was the closest the two nations have ever come to a formal peace deal, but it was never fully implemented, and was formally canceled by Beirut in 1984.

Iranian-backed Hezbollah began firing rockets, missiles and suicide drones at Israel from Lebanon on March 2 in retaliation for the Jewish state’s targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes of “Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury” against the Islamic Republic on Feb. 28.

In response to the terrorist organization’s violation of the U.S.-brokered Nov. 27, 2024, truce agreement, Jerusalem launched an aerial campaign against Hezbollah and ordered the Israel Defense Forces to take control of additional areas in Southern Lebanon to halt cross-border attacks.

Netanyahu announced on April 9 that Lebanon had requested the reopening of direct negotiations with the Jewish state aimed at disarming Hezbollah.

After more than two hours of talks that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said that the most important outcome of the negotiations was that Jerusalem and Beirut are “on the same side of the equation.”

JNS

Day 938 — Friday, May 1

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Russian President Vladimir Putin has aided Iran’s war effort.

He declined to go into details, citing the public nature of the hearing, but said, ”There’s definitely some action there.”

Committee Chairman Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., agreed.

“There’s no question that Vladimir Putin’s Russia is taking serious action to undermine our efforts for success in Iran,” Wicker said.

Wicker’s opening statement warned about the “four dictatorships” aligned, including Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.

“Xi Jinping leads not only China, but also an axis of aggressors,” Wicker said. “This growing alliance cannot be denied. It includes China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

“These four dictatorships,” he continued “support each other’s aggressive endeavors. They prop each other up financially, and they scheme to undermine America’s objectives.”

Fox News

Day 938 — Friday, May 1

The United States recently shipped 6,500 tons of munitions and materiel to Israel within 24 hours, using two large sea vessels and multiple cargo aircraft, the Defense Ministry reported Thursday.

In a large-scale global logistics operation, the two cargo ships docked at the ports of Ashdod and Haifa, carrying thousands of air and ground munitions, military trucks, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs), and additional military equipment, it said.

The operation was led by the ministry’s Defense Procurement Directorate in coordination with its International Shipping Division, its mission to the US, and the IDF Planning Directorate.

The equipment was loaded onto hundreds of trucks from the ministry’s Logistics and Assets Department and the IDF Technological and Logistics Directorate. It was then transferred to IDF bases throughout the country in an operation at the Port of Ashdod overseen by Defense Ministry Director-General Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amir Baram.

The air and sea bridge remains the “central tool for building readiness as the security situation continues to develop,” the Defense Ministry said. “Since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, Israel has received more than 115,600 tons of military equipment in 403 airlifts and 10 sealifts.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel “stands ready at every moment to act against its enemies, on every front, and wherever necessary. This expanding air and sea bridge directly strengthens the IDF’s capabilities and operational superiority.”

Baram said: “At any given moment, cargo aircraft and ships are en route to Israel, carrying thousands of tons of munitions and military equipment. This is core to the ministry’s strategy: supporting every IDF need, both through massive near-term procurement and by building readiness for a demanding security decade ahead. The impressive procurement and shipping operation we have completed will continue to expand in the weeks ahead.”

Jerusalem Post

Day 937 — Thursday, April 30

US President Donald Trump told Axios on Wednesday that he intends to maintain a naval blockade on Iran until Tehran agrees to terms addressing American concerns over its nuclear program.

The President dismissed an Iranian proposal that would have involved reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing the blockade before resuming nuclear negotiations at a later stage.

Sources familiar with the situation told Axios that US Central Command has prepared a plan involving a limited but intense series of strikes on Iranian targets, aimed at breaking the current stalemate. These strikes would likely focus on infrastructure, after which Washington would seek to bring Iran back to negotiations under increased pressure.

Trump indicated that, at present, he views the blockade as a more effective tool than direct military action, telling Axios, “The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing.” He has not authorized any strikes as of Tuesday night, according to the report, and declined to elaborate on potential military plans during the interview.

Trump said the blockade is exerting significant pressure on Iran, stating, “They are choking like a stuffed pig,” and emphasized that the United States will not allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons. “They can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said. He added that Iran is interested in reaching an agreement in order to see the blockade lifted, saying, “They want to settle,” but reiterated his reluctance to ease the measure under current conditions.

The President also claimed that Iran’s oil infrastructure is under strain due to its inability to export, though some analysts have questioned the immediacy of such risks.

Meanwhile, a senior Iranian security official, quoted by the English-language state outlet Press TV, warned that the naval blockade could provoke a strong response. The official stated that Iran has so far exercised restraint to allow space for diplomacy, but cautioned that continued pressure could lead to retaliatory measures.

Arutz Sheva

Day 937 — Thursday, April 30

A 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly running amok in a prominent London Jewish neighbourhood, stabbing two men, in what police are now calling a terrorist incident.

Two men were rushed to hospital on Wednesday morning after being stabbed by a knifeman in the Golders Green area of North London. Both victims were seriously injured but are in stable condition.

The first attack took place outside the Hager’s Shul synagogue, where a 34-year-old Jewish man who had just walked out of the building was set upon and repeatedly stabbed. Security footage from outside the synagogue shows the moment the assailant affects casually walking along the street before suddenly lunging at a man in the process of adjusting his hat, giving the victim no time to react or protect himself.

Shortly after, it is said the assailant struck again further up the road, stabbing a 76-year-old man. Coincidentally, walking between the locations of the two attacks took the assailant past the front doors of the North London Hatzola, a Jewish ambulance charity, which was the site of an antisemitic arson attack last month.

After the two stabbings, the alleged suspect then clashed with Shomrim — a Jewish community security charity active in north London — and police before being arrested. Footage from the scene of the arrest, itself just 300 yards away from where the Hatzolah ambulances were burnt out in March, officers can be seen running with the suspect away from the North Circular road, and employing their ‘tazer’ stun-guns.

Eventually the suspect, an apparently robustly-built African-heritage male wearing light coloured clothes under a navy blue jacket, falls, and is kicked in the head by an officer several times as he resists arrest. A Shomrim volunteer can be seen sitting on the suspect’s legs as officers wrestle the man into cuffs.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement that “The suspect also attempted to stab police officers, and was Tasered before being arrested. No officers were injured.”

Counter terror police quickly took over investigation into the case, and shortly afterwards it was declared a suspected terrorist incident.

