Bibi plays 'holocaust' card (again); MAGA podcasters working for Israel; Italy cuts-off Israel - IRAN WAR NEWS - 14-Apr-2026 (update 3)

April 14, 2026

UPDATE 3

Israeli attack kills several people in Gaza refugee camp | Gaza | Al Jazeera

Palestinians in Gaza recorded bloodied victims of an Israeli strike on the Shati refugee camp being rushed to a medical facility. Several people were killed in the Tuesday night attack.

10,000 U.S. Troops Are Taking Part In Iran Blockade

"More than 10,000 U.S. Sailors, Marines, and Airmen along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft are executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports," the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.
In the first 24 hours of the blockade, "no ships made it past the U.S. blockade and 6 merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around to re-enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman," the command added.

Scott Ritter: US Blockade an Act of WAR but Navy Is TOO Scared to Enter the Hormuz Strait - YouTube

U.S. Centcom reports over 10,000 personnel and dozens of warships are executing a naval blockade of Iran, but former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter calls the operation "a joke" and "pure posturing." Ritter asserts the blockade is an act of war that will prove ineffective, claiming the U.S. Navy will not risk entering the Strait of Hormuz where its ships could be sunk by Iranian missiles. He argues the U.S. has reached its escalation limit and this blockade is a face-saving "off-ramp" for the president before a necessary resumption of negotiations with Tehran.

US Centcom says no ships passed through first day of US Hormuz blockade | Middle East Eye

The US Central Command claimed on Tuesday that "no ships made it past the US blockade" on the Strait of Hormuz during the first 24 hours of its operation.
"More than 10,000 US Sailors, Marines, and Airmen along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft are executing the mission to blockade ships entering and departing Iranian ports," CENTCOM wrote in a post to X.

CHINESE TANKER CROSSES STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS U.S. BLOCKADE THREATS FAIL | Prof. Mostafa Khoshcheshm

12bytes: Several other ships also passed with Iran's permission.

Jeffrey Sachs: Trump's Naval Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

Prof. Jeffrey Sachs discusses Trump's naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the extent to which U.S. policy can still be considered rational.

America's influence in the Red Sea declines, forcing it to seek safer carrier routes - Yemen Press Agency

SANAA, April 15 (YPA) - Since the transit of the US aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower through the Bab al-Mandab Strait in December 2023, no comparable U.S. carrier movements through the strait toward the Arabian Sea have been reported, a trend observers say signals a change in naval deployment patterns across one of the world's most strategic waterways.

April 14: Hezbollah's operations against Zionist regime in response to truce breach

