US talks to empty room; Iran will 'finish the job' if US continues; US "blockade" fail - IRAN WAR NEWS - 22-Apr-2026 (update 2)

UPDATE 2

US Senate rejects latest bid to curb Trump's war powers | Middle East Eye

The US Senate has again voted down a resolution aimed at limiting Donald Trump's authority to wage war on Iran, marking the fifth failed attempt.

The measure was defeated 51 to 46.

Iran rejects claims of ceasefire extension, denies any official position on Trump's announcement - Yemen Press Agency

TEHRAN, April 22 (YPA) - Iran has not yet announced an official position regarding former U.S. President Donald Trump's claim about extending a ceasefire, Iran's state television reported on Wednesday.

According to the broadcaster, reports suggesting that Tehran had formally approved any extension are "untrue," adding that the Iranian authorities are still reviewing the various dimensions of a possible ceasefire extension.

US Navy secretary abruptly 'departing' amid Iran blockade - RT World News

US Navy Secretary John C. Phelan has stepped down in an abrupt move announced by the Pentagon without any public explanation or indication that his exit was linked to the naval blockade of Iran.

Trump administration conceals extent of its soldiers' losses from casualty, death tolls - Yemen Press Agency

The website explained in its report that the US government had unjustifiably removed 15 American soldiers from the list of those injured during combat from official records, noting that these manipulations of data aim to mislead public opinion about the cost of military operations.

According to the report, on the day the ceasefire between the Trump administration and Iran went into effect, the announced number of American dead and wounded was 385. However, official Pentagon statistics recorded a gradual increase after the cessation of hostilities, reaching 428 cases last Monday.

The Intercept reported that, in a suspicious development, the number dropped by 15 soldiers last Tuesday without any explanation or public comment from the Ministry of Defense, bringing the total to 413, before settling on Wednesday at 411 in another public count, confirming the confusion and manipulation in tracking the losses.

12bytes: I'm still not buying these numbers. Weeks ago Iran provided an estimate of 600-800 dead i believe. Injured should be 3x that.

Trump Claims Saving Iranian Women, Islamic Republic Denies

United States President Donald Trump on April 22 thanked Iran for purportedly scrapping the executions of eight female citizens at his request.

A day earlier, Trump claimed that the Islamic Republic was planning to hang eight women, citing an unverified post by a pro-Israel activist.

The Oslo-based Iran Human Rights, however, reported that at least two of the eight women had already been released when Trump issued the plea. In addition, Iran's judiciary said that none of them face the death sentence.

US Centcom says 31 vessels have been redirected as part of blockade on Iran | Middle East Eye

US forces have directed 31 vessels to turn around or return to port as part of Washington's blockade against Iran, Centcom said in a statement.

"The U.S. military has global reach," Centcom wrote. "No ships allowed in or out of Iranian ports."

How Irans air defenses destroyed over 170 US-Israeli drones - and rewrote drone warfare doctrine

By the time the ceasefire took hold on April 8, 2026 - bringing to a halt nearly 40 days of joint US-Israeli aggression - Iran's integrated air defense network had accomplished what military analysts once dismissed as impossible.

Forged in the crucible of decades-long sanctions and sustained by a culture of technological self-reliance, the Islamic Republic's layered defensive umbrella systematically dismantled the aggressors' unmanned aerial fleet. This was no ragtag swarm, but one of the most sophisticated collections of surveillance and strike drones ever assembled.

According to official Iranian military statistics, which is corroborated by visual evidence and open-source intelligence data, more than 170 American and Israeli drones were downed, destroyed, or crippled over the course of the conflict.

Among the wreckage: at least 24 MQ-9 Reapers, the workhorses of US Air Force unmanned operations; four Hermes-900 and three Heron TP platforms, which together formed a critical pillar of Israel's long-endurance reconnaissance; and the crown jewel of American maritime surveillance - the MQ-4C Triton, a single unit carrying a price tag of $618 million.

Firm tracks tanker movements despite US blockade of Iranian ports | Middle East Eye

An energy analytics firm said it recorded 34 movements of sanctioned and Iranian-linked tankers in and out of the Gulf in the week after the US imposed a naval blockade.