Given the frequency with which British Jews are the target of attacks now, the latest apparent terror attack has quickly seems demands of the UK government to stop talking about the need to take action, and to actually take action. The Isareli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that there have been “enough words” about antisemitism in Britain, and that “The UK must act decisively and urgently”. They said:

“After attacks on synagogues, Jewish institutions, community ambulances and now Jews targeted in Golders Green, the UK government can no longer claim this is under control. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statements are no substitute for confronting the roots of antisemitism festering across United Kingdom. British Jews should not need security patrols and emergency volunteers to live openly as Jews.”

Britain’s Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis also said the time for talk is over. He said: “Following the anti-Semitic stabbing of two Jewish people on the streets of Golders Green this morning, words of condemnation are no longer sufficient. This must be a moment that demands meaningful action from every institution, every community, every leader and every decent person in our country. This is a hatred that we must face down together.”

President Trump’s special envoy on antisemitism Ambassador Yehuda Kaploun hit the same notes, adding: “Heartbroken and outraged by another violent anti-Semitic attack – again in the UK. Enough is enough. The UK must take decisive action to ensure the safety and security of Jewish communities now.”

In scenes reminiscent of the recent Manchester Synagogue attack, where the then-Home Secretary David Lammy was heckled by members of the Jewish community who told him the government had failed to keep them safe, the chief of the Metropolitan Police was shouted down by local residents in Golders Green.

Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley was met with a barrage of shouts of “resign” and “shame on you” as he attempted to talk to press. Labour Member of Parliament for Golders Green Sarah Sackman was also met with “resign” and “shame” jeers at the same press conference.

Breitbart

Day 936 — Wednesday, April 29

The Trump administration turned up the dial on its “Economic Fury” operation on Tuesday, implementing sanctions on 35 people and entities tied, it said, to Iran’s shadow banking sector.

The U.S. Treasury Department said that the designated people and entities helped move the equivalent of tens of billions of dollars in a coordinated effort to evade sanctions, funding Iran’s military capabilities and terror sponsorship.

“Iran’s shadow banking system serves as a critical financial lifeline for its armed forces, enabling activities that disrupt global trade and fuel violence across the Middle East,” stated Scott Bessent, the U.S. treasury secretary.

“Illicit funds funneled through this network support the regime’s ongoing terrorist operations, posing a direct threat to U.S. personnel, regional allies and the global economy,” he stated. “Financial institutions are on notice. Any institution that facilitates or engages with these networks is at risk of severe consequences.”

Largely cut off from Western financial systems, Iran turns to private companies to manage payments for imports and exports, facilitated through shell companies.

Tuesday’s sanctions hit Farab Soroush Afagh Qeshm Company, which works with Iran’s Shahr Bank to enable Iranian oil sales, the Treasury Department said. Two of the company’s senior executives were also designated.

Other front companies working with Bank Sina and Bank Sepah, affiliated with Iran’s supreme leader and the military respectively, were also sanctioned, as were Nix Energy and Tai Lung Trading, which the department accuses of facilitating the transfer of millions of dollars on behalf of already-sanctioned Iranian individuals.

“By dismantling these financial channels, we advance the administration’s policy in the conflict with Iran and underscore our commitment to imposing maximum pressure on Iran,” stated Tommy Pigott, U.S. State Department spokesman.

“While the Iranian regime enriches corrupt elites, ordinary Iranians suffer under a deteriorating economy,” Pigott said.

The administration’s sanctions-driven “Economic Fury” campaign is being run in tandem with the military’s operation “Epic Fury,” as messaging continues to be passed between Washington and Tehran on a possible resolution to their two-month-old conflict.

JNS

Day 936 — Wednesday, April 29

An American soldier stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana was arrested last week after he told users on the popular messaging platform Discord that he planned to conduct a mass shooting at a synagogue.

Jakob Marcoulier, 22, was arrested on Thursday and charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce after the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received a tip in February that he had made threats toward synagogues, according to the US attorney’s office for the Western District of Louisiana.

According to court documents, the FBI obtained audio from Discord in which Marcoulier allegedly said, “After this deployment if the Jews still have reign over our government, I am going to walk into a synagogue with my AK, with a 75-round drum mag, and all of my extra mags, with my level four plates, and my haka helmet that’s three plus, and I am going to kill every single Jew I know inside of that synagogue. And that’s my goal in life.”

During the communications, Marcoulier told the other users, “You guys will never do anything about but I will. I just have to finish this. I have to go back overseas and do what I have to do. And then you’ll see me in the news. I promise you.”

The Iran war has put Jewish institutions across the country and around the world on high alert, with attacks on synagogues, including arsons in Europe and a synagogue ramming in suburban Detroit last month.

“Threats against synagogues and Jewish Americans are threats to the religious freedom promised to every single one of us, and this Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting those freedoms,” United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller said in a statement.

Jerusalem Post

Day 935 — Tuesday, April 28

U.S. President Donald Trump’s red lines for a deal with Iran have been made “very, very clear,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday, following Tehran’s latest proposal to end hostilities.

“I will confirm the president has met with his national-security team this morning,” Leavitt told reporters during a briefing. “I don’t want to get ahead of the president or his national-security team. What I will reiterate is that the president’s red lines with respect to Iran have been made very, very clear, not just to the American public, but also to them [the Iranians], as well.”

“I wouldn’t say [the president and national-security team] are considering it,” she added. “I would just say that there was a discussion this morning that I don’t want to get ahead of, and you’ll hear directly from the president, I’m sure, on this topic very soon.”

Under the Islamic Republic’s latest proposal, the regime would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a long-term ceasefire or permanent end to the war, a U.S. official and two sources with knowledge of the matter told Axios.

Nuclear negotiations would only start at a later stage, after the U.S. military lifts its naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to the reported details of the plan.

A U.S. official briefed on Monday’s meeting at the White House told Reuters that Trump was unhappy with the proposal.

Washington has repeatedly stressed that the nuclear issue must be dealt with from the outset, and Trump was unhappy with Tehran’s offer for that reason, the official said.

CNN cited a source familiar with the matter as saying that the president was unlikely to accept the plan, as it could remove a key piece of American leverage in the talks.

Israel has reportedly urged the United States to continue its closure of the Strait of Hormuz and not ease the naval blockade as a goodwill gesture during the talks.

According to Israeli assessments cited by Channel 12 on Sunday, the continued blockade is expected to increase pressure on the Islamic regime by reducing revenues, exacerbating internal divisions and leaving it with a choice: ease its negotiating positions or face greater instability, potentially including renewed U.S.-Israeli military action.