Hours after Iran and the US announced a ceasefire ending 40 days of aggression against the Islamic Republic, the Israeli regime violated the truce on Wednesday morning by launching devastating strikes on civilian areas across Lebanon.
The cessation of attacks on all fronts, including in Lebanon, was one of the key points of the Iranian proposal that was initially accepted by the American side.
In response, the Hezbollah resistance movement launched a series of retaliatory strikes on Thursday, targeting multiple Israeli military and strategic installations.
[...]
Below is a list of operations carried out by the resistance movement in Lebanon against the Zionist regime on Tuesday, April 14:
Hezbollah:
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated aggressions against the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers south of the city of Khiam with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the Liman barracks north of the "Nahariya" settlement with a swarm of attack drones.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's breach of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated aggressions on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the enemy's newly established artillery positions in the town of Al-Bayada with rocket barrages.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a fire control room near the "Kfar Giladi" site with a swarm of attack drones.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Misgav Am" settlement with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the communications station at the "Al-Aliqa" barracks in the occupied Syrian Golan with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's breach of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the enemy's artillery positions in the "Kabri" settlement with a swarm of attack drones.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's breach of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the South, and after the Resistance adhered to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Nave Ativ" site in the occupied Syrian Golan with a swarm of attack drones.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the enemy's newly established artillery positions in the town of "Al-Bayada" with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted gatherings of Israeli soldiers near the Mousa Abbas complex and east of the city of Bint Jbeil with rocket barrages.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a Hummer vehicle in the town of Ain Ibl in southern Lebanon and a logistical vehicle in the "Kiryat Shmona" settlement with two attack drones.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters shot down an Israeli military drone of the type "Hermes 450 - Zik" in the skies of the town of Sadiqine in southern Lebanon on Saturday with a surface-to-air missile.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement, and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters confronted an Israeli warplane in the skies of the Western Bekaa with a surface-to-air missile.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated aggressions against the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Kiryat Shmona" settlement with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Misgav Am" settlement with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated aggressions against the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles south of the city of Khiam with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the city of Tyre, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted infrastructure belonging to the Israeli army in the "Karmiel" settlement with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated aggressions against the city of Tyre, and after the Resistance abided by the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the settlements of "Kiryat Shmona" and "Manara" with rocket barrages.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the city of Tyre, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters confronted an Israeli military "Hermes 450 - Zik" drone in the skies of the city of Tyre with a surface-to-air missile.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance adhered to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted gatherings of Israeli army soldiers and vehicles in the towns of Al-Bayada and Chamaa with rocket barrages and artillery shells.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's breach of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance adhered to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the settlements of "Kiryat Shmona", "Metulla", "Misgav Am", "Kfar Giladi", "Al-Malikiyah", "Tel Hai", and "Dishon" with simultaneous rocket barrages.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted infrastructure belonging to the Israeli army in the "Ma'alot Tarshiha" settlement with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the city of Tyre, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters confronted an Israeli army drone of the type "Hermes 450 - Zik" in the skies over the Zahrani coast with a surface-to-air missile.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's breach of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted the "Nahariya" settlement with a rocket barrage.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Kiryat Shmona", "Metulla", "Misgav Am", "Kfar Giladi", "Manara", "Margaliot", "Kfar Blum", "Malkia", "Tel Hai", "Dishon", "Limans", "Sa'ar", and "Nahariya" settlements with simultaneous rocket barrages.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Shraga" base (the administrative headquarters of the Golani Brigade command) north of the occupied city of Akka with a rocket barrage and a swarm of attack drones.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the settlements of "Kiryat Shmona", "Metulla", "Misgav Am", "Kfar Giladi", "Metulla", and "Yir'on" with simultaneous rocket barrages.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement, its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted gatherings of Israeli soldiers and vehicles south of the city of Khiam with rocket barrages and artillery shells.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's breach of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Avivim" and "Yiron" settlements with rocket barrages.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's breach of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance adhered to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the enemy's artillery positions north of the "Bet HaEmek" settlement with a swarm of attack drones.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance committed to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the "Shlomi" settlement with a swarm of attack drones.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's breach of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the Resistance committed to the ceasefire and the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the border town of Naqoura with bombs dropped by an attack drone, hitting them directly.
In defense of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the enemy's violation of the ceasefire agreement and its repeated attacks on the villages of the south, and after the resistance adhered to the ceasefire while the enemy did not, the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted the "Metulla" settlement with a rocket barrage.

Aaron Maté : Why Israel Is Losing the War

French police arrest students protesting anti-Semitism law | Protests News | Al Jazeera

Police in France have arrested students at Sorbonne University, Sciences Po and Paris-Saclay University during a sit-in against a controversial anti-Semitism bill that could outlaw criticism of Israel. Lawmakers are set to vote on the 'Yadan law', named after a pro-Israel French MP who sponsored the bill, on April 16.

