Hormuz Strait open...and then it's not; US (Israel) wants more war; UK turning against Israel - IRAN WAR NEWS - 18-Apr-2026 (updated)

UPDATE 1

Pressure mounts on European Union to suspend trade deal with Israel

Pressure mounts on the European Union to suspend its trade deal with the Israeli regime, worth billions of euro annually, as criticism grows over what campaigners call a failure to act on almost unprecedented crimes against humanity committed by the regime. Our correspondent Jerome Hughes reports from Brussels.

U.S. Is Preparing To Resume War, Seize Iranian Tankers

United States President Donald Trump on April 18 convened a White House Situation Room meeting to discuss the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing talks with Iran, Axios reported, citing American officials.

The news website noted that Iran's announcement earlier in the day about a renewed closure of the strategic strait - responsible for 20% of the world's total oil and liquefied natural gas shipments -, along with reported attacks on vessels in the waterway, came less than 24 hours after Trump said a deal to end the war could be reached "within a day or two."

It added that "if there is no breakthrough soon, the war could resume in the coming days," when the ceasefire is set to end.

The meeting reportedly included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Also present were White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, special envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine.

A separate report from The Wall Street Journal said that the U.S. military is preparing in coming days to board Iran‑linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships in international waters.

According to the report, the U.S. is expanding its campaign to the entire globe and will target ships ferrying Iranian oil outside the Persian Gulf as well as vessels transporting weapons that could support the Islamic Republic.

Trump says 'very good conversations going on' with Iran - Middle East Monitor

"We have very good conversations going on. It's working out very well. They got a little cute, as they have been doing for 47 years. Nobody ever took them on. We took them on," Trump said in the Oval Office.

"They have no navy, they have no air force, they have no leaders. They have no nothing. Actually ... it is regime change. You call that enforced regime change, but we're talking to them," he added.

"We're talking to them ... we're taking a tough stand," Trump said, adding: "We'll have some information by the end of the day," regarding the ongoing talks with Iran.

After finishing his speech, Trump did not take any questions regarding the conflict with Iran, negotiations, or the situation on the Strait of Hormuz.

12bytes: That reminds me...

US to board Iran-linked vessels globally 'in days' - WSJ - RT World News

The US military is preparing to track, intercept, and board Iran-linked oil tankers and seize commercial ships tied to Tehran in international waters worldwide, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing sources.

USS Ford Returns To Red Sea To Deter Houthis

The Ford, which until recently was operating in the Eastern Mediterranean, transited the Suez Canal, along with a pair of guided-missile destroyers, the USS Mahan and the USS Winston S. Churchill, and is now operating in the Red Sea, one official said.

The deployment came after more than a month in the Mediterranean following a major fire in a laundry space that forced the ship back to port for repairs. The carrier also broke the record for the longest aircraft carrier deployment since the Vietnam war this week.

Embarked aboard the Ford is the Carrier Air Wing Eight with more than 70 warplanes, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets, and EA-18G Growler electronic attack jets, in addition to a number of E-2D Hawkeye tactical airborne early warning aircraft.

The Ford's arrival makes it the second aircraft carrier in the region in addition to the USS Abraham Lincoln, currently operating in the Arabian Sea.

The USS George H. W. Bush is also heading toward the region and is currently off the coast of South Africa. It will likely join the Lincoln in the Arabian Sea within a few days.

Alongside the Lincoln in the Arabian Sea is the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), with the aircraft-carrying USS Tripoli and two other amphibious assault ships. The 11th MEU is also making its way to the region, aboard three more amphibious assault ships, including the aircraft-carrying USS Boxer.

This naval buildup by the U.S. comes as the two-week ceasefire with Iran nears its end.

Multiple Ships Attacked Near Strait Of Hormuz

Multiple ships came under attack close to the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, right after Iran said that it was reimposing restrictions on the strategic waterway.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency first reported that a tanker was fired upon by what it said were "two gunboats linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)" 20 nautical miles northeast of Oman.

[...]

UKMTO later reported a second incident 25 nautical miles off the northeast of Oman. The agency said in an advisory note that a container ship was hit "by an unknown projectile which caused damage to some of the containers". It added that "authorities are investigating."

Soon after, a cruise ship located three nautical miles east of Oman reported seeing "a splash in close proximity," according to another advisory note from UKMTO.

IRGC says 3 terrorist ringleaders killed in strike on Iraq's Kurdistan region

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says it has carried out an attack on terrorist hideouts in Iraq's Kurdistan region, killing and wounding a number of notorious anti-Iran figures.

Hezbollah denies role in attack that killed French UN soldier in southern Lebanon - Middle East Monitor

In a statement, Hezbollah said it "denies any involvement in the incident that occurred with UNIFIL forces in the Ghandouriyeh area in the Bint Jbeil district."

The group urged caution, stressing the need "to avoid rushing to conclusions and accusations" before the circumstances of the incident are fully clarified.

Hezbollah also emphasized the importance of continued coordination between local residents, UNIFIL and the Lebanese army, particularly under what it described as sensitive conditions.

