Last UpdateApril 21, 2026, 2:55 AM EDT

A U.S. Navy destroyer fired on an Iran-flagged tanker vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday as President Donald Trump’s blockade on Iranian ports continues to be enforced. Plans for peace talks in Pakistan appear uncertain amid the tensions.

Covered by: Anders Hagstrom, Emma Bussey and Landon Mion

WHAT TO KNOW

• The U.S. Navy fired on the Iran-flagged M/V Touska tanker in the Arabian Sea on Sunday, disabling its engines and later seizing the vessel.
• Tehran officials condemned the seizure as “armed piracy” and vowed retaliation.
• Peace talks with Iran were expected to begin in Pakistan on Tuesday, but recent reports from Iranian state media have thrown the meetings into doubt.
• The fragile 2-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran will expire on Wednesday, and there has been no news on extending the truce.

44PostsNewestOldest

11 hours ago

PINNED

Ghalibaf warns Trump on X, Iran ‘prepared to reveal new battlefield cards’

Ghalibaf / Morteza Nikoubazl / NurPhoto via Getty Images

Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf sent a direct warning to President Donald Trump Monday on X, saying that Iran will not accept negotiations with the U.S. while under threat.

“Trump, by imposing a blockade and violating the ceasefire, seeks, in his view, to turn the negotiating table into a table of surrender or to justify renewed warmongering,” he said.

“We do not accept negotiations under theshadow of threat, and over the past two weeks, we have prepared to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” Ghalibaf added.

Ghalibaf led the Iranian delegation in talks with Vice President J.D. Vance in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11.

Posted by Emma Bussey

3 hours ago

Katz says ‘ultimate goal’ is dismantling Hezbollah, threatens its leader ‘will pay with his head’

Getty Images

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, has blocked President Masoud Pezeshkian’s presidential appointments and erected what sources described as a security cordon around Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, a report published Tuesday by Iran International said.

The IRGC effectively has assumed control over key state functions, the report claimed.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that his country’s “ultimate goal” is to disarm the terrorist group Hezbollah.

Katz emphasized that the Israeli military would continue to destroy any structures it believes threaten its forces in Lebanon.

 Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem “will pay with his head,” Katz said during a ceremony at Mount Herzl where the names of fallen Israeli soldiers were read, according to local media.

Katz also said that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have directed the army “to act with full force — even during the ceasefire — to neutralize any threat to the forces on the ground.”

Posted by Landon Mion

3 hours ago

Iranian government demands release of cargo ship, crew seized by US Navy

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

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

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

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

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

Posted by Landon Mion

5 hours ago

Budget US airlines asking Congress for temporary tax relief to offset surging fuel costs

REUTERS/Quinn Glabicki

The CEOs of budget airlines are scheduled to meet with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday as they ask Congress for temporary tax relief to partially offset increasing jet fuel costs triggered by the war in Iran.

A group representing Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Allegiant Air, Sun Country and Avelo wrote to congressional leaders last week, urging lawmakers to pass legislation to suspend the 7.5% federal excise tax on airline tickets and $5.30 per segment tax.

Waiving the fees would offset about one-third of the incremental cost of higher jet fuel, according to the Association of Value Airlines.

“Absent relief, sustained fuel cost pressures will translate to higher total trip costs for passengers,” the group’s executive director Jonathon Freye wrote to congressional leaders. “While base fares are often the most visible component of ticket pricing, airlines may increasingly be forced to rely on raising the cost both of fares and ancillary services to offset fuel cost increases.”

The spike in fuel prices has led airlines in North ​America to raise ​baggage ⁠fees and reduce flights.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Posted by Landon Mion

6 hours ago

Argentine President Javier Milei awarded Israel’s highest honor for support of Jewish State

Ilia YEFIMOVICH/AFP via Getty Images

Argentine President Javier Milei received Israel’s Presidential Medal of Honor at a ceremony in Jerusalem for his support of Israel on the international stage.

The award was given in recognition for Milei’s support of Israel, his solidarity with families of hostages who were abducted by Hamas in Gaza and his connection to the Jewish people, Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s office said.

“The state of Israel is not alone,” Herzog said in a statement. “We have allies, and we have great friends.”

Herzog said Milei had demonstrated his friendship with his visits. The Argentine president has made two previous trips to Israel since taking office in 2023.

Milei and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also signed the “Isaac Accords,” which was launched by the Argentine president to expand cooperation between Israel and Latin American countries.

The leader of the South American country also received an honorary doctorate from Israel’s Bar Ilan University.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Posted by Landon Mion

6 hours ago

Iranian families continue to face school closures even as airstrikes stopped

Schools across Iran have remained closed since the U.S.-Israeli strikes started the war in late February, and it is unclear when in-person instruction might resume.

While the threat of airstrikes has diminished since a fragile ceasefire went into effect, life for Iranian families continues to be disrupted.

Many families fled Tehran after the airstrikes began nearly two months ago, leading to disrupted routines, crowded living arrangements and financial stress. Families are now struggling to find a sense of normalcy amid the unpredictable threats to safety due to the conflict.