UPDATE 2

Trump's Iran claims clash with reality on the ground (VIDEO) - RT World News

RT examines the US president's threats, shifting claims of success, and erratic messaging as the conflict escalates

Israel's Netanyahu says US reports to him daily on Iran talks, sparking backlash - Middle East Monitor

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that the Trump administration provides him with daily updates on negotiations with Iran, remarks that drew swift criticism from US lawmakers and commentators, Anadolu reports.
"I spoke yesterday with Vice President J.D. Vance. He called me from his plane on his way back from Islamabad. He reported to me in detail, as this administration does every day, about the development of the negotiations," Netanyahu said at a Cabinet meeting.
[...]
The remarks triggered backlash in the US, including from Mark Pocan, a Democratic Congressman from Wisconsin, who wrote on X: "The Trump administration daily reports to Netanyahu on the Iranian war, but not Congress or the American people. Let that sink in."

Erdoğan has threatened Israel with military action - The Jerusalem Post

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has accused Israel of committing acts of violence against Palestine and Lebanon and has suggested the possibility of military action against the Jewish state, according to The Jerusalem Post.

35 killed in Israel, over 8,000 injured since outbreak of Iran war, data shows - Middle East Monitor

Israeli data showed Tuesday that 35 people have been killed and more than 8,000 injured since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28, Anadolu reports.
The tally was given by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), an independent think tank affiliated with Tel Aviv University, though no independent reports have verified the actual number of casualties or the extent of damage.
Israel enforces strict censorship on reporting its losses from missiles and drones launched by Iran and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, as well as from ground fighting in southern Lebanon.
The institute said that Iran has launched more than 640 missiles that entered Israeli airspace, along with more than 765 drones since the war began.

12bytes: The Israeli's lie about everything, however if we assume the 8,000 figure is accurate, that would mean roughly 2,000 people were killed.

Military commander killed, 6 injured in ambush on Saudi-backed forces in Hadramout - Yemen Press Agency

HADRAMOUT, April 14 (YPA) - A platoon commander in the Saudi-backed "Dera Al-Watan" forces was killed and six others were wounded this Tuesday due to an armed ambush by unidentified gunmen in the Al-Abr district of Hadramout Governorate, eastern Yemen.

Fresh Satellite Images Confirm Destruction Of U.S. Chinook, Super Stallion Helicopters In Kuwait

Iranian media on April 13 shared fresh satellite images confirming the destruction of two more U.S. military helicopters in Iranian strikes that targeted bases in Kuwait just before the temporary ceasefire entered into effect last week.
The first helicopter, a CH-47F Chinook, was destroyed at Camp Buehring, a massive staging post in northwestern Kuwait.
The camp serves as the primary location for the U.S. military's Middle Eastern Theater Reserve. It provides critical live-fire ranges in the wider Udairi Range Complex area, in addition to desert-familiarization training meant to prepare tens of thousands of troops for combat operations in the Middle East.

Trump Declares War on the Pope - And Puts Himself as Jesus

Trump attacks Pope Leo for criticizing the Iran war. Calls him "weak." Tells MAGA not to follow him.
Trump's plan to blockade the Persian Gulf is impossible. Iran has spent a decade planting underwater drones, torpedo mines, and satellite-guided missiles. Any US Navy move would be a bloodbath.
Trump posts an image of himself as Jesus - red robe, holy light, healing the sick, American flag behind him. Then claims it's "just a doctor."

Pepe Escobar: China Blockades the American Blockade of Iran

The whole planet is asking the same question: Will CENTCOM dare to go to war against China?
This is not a wild hypothetical anymore.
According to MarineTraffic data, the Chinese-owned Rich Starry tanker, sailing under the Malawi flag, linked to Shanghai Xianrun, and departing from Sharjah in the UAE carrying roughly 250,000 barrels of metanol, crossed the Strait of Hormuz this Tuesday, displaying the message "China Owner & Crew."
So the Rich Starry was the first tanker to transit and exit the Strait of Hormuz, on the way to China, since the Trump blockade-to-unblock-the-Strait is in effect.
In an unusually non-understated manner, what Beijing is signaling is that a desperate Trump Administration won't be able to play Pirates of the Caribbean - remixed as Pirates of Hormuz - on China.