Vortexa said it identified 19 outbound and 15 inbound movements between 13 April and Monday.

Six outbound tankers were confirmed to be carrying Iranian crude, totalling about 10.7 million barrels.

Irans strategic leverage shatters USs illusion of blockade

Despite US warships engaging in blatant maritime piracy by intercepting tankers and claiming a naval stranglehold, Iranian crude keeps moving.

Chinese buyers are paying a premium, Indian refiners are routing payments through yuan, and Tehran has turned the narrow legal geography of the Strait of Hormuz into its strongest bargaining chip.

The US Navy fired on an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman on Sunday, blowing a hole in its engine room before Marine pirates boarded the vessel, President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social.

It was the most dramatic piracy in what has become a daily occurrence at sea, but a US blockade of Iranian ports has failed to achieve its stated aim of cutting off Iran's oil revenues.

Fire breaks out aboard identity-fluid $8bn USS Zumwalt - RT World News

Three sailors were injured after a fire broke out aboard USS Zumwalt while the stealth destroyer was sitting pierside at HII Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, undergoing a costly modernization meant to give the ship a whole new identity.

[...]

The troubled vessel has never participated in any combat mission and has become a byword for Pentagon overreach: flashy, fantastically expensive, and still trying to figure out what exactly it wants to be when it grows up.

The Zumwalt was originally built around two stealthy 155mm Advanced Gun Systems, but the ammunition became so absurdly expensive that the guns were ultimately ripped out.

US DC Police arrest veterans in Congress during anti-war protest - Yemen Press Agency

WASHINGTON, April 22 (YPA) - US Capitol Police arrested a large group of "About Face: Veterans Against the War" members following a protest inside the Cannon Rotunda against the war being waged by the United States and "Israel" against Iran.

Protesters wore military uniforms and carried signs reading "Stop the War on Iran" and "We Can't Afford Another War."

The arrests included veterans with disabilities using crutches and wheelchairs, sparking backlash on social media.

Mossad agent who sold Irans sensitive secrets hanged by court order

A Mossad spy, who was responsible for gathering Iran's sensitive information and sending it to the Israeli spy agency, has been executed, according to Iran's Supreme Court.

John Mearsheimer: U.S. Expands Iran War & Divorces Europe

Prof. John Mearsheimer argues that the failure to make peace with Iran can dramatically widen the war in the Middle East, while the rift with Europe and other allies widen. John J. Mearsheimer is the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, where he has taught since 1982.

Trump's Failures in Iran have now Led to the U.S. Trying to Bail Out the (Formerly) Rich Arab Gulf States and the U.S. Airline Industry

While the U.S. economy has not crashed (yet) due to Trump's complete failure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, it is collapsing the economies of the (formerly) rich Gulf States, who are now begging Trump's administration to bail them out.

Just a reminder, Dubai was the richest and most modern city in the world prior to the Iran war, as it was built as the playground for the Epstein billionaires.

[...]

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testified on Capitol Hill today that the U.S. was planning on bailing out the UAE, along with other countries in the Gulf and around Asia, due to rising fuel costs from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. These bailouts would come out of the U.S. Treasury.

Israeli forces fire tear gas at funeral of Palestinians killed by settlers | Occupied West Bank | Al Jazeera

Israeli forces raided the funeral of two Palestinians killed by settlers at a school in the occupied West Bank, firing tear gas at mourners.

Israeli attacks on Lebanon kill at least five people, including journalist | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera

Israeli attacks have killed five people in southern Lebanon, including a journalist, Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA) reported, further straining a fragile ceasefire.

UPDATE 1

The US and Israel's Hidden War Plan: The Fulfillment of Doomsday Prophecies

Contradictory statements emerge daily, one moment suggesting the war will end in weeks, the next that it has no end date, and on another occasion that it isn't even a war. Every day the Trump administration comes up with what can only be described as downright crazy statements. Here we will explain the unknown and frightening driving forces behind the US and Israel's war of aggression on Iran.Here we examine the lesser-known and deeply troubling religious and occult driving forces behind the US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

Data shows Iran bypassing US blockade despite Trump's claims of its success

Data from a major ship tracking company shows that dozens of oil tankers have managed to bypass the so-called naval blockade of Iran by the United States since it began earlier this month.

