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US Iran War News Live:
In this photo provided by the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, center, is greeted by Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, second right, and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, third left, upon his arrival at Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. (Photo: AP)Iran, US, Israel War Ceasefire News Highlights: Ceasefire diplomacy in the Iran-US war is at a critical inflection point on Friday, April 24, 2026. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is travelling to Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow in a high-stakes bid to revive stalled peace negotiations with Washington, even as the Strait of Hormuz remains under a US naval blockade, and the Pentagon has issued shoot-to-kill orders for Iranian vessels approaching the waterway.
In Lebanon, President Donald Trump confirmed a 21-day extension of the Israel-Hezbollah truce, but the ceasefire is already under strain: the Israeli military has ordered fresh evacuations in southern Lebanon, and Hezbollah has claimed it downed an Israeli Hermes 450 surveillance drone hours after the announcement. With Brent crude hovering at $104 per barrel and global shipping routes in flux, The Indian Express Global Desk is tracking every development, diplomatic, military, and economic, as it happens.
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US War Costs in West Asia: Munitions Burned, Assets Lost
Iran Operation · Inventory Depletion · Asymmetric Cost Burden
Total War Cost
$28B–$35B
Day 1–2 Spend
$5.6B
Targets Struck
13,000+
Assets Lost
~12
Munitions Fired · Bar = est. total cost expended (max ~$4.8B)
Patriot Missiles
MISSILE
~$4.8B
est. total
Tomahawk Cruise
MISSILE
~$2.5B
est. total
JASSM-ER
MISSILE
~$1.2B
est. total
PrSM / ATACMS
MISSILE
N/A
no cost data
Aerial Assets Lost / Damaged · Bar = unit or combined cost (max $275M)
MC-130 + MH-6
AIRCRAFT
$275M
combined
E-3 Sentry AWACS
AIRCRAFT
$270M
per unit
F-15 Fighter Jets
AIRCRAFT
N/A
no cost data
Cost Asymmetry · Bar = unit cost per weapon (max $4M US interceptor)
US Patriot Interceptor
US
$4M+
per unit
Iranian Shahed Drone
IRAN
$30K
per unit
| WEAPON / ASSET | TYPE | USED / LOST | UNIT COST | EST. TOTAL | REMAINING | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🚀 | Patriot Missiles | Missile | 1,200 | $4M+ | ~$4.8B | — |
| 🏹 | JASSM-ER | Missile | ~1,100 | $1.1M | ~$1.2B | ~1,500 |
| ⚓ | Tomahawk Cruise | Missile | 1,000+ | $2.5M | ~$2.5B | 3,000 |
| 🎯 | PrSM / ATACMS | Missile | 1,000+ | — | — | — |
| 📡 | E-3 Sentry AWACS | Aircraft | 1 damaged | $270M | $270M | 16 in fleet |
| 🚁 | MC-130 + MH-6 | Aircraft | 5 destroyed | — | $275M | — |
| ✈️ | F-15 Fighter Jets | Aircraft | 3 destroyed | — | — | — |
| 🛡️ | US Patriot Interceptor | vs Shahed | — | $4M+ | — | — |
| 🔴 | Iranian Shahed Drone | vs US Air Def. | — | $30,000 | — | — |
Pentagon Estimate · Total War Cost
$28B – $35B
The Asymmetry Problem
US Patriot Interceptor
Fired to neutralise Shahed drones · 1,200 used · 600 produced in all of 2025
$4M+
▼ fired to neutralise ▼
Iranian Shahed Drone
Kamikaze · Saturates US air defence · Mirrors Russia's Ukraine strategy
$30K
133×
A US interceptor costs 133 times more than the drone it destroys
US Counter-Response
LUCAS — Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System
Reverse-engineered from Shahed · US-developed low-cost counter-drone
$35K
Reconstitution Timeline
Patriot Replenishment
600 produced in all of 2025 · 1,200 fired · Congressional funding still pending
2 yrs+
Tomahawk Replenishment
1,000+ fired · ~10× the annual US buy rate · 3,000 remain in storage
10 yrs+
Sources: New York Times · Wall Street Journal · CSIS · Cost estimates based on publicly reported figures · Est. totals are indicative · Data as of April 2026
Stay with The Indian Express Global Desk for real-time updates, geolocated footage of the crash sites, and live reactions from the Pentagon and Tehran.