It further expressed surprise at what it called premature accusations, saying some parties were quick to assign blame "while remaining silent during Israeli attacks on UNIFIL forces."

IN OTHER NEWS...

Troops In... Cuba? Another Quagmire For Washington, Besides Iran

As the Iran conflict drags on, an attempt at pivoting appears to be underway in US strategy. Reports suggest Cuba is re-entering Washington's regime-change calculus under a revived neo-Monroeist logic. The US may find itself instead entrapped in two quagmires at the same time.

FBI chief threatens to sue The Atlantic over report about his drinking - RT World News

US President Donald Trump's FBI Director Kash Patel has threatened to sue The Atlantic for publishing a report claiming that he fears for his job due to his "excessive drinking" and "unexplained absences."

Patel said in an X post on Saturday: "See you and your entire entourage of false reporting in court." He also accused the magazine of "fake news" and called the lawsuit a "legal lay up."

[...]

In it, The Atlantic cited "two dozen" unnamed officials and insiders, claiming that they had raised concerns about Patel's conduct and alcohol problems, with some reportedly describing his "behavior as a national-security vulnerability."

"I stand by every word of this reporting. We have excellent attorneys," the article's author, Sarah Fitzpatrick, said on MS NOW's 'The Briefing' on Friday.

The intelligence chief has allegedly drunk to the point that his security detail has had trouble waking him up on multiple occasions, had missed briefings, and has sometimes been "unreachable behind closed doors," according to the article.

The piece also reported that Patel feared for his job following the recent firing of Attorney General Pam Bondi, a staunch Trump loyalist who was fired earlier this month amid bipartisan accusations of mishandling the release of the Epstein files.

END UPDATES

British MPs back sanctions on Israel over genocide in Gaza, Lebanon

At least 75 members of the British Parliament have signed a motion to sanction Israel over its genocide in Palestine and Lebanon.

Labour MP Richard Burgon has tabled the motion in the UK Parliament calling for broad sanctions against Israel over its actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.

IRAN OPENS STRAIT OF HORMUZ - AS LONG AS US, ISRAEL RESPECT CEASEFIRE IN LEBANON

Iran has announced that the Strait of Hormuz is open for the passage of commercial vessels, "in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon," making it clear that the two are connected.

This, despite President Trump insisting "this deal is in no way subject to Lebanon," in a desperate attempt to give himself legitimacy and to claim there was a purpose for his illegal sham of a meeting between envoys for the Lebanese government and Israel in Washington this week.

Iran Re-Closes Strait Of Hormuz

Iran reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, reimposing restrictions on the strategic waterway - responsible for 20% of the world's total oil and liquefied natural gas shipments - after the United States said that the move would not end its blockade.

The Islamic Republic joint military command says that the "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces."

It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.

The announcement came the morning after U.S. President Donald Trump said that the American military blockade on Iranian ports "will remain in full force" until the Islamic Republic reaches a deal with the U.S., including on its nuclear program.

Iran's parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned earlier that the Islamic Republic could re-close the Strait of Hormuz.

"With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would depend on authorization from Iran.

Ghalibaf noted that Trump made seven different claims about the war within an hour, all of which were false. The U.S. "did not win the war with these lies, and they certainly will not get them anywhere in negotiations either," he added.

A last-gasp bluff: Trumps naval blockade threat proves US strategic defeat in West Asia

US President Donald Trump's threat to impose a complete "naval blockade" on Iranian ports and control of the Strait of Hormuz is not a strategic military move, but the final attempt of a dying Empire to reformulate the equations of a war it has already lost.

The threat, issued after the collapse of ceasefire talks in Pakistan, is in line with the US military might at face value, but in reality has no long-term operational support, rational economic foundation, or international backing.

By doing this, the United States will not only be unable to deter Iran but will also severely harm its own strategic ties with other countries, as it will further deteriorate the global energy crisis, push inflation and even cripple its own supply chains.

In military terms, Trump's threat of a naval blockade is completely detached from modern asymmetric warfare. Despite the Fifth Fleet of the US in Bahrain having the most modern Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Aegis systems, it is completely susceptible to the hybrid war of Iran and regional resistance allies.

US forces turn 23 vessels back to Iran since blockade began, says military | Middle East Eye

Since the US imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and coastal areas earlier this week, 23 ships have complied with US forces orders to turn back toward Iran, the US military said on Saturday.

Iran yet to approve next round of indirect talks with US: Report

The Islamic Republic of Iran has not yet approved the next round of indirect negotiations with the United States in light of President Donald Trump's imposition of a naval blockade on Iranian ports and the American side's excessive demands during recent talks in Islamabad, according to a report.

IRGC dismantles US-Israeli-UK-affiliated cells in three Iranian provinces

The Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says cells affiliated with the United States, the Israeli regime, and Britain have been identified and dismantled in the provinces of East Azarbaijan, Kerman, and Mazandaran.