Ships leave Iranian ports in Persian Gulf despite US 'blockade': Data

At least two ships sailing from Iranian ports crossed the Strait of Hormuz despite a blockade threat by the US military, maritime tracking reports have indicated.
The ships were among at least four Iran-linked vessels that used the route after Washington's threat, according to maritime data provider Kpler.
The Liberia-flagged bulk carrier Christianna crossed after unloading 74,000 tons of corn at the Iranian port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, passing Iran's Larak Island in the strait around 1600 GMT on April 13, Kpler data showed.
A second ship, the Comoros-flagged tanker Elpis, was near Larak Island around 1100 GMT and cleared the strait about 1600 GMT. It was loaded with 31,000 tons of methanol, having left the Iranian port of Bushehr on March 31, Kpler data showed.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) had threatened the blockade would target "vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas".

Trump To Iran: 'We're Gonna Blockade Your Blockade!'

President Trump claims that the US is enforcing a blockade of any vessel that sails out of an Iranian port. Any such ship is subject to boarding, seizure, or outright attack. So...what happens if it's a Chinese ship?

Meta 'financially enabling' Israeli settler violence against Palestinians, report says | Middle East Eye

According to the 7amleh, the Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, Meta has allowed settler-affiliated accounts and extremist media outlets to generate revenue on its platforms, despite content that violates its own policies, including violent, racist and inciting material targeting Palestinians.
[...]
The group said the US tech giant "not only tolerates violent and inciting speech but actively incentivizes its production and spread", in violation of its own monetisation and content policies.

UPDATE 1

Iran remains an obstacle to the 'Greater Israel' project | Israel-Palestine conflict | Al Jazeera

Ahead of the deadline United States President Donald Trump set for Iran last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an urgent call to the White House. He warned the president against pursuing a ceasefire with Tehran.
After the temporary truce was announced, Netanyahu was quick to clarify that the Israeli army would not stop its operations in Lebanon. Many saw in his actions his urge to ensure his own political survival by prolonging the war.
However, it is not just Netanyahu and his allies that want the US to continue the Iran war; it is also his opponents. That is because the defeat of Iran is seen by the Israeli political and security elites as a key step towards realising the project of "Greater Israel".

Scott Ritter: 'There is literally no blockade right now except in the mind of Donald Trump' - YouTube

In an interview for Al Mayadeen, former US Marine officer and UN weapons inspector, Scott Ritter, said that Donald Trump is facing growing trouble at home after taking the country into a war he had promised to avoid, arguing that he cannot admit defeat and is instead trying to reshape the narrative by blaming others while taking credit for any potential outcomes.
Ritter explains that what is being presented as a "blockade" is in reality a perception of strength that will never be tested, stressing that the limited number of US ships cannot effectively interdict anything, especially near Iran's coastline, where, he says, they would be highly vulnerable.
"And so, there is no blockade. There literally is no blockade right now except in the mind of Donald Trump," Ritter said.

USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Is Travelling Around Africa To Avoid Attack By Houthis

The USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier is sailing around the African continent and is set to join a growing naval force in the Arabian Sea amid a U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, USNI News reported on April 13.
According to the news service, the carrier and its strike group - which includes the guided-missile destroyers USS Donald Cook, USS Mason and USS Ross - are currently operating off the coast of Namibia.
The Carrier Air Wing Seven is embarked aboard the Bush with around 80 warplanes, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets, EA-18G Growler electronic attack jets and E-2C Hawkeye tactical airborne early warning aircraft.
The Bush did not sail through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea, a typical transit for East Coast-based carriers headed to the Middle East. The carrier and its strike group are instead sailing around Africa, two defense officials told USNI News.
"The path around Africa allows the carrier and its escorts to avoid transiting the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb, which were both hubs of activity for the Houthis in their drone and missile attacks on U.S. and commercial shipping in 2024 and 2025," the service said in its report.