According to senior Israeli officials, if Tehran does not soften its position even after a prolonged blockade, the U.S. may opt for a return to fighting. Israeli officials have discussed the option of broad strikes targeting the Islamic Republic’s energy infrastructure, per Channel 12.

The Trump administration will not tolerate Iranian efforts to hold international waterways hostage, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News on Monday.

“They cannot normalize, nor can we tolerate them trying to normalize, a system in which the Iranians decide who gets to use an international waterway and how much you have to pay them to use it,” Washington’s top diplomat told Fox‘s chief foreign correspondent, Trey Yingst.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a call on Sunday that Washington “must first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade,” as a condition for “resolving issues.”

Pezeshkian said American maritime restrictions on Iran were a “clear breach of the ceasefire understandings.” Such measures, along with “threatening rhetoric” from the U.S. administration, have increased Tehran’s doubts regarding America’s commitment to the diplomatic process, he said, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency.

JNs

Day 935 — Tuesday, April 28

Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, defended Iran and accused Western countries of hypocrisy on Monday, arguing that the Islamic Republic has a right to restrict movement in the Strait of Hormuz.

“There was an attempt to pin full responsibility on Iran as if it was Iran which attacked its neighbors and Iran is deliberately obstructing the navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” Nebenzia said at a UN Security Council meeting. “In times of war, a coastal state that is under attack may limit navigation in its territorial waters for the purpose of security.”

Nebenzia also compared Western nations to pirates.

“Unlike pirates who raise their black flags with a skull and crossbones in their vessels, Western countries are attempting to conceal their lawless actions with references to unilateral coercive measures,” Nebenzia said.

“This is merely a fig leaf, the purpose of which is to conceal the fact that the [European Union] is engaged in blatant robbery at sea,” he added.

This comes after Russia and China earlier this month vetoed a Security Council draft resolution that sought to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Fox News

Day 934 — Monday, April 27

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the Israel Defense Forces to “vigorously” attack the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group, his office announced on Saturday night.

The announcement followed the launch of several rockets and UAVs from Lebanon toward northern Israeli communities earlier in the day, in violation of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Beirut.

The IDF announced the interception of one rocket after air-raid sirens were activated in Kibbutz Manara, Kibbutz Misgav Am and Moshav Margaliot on Saturday afternoon. A second rocket struck in an open area in the north, it said. “There are no casualties; this is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement by the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” the military stated.

Approximately an hour later, alerts were activated in several areas in the north due to a drone infiltration.

“The air force successfully intercepted a suspicious aerial target launched from the direction of Lebanon into Israeli territory. Contact was lost with another suspicious aerial target,” the IDF announced.

In response, the military struck Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Southern Lebanon, including “military” structures used by its Radwan Force, which functions as Hezbollah’s special operations unit and for years trained to invade northern Israel and seize communities there.

The structures, located in IDF-controlled territory south of the ceasefire line, were struck to remove threats “following Hezbollah’s use of these buildings to advance terrorist activities against IDF soldiers and the State of Israel,” it said.

Some two hours after the army announced the renewed airstrikes, more air-raid sirens blared in the area of Malkia, a kibbutz in the Galilee Panhandle, warning of a suspected UAV infiltration.

“A suspicious aerial target was identified, and contact with it was lost. The incident has concluded,” the IDF stated.

The IDF continued its campaign against Iran’s Lebanese proxy over the weekend, eliminating more than 15 Hezbollah terrorists, including three it said were killed while transporting weapons.

Air-raid sirens continued to blare in Israel’s north on Sunday afternoon, with alarms activated in a number of communities in the Western Galilee. The IDF subsequently announced it intercepted three UAVs before they crossed into the Jewish state from Lebanon.

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday, Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of “essentially disintegrating the ceasefire” through its incessant terrorist attacks.

“Therefore, as far as we are concerned, what obligates us is the security of Israel, the security of our soldiers, and the security of our communities,” the premier said. “We are acting vigorously according to the rules we agreed upon with the United States, and incidentally, with Lebanon as well.”

The IDF will maintain its freedom “not only to respond to attacks, which is obvious, but to thwart immediate threats and also to neutralize emerging threats,” he added.

Over the past two weeks, the military eliminated 46 Hezbollah terrorists, and “we will act with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,” said Netanyahu.

“One might get the impression that the IDF is not active there. It is active, and it is acting with force,” he continued.

Netanyahu on Friday vowed to maintain “full freedom of action against any threat, including emerging ones,” in Lebanon. “We attacked yesterday and we attacked today. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the north,” he said.

Jerusalem has “begun a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon,” and according to the prime minister, “it is clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend the ceasefire between the two countries for three weeks.

The announcement followed a meeting at the White House between Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese Ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad.

“The meeting went very well,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters in the Oval Office that the truce would be under the same terms as the 10-day ceasefire which the two countries agreed to on April 16.

Hezbollah ended a previous ceasefire, reached in November 2024, on March 2, when it fired rockets into Israel in solidarity with Iran. Israel and the U.S. launched a military operation in Iran on Feb. 28, which they suspended on April 8 pending talks between Iran and the U.S.

Metula Local Council head David Azulai told Ynet on Sunday that Netanyahu’s announcement of “vigorous” attacks was “pathetic.”

“There was nothing. There were strikes in Southern Lebanon, but not where they needed to be. There’s nothing new—this is just to tell us, ‘See, we’re attacking.’ It’s all one big bluff. We’ve been abandoned to our fate,” he charged.

Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council in the Western Galilee, added, “We understand that this is a sham ceasefire, and expect the prime minister and the defense minister to give the IDF the freedom of action to do everything necessary so that Hezbollah does not threaten the citizens of the State of Israel.”

JNS

Day 934 — Monday, April 27

A Devon man was arrested by Counter Terrorism Policing on Sunday on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts in relation to a series of attacks on Jewish, Israeli, and Iranian dissident sites in London, the Metropolitan Police announced on Monday morning.

The 37-year-old Barnstaple man was taken to a London police station for questioning.

The Sunday arrest brought the total number of people arrested since the March 23 Golders Green arsons to 26. According to the Met, eight people have been charged with arson-related offenses, and one person was convicted of arson.

The spate of attacks began with the arson of four Hatzola ambulances in the Golders Green area.

Jerusalem Post

Day 934 — Monday, April 27

Hezbollah will not surrender its weapons under any circumstances, the group’s leader Naim Qassem said on Friday, amid intensified US pressure on Lebanon to disarm the Iran-backed organisation and ongoing Israeli strikes against its operatives in southern Lebanon.