Live Updates
US Iran War News Live: USS Rafael Peralta destroyer intercepts Iranian-flagged vessel
The United States Central Command says that the guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) intercepted an Iranian-flagged ship attempting to sail to a port in Iran on April 24.
US Iran War News Live: Israeli defence minister threatens to return Iran ‘to the Stone Age’
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has threatened to return Iran “to the Stone Age”.
US Iran War News Live: Iran claims significant portion of missile capabilities ‘remains unused’
The spokesperson for Iran’s Defence Ministry, General Reza Talaei-Nik, has stated that a “significant portion of the missile capabilities” of the country “remains unused”, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
He also said that Iranian armed forces “maintained control over the skies of the occupied territories until the moment the ceasefire began”, according to Tasnim.
US Iran War News Live: Russia and UAE call for Middle East peace talk resumption
The Russian Foreign Ministry says that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, have jointly called for the resumption of talks to secure a rapid, sustainable agreement to the Middle East crisis.
According to the Reuters news agency, the ministers, in a telephone call, “expressed their shared view on the need to resume negotiations in order to promptly reach agreements on a long-term, sustainable resolution of the crisis, taking into account the legitimate interests of all countries in the region.”
US Iran War News Live: Qatar discusses US-Iran ceasefire agreement in call with Trump - state media
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has been discussing the US-Iran ceasefire agreement in a phone call with Donald Trump , the Qatari state news agency reported.
Al Thani added Qatar would continue coordinating with partners to support mediation efforts led by Pakistan.
US Iran War News Live: Treasury freezes $344M in Iran-linked cryptocurrency under ‘Economic Fury’ crackdown
Treasury freezes $344M in Iran-linked cryptocurrency under ‘Economic Fury’ crackdown.
Under Economic Fury, @USTreasury will continue to systematically degrade Tehran’s ability to generate, move, and repatriate funds.
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) April 24, 2026
Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control is sanctioning multiple wallets tied to Iran — resulting in the freeze of $344 million in…
US Iran War News Live: Oil crisis will reshape energy markets for years, says IEA chief
The global oil crisis triggered by the Iran conflict has permanently changed the energy landscape, according to the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Fatih Birol.
In an interview with The Guardian, Birol said countries are likely to move away from fossil fuels as concerns grow over supply risks and reliability.
Birol said governments will rethink their energy strategies after the crisis.
US Iran War News Live: Tehran may be open to negotiations, if conditions respected
Tehran is saying that they are open to negotiations and that they are trying to bridge gaps and to coordinate between different sectors here in Tehran and also with their neighbours.
Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi landed hours ago in Islamabad, saying that Tehran is coordinating with its neighbours and that he will travel to other places like Moscow and Oman.
The message is clear from Tehran: Diplomacy is not closed, but there are many conditions to help a next round of negotiations with Washington and Islamabad.
One of the main conditions from Tehran is that they will not negotiate while this naval blockade is imposed by the United States. It must be lifted, as Iranian officials have been saying for the past few days.
US Iran War News Live: US vows no extensions for Iranian or Russian oil waivers
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has confirmed the US will not renew waivers permitting the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products currently in transit, reports The Associated Press.
Bessent further emphasized any extension for Iranian oil currently at sea is completely out of the question.
“Not the Iranians, we have the blockade and there’s no oil coming out,” he said.
US Iran War News Live: Iranian FM arrives in Islamabad to hold talks with Pakistani officials on reviving ceasefire negotiations
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said an Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad on Friday.
Araghchi was received by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and other senior officials upon arrival.
In a statement, it said during the visit Araghchi is expected to meet Pakistan’s senior leadership to discuss the latest regional developments and ongoing efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
US Iran War News Live: US imposes sanctions on a China-based oil refinery and 40 shippers over Iranian oil
The Trump administration is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil.
The move, announced Friday and first reported by The Associated Press, makes good on the Trump administration’s threat to impose secondary sanctions on companies and countries that do business with Iran. It’s also part of the Republican administration’s overall ramped-up campaign to cut off Iran’s key source of revenue — its oil exports.