China slams US blockade on Iranian ports as 'dangerous, irresponsible'

China has slammed a US blockade around Iranian ports as "dangerous and irresponsible," after US President Donald Trump threatened to sink any boats that sought to leave or dock there.
"The US increased military operations and took a targeted blockade action, which will only exacerbate tensions and undermine the already fragile ceasefire agreement and further jeopardize safety of passage through the Strait [of Hormuz]," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday.
"This is dangerous and irresponsible behavior," he added.
China also vowed to impose "countermeasures" in response to Trump's threats of new tariffs on its goods entering the United States if Beijing provided military assistance to Iran during its war of aggression against the Islamic Republic.
"If the US insists on using this as an excuse to impose additional tariffs on China, China will definitely take resolute countermeasures," Guo said.

Scott Ritter: UKRAINE RUSSIA WAR LATEST - YouTube

12bytes: Scott Ritter is a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer and author of "Scorpion King: America's Suicidal Embrace of Nuclear Weapons from FDR to Trump" (2020). He served in the Soviet Union as an inspector implementing the INF Treaty, in General Schwarzkopf's staff during the Gulf War, and from 1991-1998 as a UN weapons inspector. He was a Marine Corps intelligence officer from 1984 to 1991 and a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq from 1991 to 1998.

One Day After Iran's Ceasefire, Melania Trump Brings Epstein Back: What Is Really Driving US Policy?

The timing was, to put it mildly, curious: on Thursday, April 9, just one day after a fragile ceasefire de-escalated tensions in the Middle East, US First Lady Melania Trump stepped forward with a strikingly preemptive statement: she denied any substantive relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell, the couple infamously involved in the sex-trafficking of minors to members of the Western political and financial elite. Ms. Trump, a former model, described her past contact with the couple as merely "casual", even stressing she never had a "relationship" with Epstein and was never a "victim" forced to work for him as a prostitute. Strangely, she did not take the opportunity to affirm the innocence of her own husband.
Old pictures indicate that the Trump couple was quite close, socially, to Maxwell and Epstein. Melania's statement, in any case, came "out of the blue", as several observers noted, surprising journalists because the Epstein story had mostly vanished by then. The timing also overlapped with a shift in tone from Washington regarding the ceasefire.
[...]
Thus far, each resurgence of the Epstein story, from Musk to Melania, appears to coincide, closely and conveniently enough, with major escalatory decisions in US foreign policy.
By now we know that the Epstein network was never merely a criminal enterprise in the narrow sense: it has long been suspected of functioning as a blackmail and intelligence-gathering operation. Newly released documents have reinforced suspicions of links between Epstein and intelligence services, including Israeli intelligence.
The implications are explosive and the US President and the First Lady, with their past record, therefore appear to be tremendously "blackmailable" to say the least.

END UPDATES

An American aircraft carrier and destroyers have entered the Gulf of Oman - BBC

According to satellite imagery taken on 11 April 2026, the American aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was positioned approximately 200 km south of the Iranian coast, on the eastern edge of the Gulf of Oman.
Two guided-missile destroyers were also spotted as part of the carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln. This is the closest the US carrier group has come to the Persian Gulf since the start of military operations against Iran, the BBC noted.

Trump in the Hormuz "trap"... Empty threats to confront a vigilant arsenal - Yemen Press Agency

SANAA, April 14 (YPA) - The announcement of the failure of the Islamabad negotiations between Tehran and Washington was not merely a passing diplomatic stumble; rather, it was an explicit declaration of the collapse of the last cards of "political blackmail" that the White House attempted to brandish against Iranian sovereignty.
While Donald Trump was waving the "baton" of a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran was placing the language of "Rights and the Field" on the table, affirming that the security of maritime corridors is not an American grant to be given or withheld, but a reflection of the sovereignty of the coastal states.
Accordingly, Trump's threats to blockade Hormuz are nothing more than a "flight forward" from the reality of "military failure" experienced by his fleets in the Red Sea at the hands of the heroes of Yemen.
The resident of the White House realizes that any attempt to militarize the Strait or tighten the grip on Iranian oil exports will ignite a global economic "suicide fuse," as energy prices will turn into an earthquake hitting the American depth before any other.