In remarks broadcast on a Hezbollah-affiliated television channel, Qassem rejected the idea outright. “We will not let anyone disarm Hezbollah or disarm the resistance” against Israel, he said, adding that “this idea of disarmament must be removed from the dictionary.”

Qassem said Hezbollah remained open to discussions about a broader “defence strategy,” but only on its own terms. Such talks, he stressed, could not take place “under the pressure of occupation” by Israel. He also called for Israel to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon, end its military actions, and for the Lebanese state to begin reconstruction efforts in affected areas.

His comments followed similar statements from senior Hezbollah figures, who have also ruled out any transfer of weapons unless Israel halts its “aggression” and withdraws completely from Lebanese territory. One official, Wafic Safa, said the issue was not disarmament but a national defence strategy aligned with the Lebanese presidency’s stated goals.

The debate comes as President Joseph Aoun has pledged to ensure that 2025 becomes the year in which the Lebanese state holds a monopoly on arms. His position reflects growing internal and external calls for Hezbollah to integrate its military capabilities under state control.

However, Hezbollah continues to frame its arsenal as essential to Lebanon’s defence, insisting it will remain armed as long as Israeli forces operate in the region.

Arutz Sheva

Day 933 — Sunday, April 26

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said he canceled the trip of the American delegation to Islamabad for talks on an agreement with Tehran as the Iranian representatives had already left Pakistan.

Explaining his decision on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work! Besides which, there is tremendous infighting and confusion within their ‘leadership.’

“Nobody knows who is in charge, including them. Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!” the president added.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to touch down in Islamabad to continue the indirect negotiations with Tehran through Pakistani mediators, but the Iranian delegation has reportedly left the country.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Pakistan on Friday and met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s Chief of the Army Staff Asim Munir, according to the Associated Press.

Araghchi said on his Telegram account that he is currently on a trip to Islamabad, Muscat and Moscow “to coordinate closely with [Iran’s] partners on bilateral issues and consultations on regional developments.”

He emphasized “Pakistan’s special position in Iran’s foreign policy and relations and Iran’s will to further develop relations between the two countries.”

He did not disclose Tehran’s demands but said that his country’s “principled positions” were conveyed to Islamabad.

Trump spoke with Axios on Saturday, saying that “I see no point of sending [Witkoff and Kushner] on an 18-hour flight in the current situation. … We are not gonna travel just to sit there.”

Asked whether the breakdown in talks means the war was to resume, the president said, “No. It doesn’t mean that. We haven’t thought about it yet. We have all the cards. We are not going to go there to sit around talking about nothing.”

On Thursday, Iranian officials presented a unified front after reports surfaced that Tehran’s leadership was fractured.

“In Iran there are no ‘hardliners’ or ‘moderates,’ President Masoud Pezeshkian tweeted.

“We are all Iranians and revolutionaries. With ironclad unity of nation and state and obedience to the Supreme Leader, we will make the aggressor regret. One God, one nation, one leader, one path; victory for Iran, dearer than life,” he wrote.

JNS

Day 932 — Saturday, April 25

Reza Pahlavi posted a video to X on Friday criticizing European media coverage of unrest in Iran, accusing journalists of ignoring what he described as mass killings and political executions.

In the video, Pahlavi said he recently held press conferences in Stockholm and Berlin attended by more than 150 journalists, claiming that none asked about “40,000 Iranians” he said were killed during protests or about political prisoners facing execution.

He argued that European media has “abdicated their professional responsibilities” by focusing more on criticism of the U.S. and Israel than on the actions of the Iranian regime.

The remarks come a day after Pahlavi was splattered with red liquid while leaving a press conference in Berlin, according to reporting from The Associated Press. He was not injured, and German police detained a suspect at the scene. Authorities said the substance appeared to be tomato juice.

Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s former shah, has been traveling across Europe in recent weeks seeking to rally support and position himself in discussions about Iran’s future. He said in the video he will continue advocating for a democratic Iran regardless of international backing.

Fox News

Day 932 — Saturday, April 25

The Trump administration announced it’s imposing new sanctions against Iran’s shadow fleet of oil tankers.

The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed the punishment on a Chinese teapot refinery along with 40 shipping companies and vessels that operate as part of Iran’s shadow fleet, whose transportation of petroleum and petrochemicals provides a financial lifeline to Iran’s regime.

The sanctions are part of a campaign called Economic Fury.

“Economic Fury is imposing a financial stranglehold on the Iranian regime, hampering its aggression in the Middle East, and helping to curtail its nuclear ambitions,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. 

“At President Trump’s direction, Treasury will continue to constrict the network of vessels, intermediaries, and buyers Iran relies on to move its oil to global markets,” Bessent added.

“Any person or vessel facilitating these flows — through covert trade and finance — risks exposure to U.S. sanctions,” he continued.

The shadow fleet is the name given to the hundreds of illegal tankers that countries such as China, Venezuela, and Russia operate while trying to evade sanctions from countries including the U.S., the Washington Examiner reported.

Experts told the Examiner they believe 1,000 vessels are transporting oil in violation of various sanctions.

Hengli Petrochemical Refinery Co., the sanctioned Chinese refinery, is one of Iran’s largest buyers of crude oil and other petroleum products, having purchased billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum. 

China-based independent teapot refineries continue to play a vital role in sustaining Iran’s oil economy.

Since at least 2023, Hengli has received Iranian oil cargoes from a host of sanctioned shadow fleet vessels, which alone have delivered over 5 million barrels of Iranian crude oil. 

“Constraining Iran’s maritime trade through the blockade directly targets the regime’s primary revenue lifelines,” a senior administration official told the Examiner.

“Any person or vessel facilitating these illicit flows — through covert trade and finance — risks exposure to U.S. sanctions,” the official added.

Newsmax

Day 931 — Friday, April 24

“Israel is prepared to renew the war against Iran,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said at the end of a situational assessment on Thursday, with the military awaiting the green light from the United States to “complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty.“

“The IDF is prepared for both defense and attack, and the targets are marked,” said Katz.

The Defense Minister discussed the Islamic regime’s practice of oppressing its people, saying, “The terrorist regime in Iran specializes mainly in internal repression of the population through the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij.“

Katz also accused Iran of “energy extortion, with the threat of raising global oil prices.“

“Its leaders are hiding in tunnels and have difficulty communicating and making decisions,” Katz continued, “its skies are wide open, and all its national infrastructure and strategic facilities are exposed to attacks, but it declares that it is victorious.“

Katz compared Iran to its proxy terror groups of Hamas and Hezbollah, saying the country “does not care about the heavy prices paid by the population.“

Turning to future IDF attack plans, Katz described them as “different and deadly,” stating that the military will strike “the most painful places,” adding that the attacks would “shake and collapse its [Iran’s] foundations.“

Iran has reportedly tasked foreign militias with keeping civilian protests down, according to social network expert Effi Banai, who spoke to 103FM’s Sivan Cohen on Thursday. 