Concurrently, the U.S. this month imposed a physical blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway that is crucial to global energy supplies.
These sanctions come just a few weeks before President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping are due to meet in China.
Included in Friday’s sanctions is Hengli Petrochemical’s facility in the port city of Dalian, which has a processing capacity of roughly 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day, making it one of the biggest independent refineries in China.
AP
US Iran War News Live: Trump sending Witkoff, Kushner to Pakistan for peace talks, says report
US President Donald Trump is dispatching his special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan this weekend for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to two administration officials who spoke to CNN.
Vice President JD Vance is not expected to attend for now, as Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf—seen by White House officials as leading Tehran’s delegation and Vance’s counterpart—is also not participating, the officials said.
That said, Vance remains on standby and could travel to Islamabad if the negotiations show progress. Members of his team are already set to be in Pakistan for the talks. Meanwhile, Kushner and Witkoff have been engaged with Iranian officials for months, working toward a possible agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
US Iran War News Live: Russia's Lavrov, Pakistan's Dar discuss Gulf situation, Iran‑US talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar discussed by phone on Friday bilateral cooperation and the situation in the Gulf.
In a statement, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Lavrov praised Islamabad's mediating role in efforts to reach lasting agreements between Iran and the US and confirmed Moscow's readiness to support those efforts.
(Reuters)
US Iran War News Live: Iran FM Araghchi will hold bilateral talks on brief visit to Pakistan, says report
Peace talks between Iran and the United States could resume soon in Pakistan, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was expected to arrive on Friday night, according to three Pakistani sources.
Two Pakistani government sources said a U.S. logistics and security team was already in place for potential talks. Araghchi is expected to present Iran's position on a proposal for talks with the United States, according to two Pakistani sources.
(Reuters)
US Iran War News Live: US says 34 vessels redirected around Strait of Hormuz
The US Central Command has issued a statement saying the “blockade against ships entering or exiting Iranian ports continues,” with the US military having redirected 34 vessels since it began patrolling the waters around the Strait of Hormuz on April 13.
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth earlier said all vessels affiliated with Iran or travelling to and from Iran had been turned around.
(Al Jazeera)
US Iran War News Live: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu treated for prostate cancer
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday he has undergone treatment for prostate cancer in his first public acknowledgement of the diagnosis. He said that roughly a year and a half ago, he had prostate surgery. Then, two and a half months ago, his doctors discovered and treated a small tumour at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital with radiation therapy.
That was not announced at the time.“I requested to delay its publication by two months so that it would not be released at the height of the war” against Iran, the 76-year-old Israeli leader said, to prevent “more false propaganda against Israel.”
(AP)
US Iran War News Live: Tehran should make a 'good deal' with the US, says Pete Hegseth
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth trumpeted America’s military success in Iran, saying Iran has an opportunity to strike a “good deal”.
He said the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz is “growing” and has “gone global”, referring to the seizure of two Iranian dark fleet vessels.
“We are in control; nothing in, nothing out,” he said.
He added that 34 ships have been turned away from the strait so far.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe blockade is tightening by the hour. We are in control. Nothing in, nothing out.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 24, 2026
"They know that we, the United States of America, control the flow of global shipping... their real navy is at the bottom of the Arabian Gulf." - @SecWar 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/DdW8OyvxAD
(The Guardian)
US Iran War News Live: Trump is extending Jones Act waiver for 90 days
The White House said that Trump issued a 90-day extension to the Jones Act waiver, making it easier for non-American vessels to transport oil and natural gas in the wake of the Iran War.
Trump first announced a 60-day waiver in mid-March, and the move has been seen as helping to stabilise energy prices and making it easier for more ships to travel to the US following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The post on social media by a White House press aide said: "New data compiled since the initial waiver was issued revealed that significantly more supply was able to reach US ports faster." — AP
US Iran War News Live: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expected to travel to Islamabad by this weekend
Iran's top diplomat is expected to travel to Pakistan by this weekend for talks, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press on Friday.