“I feel like I’m suspended — neither in the air nor on the ground,” said Roya Amiri, a housewife who recently returned to Tehran after fleeing with her two sons after the war began.

Her family was among hundreds of thousands of Iranians who fled Tehran and other cities for safety in rural areas or the north. Amiri and her children stayed with relatives, where 15 people were living under one roof.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Posted by Landon Mion

9 hours ago

Iran says rebuilding damaged bridge could cost $23M after US strikes

B1 Bridge / Majid Saeedi / Getty Images

Rebuilding the B1 bridge damaged in U.S. attacks could cost about 3.5 trillion tomans (roughly $23 million), the head of the company overseeing construction of the northern Karaj freeway said Monday, according to Iran International.

“We are trying to proceed with reconstruction under the current conditions by demolishing parts of the structure and redesigning it so it can be preserved as a symbol in the country,” said Abolfazl Rahmani, chief executive of the North Karaj Freeway Construction Company.

Rahmani also said that the B1 bridge had been built “without foreign involvement” and that reconstruction costs could end up higher than the initial estimate.

During Operation Epic Fury against Iran, U.S. forces struck key infrastructure, including the B1 bridge in Alborz province—one of the Middle East’s tallest—which was hit in two waves.

Additional strikes targeted a highway bridge west of Qom and the Yahyaabad railway bridge near Kashan.

Posted by Emma Bussey

9 hours ago

A-10 Warthog service extended to 2030 after use in Iran war

The United States is extending the life of the A-10 “Warthog” attack aircraft until 2030 in order to “preserve combat power,” Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced on X Monday.

“In consultation with @SecWar, we will extend the A-10 ‘Warthog’ platform to 2030,” he said.

“This preserves combat power as the defense industrial base works to increase combat aircraft production.”

“Thank you to @POTUS for your unwavering support of our warfighters and quick, decisive leadership as we equip our force. More to come,” Meink added

Posted by Emma Bussey

9 hours ago

UK official warns of ‘critical’ moment as US-Iran ceasefire deadline approaches

UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Monday that a “critical” moment is coming with the expiry of the 14-day U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

In a post shared on X ahead of Wednesday’s deadline, Cooper also emphasized how she had been maintaining international pressure on opening the Strait of Hormuz.

“As we near the end of the agreed two-week cease-fire, this is a critical diplomatic moment,” she said.

“For the last six days, I’ve travelled through five countries, speaking to more than a dozen foreign ministers and counterparts, to maintain international pressure on opening the Strait of Hormuz,” Cooper added.

The U.K. and France hosted a conference of about 40 countries April 10 in Paris to secure the strait, a key shipping waterway.

Posted by Emma Bussey

10 hours ago

Schumer: Senate Democrats to force another vote on war powers resolution

Sen. Chuck Schumer D-N.Y. said Monday that Senate Democrats will force another vote on legislation looking to limit U.S. involvement in the war with Iran.

“Tomorrow, Senate Democrats will force a fifth vote on our War Powers Resolution,” Schumer said in a post shared on X.

“Senate Republicans cannot sit on the sidelines while our servicemembers are risking their lives on the front lines. We will continue putting them on the record until the war ends or until enough of them find the courage to vote with us to end this war,” he added.

The vote, led by Sen. Tammy Baldwin D-Wis., comes a day before the two-week ceasefire with Iran expires.

War powers resolutions have failed in the Senate in recent weeks. But Democrats say they will continue forcing votes every week for as long as the war in Iran goes on.

Posted by Emma Bussey

11 hours ago

Iraq, Syria reopen key border crossing, offering alternative oil route

Iraq and Syria have reopened the main border crossing between the two countries for the first time in more than a decade, according to reports.

This comes as officials highlight its potential for trade and oil exports and say it provides an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, the Associated Press said.

At the border opening ceremony on Monday, Nadia al-Jubouri, a member of Iraq’s provincial council of Nineveh, said the Iraq-Syria crossing would allow for “trade exchange and oil transportation towards this great gate.”

Posted by Emma Bussey

11 hours ago

CENTCOM releases images of forces surveilling, seizing Iranian-flagged vessel

US Central Command (CENTCOM) released images on X on Monday showing its forces operating near the Iranian-flagged vessel M/V Touska after U.S. Marines boarded and seized the ship.

“U.S. forces patrol the Arabian Sea near M/V Touska, April 20, as the Iranian-flagged vessel’s container cargo is searched after U.S. Marines boarded and seized the ship when it attempted to violate the U.S. naval blockade,” CENTCOM said in a post.

According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces conducted a search of the vessel’s container cargo following the seizure.

The M/V Touska, an Iranian-flagged container ship, was intercepted after it attempted to breach the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

Posted by Emma Bussey

12 hours ago

Iran deal without strict oversight would be “an illusion,” UN watchdog says

Any nuclear deal between Iran and the United States would be meaningless without U.N. oversight, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned Monday.

“Without verification, any agreement is no agreement. It’s an illusion of an agreement,” Rafael Grossi told The Telegraph before adding that the IAEA is “the only” body capable of ensuring compliance.