Israel continues to target Gaza police forces amid truce

The ceasefire in Gaza has not put an end to Israeli violence, as police forces continue to come under deadly attacks.

Over the past five months, around 40 policemen have been killed in Israeli strikes.

Israeli-backed armed gang kidnaps 25 Palestinians in Gaza's Zeitoun neighbourhood - Middle East Monitor

An armed gang backed by Israel has reportedly kidnapped 25 Palestinians, including women and children, in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighbourhood.

In a statement issued yesterday, the "Deterrence" force, affiliated with the Palestinian resistance's security forces, said that the gang attacked families in the Al-Dawla and Al-Sawafiri areas before abducting several people.

The statement added that these areas are effectively under Israeli army control, making it difficult to obtain accurate information about the identities or fate of those abducted.

Deadly Israeli settler attack on school kills two in Ramallah | Occupied West Bank | Al Jazeera

Two people have been killed after Israeli settlers opened fire on a school in the occupied West Bank, including a 14-year-old boy shot in the head. The attack comes amid a surge in violence by settlers and Israeli forces against Palestinians.

Lebanon says over 62,000 homes damaged or destroyed in Israeli attacks | Middle East Eye

Officials said around 21,700 homes were destroyed and 40,500 damaged within about 45 days of fighting. An additional 428 homes were destroyed and 50 were damaged in the first three days of the ceasefire.

END UPDATES

Iran war: What's happening on day 54 as Trump extends ceasefire? | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera

President Donald Trump said the United States is extending the ceasefire until Tehran submits its latest proposal with conditions for ending the war, and until negotiations conclude, keeping diplomacy open while maintaining pressure on Iran.

However, Trump said the US naval blockade on Iran would remain. Iran has insisted that the blockade represents a violation of the ceasefire, and has said it will not negotiate under the "shadow of threats" or while the blockade remains in place, underscoring the fragile and uncertain path to talks.

Meanwhile, violence continues across the region, with Israeli settlers killing two people, including a child, in the occupied West Bank, and Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon wounding civilians and damaging homes despite a 10-day ceasefire.

In Iran

• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said oil production across the Middle East could be targeted if attacks were launched from Gulf neighbours' territory.
• The US is continuing its naval blockade of Iranian ports despite the truce, a move Iran says undermines the ceasefire.
• An adviser to Iran's parliamentary speaker said the ceasefire extension could be a "ploy to buy time" for potential military escalation.
• Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the US naval blockade as an "act of war" and a violation of the truce.

War diplomacy

• Tehran open to diplomacy: Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera's Almigdad Alruhaid said there was no official response to Trump's ceasefire extension, but officials signalled openness to talks. The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is seen as a violation of the truce, with commanders saying forces are fully prepared to respond to any escalation.
• US sanctions widened: The US imposed new sanctions linked to Iran's weapons programmes, while the European Union is moving to expand its own measures.
• Talks planned in Washington, DC: The US is set to host ambassador-level negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, as Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pushes for a full Israeli withdrawal from the country's territory as Beirut's main objective.

In the Gulf

• Trump said a potential currency swap with the United Arab Emirates is "under consideration", adding Washington would support the Gulf ally if needed, after reports the idea was raised with US officials amid concerns the war could strain the UAE's economy.

In the US

• The US president said he was extending a ceasefire with Iran to give more time for negotiations, but would maintain the naval blockade of Iranian ports.
• Reporting from the White House, Al Jazeera's Alan Fisher said Trump has shifted between conciliatory and hardline rhetoric, linking the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to forcing Iran to negotiate, while warning of military action if negotiations fail.
• The mixed messaging has unsettled markets, but some analysts argue the strategy shows calculated pressure and a willingness to wait for Iran's response.

In Israel

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country has been strengthened by its campaigns against Iran and its allies, claiming joint efforts with the US weakened Tehran's capabilities and boosted Israel's regional position, opening the door to new alliances.