Netanyahu slams 'morally weak' Europe on Holocaust Remembrance Day - RT World News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Europe has forgotten the lessons of the Second World War and the Holocaust, as he criticized European nations for not helping Israel and the US fight Iran.
Many European countries, including the UK, France, and Germany, have rejected US President Donald Trump's call to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed to "enemy ships" following the US-Israeli attack on February 28.
Speaking on Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday, Netanyahu described Europeans as ungrateful and argued that by waging war on Iran, the US and Israel were "defending Europe."

Hezbollah unveils hard-to-detect drone as retaliatory attacks intensify

Hezbollah deployed a new "hard‑to‑detect" attack drone alongside a wave of retaliatory strikes Monday, carrying out scores of operations against Israeli military positions and settlements across the northern part of the occupied territories.
[...]
According to Lebanon's al-Ahed network, the operations included a mix of missile strikes, artillery shelling, and deployment of attack drones.
Lebanon's Hezbollah group also launched a new "hard-to-detect" drone for the first time Monday as it sent at least 40 drones toward northern Israel, according to Israeli media.
Israel's public broadcaster KAN said one of the drones, equipped with an optical guidance system resistant to electronic warfare, crashed in the settlement of Kiryat Shmona.
KAN said only a small number of the drones were intercepted, while the others struck their targets and caused heavy damage.
It said the new drone can evade detection, maneuver inside buildings, carry up to 5 kilograms of explosives, and travel dozens of kilometers. The broadcaster described it as one of Hezbollah's most advanced aerial systems.
The report said the first strikes began in the early hours of Monday, when rockets were launched towards the settlement of Kiryat Shmona and the town of Dovev. As the morning progressed, drone attacks targeted the town of Metula and a gathering of Israeli forces in the town of Shlomi.
Hezbollah said that by midday, it had escalated its operations with a concentrated aerial assault using explosive-laden drones. The targets included barracks and forces' sleeping quarters at multiple locations, including Yiftah, Beit Hillel, Kiryat Shmona, and Margaliot.
Further attacks were reported against troop concentrations and military infrastructure. According to the account, positions in Misgav Am and Kfar Giladi were struck, along with barracks in Avivim and Liman, and the Amiad base north of the city of Tiberias.
During the afternoon, several sites, including Kiryat Shmona, Metula, Dovev, Shlomi, Nahariya, Hanita, and Malkia, were hit with repeated rocket fire.
The report also described continued strikes on concentrations of vehicles and troops in areas such as Ain Ebel, Bayada, Bint Jbeil, and Rashaf in southern Lebanon, using missiles and artillery.
Hezbollah said that later on Monday, it expanded its targeting to "sensitive bases" on the northern side of the occupied territories. These included the paratrooper brigade's training base in Karmiel, the Golani Division headquarters in Shraga north of Acre, and the Tefen base east of Acre. The movement said these strikes involved drones and "special missiles."
It also reported destruction of underground structures in Ma'alot-Tarshiha and Yesud HaMa'ala through combined missile and drone attacks.
According to the same report, operations continued into the night, with strikes targeting troop gatherings in Malkia, Bayada, and Rashaf using drones, artillery, and rockets.

Israeli strike hits south Lebanon homes as sirens sound in northern Israel | Middle East Eye

An Israeli air raid on the southern Lebanese town of Bafliyeh damaged multiple homes and caused injuries, Lebanon's National News Agency reported, as rescue crews searched through rubble for missing people.
In northern Israel, the military said sirens sounded in towns including Metula, Kfar Giladi and Misgav Am after a suspected drone infiltration from Lebanon was detected, highlighting ongoing cross-border tensions.