Social media content emerging from Iran paints a complex and increasingly tense picture, Banai said, adding that the regime appears to be trying to prevent a widespread outbreak of protests by reinforcing its presence on the ground.

“We see the pressure on the regime on social media,” said Banai. “They have brought in militias from abroad, from Pakistan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. They are helping them impose order. They go around in trucks, in civilian clothing, carrying machine guns.“

“The soldiers speak Arabic rather than Persian, [which the locals notice and comment about on social media],” Banai added. “They are imposing terror in the streets so that people won’t go out and protest. The regime knows its people are hungry, desperate, and are afraid they will take to the streets again.”

Jerusalem Post

Day 931 — Friday, April 24

Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend the ceasefire between the two countries for three more weeks, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Thursday.

The announcement follows a meeting at the White House between Israeli ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and Lebanese ambassador to the United States Nada Hamadeh Moawad.

“The meeting went very well,” Trump wrote on social media. “The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah.”U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters in the Oval Office that the truce would be under the same terms as the 10-day ceasefire to which the two countries agreed on April 16.

“We’re going to extend the ceasefire for three weeks that’s already in place between Israel and Lebanon,” Vance said.

In addition to Trump and Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa also attended Thursday’s meeting at the White House with the Israeli and Lebanese diplomats.

Trump added that he expects to host a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun “in the near future.”

JNS

Day 930 — Thursday, April 23

President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire with Iran that was due to expire on Wednesday night. The president pointed to what he called a “fractured” Iranian government and raised questions about who is really in charge in Tehran.

Just hours after the Trump announcement, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) rallied supporters with a parade that included ballistic missiles in the heart of the capital. The demonstrators chanted, “Strike the final blow, and hit the heart of Tel Aviv.”

Iran’s state-run television quoted a military spokesman who threatened the United States.

“In the event of aggression and any action against Islamic Iran, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will immediately attack the predetermined targets with power, and teach the aggressive America and the child-killing Zionist entity another lesson more severely than before.”
The show of force and rhetoric has led some to believe that Iran is run by leaders willing to resume the war.

The actions roughly coincided with Trump’s announcement to continue the ceasefire.

The president said late on Tuesday that, at Pakistan’s request, the U.S. would extend the halt in fighting indefinitely as he waits for a unified proposal from the Islamic Republic.

The two-week truce was set to expire as a second round of talks led by Vice President JD Vance looked uncertain.

Meanwhile, in Israel, no official word from the government as the nation celebrated the 78th anniversary of modern Israel’s founding.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marked the milestone, declaring, “In shelters and hospitals, in moments of pain, in moments of joy, we have no other country and will not have another one. With God’s help, we will complete the victory, strengthen our state, and secure our future.”

CBN Israel

Day 930 — Thursday, April 23

The Arizona Legislature approved on Monday a resolution urging state agencies to use the term “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank” in official communications.

House Concurrent Resolution 2047, sponsored by David Livingston, a Republican state representative, recognizes what it describes as the “historical, biblical and legal legitimacy” of Judea and Samaria and formally rejects “West Bank” as a modern political construct.

The measure passed both chambers, clearing the Senate on April 20 after earlier approval in the House. The nonbinding resolution directs state entities to adopt the terminology in government documents and references.

“Today, as Israel honors those who gave their lives defending the nation, Arizona stands with the truth about that nation’s history,” Livingston stated.

The resolution, which Livingston introduced following a 2025 visit to the region, is part of a broader national effort by some lawmakers to promote the use of biblical names for the territory west of the Jordan River, which is widely referred to internationally as the West Bank.

“Judea and Samaria are central to Jewish history and faith,” he said. “They are not political labels to be swapped out for convenience. This resolution affirms what is true and rejects language created to deny it.”

Israel Bachar, Israel’s consul general for the Pacific Southwest, praised the move, stating that Arizona “has set a gold standard in terms of state legislative initiatives that protect and enhance the U.S.-Israel relationship on the state level.”

JNS

Day 929 — Wednesday, April 22

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran is losing approximately $500 million per day due to restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the Islamic Republic is seeking to reopen the strategic waterway as financial pressure mounts.

“Iran is collapsing financially! They want the Strait of Hormuz opened immediately- Starving for cash! Losing 500 Million Dollars a day. Military and Police complaining that they are not getting paid. SOS!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday.

“Iran doesn’t want the Strait of Hormuz closed, they want it open so they can make $500 Million Dollars a day,” Trump wrote in an earlier post, adding that Tehran is “starving for cash” and facing internal strain. “They only say they want it closed because I have it totally BLOCKADED (CLOSED!), so they merely want to “save face.” People approached me four days ago, saying, ‘Sir, Iran wants to open up the Strait, immediately.’ But if we do that, there can never be a Deal with Iran, unless we blow up the rest of their Country, their leaders included!”

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass, meaning disruptions can significantly affect global energy markets.

Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday.

“Based on the fact that the government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” Trump stated.

The president said he has directed the military to continue the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and has extended the ceasefire “until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”

The United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure on Feb. 28.

JNS

Day 929 — Wednesday, April 22

The US Treasury Department has imposed a new wave of sanctions on 14 individuals and entities across Iran, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, targeting the procurement networks fuelng Tehran’s missile and drone programs.

This move aims to disrupt the acquisition of specialized components as Iran attempts to restore its military capabilities following recent strikes by the United States and Israel.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent justified the measures by accusing the Iranian regime of using these technologies to threaten global energy markets and strike civilian targets.

The sanctions specifically hit three individuals involved in the supply chain for Shahed drones and a Turkish firm accused of providing materials for missile fuel production. Furthermore, the administration blacklisted two Boeing 777 aircraft operated by Mahan Air, an airline the US identifies as a primary transporter of military equipment.

These financial restrictions effectively freeze the assets of the named parties and prohibit any US-linked transactions, deepening the economic isolation of Tehran’s defense sector.