The officials declined to provide any other details about Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's visit, other than to say he would be accompanied by a small government delegation and could arrive as soon as Friday.
Pakistan has been trying to restart ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. — AP
US Iran War News Live: Israeli military issues evacuation order for southern Lebanese town
Israeli military issues evacuation order for southern Lebanese town north of 'security zone', saying it will strike there. — Reuters
US Iran War News Live: More than 2,400 Indians safely evacuated and brought home, MEA spokesperson says
On West Asia conflict, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "In Iran and the region, the situation has remained serious. Although there is now a ceasefire, you know how difficult conditions have been in Iran and neighbouring countries. Despite this, our Ambassador and the Embassy in Tehran continued working, which I would say is truly inspiring. The Ambassador and the team have consistently provided help in the national interest. Through their efforts, more than 2,400 Indian citizens were safely evacuated and brought home." — ANI
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#watch | Delhi: On West Asia conflict, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "... In Iran and the region, the situation has remained serious. Although there is now a ceasefire, you know how difficult conditions have been in Iran and neighbouring countries. Despite this, our… pic.twitter.com/fMk9y48SBQ
— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2026
US Iran War News Live: 'Won't be pressured on the Iran war'
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesperson said, "We have expressed our position clearly and consistently to successive US administrations. PM has always said he will not be pressured on the Iran war."
US Iran War News Live: UN peacekeeper wounded in Lebanon dies
UN peacekeeping force says Indonesian peacekeeper wounded last month in Lebanon passes away. Toll of dead peacekeepers in war rises to six. — Reuters
US Iran War News Live: Kedrion warns MidEast conflict may disrupt plasma supplies to Iran
Italian biopharmaceutical company Kedrion said on Friday it may struggle to deliver vital plasma-based medicines to patients in Iran if disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz persists.
Chief Executive Ugo Di Francesco said the company has been forced to move immunoglobulins to Iran by land, with rising fuel prices risking logistics costs becoming too expensive.
"It's a question of logistics, namely our ability to physically deliver products to patients," Di Francesco told Reuters in an interview.
"So far we have not experienced significant effects on our capacity to ensure the availability of therapies," he added.
Kedrion produces life-saving treatments for rare and ultra-rare diseases. Its plasma collection network comprises about 76 centres, with 68 in the U.S. and the rest in the Czech Republic. — Reuters
US Iran War News Live: Kuwait says two drones from Iraq hit northern border posts, no casualties
Kuwait's army said two drones launched from Iraq targeted two northern border posts on Friday, causing damage. It added there were no casualties. — Reuters
US Iran War News Live: Pakistan, Iran foreign ministers speak
Pakistan Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar receives call from Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. Dar reportedly told underscored the importance of dialogue and engagement to address outstanding issues. — Reuters
US Iran War News Live: IEA warns of tight LNG markets through 2027 as war with Iran batters global energy supply
Global liquefied natural gas markets face a prolonged supply crunch stretching through the end of 2027, the International Energy Agency warned, citing disruptions and infrastructure damage stemming directly from the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.
"The combined effect of short-term supply losses and slower capacity growth could result in a cumulative loss of around 120 billion cubic metres of LNG supply between 2026 and 2030." says IEA report.
The Paris-based agency said new liquefaction projects in other regions are expected to offset the losses over time, but warned the damage will be slow to repair — keeping markets strained well into the next two years. The IEA noted that while longer-term capacity additions may restore balance, the near-term window offers little relief for importers already facing elevated prices driven by the Strait of Hormuz standoff between Washington and Tehran.
US Iran War News Live: HRW calls Lebanon to join ICC after Journalist’s killing
Human Rights Watch has called on Lebanon to join the International Criminal Court, following the killing of journalist Amal Khalil and the wounding of her colleague Zainab Faraj in an Israeli air strike on the southern village of al-Tayri.
Prime Minister Joseph Aoun denounced the strike, accusing Israel of committing crimes against humanity.
HRW said Lebanon should accede to the Rome Statute to ensure accountability for grave international crimes. The government had been preparing in April 2024 to accept ICC jurisdiction for investigations into possible war crimes on its territory but later backed away, leaving the court without jurisdiction in Lebanon.