"Netanyahu insists on continuing the war and is against including Lebanon in the ceasefire." Interview with Wael Malaeb - Global Research

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel will remain occupying Lebanon even after Hezbollah has been disarmed.
Hezbollah was founded as an armed resistance group in response to the 18-years of brutal Israeli occupation of the south of Lebanon, and were successful in driving the occupiers out.
It has been the goal of the U.S. and Israel to disarm Hezbollah, and turn over the security of Lebanon to the Lebanese Army alone. This goal had been in the process, but was deliberately halted by the Israeli bombardment, occupation and total destruction of the south of Lebanon, with airstrikes continuing in central Beirut and elsewhere among locations which are not, and have never been associated with Hezbollah.
Israel has been acting with impunity because they enjoy a blazing green-light from President Donald Trump, who has sanctioned more war crimes by Israel than any U.S. President in history.

Handala Strikes Back: Steel Giants Foulath and SULB Crippled in Retaliation Cyberattack - Handala Hack Team

In a wide-scale and unprecedented cyber operation, the two unrivaled steel giants of the region, Foulath and SULB, located in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, were completely compromised and forced out of operational status.

Second Contractor Steps Forward to Blow the Whistle on Israeli Attacks at Gaza Aid Site

On September 25, 2025, David McIntosh filed a report to his bosses at Safe Reach Solutions (SRS) detailing an account of Israeli soldiers gunning down a young Palestinian boy as he was getting food at a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). "There's no way he survived," McIntosh told Drop Site News and Middle East Eye in his first interview since returning from Gaza five months ago. "He was murdered. He was straight up murdered."
[...]
Like thousands of other Palestinians trying to survive an Israeli-imposed starvation campaign on Gaza, the boy-who looked about 12 years old-had come to the site that day looking for food. After he managed to get his hands on an aid parcel, he continued playing atop a sand berm at the site, according to McIntosh.
Members of GHF's security firm UG Solutions threw a flash bang grenade to warn the boy to leave the area. Minutes later, Israeli snipers shot the boy in the shoulder near his chest. Severely wounded, he struggled to carry himself to a nearby bridge before collapsing.
"He was doing nothing but laughing and joking and they killed him," McIntosh told Drop Site.

Italy suspends defence agreement with Israel | Middle East Eye

"The government, considering the situation we are experiencing, has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of the defense agreement with Israel," Meloni said during a press briefing.

New York police arrest dozens demanding end to US military support for Israel

Police in New York City have detained dozens of protesters who were demonstrating against US arms sales to Israel and calling for an end to Washington's military support for Tel Aviv and its war with Iran.

Israeli Foreign Agents take over Trump podcast world

The Trump family has taken a 30 percent stake in Salem Media.
Salem Media is named in FARA documents as a partner to Clock Tower Strategies, a registered Israeli agent.
Max Blumenthal explains how Israel has effectively taken over the MAGA podcast world and uses it to spread pro-war propaganda in the US.

October 7th Foresight, Netanyahu's Funding of Hamas, and the Settlers Murdering Palestinians

Did Netanyahu know October 7th was coming? Why did he fund Hamas? Who are the settlers killing Palestinians in the West Bank? A journalist based in Israel answers the questions American media ignore.
Ari Flanzraich has worked as both a fixer and investigative journalist for major outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, the Observer, among others, using command of both languages to operate in Palestinian villages and Israeli settlements. He has posed as a Palestinian to meet with leaders of militant factions and arms dealers in the West Bank, bringing rare on-the-ground insight into the region. The son of a prominent Toronto rabbi, he spent his first several years in Israel living and working alongside illegal West Bankers and Gazans in Arab villages along the Green Line. Most recently, he served as an investigative reporter for The Washington Post.