In Lebanon

• Prime Minister Salam said on Tuesday that Lebanon needed $587m to address the conflict's ongoing humanitarian fallout amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
• Tensions remain high as Israel and Hezbollah accuse each other of breaching the truce. Israel said rockets were fired at its troops in southern Lebanon and that it responded with strikes, while Hezbollah said its attacks were retaliation for Israeli shelling and ongoing strikes on Lebanese areas.

Oil and global economy

• Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely limited, raising concerns over global oil flows.

The White House confirmed that the visit of the US delegation to Pakistan has been postponed.

The departure of the American delegation to Pakistan for talks with representatives of Iran has been postponed, as Washington is awaiting proposals from Tehran to resolve the conflict.

This is stated in a statement by a representative of the White House, RIA Novosti reports.

"In light of President Trump's publication on Truth Social, confirming that the United States expects a unified proposal from the Iranian side, the trip to Pakistan scheduled for today will not take place," the statement said.

Earlier, the NYT had already written that the trip of US Vice President Jay Dee Vance to Islamabad was postponed due to the lack of an Iranian response.

The head of the Pakistani Ministry of Information, Attaullah Tarar, also said that Iran had not confirmed the participation of the delegation in negotiations with the United States in Islamabad.

Prof. John Mearsheimer: Trump's ONLY option is surrender | Redacted News

Iran war negotiations, Trump bombing threat, Strait of Hormuz blockade, Israel lobby influence - Professor John Mearsheimer joins Redacted to break down why the US has effectively lost its war against Iran, how Netanyahu and Mossad chief David Barnea convinced Trump a shock-and-awe strategy would topple the Iranian regime, and why the ongoing naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is sabotaging peace talks in Islamabad.

Professor Marandi: If US reignites the war, Iran will retaliate 'very heavy-handedly' - YouTube

In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Professor Mohammad Marandi warns that if Donald Trump targets Iran's vital infrastructure, "those regimes that facilitate this attack... will be partners in crime," stressing that without Gulf states, Washington "could not have launched the war."

Professor Marandi said Iran will "definitely retaliate," adding that failing to do so would invite further attacks, and that "this time Iran is going to finish the job."

He said that Iran has focused on strategic targets, while the US and the Israeli regime have been bombing civilians.

Professor Marandi explains that he has warned the people of the Gulf states to leave because Iran wants them protected, affirming that Iran has remained careful not to target people.

'Bid farewell to oil production': Iran cautions Gulf states against aiding attacks | Middle East Eye

"The southern neighbours should know that if their geography and facilities are used in the service of the enemies to attack the Iranian nation, they should bid farewell to oil production in the Middle East," IRGC aerospace commander Majid Mousavi was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.

Pentagon Intel Believes Iran Retains Considerable Military Might - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US intelligence believes Iran has retained significant military might, despite America's assetions that Iran's defensive and offensive capabilities have been eliminated, NBC News reports, citing US lawmakers.

The intelligence data contradicts statements by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, who claimed complete control over Iranian airspace and the destruction of Iran's defense industry, the report said on Tuesday.

US missile stockpiles severely depleted amid terrorist war on Iran: Report

The staggering depletion comes as part of the US-Israeli war of terrorism on Iran, which has seen Washington unleash relentless airstrikes and missile barrages on civilian infrastructure such as bridges, hospitals, energy and steel plants and other installations across the Islamic Republic.

A new analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reveals that American forces have expended at least 45% of their Precision Strike Missiles, more than half of their THAAD interceptors, and nearly 50% of their Patriot air defense missile stockpiles during the unlawful aggression.

These figures closely align with classified Pentagon data, according to three individuals familiar with the assessments.

The US military has also burned through approximately 30% of its Tomahawk cruise missiles, over 20% of its long-range Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs), and between 10% and 20% of its SM-3 and SM-6 missiles.

While the Pentagon has signed contracts to expand missile production, delivery timelines stretch three to five years - even with increased capacity.