US Iran War News Live: Israel and Lebanon extend ceasefire by three weeks after White House talks brokered by Trump
The 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon — which was due to expire on Sunday — has been extended by a further three weeks following a second round of peace talks at the White House. President Trump announced the deal from the Oval Office, where he was joined by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa. The talks were led by Rubio and State Department Counsellor Michael Needham, with Israel and Lebanon represented by their ambassadors to the United States.
The extension had been requested by Lebanon and buys time for both sides to pursue a broader diplomatic settlement. Trump said he hoped the ceasefire would eventually lead to a permanent peace agreement between the two countries, which have officially been at war since 1948. "They have never met, they're next to each other and they've never met," he said, adding that a White House summit between the Lebanese president and the Israeli prime minister would be "historic."
Reuters Inputs
US Iran War News Live: Guyana says US-seized tanker was ‘fraudulently’ flying its flag
Guyana has said a tanker seized by the United States in Asia for allegedly carrying sanctioned Iranian crude oil was “fraudulently flying the Guyana flag”. In a statement on Thursday, the country’s Maritime Administration Department said the vessel — previously named Phonix — is not registered in Guyana’s ship registry. It added that while the vessel’s name has changed, its International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number remains listed in global databases as Phonix, and there is no record of the vessel under any name in Guyana’s registry.
(AP Inputs)
Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors thank Trump for ‘historic’ moment
Speaking alongside Trump in the Oval Office, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter said Israel and Lebanon “have never been next to each other more than today.”
Leiter thanked Trump and Vice President JD Vance for a day he said was decades in the making.
“We are going to keep going, working for peace. Let’s hope we will get it as soon as possible,” he said.
Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad thanked Trump for presiding over “this historic moment.” She added: “I think with your help, with your support, we can make Lebanon great again.”
AP
US Iran War News Live: Trump says it’s a ‘must’ for Iran to end funding for Hezbollah
The president reiterated that the U.S. continues to demand that Iran stop it’s backing of proxy groups in the Mideast, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, as part of any deal between Washington and Tehran to end the U.S. war on Iran.
“Yeah, they’ll have to cut that,” Trump said to a reporter’s question about aiding the militant group. “That’s a must.”
AP
US Iran War News Live: Trump says Lebanon and Israel agree to extend Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire by 3 weeks
President Donald Trump said Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House on Thursday.
Trump said the meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States went “very well.” The meeting was the second high-level negotiation between the two countries since last week. The initial 10-day ceasefire, which took effect last Friday, had been due to expire on Monday.
“The United States is going to work with Lebanon in order to help it protect itself from Hezbollah,” Trump said in a social media post. He added that he is looking forward to meeting in person with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun “in the near future..”
Trump greeted Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad and her Israeli counterpart Yechiel Leiter on their arrival. In addition to Trump, the U.S. was represented by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, State Department Counsellor Michael Needham, Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa.
AP
US Iran War News Live: Israeli strike killed 3, says Lebanon
Lebanese health ministry says Israeli strike on southern Lebanon has killed three. — Reuters
US Iran War News Live: King Charles on US mission to bolster UK's relationship with Trump
Britain's King Charles heads to the United States next week for the most high-profile trip of his reign so far, on a mission to shore up the future of the two allies' "special relationship" which the Iran war has plunged to its lowest point in 70 years.
The state visit marks the 250th anniversary of the US declaration of independence from British rule, when the then 13 American colonies decided to split from King George III, Charles's five-times-great-grandfather.
(Reuters)
US Iran War News Live: Trump claims to have ‘total control’ over Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump has claimed that the US had “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz and that it was “sealed up tight” until Iran made a deal.
US Iran War News Live: India says it’s ‘worried’ for its seafarers after vessels come under fire in Strait of Hormuz
India’s shipping ministry said Thursday it’s “worried about Indian seafarers” in the Strait of Hormuz after reports of vessels coming under fire in the region, though none have been injured.
Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary at the Indian Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said two foreign-flagged vessels that came under fire had 22 Indian sailors on board.
“None of the Indian seafarer have been injured in the firing,” he said.
The ministry said at least 2,680 Indian sailors have been evacuated since the conflict began.
