Middle East crisis live: US and Iran in blockade stalemate as Washington’s navy secretary leaves office ‘immediately’
TL;DR
Iran has seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz amid a blockade stalemate with the US, following Trump's announcement to extend a ceasefire. There are no signs of peace talks restarting, and Iranian officials criticize the ongoing US navy blockade.
Key points
- Iran seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Trump announced an indefinite halt to US attacks on Iran.
- The ceasefire's status remains unclear.
- Iran criticized the US navy blockade of its trade.
- Ghalibaf stated a ceasefire depends on lifting the blockade.
Mentioned in this story
Welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.
Iran has seized two ships in the strait of Hormuz a day after Donald Trump announced he was indefinitely calling off US attacks, while there is no sign of peace talks restarting.
The status of a two-week-old ceasefire – due to expire earlier this week – remained unclear. In an about-face hours after threatening renewed violence, Trump made what appeared to be a unilateral announcement on Tuesday that the US would extend the ceasefire with Tehran until it had discussed an Iranian proposal in peace talks to end the two-month war.
But Iranian officials did not say they had agreed to any extension of the truce, and criticised Trump’s decision to maintain the US navy blockade of Iran’s trade by sea. Lead Iranian negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said a full ceasefire only made sense if the blockade was lifted.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps seized two vessels on Wednesday for what it called maritime violations and escorted them to Iranian shores, according to statements by the shipping companies and Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency – the first time Iran has seized ships since the war began in late February.
In other key developments:
- Trump was “satisfied” with the US naval blockade and “understands Iran is in a very weak position”, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The US president had not set a deadline on Iran submitting a peace proposal, she said, after Trump on Tuesday said he was indefinitely extending the ceasefire at the request of mediator Pakistan until Tehran responded to the US’s negotiating positions or until talks were concluded “one way or the other”.
- The Pentagon announced that the US secretary of the navy, John Phelan, would depart the office “effective immediately”, without providing an explanation for his sudden exit. The US army’s top officer, Gen Randy George, and two other senior officers were removed earlier this month amid the continuing war with Iran.
- The US-Israeli war against Iran is “starting to weaken Europe”, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has told his German counterpart. Erdoğan said: “If we do not address this situation with an approach that prioritises peace, the damage caused by the conflict will be far greater.”
- Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon killed a Lebanese journalist, Amal Khalil, and wounded a photographer accompanying her, a senior Lebanese military official and Khalil’s employer said. The death of Khalil, 43, brought the death toll to five people on Wednesday – the deadliest day since a 10-day truce between Israel and Hezbollah was announced on 16 April. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on Khalil’s death.
Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil of the daily Al-Akhbar newspaper reports near a destroyed bridge in Qasmiyeh, Lebanon, last month. Photograph: Mohammed Zaatari/AP
- Khalil and freelance photographer Zeinab Faraj were covering developments near the town of al-Tayri when an Israeli strike hit the vehicle in front of them, Reuters reported. They ran into a nearby house that was then also targeted by an Israeli strike, said Lebanon’s health ministry. Lebanese prime minister Nawaf Salam said Israeli targeting of journalists and obstructing relief effort constituted war crimes.
- Oil prices leapt 4% on Thursday after Iran vowed not to reopen the Hormuz strait amid the US naval blockade despite the truce extension. Around 0025 GMT, the benchmark US oil contract West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 4.06% to $96.73 a barrel, while the international oil benchmark Brent North Sea crude climbed 3.62% to $105.63. Both eased back minutes after.
- Two Palestinians, including a 14-year-old schoolboy, were killed in the occupied West Bank after Israeli settlers opened fire near a school amid mounting assaults on education in the territory, witnesses and local officials have said.
- United Airlines implemented broad-based rises of 15-20% on fares as it sought to offset the surge in petrol prices while protecting profits, executives said. The big US carrier has also cut its 2026 flying capacity by 5%.
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Q&A
Why did Iran seize two ships in the Strait of Hormuz?
Iran seized two ships for alleged maritime violations as part of its response to the ongoing US blockade.
What did Donald Trump announce regarding US attacks on Iran?
Donald Trump announced he was indefinitely calling off US attacks and extending the ceasefire with Iran until discussions on peace talks could occur.
What is the status of the ceasefire between the US and Iran?
The status of the ceasefire remains unclear, with Iran not officially agreeing to its extension despite Trump's announcement.
Who is Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and what did he say about the ceasefire?
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is Iran's lead negotiator, and he stated that a full ceasefire would only be sensible if the US blockade was lifted.