The announcement comes at a volatile moment in regional diplomacy, with high-level talks in Pakistan recently collapsing and a temporary ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump nearing its expiration. By targeting the logistical networks enabling Iran’s military activity, Washington is signaling a return to intensive economic pressure as the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough regarding the Strait of Hormuz remains stalled.

i24 News

Day 929 — Wednesday, April 22

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he is pursuing peace negotiations with Israel, arguing that diplomacy is the only viable path to save Lebanon from continued war and economic and social collapse.

His remarks, made during a meeting with lawmakers aligned against Hezbollah and summarized by his office, offered justification for engaging with Israel — an unprecedented step in modern Lebanese politics.

“Lebanon faces two options: the continuation of the war with all its humanitarian, social, economic, and sovereign consequences, or negotiations to end the war and achieve lasting stability,” Aoun said, according to the statement released by his office.

“I have chosen negotiation, and I am full of hope that we will be able to save Lebanon,” he stressed.

Aoun emphasized that talks are the only realistic way to “end hostilities, secure the Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas in southern Lebanon, and allow the deployment of the Lebanese army up to the internationally recognized southern border.”

Since Israel’s founding in 1948, Beirut has refused to recognize the Jewish state. Despite multiple military defeats of the Lebanses army during conflicts and Israel’s peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, Beirut has never formally acknowledged Israel.

The diplomatic push follows recent U.S.-brokered efforts under Donald Trump, whose administration facilitated high-level talks last week between Lebanese and Israeli officials aimed at reaching a broader agreement.

Notably, Aoun did not personally attend those discussions. Reports also indicate that Aoun declined to speak directly by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite encouragement from Trump.

Trump recently announced a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. However, Israeli military operations have been focused on Hezbollah targets within Lebanese territory rather than on the Lebanese state itself.

Aoun’s remarks come months after the Lebanese government passed a resolution demanding that Hezbollah disarm. The Iranian proxy group has pledged that it will never surrender its weapons.

WIN

Day 928 — Tuesday, April 21

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Monday that Israel did not persuade the United States to enter military operations against Iran, emphasizing that he has long believed that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon.

“Israel never talked me into the war with Iran,” the president wrote. “The results of Oct. 7, added to my lifelong opinion that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, did.”

The comments follow criticism from conservative media figures like Tucker Carlson, who called the U.S. president a “slave” to Israel, and Megyn Kelly, who said Israel “dragged” the United States into the war.

Joe Kent, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, resigned his position while also alleging that Israel played a large role in drawing the United States into war with Iran, while former U.S. vice president Kamala Harris stated that Trump “entered a war, got pulled into it by Bibi Netanyahu, let us be clear about that.”

“Just like the results in Venezuela, which the media doesn’t like talking about, the results in Iran will be amazing,” the president wrote. “And if Iran’s new leaders (regime change!) are smart, Iran can have a great and prosperous future.”

JNS

Day 928 — Tuesday, April 21

Defense Minister Israel Katz spoke today a solemn ceremony held at the Mount Herzl National Hall for Israel’s Fallen.

“Between all of Israel’s wars there is a clear, direct line,” he said. “The State of Israel still fights for its existence and for its future, and our independence is not something given to us without cost.”

Katz also made a direct Threat to Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem.

“Nasrallah destroyed the Shiite community in Lebanon, and Naim Qassem will destroy it and will pay in the loss of homes and territory until he also pays with the loss of his head, as his predecessor did.”

Katz warned that Lebanon itself would face severe consequences if Hezbollah’s actions continue unchecked. “Lebanon will pay a heavy territorial price, like what happened to Hamas in Rafah and Beit Hanoun in Gaza.”

He went on to condemn regional militant leadership more broadly, stating that the heads of what he called the “axis of evil” are united in their fate. “They dwell together at the bottom of hell,” he said.

Katz also insited that the Lebanese government must assert control over its territory. “If the government of Lebanon continues to fail to meet its commitments, the IDF will do so in the continuation of military operations.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 928 — Tuesday, April 21

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denounced the U.S. Navy’s seizure of an Iranian cargo ship, calling for the “immediate release of the Iranian vessel, its sailors, crew and their families.”

The Foreign Ministry called the seizure “extremely dangerous” and “criminal.”

“There is no doubt that the Islamic Republic of Iran will use all its capacities to defend Iran’s national interests and security and to safeguard the rights and dignity of its citizens,” the Tuesday statement said.

“It is also clear that full responsibility for any further escalation in the region lies with the United States,” it added.

Iran had earlier vowed to respond after the U.S. seizure of its vessel.

Fox News

Day 927 — Monday, April 20

The US seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship after “blowing a hole” in its engine room when it tried to break past the Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump revealed Sunday.

The USS Spruance destroyer intercepted Iran’s Touska cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, taking custody of the ship after it refused warnings to stop, according to the president.

“Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them,” Trump boasted on Truth Social.

“Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel,” the president added. “The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!”

A CENTCOM video shared online by Reuters’ chief national security reporter showed the US Navy ship warning those aboard the Iranian cargo ship to vacate its engine room before firing multiple blasts.

“Motor vessel Touska, motor vessel Touska, vacate your engine room, vacate your engine room. We are prepared to subject you to disabling fire,” a Marine can be heard saying before the ship’s horn blows and blasts go off.

The seizure of the Iran-flagged vessel comes as Trump is pushing to lock down a peace deal with Iran before the two-week cease-fire wraps up on Tuesday.

New York Post

Day 927 — Monday, April 20

Hundreds of commercial tankers are stranded on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz after Iran shut the critical chokepoint on April 18, halting traffic and leaving crews trapped amid reports of gunfire and “traumatic experiences” on board.

The Strait of Hormuz is considered an international waterway under international law, through which ships have the right of transit passage, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it a critical chokepoint for global energy markets, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Iranian gunboats opened fire on a tanker the same day, while a projectile struck a container vessel, damaging cargo.

Audio released by maritime monitoring group TankerTrackers appears to capture the moment a vessel and its crew came under fire while approaching the strait, including a distress call from a crew member.

“Sepah Navy! Motor tanker Sanmar Herald! You gave me clearance to go… you are firing now. Let me turn back!” the crew member can be heard saying in the recording, according to TankerTrackers.

Iranian state media confirmed that shots were fired near vessels to force them to turn back, while the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India said the foreign secretary was deeply concerned.

Hapag-Lloyd, the world’s fifth-largest container shipping line, told Fox News Digital that it had activated a crisis team as its crews remain stuck on board vessels in the region.

“We have been working from Friday afternoon until today with the entire crisis team to bring the vessels out — in vain, unfortunately,” said Nils Haupt, senior director of group communications at Hapag-Lloyd AG.