(AP)
US Iran War News Live: Trump orders US military to ‘shoot and kill’ boats that are putting mines in Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump, in a morning social media posting, said the military is intensifying its mine-clearing efforts in the critical waterway.
“I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be ... that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump posted.
“There is to be no hesitation. Additionally, our mine ‘sweepers’ are clearing the Strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled up level!”
US Iran War News Live: US says it seized another tanker associated with smuggling Iranian oil
The US Defence Department said it seized the oil tanker Majestic X in the Indian Ocean. “We will continue global maritime enforcement to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate,” the Defense Department said.
The seizure comes after Iran attacked three cargo ships on Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz, capturing two of them.
The Defence Department released footage of the seizure of the vessel, showing US troops on the deck of the vessel.
Ship-tracking data showed the Majestic X in the Indian Ocean between Sri Lanka and Indonesia, roughly the same location as the oil tanker Tifani, earlier seized by American forces.
It had been bound for Zhoushan, China.
The Majestic X is a Guyana-flagged oil tanker. It previously had been named Phonix and had been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2024 for smuggling Iranian crude oil in contravention of American sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOvernight, U.S. forces carried out a maritime interdiction and right-of-visit boarding of the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T Majestic X transporting oil from Iran, in the Indian Ocean within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) April 23, 2026
We will continue global maritime enforcement to… pic.twitter.com/SWF6Jt9Ci4
(AP)
US Iran War News Live: American Airlines cuts 2026 forecast as high fuel costs hurt margins
American Airlines cut its 2026 profit forecast on Thursday, as sky-high jet fuel costs driven by the Iran war eat into profit margins.Jet fuel prices, typically accounting for about a quarter of airline operating expenses, have nearly doubled since the conflict erupted, leaving carriers squeezed between spiraling costs and tickets sold in advance at prices they cannot adjust.
Fuel prices surged as U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global oil supplies, triggering the aviation industry's biggest shock since the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Reuters)
US Iran War News Live: Iran war pushing more than 30 million back into poverty, says UN development chief
More than 30 million people will be pushed back into poverty by the impacts of the Iran war , including disruptions to fuel and fertiliser supplies just as farmers are planting crops, the UN Development chief said on Thursday. Fertiliser shortages – worsened by the blocking of cargo vessels through the Strait of Hormuz – have already lowered agricultural productivity, UNDP Chief and former Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo told Reuters.
(Reuters)
US Iran War News Live: Oil gains as US-Iran talks stall, Hormuz shipping still disrupted
Oil prices extended gains on Thursday, rising more than $1 on stalled peace talks between Iran and the United States and continued restrictions on trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures rose $1.47, or 1.4%, to $103.38 a barrel by 0931 GMT after settling above $100 for the first time in more than two weeks on Wednesday. West Texas Intermediate futures were up $1.40, or 1.5%, at $94.36.
Both benchmarks closed more than $3 higher on Wednesday after larger than expected draws on U.S. stocks of gasoline and distillates, plus the lack of progress on Iran peace talks. — Reuters
US Iran War News Live: Hezbollah wants to continue ceasefire, report says
Lebanon's Hezbollah lawmaker Fadlallah said, "We want to continue the ceasefire if Israel fully abides by it." — Reuters
US Iran War News Live: Clearing mines in Strait of Hormuz could take six months, says report
A Pentagon assessment has estimated it could take six months to completely clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines deployed by the Iranian army, the Washington Post reported.
Carrying out the task would be unlikely to begin until after the war ends, according to the Pentagon assessment, shared in a classified briefing for members of the House Armed Services Committee earlier this week.
(The Guardian)
US Iran War News Live: Iranian Embassy in Japan questions 'economic terrorism' remark over Iran's control of Hormuz
The Iranian Embassy in Japan questioned an interview published in Japanese media which claimed that it was unacceptable for a country to hold the Strait of Hormuz -- a key global energy route -- hostage.
Taking to X, Iran called out the interview, and wrote: "Yet, apparently, it is acceptable to make one's territory and airspace available to the American aggressor to attack your neighboring country, knowing this will turn the whole region—including the Strait of Hormuz—into a war zone."
