LIVE! 2 US warships cross Strait of Hormuz; US-Iran hold talks in Islamabad
Israeli attacks kill more people in Lebanon; Trump claims Iran is “losing big” and that tankers from many countries are headed for the US to load up with oil
Here is the top, trending news of Saturday, April 11, 2026, including the Iran war, Indian politics, states’ politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Scroll below for Live updates.
Live Updates
- 11 April 2026 8:34 PM IST
2 US warships cross Strait of Hormuz: Report
Two US warships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz, a first such transit since America and Israel launched attacks on Iran, according to a media report on Saturday.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the US Navy guided-missile destroyers passed through the strait with no issues reported. The report cited three US officials.
The operation was not coordinated with authorities in Tehran, US media outlet Axios said, as per AFP news agency.
Earlier on Saturday, US President Donald Trump posted on social media that Iran's military has been destroyed and that America is beginning to open up the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway chokepoint used by Iran to restrict the shipping of 20 per cent of the world's oil supplies.
It was unclear from the post if Trump was referring to the possible use of mines in the Strait of Hormuz or Iran's broader ability to control the area.
“We're now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favour to Countries all over the World, including China, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany, and many others,” Trump posted. “Incredibly, they don't have the Courage or Will to do this work themselves.”
- 11 April 2026 8:26 PM IST
Pakistani soldiers, jets in Saudi Arabia
A Pakistani military contingent comprising around 13,000 soldiers and 10 to 18 jets reached Saudi Arabia last month as part of a joint strategic defence agreement signed last year, the Gulf Kingdom made it official only today (April 11).
Expert on international affairs Mohammad Mehdi told PTI that Pakistan had sent aircraft and troops to Saudi Arabia last month, but the news has been broken only now by the Saudi authorities. He said Pakistani soldiers and fighter jets are there only for the defence of Saudi Arabia.
Another official who spoke with the news agency said that Pakistan had also sent missile interceptors to Saudi Arabia last month amid Iran's attack on the American bases in the Gulf.
The military contingent's deployment to King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Sector includes fighter jets and support aircraft from the Pakistan Air Force, according to a statement from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence.
The deployment aimed to enhance joint military coordination, improve operational readiness between the armed forces of the two countries, and support security and stability at regional and international levels, it added.
A Pakistan government official also confirmed sending troops and jets to Saudi Arabia as part of the two countries' strategic defence agreement, under which any attack on one country would be considered an attack on another.
- 11 April 2026 8:09 PM IST
Israel says it struck over 200 Hezbollah targets in last 24 hours
The Israeli military said its air force hit infrastructure of the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon and was continuing to support its ground forces operating in southern Lebanon.
Earlier Saturday, the Lebanese state-run news agency reported at least three people killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.
In Israeli communities along the border with Lebanon sirens continued to warn of drone and rocket attacks from Lebanon throughout the day Saturday. There were no reports of injuries. - 11 April 2026 7:29 PM IST
US revokes green cards of more Iranian born relatives of current, former Iran officials
The Trump administration has revoked the green cards of more long-term Iranian residents of the United States who are related to current or former senior Iranian officials.
The State Department said Saturday it had taken action against Seyed Eissa Hashemi, a Los Angeles-area psychology teacher, his wife and son, all of whom were Iranian born lawful permanent residents of the US.
The department said in a statement released as talks to end the war with Iran were getting underway in Pakistan that they had been taken into custody by immigration authorities and are slated for deportation.
Hashemi, it said, is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar who served as a spokeswoman for the attackers who took over the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and was later promoted to be Iran's first female vice president.
Just last week, the State Department revoked the green cards of the niece and grand-niece of former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US airstrike in Baghdad in early 2020.
- 11 April 2026 7:28 PM IST
Govt hikes windfall tax on diesel to Rs 55.5/litre, ATF to Rs 42/litre
The government on Saturday hiked export duty, or windfall tax, on diesel to Rs 55.5 per litre and on aviation fuel ATF to Rs 42 a litre.
The duty hikes would be applicable with immediate effect, the finance ministry said in a notification.
The government had, on March 26, imposed an export duty of Rs 21.50 a litre on diesel, and Rs 29.5 per litre on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). The duties were levied to increase domestic availability of the fuel amid the war in West Asia.