Professor Marandi: The US Walked Away in Islamabad

Marandi correctly portrayed the negotiations as a US concession forced by Iran's battlefield successes during the recent conflict (including missile, drone, and defensive capabilities demonstrated over roughly 40 days of war against the "Trump-Netanyahu regimes"). He argued that Iran entered the talks from a position of strength-not weakness or desperation-and used "armed diplomacy" to document positions rather than out of trust in American promises.
He emphasized that Iran did not waiver from its key preconditions for the talks, which included:
A comprehensive ceasefire (particularly involving Lebanon and Gaza).
US fulfillment of prior commitments and respect for Iranian security/assets.
No negotiations under pressure or sanctions.
Marandi repeatedly stressed that progress depends entirely on the US abiding by its obligations. Without concrete action, "there is no reason for us to continue negotiating." He expressed no fear of returning to war, stating Iran is fully prepared for any scenario, including escalation, and has no illusions about the hostile nature of the Trump administration.
Marandi was blunt in describing the United States as the enemy of the Palestinian people, the region, and Iran itself, offering the following examples:
Facilitating Israel's slaughtering civilians in Gaza, Lebanon, and (via proxies) Iran.
Being captive to the Zionist lobby, which prevents it from controlling Israel or delivering on ceasefires.
Using talks hypocritically while maintaining aggression (e.g., sanctions, threats, and sudden moves like those attributed to JD Vance that abruptly ended sessions).
Marandi praised Pakistan (and Oman) as true friends of Iran with deep historic and people-to-people ties. He noted Pakistan's behind-the-scenes support for the resistance and expressed appreciation for its hospitality during the talks. This contrasted sharply with his view of the US and its regional proxies.

Seyed M. Marandi: US Blockade on Iran Just Triggered Iran's HARSHEST Response Yet

Talks between Iran and the U.S. collapsed after major disagreements over nuclear rights, regional control, and the Strait of Hormuz. The interview claims Western reports misrepresented negotiations, while Iran refused to abandon sovereignty or accept external control. Despite initial progress, sudden U.S. shifts and lack of clear authority led to a breakdown. The discussion highlights rising tensions, a potential blockade, and global economic risks. It also argues Iran remains resilient, prepared for escalation, and strategically positioned through regional trade and resources.

Col. Jacques Baud: EU Destroys Trump's War Fantasy - Leaves Him HUMILIATED

Talks between the U.S. and Iran collapsed after brief ceasefire efforts, followed by a major escalation with a proposed naval blockade. The discussion argues this reflects a "pressure-first" strategy-forcing quick deals rather than addressing root causes-making lasting peace unlikely. Key disputes included control of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program, with both sides holding incompatible demands. External actors and regional tensions further undermined negotiations. The interview suggests rushed diplomacy, lack of expertise, and geopolitical rivalries are pushing the situation toward broader instability with global economic consequences.

IN OTHER NEWS...

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Two US congressmen to resign over sex scandals - RT World News

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In 2023, Swalwell was removed from the House Intelligence Committee following an Axios report that he had contacts with a suspected Chinese intelligence operative.
Gonzalez, a Republican from Texas, suspended his re-election campaign last month after it was revealed that he had an affair with an aide who died by suicide in 2025. Gonzalez, who was first elected to Congress in 2021, admitted to the affair, describing it as "a lapse in judgment." On Monday, he said he would formally submit his resignation the next day when Congress returns to session.

Man charged with attempted murder of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman | News | Al Jazeera

A 20-year-old man has been charged with the attempted murder of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, after throwing a Molotov cocktail at his San Francisco home. Authorities say Daniel Moreno-Gama believed AI posed a risk to humanity.

US military kills two men in new strike on vessel in eastern Pacific | Crimes Against Humanity News | Al Jazeera

Latest attack brings death toll from US strikes on vessels in the Pacific and Caribbean to at least 170 since September.

Zelenskyy has extended the military conscription period in Ukraine by three years

On 7 April 2026, Verkhovna Rada MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak stated that the Ukrainian parliament had passed a bill extending the military levy for three years following the end of the conflict in Ukraine. The document is part of a package of measures agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).