He also said that the world is at risk of a new nuclear arms race amid a period of rising instability.

Grossi also said that global tensions could lead to a “crack in the system” of nonproliferation and trigger “as many as 20 states” to pursue nuclear weapons.

“There is talk about ‘friendly proliferation’ … a world with 20 nuclear weapon states or more would be extremely dangerous,” he said, warning the international order is in a “very, very fragile position.”

Grossi also told the outlet the current “atmosphere of fragmentation, conflict, polarization” could force countries to reconsider nuclear options

Posted by Emma Bussey

12 hours ago

Iran executes two accused of ‘collaboration with hostile groups’ amid rising tensions

Iranian authorities executed two men on Monday following convictions on national security-related charges, according to reports.

Hamed Validi, 45, and Mohammad (Nima) Massoum Shahi, 38, had been arrested in Tehran in May 2025 and later sentenced to death by a Revolutionary Court in Karaj.

Officials had accused the two of offenses including “enmity against God” (moharebeh), collaboration with hostile groups, and involvement in weapons-related activities—claims their supporters dispute.

Critics however argue the case was marked by due process concerns, citing allegations of torture, coerced confessions, and inconsistencies in the charges, including disputed timelines tied to broader regional conflict.

Iranian state media had also described the pair as part of a network linked to foreign intelligence, but opposition groups maintain they were simply affiliated with the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) and were only targeted because of their political beliefs.

The killings of Validi and Shahi came on the heels of the recent executions of six other PMOI members, bringing the number to eight MEK members executed by the regime since March 30. 

Nine more, including a 67-year-old woman, are on death row and at imminent risk of execution. 

In a statement, Maryam Rajavi of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, or NCRI, said the two members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) joined a “growing number of heroic members executed this month under the rule of religious dictatorship.”

“Just as the Shah could not save his rule through repression and bloodshed, the criminal mullahs cannot escape the rising anger of the people of Iran and the determination of the rebellious youth,” Rajavi added.

Posted by Emma Bussey

13 hours ago

Aragchi tells Lavrov that Tehran will monitor US behavior as ceasefire deadline looms

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Sayed Hassan / Getty

Iranian Foreign Minister Aragchi has told his Russian counterpart that Iran will monitor U.S. behavior and take the appropriate decision to protect its interests and national security, according to reports.

Citing Iranian state media, Reuters also reported that in a phone call with Sergey Lavrov, Araghchi said that the United States’ “illegal behaviors” and the “contradictory positions” of its leaders were “incompatible with the claim of diplomacy.”

Aragchi’s remarks came as the two-week ceasefire set by the U.S. was set to end Wednesday.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry also said that “no decision has been made” on whether to hold new talks.

Posted by Emma Bussey

13 hours ago

US Navy continues Red Sea flight operations, CENTCOM says

The U.S. Navy is continuing operations in the Middle East, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Monday.

“U.S. Navy sailors were flying and handling aircraft on the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Red Sea as part of a larger naval group working in the Middle East region,” the command said in a post shared on X.

The carrier and its accompanying ships are operating in the region amid ongoing tensions with Iran in the region.

Posted by Emma Bussey

14 hours ago

China-linked route exposed after US seizes Iran-bound ship with suspected dual-use cargo

Ship is seen passing through the Strait of Hormuz / Shady Alassar / Anadolu / Getty Images)

An Iranian-flagged cargo ship recently seized by U.S. forces had recently traveled through Chinese ports, spotlighting a supply route now under scrutiny as officials probe suspected dual-use cargo aboard the vessel.

The vessel, Touska, remains in U.S. custody as American forces continue inspecting what maritime security sources told Reuters is likely “dual-use” cargo — materials that can serve both civilian and military purposes — following a voyage from Asia.

Shipping data shows the Touska made multiple recent stops in Zhuhai, a major port in southern China, before transiting through Southeast Asia and heading toward Iran — part of a pathway analysts say has helped Iran sustain trade flows despite U.S. pressure.

The seizure comes as part of a broader U.S. effort to enforce a naval blockade on Iran aimed at pressuring Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane.

The ship had last docked in Port Klang, Malaysia, April 12 and was en route to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas when it was intercepted, a U.S. official told Fox News.

The Touska was seized in the Gulf of Oman, just outside the Strait of Hormuz, as it was approaching Iranian waters Sunday.

Analysts say attempting to transit amid an active U.S. naval presence suggests the cargo may have been a priority.

“It tried to run the blockade, which seems like a particularly foolish thing to do … which would seem to indicate that there was something aboard that ship that they really perhaps needed in Iran,” said Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, a maritime transparency initiative.

Powell said the vessel’s route through Malaysia is notable, describing waters near the Singapore Strait as “infamous for ship-to-ship transfers” due to relatively weak enforcement — a tactic that can make cargo movements harder to trace. He added that the ship’s stops in China raise questions about the origin of its cargo, though what was on board remains unknown.

This is an excerpt from a report by Morgan Phillips.

Posted by Emma Bussey