They were also aimed at not allowing exporters to take undue advantage due to price differences, as globally crude oil prices had risen since the beginning of the war.
Export duty on petrol continues to remain nil.
- 11 April 2026 7:27 PM IST
Starmer hails Pakistan’s ‘critical role’ in US-Iran ceasefire
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the lead-up to the US-Iran peace talks and hailed Islamabad’s “critical role” in negotiating a ceasefire in West Asia.
Downing Street said the leaders agreed on the urgency to ensure the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz during their phone call on Friday. It came hours before US President JD Vance and Speaker of the Iranian parliament Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf arrived in the Pakistani capital for the talks.
“The Prime Minister [Starmer] said that the ceasefire was very welcome and thanked Sharif for Pakistan’s critical role,” Downing Street said in a readout of the Starmer-Sharif discussions.
“They agreed that the upcoming talks were vital to progress the ceasefire towards lasting peace, and to ensure the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
“Recognising that it was still early days, the Prime Minister was clear that the UK was supportive of this process and hoped it would pave the way to a long-term resolution of the conflict. They recognised the long and deep ties between the UK and Pakistan and agreed to stay in touch going forward,” it stated.
Starmer concluded a three-day tour of the Gulf on Friday, during which he held discussions with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Qatar. - 11 April 2026 7:03 PM IST
US intel: China to provide new air defence systems to Iran
US intelligence has suggested that China is preparing to deliver new air defence systems to Iran within the next few weeks, according to three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments, CNN reported.
However, China has denied the report. "China has never provided weapons to any party to the conflict. We urge the US to refrain from making baseless allegations, maliciously drawing connections, and engaging in sensationalism. We hope that relevant parties will do more to help de-escalate tensions," the Chinese Embassy in Washington said.
- 11 April 2026 6:58 PM IST
US and Iran hold peace talks in Islamabad
Peace talks between the US and Iran begin in Islamabad, says Iranian media.
- 11 April 2026 6:56 PM IST
Trump: ‘We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz’
US President Donald Trump blasts 'Fake News Media' and adds that they are clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favour to countries all over the world.
- 11 April 2026 6:45 PM IST
Pakistan puts in place extraordinary multi-layered security to protect plane carrying Iranian delegation
Pakistan put in place extraordinary multi-layered security measures to protect the aircraft carrying the Iranian delegation for the high-stakes peace talks with the US in Islamabad, an aviation official said on Saturday.
Among the measures was a Pakistan airline aircraft flying alongside the Iranian plane, which had its transponder turned off.
The high-powered delegation of Iran, led by Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, along with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, arrived in Islamabad in the early hours of Saturday to participate in the Islamabad Talks.
The official in the Pakistani aviation told PTI that the Pakistan Air Force took extraordinary security measures in anticipation of and to deal with any untoward incident while the Iranian delegation's plane was in the air.
The aircraft carrying the Iranian delegation departed from Gorgan Airport, located on the coast of the Caspian Sea, about 400 kilometres from Tehran, he said.
“The Pakistani air traffic controllers were informed in advance that the aircraft’s transponder would remain switched off. With the transponder turned off, the aircraft could not be detected on secondary radar systems used for monitoring commercial flights. It could, however, still be tracked on primary military radar, though without basic identifying information, appearing only as a moving dot,” he said.
One of the key protective measures involved a Pakistani airline aircraft flying alongside the Iranian plane, with its transponder switched on, he said.
“Radar systems worldwide tracked the Pakistani Airbus A321 on this route, while the Iranian Airbus A300 flew discreetly alongside it with its transponder turned off. After escorting the Iranian aircraft to Nur Khan Airbase, the Pakistani plane returned to Islamabad Airport,” he said.
The official said this arrangement was an “air mobility deception” tactic.
“In addition, the Pakistan Air Force implemented further security measures. The Iranian aircraft flew over Afghanistan for an extended duration and entered Pakistani airspace via Chaman.
“Throughout the journey—from the Gulf’s conflict zone to Afghanistan and up to Islamabad—a robust aerial surveillance and protection system remained active, involving AWACS and fighter jets,” he said.
The US delegation, led by Vice President J D Vance, and the Iranian delegation are in Pakistan for high-stakes peace talks, four days after the two warring sides announced a two-week ceasefire after almost five weeks of hostilities. PTI
