LIVE: War escalating? Mine-laying boats in Hormuz will be shot, warns Trump
Trump directed the Navy to act with no hesitation, claiming that enemy naval ships are already "at the bottom of the sea''
US President Donald Trump has said the United States is indefinitely extending its ceasefire with Iran as a new round of peace talks remains on hold.
Meanwhile, Iran's semi-official news agencies reported that the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard attacked a third ship on Wednesday in the Strait of Hormuz, throwing into question efforts to end the war. Nour News, Fars and Mehr reported the attack on a vessel called the Euphoria.
They said the vessel had become “stranded” on the Iranian coast, without elaborating. The Guard has seized the other two ships that were attacked, Iranian state television separately reported.Live Updates
- 23 April 2026 8:02 PM IST
Trump orders Navy to shoot on sight any vessel laying mines in Strait of Hormuz
In a Truth Social post on Thursday, President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Navy to "shoot and kill" any vessels found laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.Trump directed the Navy to act with "no hesitation," claiming that enemy naval ships are already "at the bottom of the sea." In addition to the lethal directive, he ordered U.S. mine-sweeping operations in the strategic waterway to be "tripled up" immediately."I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat... that is putting mines in the waters," Trump wrote, signaling a sharp escalation in maritime security measures.
- 23 April 2026 7:44 PM IST
Iran seizes ships in Strait of Hormuz; 22 Indian seafarers aboard affected vessels
Iran captured two foreign container ships — Francesca and Epaminondas — and fired upon a third, the Euphoria, near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday. India's Ministry of Ports confirmed that 22 Indian seafarers were aboard two of the three vessels, with one Indian on the seized Epaminondas and 21 on the Euphoria, which safely cleared the strait. All Indian crew members are reported safe.
The incident is a direct escalation following the United States' seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel in the Sea of Oman. Iran's Revolutionary Guards accused Washington of "armed piracy," while Tehran claimed the targeted ships had violated transit rules. A British maritime security firm, however, stated that at least one of the vessels had prior clearance to transit the waterway, contradicting Iran's account.
- 23 April 2026 3:50 PM IST
Iran charges ships in Strait of Hormuz amid tensions, receives first payments: Report
Iran is charging ships money to pass through the Strait of Hormuz and has received its first earnings from those charges, AFP reported.
The strait is a key sea route for oil and gas shipments. Iran fired on three ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday after the US began imposing a sea blockade of Iranian ports last week, and Trump said the US would continue its blockade of Iranian ports.
Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world's oil normally passed before the war, is still largely halted and the likelihood of its reopening dimmed after Iran's Revolutionary Guard seized two of the three ships that were attacked.
- 23 April 2026 3:43 PM IST
Pak minister, US envoy discuss efforts for 2nd round of US-Iran talks
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday met US Charge d’Affaires to Pakistan, Natalie Baker and discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to hold a second round of US-Iran talks in Islamabad, according to an official statement. The meeting comes amid stepped-up diplomatic engagements aimed at bringing Tehran and Washington to the negotiating table, possibly by the weekend.
Naqvi and Baker held an “important meeting” during which they exchanged detailed views on the latest regional situation and discussed diplomatic efforts related to the proposed second round of peace talks, the interior ministry said in a statement.
Naqvi welcomed US President Donald Trump’s initiative to extend the ceasefire, calling it a “welcome development” that made significant progress towards reducing tensions. “We also hope for positive progress from Iran’s side,” the minister said.
Naqvi and Baker emphasised the need to maintain diplomatic channels for a lasting resolution to the West Asia conflict.
According to the statement, Naqvi told Baker that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir were making “all-out efforts at every level” to facilitate a peaceful outcome. “It is hoped that both parties will give a chance to a diplomatic and peaceful solution,” the minister said.
The meeting, the second between the two this week, took place amid uncertainty over the talks, with Islamabad under tight security for the proposed engagement.
- 23 April 2026 3:41 PM IST
Lebanon, Israel to resume rare direct talks in US to extend Israel-Hezbollah truce
Lebanon and Israel were set to begin a second session of direct talks in Washington on Thursday to discuss the possibility of extending a truce between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group and plans for future negotiations between the two neighbours with a long history of hostile relations.