US reviewing military footprint after Iran strikes, Pentagon says | Middle East Eye

The Pentagon said the United States is reviewing its military presence in the Middle East following strikes by Iran during a roughly 40-day conflict.

Officials said they do not yet have a final assessment of the damage to US bases and facilities in the region.

At a budget briefing, defence comptroller Jules Hurst said funding for repairs to affected installations is not included in the department's 2027 budget request.

IRGC seizes Israeli ship, second vessel for violations in Strait of Hormuz

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy says it has intercepted and transferred to Iranian territorial waters two vessels for having committed violations in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the IRGC identified the vessels as the MSC-Francesca, which it said belongs to the Israeli regime, and the Epaminodes.

The vessels, it said, were operating without authorization, committing repeated violations, tampering with navigation aid systems, and endangering maritime security in an attempt to exit the strait covertly.

Douglas Macgregor: No Peace - U.S. Prepares for 'Total War' Against Iran

Douglas Macgregor is a retired Colonel, combat veteran and former senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Col. Macgregor argues that the US peace negotiations are as fraudulent as the previous negotiations, and the US is preparing for total war with Iran.

Max Blumenthal: Israel's Defeat Begins: Zionist Power Structure FALLING APART in the US

US-Iran tensions escalate as talks stall over the naval blockade. Critics question the US negotiating team's expertise and foreign allegiances. Domestic pressure grows: rising gas prices, polls show 64% of Americans oppose war. Military concerns mount over depleted missile stockpiles and naval readiness. Gulf allies face economic strain as regional conflict disrupts their models. Israel's influence on US policy remains contentious; the Strait of Hormuz is a critical flashpoint. Lebanon's fragile ceasefire frays amid ongoing destruction in the south. With strategic objectives unclear and political/economic costs accumulating, the path to de-escalation remains uncertain. Analysis covers regional power dynamics, military constraints, and the complex interplay of domestic politics and foreign policy shaping the crisis.

Trump's war on Iran a strategic 'disaster' - expert (VIDEO) - RT World News

The war with Iran has been a strategic disaster for the US, leaving President Donald Trump in a weaker position at home and damaging American credibility, Quincy Institute co-founder Trita Parsi has told RT.

[...]

In an interview on Wednesday, Parsi said Trump is addicted to the "optics of winning rather than actually making sure the deal [with Iran] is secured." He added that coercive measures such as the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz "will only backfire and is really jeopardizing the diplomacy at this stage."

"This has been a disaster for the United States," Parsi said. "They have lost a tremendous amount of credibility. The president himself is in a much weaker position at home now." He added that much of Trump's base has "turned away and turned off" as the US has become involved in another war clearly under Israeli influence.

Trump claims that Iran wants to open the Strait of Hormuz, but it doesn't have the money.

Iran wants the immediate opening of the Strait of Hormuz, but it does not have enough money, American President Donald Trump said on the Truth Social network.

"Iran is suffering a financial collapse! The loss of $500 million per day. The military and police complain that they are not being paid," the publication says.

12bytes: Complete bullshit of course. Hormuz is one of Iran's most important bargaining chips and it is certainly not going to give it away. Furthermore, profits from oil shipments are up in Iran, thanks to the US driving prices up. The US "blockade" is hardly blockading anything.

Candace Owens on Laura Loomer: Trump's Top Advisor Is INSANE (literally)

Drone strikes hit Iranian Kurdish rebels in Iraq, says exiled group | Middle East Eye

Drone strikes in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region wounded three Iranian Kurdish rebels, an exiled opposition group said, blaming the attack on Tehran.

[...]

Iran designates several Iranian Kurdish armed groups as terrorist organisations and accuses them of serving western or Israeli interests.

Israeli settlers set Palestinian home on fire in occupied West Bank | Occupied West Bank | Al Jazeera

A group of Israeli settlers torched a Palestinian home overnight in the occupied West Bank and prevented the family from escaping. Eight people were injured in the attack, including a one-year-old.

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Pentagon Requests Record $50Bln for Military Intelligence in 2027

The US Department of War said it had requested a record $50 billion for the military intelligence program in fiscal year 2027, a 49% increase compared to 2026.

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