“These events can easily lead to traumatic experiences. There is also a significant risk from sea mines, which has made insuring vessels for passage through the Strait nearly impossible.”

“The crews are well, but they are becoming increasingly impatient and frustrated. It is very unfortunate that we could not leave today,” he added. “Many ships are still stuck in the Persian Gulf.”

“Our six ships are anchored near the port of Dubai, and all crews hope for an improvement in the situation,” Haupt said.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on April 18 that the strait would remain closed until the U.S. lifts its blockade on Iranian ports, warning ships not to move from anchorage or risk being treated as “enemy” collaborators.

Iran has previously argued that restrictions on its oil exports and shipping amount to “economic warfare,” framing actions in the Strait of Hormuz as a response to foreign pressure on its economy, according to statements from Iranian officials and state media in past incidents.

“Approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and any violating vessel will be targeted,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency.

The United States imposed the blockade on Iranian ports to pressure Tehran to reopen the strait, with U.S. Central Command saying the measures are being enforced “impartially against all vessels.”

Hapag-Lloyd said its vessels have been stuck for weeks following the initial closure after the outbreak of war with Iran on Feb. 28.

“For us, it is critical that our vessels can pass through the strait soon,” Haupt said.

“We offer all crew members unlimited data so they can video call loved ones and access entertainment. Crews are strong, but after weeks on board there is growing monotony and frustration.”

“One crew experienced a fire on board from bomb fragments. Others have seen missiles or drones near their vessels,” he added.

Fox News

Day 926 — Sunday, April 19

At a tense session of the UN General Assembly focused on the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz and its implications for global shipping, Israel’s ambassador, Danny Danon, sharply criticized France and raised allegations about its conduct.

The debate followed a failed attempt to pass a Bahraini-backed resolution in the Security Council, shifting the dispute to the broader Assembly. Speaking during the session, Danon took an unusually direct tone, singling out the French delegation.

Citing international reports, he claimed that French-owned vessels were able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without interference, while ships from other countries were detained by Iran. Addressing France’s ambassador, Danon posed a pointed question about whether payments had been made to secure safe passage.

He argued that giving in to such pressure only strengthens Iran, describing its actions in the strait as “economic terrorism” targeting a critical artery of global trade. According to Danon, countries that comply with such demands are not ensuring stability but encouraging further coercion.

Danon warned that yielding to these tactics could lead to escalating costs and greater threats in the future, urging nations to resist what he characterized as a pattern of extortion rather than accommodate it.

Arutz Sheva 

Day 925 — Saturday, April 18

Tennessee’s legislature has voted to change references in state documents to the biblical regions north and south of Jerusalem to “Judea and Samaria.”

The term, which has always applied to the region in Israel, will replace references to the “West Bank,” which was invented and used by the international community following the liberation of the region from the Jordanians in the Six-Day War of 1967.

“The ideological and cultural conflict over Judea and Samaria represents a broader civilizational struggle between Judeo-Christian values,” state House Bill 1446 and its Senate companion Bill 1663, known as the “Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act.”

The bills say the term “West Bank” is a “deliberate attempt to erase the Jewish identity of Judea and Samaria, and to obscure the deep historical, religious and legal connections of the Jewish people to the land.”

Both houses passed their respective bills on April 9, by votes of 24-8 in the Senate and 68-21 in the House of Representatives. The measure now heads to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, for his signature.

The law mandates that any tax-funded communications from state agencies or official state materials use the historical nomenclature, rather than the more recent internationally recognized term.

Debate over the legislation largely hinged on criticisms that the measure erased Palestinian heritage or amounted to biblical indoctrination, with others saying that the legislature has more pressing, relevant matters at hand.

The bill is similar to one passed in Arkansas last April. A similar effort this year in Florida died in the Senate Rules Committee.

JNS

Day 925 — Saturday, April 18

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun gave a speech to the nation on Friday, a day after a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel went into effect.

In the speech, Aoun defended the direct talks held with Israel earlier this week, stressing that Lebanon is no longer an “arena” for anyone’s wars.

“We are confident that we will save Lebanon… we have reclaimed Lebanon and Lebanon’s decision-making power for the first time in nearly half a century,” Aoun said.

He stressed, “Today, we negotiate for ourselves… we are no longer a pawn in anyone’s game, nor an arena for anyone’s wars, and we never will be again”.

“Now, we all stand before a new phase,” Aoun continued. “It is the phase of transition from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation.”

The Lebanese President insisted that direct talks with Israel are “not a sign of weakness nor a concession.”

He added that “negotiations do not mean, and will never mean, giving up any right, conceding any principle, or compromising the sovereignty of this nation.”

US President Donald Trump, whose administration brokered the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, said on Wednesday that Aoun and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would speak on Thursday.

While such a conversation did not ultimately occur, Trump held separate phone calls with the two leaders on Thursday before announcing the ceasefire.

Arutz Sheva

Day 924 — Friday, April 17

Israel is preparing for a resumption of hostilities in Iran in case peace talks between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic are unsuccessful, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday.

In a message shared to his official social media account, Netanyahu stressed the U.S. and Israel are in constant communication over U.S. contacts with the Iranian regime.

“Our goals and those of the United States are identical: We want to see the enriched material removed from Iran, we want to see the cancellation of enrichment capabilities within Iran, and of course, we want to see the opening of the straits.”

“It is too early to say how this matter will end, or even how it will progress. In anticipation of the possibility that fighting may resume, we are prepared for any scenario,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump continues to place economic pressure on Iran, in an attempt to get the regime to agree to U.S. demands.

On Thursday, during a briefing at the Pentagon, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said that the U.S. is also prepared to restart combat operations in Iran if no agreement is reached.

“We’d prefer to do it the nice way through a deal led by our vice president and negotiating team,” Hegseth said, “or we can do it the hard way. We urge this new regime to choose wisely.”

Hegseth further stated that the Iranian regime “can choose a prosperous future, a golden bridge, and we hope that you do for the people of Iran,” but noted that if not, “they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy.”

“We are watching you,” the secretary stated. “Your capabilities are not the same as ours. Remember, this is not a fair fight.”

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that the U.S. is preparing the “financial equivalent” of a bombing campaign.

Bessent said the administration has “told companies, we have told countries that if you are buying Iranian oil, that if Iranian money is sitting in your banks, we are now willing to apply secondary sanctions, which is a very stern measure. And the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent of what we saw in the kinetic activities.”

All israel News

Day 924 — Friday, April 17

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire on Thursday following calls between U.S. president Donald Trump and the leaders of each country.