In a statement on Saturday, the IRGC said the cells were engaged in networking, arming, espionage, market disruption, commodity smuggling, spreading economic rumors, and orchestrating street riots as part of preparations for an enemy military attack.

In Video: Hezbollah targets "Israeli" enemy army's infrastructure in occupied Haifa - Yemen Press Agency

BEIRUT, April 18 (YPA) -The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon(Hezbollah) published a video showcasing its fighters targeting infrastructure belonging to the "Israeli" enemy army in the occupied Haifa with qualitative missiles.

Prof. Ted Postol: Israel NAKED: No Air Defense, No Radars, No Interceptors - Escalation = Suicide

Expert breakdown of Iran-US-Israel tensions: Iran's strategic leverage, drone/missile capabilities, and the fragile ceasefire. Examines societal stress in Israel, US munitions shortages affecting global alliances, and why strikes on Iran's underground infrastructure may prove ineffective. Also exposes serious factual errors in a recent Bulletin of Atomic Scientists article about the 1995 Russian false nuclear alert, clarifying the actual technical causes of the Norwegian rocket incident and early warning system limitations. Highlights why accurate scientific analysis is critical for preventing nuclear escalation and calls for rigorous peer review in security journalism. A sobering look at misinformation, military realities, and the urgent need for informed public discourse on existential risks.

Robert Barnes | What the HELL is going on in the White House?

The more Trump's show is running, the more his closest allies seem to be walking on eggshells. 100% narcissism, pure madness and hot temper - is anyone besides JD Vance even trying to bring Trump back to reality? In this episode ex-CIA analyst Larry Johnson and constitutional lawyer Robert Barnes are diving deep into serious issue - will Donald Trump still be president in a year?

More than 38,000 girls, women killed in Israeli genocide in Gaza: UN

Over 38,000 women and girls were killed in the Israeli genocide in Gaza by the end of 2025, the UN estimates, amounting to over half of the more than 72,000 deaths recorded by the territory's health ministry over the two-year war.

12bytes: Again, the total number of Palestinians killed is actually around 200,000 according to 2 studies.

Israel kills two Gaza water truck drivers - UNICEF - RT World News

UNICEF has said two truck drivers it had contracted to deliver clean water to families in Gaza have been killed by Israeli fire. The agency reported it had suspended activities at the site and called on West Jerusalem to investigate the incident.

Ambulance crew in south Lebanon describes Israel's 'triple-tap' attack | Israel attacks Lebanon | Al Jazeera

Ambulance workers in Lebanon recalled Israeli 'triple-tap' targeted strikes which killed four paramedics and wounded six. Video from the attack showed a barrage of fire hitting the medics as they aided their colleagues injured in two previous bombings. At least 100 medical workers have been killed in deliberate Israeli attacks.

Israeli forces blow up homes in southern Lebanon in violation of ceasefire

Israeli forces have carried out house demolitions in several southern Lebanese border towns despite a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, according to local media reports.

Explosions were heard across multiple locations as residential areas near the frontier were targeted.

Israeli police destroy children's footballs at Al-Aqsa mosque | Israel-Palestine conflict | Al Jazeera

Video shows Israeli police confiscating and destroying footballs that were being played with by children in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, in what mosque authorities described as part of ongoing restrictions on Palestinians inside the holy site.

Is Trump blackmailed or is he crazy, the psychology of horror | ANC Report

Is Trump on tape molesting kids? I don't know why it matters. Everyone knows he kills kids and he let's Israelis kill kids. Why would raping them make any difference? You ever wonder why people are unmoved by horrors?

Psychologically people cannot process crimes too far removed from their life experiences. They just sound like statistics to them. Only an intelligent mind can engage in imagination and thought experiments. Sympathy is predicated on intelligence.

This is why people get more upset from hearing a racist word or seeing someone kick a dog than they do learning about entire families in Gaza being bombed and burned alive.

Iran reopens six of its airports - Yemen Press Agency

TEHRAN, April. 18 (YPA) - The Secretary General of the Association of Iranian Airlines, Maqsoud Asadi Samani, announced on Saturday the reopening of six airports in the country: Imam Khomeini, Mehrabad, Mashhad, Birjand, Gorgan, and Zahedan.

Britain is turning into a Zionist police state to protect Israel - RT World News

The UK is pulling out all the stops to persecute a pro-Palestine activist group, including blanket gag orders and courtroom deception

IN OTHER NEWS...

Europe's 'War on Vitamins' Returns: How European Union Restrictions Risk Deepening a Silent Public Health Crisis - Global Research

Across Europe, a dangerous regulatory push is gathering pace - one that could soon strip citizens of access to meaningful amounts of the essential nutrients that their bodies depend on to survive and thrive.

Under the misleading banner of 'safety,' the European Union (EU) is moving toward enforcing draconian limits on the permitted dosages of vitamins and minerals contained in supplements.

Coming at a time when studies show that micronutrient deficiencies are widespread across Europe, the planned restrictions amount to a deeply cynical attack on the health, lives, and freedom of choice of millions of people.