The meeting between Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad and her Israeli counterpart Yechiel Leiter is the second between the two diplomats, days after they held the first such direct talks between the two countries in three decades.
Lebanon President Joseph Aoun said Wednesday that contacts are ongoing to extend the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect Friday.
Hamadeh will put forward an extension of the ceasefire during the meeting and ask for an end to ongoing Israeli home demolitions in villages and towns occupied by Israel after the latest war broke out on March 2, Aoun said in comments released by his office.
Preparations are ongoing for wider-reaching negotiations between Lebanon and Israel. The aim of the future talks is to “fully” stop Israeli attacks, withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, release of Lebanese prisoners held in Israel, deployment of Lebanese troops along the border and beginning the reconstruction process, Aoun said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called on Lebanon to work with Israel to disarm the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah ahead of negotiations in Washington.
“We don't have any serious disagreements with Lebanon. There are a few minor border disputes that can be solved,” Saar said during Independence Day remarks to Israel's ambassadors and diplomatic corps in which he also described the neighbouring country as a “failed state”.
- 23 April 2026 1:41 PM IST
Rice exports dip 7.5 pc to USD 11.53 bn in 2025-26
The country's rice exports dipped 7.5 per cent to USD 11.53 billion in 2025-26 due to a contraction in shipments to major destinations including the middle east countries, according to the commerce ministry data.
The exports in March declined 15.36 per cent to USD 997.53 million.
Shipments to West Asian nations, including Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman have been impacted due to the war between US-Israel and Iran.
Iran is India's top basmati rice export destination, but the shipments are witnessing growing stress on order flows, payment cycles, and ship schedules due to the prevailing instability.
As per reports, importers have conveyed their inability to honour existing commitments and remit payments to India, creating uncertainty for exporters.
In 2024-25, India exported 20.1 million tonnes of rice valued at USD 12.5 billion, reaching more than 172 countries.
India is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of rice. It produced around 150 million tonnes of rice in 2024-25 from nearly 47 million hectares, accounting for about 28 per cent of global output.
- 23 April 2026 8:27 AM IST
Reopening Strait of Hormuz impossible' amid breaches, Iranian official says
“A complete ceasefire only makes sense if it is not violated by the maritime/naval blockade and taking the world's economy hostage, and if the Zionist warmongering across all fronts is halted,” Iran's parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said on Wednesday.
“Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible with such flagrant breach of the ceasefire,” Qalibaf added. “The only way forward is to recognize the rights of the Iranian nation.” - 23 April 2026 8:26 AM IST
Firm says over 10M barrels of Iranian oil left Persian Gulf since US blockade of Iran's ports
An analytics firm focusing on global energy and freight markets says it recorded 34 movements of sanctioned and Iranian-linked tankers in and out of the Persian Gulf in the week after the US imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The firm, Vortexa, says it identified 19 outbound and 15 inbound movements of such vessels between April 13 and Monday.
Six of those outbound movements were “confirmed laden with Iranian crude, representing about 10.7 million barrels,” it said in an email to The Associated Press.
It was not immediately clear whether all those barrels reached markets overseas.
- 23 April 2026 8:26 AM IST
Crew of a ship attacked in Hormuz is safe, management company says
The management company of a container ship that was fired upon in the Strait of Hormuz early Wednesday says the Liberian-registered Epaminondas was “approached and fired upon by a manned gunboat” while transiting the strait about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Oman.
The Technomar company said all crew were “safe and accounted for” and no injuries were reported, but that preliminary inspections indicated the ship's bridge had been damaged.
“Technomar remains in close contact with the crew and relevant authorities. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our crew as we work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure their continued safety and investigate the incident,” the company said. It did not provide further details, but said more information would be released “when there are material developments.” - 23 April 2026 8:25 AM IST
Israeli strike kills two people in southern Lebanon despite ceasefire
The strike targeted a vehicle in the town of Tayri on Wednesday, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.
No further details on the identities of the victims were immediately available.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the attack.
The strike comes despite a 10-day ceasefire that went into effect Friday. Since then, several Israeli strikes have been reported, while Hezbollah has claimed a couple of attacks since Tuesday.