After Trump announced the truce on social media, the State Department released a statement with details of the agreement between the two sides.

“Israel and Lebanon will implement a cessation of hostilities” that will start at 5 p.m. Eastern on April 16 for “an initial period of 10 days, as a gesture of goodwill by the government of Israel, intended to enable good-faith negotiations toward a permanent security and peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon,” the agreement says.

The agreement adds that Israel will retain a right to self-defense “at any time, against planned, imminent or ongoing attacks” but will otherwise cease offensive military operations in Lebanon.

The agreement does not call for a withdrawal of Israeli ground forces from Lebanon and says that the initial ceasefire may be extended “as Lebanon effectively demonstrates its ability to assert its sovereignty.”

That condition appears to be tied to Lebanon’s ability to disarm Hezbollah, as the agreement requires the Lebanese government to take “meaningful steps” from the time the ceasefire begins to prevent Hezbollah and other terrorist groups from attacking Israel from Lebanese territory.

Trump wrote in a followup post to the truce announcement that he would invite Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House for “meaningful talks.”

The agreement released by the State Department says that those negotiations would be designed to resolve “all remaining issues” and reach a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon, which do not have diplomatic relations and have technically been in a state of war since Israel’s founding in 1948.

An open question about any ceasefire in Lebanon is whether Israel can prevent Hezbollah from carrying out attacks on Israeli border communities.

In a statement confirming the ceasefire, Netanyahu said that the agreement allowed for Israeli troops to maintain a “reinforced security buffer zone” inside Lebanon.

“This allows us, first and foremost, to block the danger of an invasion into our communities, and secondly, it allows us to prevent direct anti-tank fire into the communities,” Netanyahu said. “The residents are now protected from these two dangers.”

Netanyahu added that he had received assurances from Trump that the U.S. president intends to continue the naval blockade of Iran and dismantle the regime’s remaining nuclear capabilities.

JNS

Day 924 — Friday, April 17

An attempted attack near the London studios of Iran International, which is affiliated with the Iranian opposition, has heightened concerns over what the broadcaster says is a growing campaign of intimidation targeting its staff.

A suspicious vehicle was denied entry at the main entrance of its site on the evening of Wednesday, April 15. Shortly afterward, incendiary devices were thrown into the car park of a neighboring building just meters from its studios.

“Our security team responded immediately, and the police and fire brigade arrived shortly afterwards. We are grateful to them for their swift response,” Iran International’s editorial board said in a statement.

Footage posted to social media appeared to show the aftermath of the attack.

London’s Metropolitan Police said on Thursday that three people aged 16, 19 and 21 had been arrested in connection with the incident.

Police said the case is not currently being treated as terrorism but is being investigated by Counter Terrorism Policing London.

The incident comes amid a sharp increase in threats and pressure directed at Iran International journalists and their families, particularly following the recent war involving Iran.

The channel temporarily relocated its operations from London to Washington in February 2023 following intelligence warnings of state-backed threats.

In March 2024, one of its presenters was stabbed outside his London home in an attack investigated by counter-terrorism police.

Meanwhile, an Islamist group with possible links to Iran claimed responsibility for the Iran International attack, as well two other attacks in north London.

Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya – The Islamic Movement of the People of the Right Hand – made the unsubstantiated claim by posting videos on social media.

In addition to the Iran International attack, the group also claimed Wednesday’s attack on the Finchley Reform Synagogue in London and a previous arson targeting four ambulances belonging to Hatzolah in Golders Green.

Arutz Sheva

Day 923 — Thursday, April 16

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Iran has an “inalienable” right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes during a state visit to China on Wednesday, according to the Times of Israel.

“The right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes is an inalienable right of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Lavrov said during a Tuesday press conference following a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to the Times of Israel.

Access to said uranium has been a hard line for U.S. President Donald Trump in ongoing peace negotiations with Iran.

“There will be no enrichment of Uranium,” Trump wrote in an April 8 post on Truth Social, adding that the U.S. would be working with Iran to dig up all remaining nuclear materials in the country to ensure the Islamic Republic would not have access to any uranium.

Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation during Saturday negotiations with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, doubled down on that red line.

“The enriched uranium that the Iranians currently possess, we have said that we want that to come our of their country, and we would like to take possession of it,” Vance told Fox News’ Brett Baier on Monday.

“The president doesn’t want to leave the next president or the president after that to be worrying about this program so we would like to get that material out of the country completely so that the United States has control over it.”

Despite the U.S. hard line, Russia’s top diplomat appeared to openly defy the U.S.’ demands, speaking in strong terms against what he viewed as American global control.

“Neither China nor Russia, nor the majority of countries throughout the world, can accept this approach,” Lavrov said in remarks posted to a Russian state website.

The peace talks in Iran stalled, according to Vance, because of their refusal to completely give up their nuclear program. Nuclear experts praised the decision.

“The U.S. team was wise to walk away once it became clear the Iranians would not agree to Washington’s core nuclear demands. Tehran maintaining enriched uranium stocks and uranium enrichment capabilities provides it with a pathway to nuclear weapons, plain and simple,” Andrea Stricker, deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ nonproliferation program, told Fox News Digital.

Fox News

Day 923 — Thursday, April 16

Israel’s and Lebanon’s leaders are expected to speak directly on Thursday for the first time in decades, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

“Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon. It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“It will happen tomorrow. Nice! President DJT,” added the American leader.

Trump did not specify which leaders would take part, whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun or Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.

Israeli and Lebanese officials last engaged in direct, U.S.-backed talks following the 1982 First Lebanon War, culminating in the May 17 Agreement. The pact was the closest the two nations have ever come to a formal peace deal, but it was never fully implemented, and was formally canceled by Beirut in 1984.

Iranian-backed Hezbollah began firing rockets, missiles and suicide drones at Israel from Lebanon on March 2 in retaliation for the Jewish state’s targeted killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes of “Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury” against the Islamic Republic on Feb. 28.

In response to the terrorist organization’s violation of the U.S.-brokered Nov. 27, 2024, truce agreement, Jerusalem launched an aerial campaign against Hezbollah and ordered the Israel Defense Forces to take control of additional areas in Southern Lebanon to halt cross-border attacks.

Netanyahu announced on April 9 that Lebanon had requested the reopening of direct negotiations with the Jewish state aimed at disarming Hezbollah.

After more than two hours of talks that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter said that the most important outcome of the negotiations was that Jerusalem and Beirut are “on the same side of the equation.”

JNS