It added, "So, let everyone know: who truly hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage? And what exactly amounts to terrorism, recalling that only in one accomodated American attack, 165 schoolchildren lost their lives in southern Iran?"
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAn interview published in the Japanese media claims that "it is unacceptable for one country to hold [the Strait of Hormuz] hostage. It will be considered economic terrorism."
— Iran in Japan/ 駐日イラン大使館 (@IraninJapan) April 23, 2026
Yet, apparently, it is acceptable to make one's territory and airspace available to the American…
US Iran War News Live: Iranian Embassy in Japan hits out at US for 'implicitly' threatening it with 'atomic bombs'
The Iranian Embassy in Japan hit out at the United States for "implicitly" threatening the Islamic Republic with "atomic bombs."
Quoting US Senator Roger Marshall, appearing for a news segment on Newsmax, the Embassy wrote: "It is both shameless and criminal for a U.S. Senator to implicitly threaten Iran with atomic bombs, citing Truman's decision to attack Hiroshima and Nagasaki as precedent."
"This readiness to consider such unthinkable options stems from a world that allows such rhetoric and only takes notice when the consequences come back to haunt them. They only spring into action after criminal warmongers have already taken a heavy toll on the innocent people," Iran stated.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsIt is both shameless and criminal for a U.S. Senator to implicitly threaten Iran with atomic bombs, citing Truman's decision to attack Hiroshima and Nagasaki as precedent. This readiness to consider such unthinkable options stems from a world that allows such rhetoric and only… pic.twitter.com/Ft7isW0atX
— Iran in Japan/ 駐日イラン大使館 (@IraninJapan) April 23, 2026
US Iran War News Live: Responsibility for consequences of war lies with ‘aggressors’, says Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi told South Korean special envoy, Chung Byung-ha, over a meeting, that responsibility for the consequences of the war lay with “aggressors,” referring to the United States and Israel, the Ministry said on Thursday.
The statement comes even as Iran seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz early Thursday after US President Donald Trump indefinitely called off attacks on Tuesday.
(Reuters)
US Iran War News Live: Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil killed in Israeli strike
Israeli air strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday killed at least five people, including the Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil, the Associated Press reported.
Khalil was taking cover inside a house in southern village of al-Tiri in Lebanon while reporting on the Israel-Hezbollah war, AP reported.
Her body was retrieved from the rubble at least six hours after the strike, rescue workers told the news agency.
The strike on the house followed an earlier Israeli airstrike that hit near the car she was traveling in with another colleague, Zeinab Faraj, the Lebanese health ministry stated.
While Faraj was seriously wounded, the first strike also killed two others, whose bodies were retrieved by the Lebanese forces. (AP)
US Iran War News Live: Iranian soldiers board containers as Tehran seizes 2 ships in Strait of Hormuz
Iranian state TV Thursday aired a video clip that purportedly showed armed soldiers boarding two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has seized two ships in the water strip, tightening its grip on the strategic chokepoint after US President Donald Trump called off attacks “indefinitely”, with no sign of peace talks restarting.
Iran has accused the ships of operating without permits and tampering navigation system.
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US Iran War News Live: 'Trump doesn't view Iran's seizure of ships in Hormuz as a ceasefire violation', says White House
United States President Donald Trump has refused to acknowledge Iran’s seizure of ships in the Strait of Hormuz as a ceasefire violation, according to the White House.
Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, communicating the statement over an interview with Fox News, said the president does not view the seizures as violations of the truce he unilaterally extended Tuesday “because these were not US ships. These were not Israeli ships.”
The comments come after Iran seized two ships in the strategic chokepoint after Trump called off attacks “indefinitely”, with no sign of peace talks restarting. (Fox News)
US Iran War News Live: Lebanon likely to protest widespread demolitions by Israeli military at Washington peace talks
Lebanese officials are planning to raise the issue of widespread demolitions on Thursday when they hold ceasefire talks with their Israeli counterparts in Washington, news agency Associated Press reported.
Since the ceasefire with Hezbollah came into effect, the Israeli army has been destroying homes in areas of southern Lebanon, which it claimed were used as outposts by the Iran-backed militant group, it reported. (AP)
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