Trump: troop reductions in Italia and Spain likely, they did not help us

Iran's economy 'is collapsing: the blockade is unbelievable. Iran now has no revenue from oil'. Donald Trump said this, reiterating that no one knows who the Iranian leaders are.

"We are in a cease-fire phase, and our understanding is that that implies that the 60-day count is suspended or interrupted." Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said this in response to a questioner asking whether the administration intended to seek congressional authorisation for the Iran war. Tomorrow, 1 May, is the statutory 60-day deadline after which a president must address Congress.

The Flotilla activists detained during Israel's boarding of 22 of the mission's boats could be released in the port of Lasithi, Crete. This was reported by Global Sumud Italia sources. The activists, including about 20 Italians, should reach the Greek port in the next few hours.

Blocked by the Israelis in international waters off the Greek island of Crete. Thus ended the sailing of 22 of the approximately 70 boats of international activists on their way to Gaza to bring humanitarian aid. After yesterday's cabinet meeting on Flotilla-related security, PM Netanyahu wanted to take preventive action by not allowing the flotilla to approach the Strip.

"A real attack against civilians in international waters," the Flotilla's press officer, Gur Tsabar, denounced to Al Jazeera, calling for "immediate action" by governments around the world to "guarantee the safety of the Flotilla and to ensure that the humanitarian corridor to Gaza can be opened." The ships were reportedly surrounded hundreds of miles from Israel, in territorial waters whose responsibility lies with Greece, and activists were threatened with weapons and arrested. "Israel has no jurisdiction in these waters," Tsabar explained, "Intercepting or boarding these boats would amount to illegal detention, potentially kidnapping on the high seas.

The head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, confirmed Russia's involvement with Iran in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Speaking before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Caine did not want to go into details, due to the public nature of the hearing, but said: 'There is definitely activity going on'.

The toll ofpeople who have lost their lives in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks since 2 March has risen to 2,586. This was reported by the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

On 28 April, the authorities reported 2,534 dead and 7,863 wounded. "Attacks by the Israeli enemy against Lebanon between 2 March and 30 April left 2,586 dead and 8,020 injured," the statement read.

Clash in Congress between the Pentagon chief, Pete Hegseth, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York over the war in Iran. During a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, the defence secretary responded to the Democratic senator's criticism by saying: 'When I speak to Americans and especially soldiers, I am grateful that the president has the courage to address this threat [nuclear] after 47 years of Iran targeting and killing Americans. What would it mean for the world if Iran achieved its nuclear ambitions? The question I would ask is 'what is the cost of a nuclear-armed Iran'."

Gillibrand pointed out to him that "there is no evidence that we are any safer" than we were before the war began and that an attack by Iran was imminent against the US. The senator also asked him why he did not seek the support of the American people in launching the war and he replied that the government "has the support of the American people".

"As far as crude oil and petroleum products are concerned, jet fuel remained the main focus. While the market has managed supply shortages, commercial stocks are declining due to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz'. This is the outcome of today's meetings of the Oil Coordination Group (OCG) and the Energy Union Security Task Force (Eutf Security), which brought together experts from the European Commission, industry, EU countries, the International Energy Agency (Iea) and NATO to discuss the security of oil and gas supply situation in Europe as the conflict in the Middle East approaches its tenth week.

"Both Ocg and Eutf Security noted that the EU should start preparing for the possible consequences should the situation continue beyond the end of May. Although EU emergency stocks can be released if necessary, the experts emphasised the importance of coordinating such releases at the European level and combining them with appropriate demand-side measures to achieve effective results'.

"There are currently no fuel shortages in the EU. As far as gas supply is concerned, Eutf Security confirmed the remarks made at last week's Gas Coordination Group meeting that the security of gas supply remains largely unaffected and that the filling of gas deposits is already underway". This is the outcome of today's meetings of the Oil Coordination Group (Ocg) and the Energy Union Security Task Force (Eutf Security), which brought together experts from the European Commission, industry, EU countries, the International Energy Agency (Iea) and NATO to discuss the security of gas and oil supply situation in Europe as the conflict in the Middle East approaches its tenth week.

"We may soon be forced to intervene again against Iran" in order to eliminate "the existential threats and ensure the achievement of objectives". This was stated by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz during an awards ceremony. "Tehran has suffered extremely hard blows over the past year, which have set it back in all areas," Katz said, adding that "US President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are leading efforts to ensure that Iran does not return to pose a threat to the existence of Israel, the United States and the free world."

''In coordination with the Greek government, the people transferred from the flotilla boats to the Israeli ship will be disembarked in Greece in the coming hours''. This was stated by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.

The Board of Peace described the Gaza-bound flotilla, seized by Israel overnight, as 'love boat activism', while emphasising the body's work in increasing aid to the Strip after the October ceasefire.

"Since the ceasefire last October, the Board of Peace has SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED its support for the people of Gaza. Food aid reaches three times as many people as before. The theft of aid by Hamas has dropped from 90 per cent to less than 1 per cent. According to the UN, nutrition has improved dramatically,' reads the post on X.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said today that Israel may soon have to intervene in Iran "to ensure that we achieve our goals." "Iran has suffered very hard blows over the past year, blows that have set it back years in all areas. We may soon have to intervene again to ensure we achieve our goals," Katz said, according to Israeli newspaper Ynet.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany is contributing to international efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic hub for global energy traffic, Al Jazeera reports. "We still have sufficient supplies of oil and gas. Relatively little of the supply for Europe comes through the Strait of Hormuz. Most of it comes from other sources,' Merz said.

However, the Chancellor emphasised that tensions in global markets may affect energy prices in Europe. "That is why everything is geared, including my personal efforts, to make every possible contribution to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz," he added.

"I am very concerned about the restriction of shipping rights and freedoms in the Strait of Hormuz, which hinders the distribution of oil, gas, fertilisers and other raw materials, strangling the world economy". This was stated to the press by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "As in every conflict, the whole of humanity pays the price, even if some accumulate huge profits. The suffering will be felt for a long time,' Guterres warned, calling on 'all parties' to let the ships through the Strait.

Conflict in the Middle East could push 32 million people into poverty and another 45 million could face extreme hunger due to fertiliser shortages and falling harvests. This was denounced by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres. "We believe that the crisis will continue until mid-year. Thirty-two million people would fall into poverty. Fertilisers would become scarce and crops would decline. Another forty-five million people would face extreme famine. Hard-won progress in development would be wiped out overnight,' Guterres told a press conference.

"Emergency condemns the military action carried out on the night of 29-30 April by Israeli naval forces against the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 in international waters, 960 kilometres from Gaza, 22 civilian boats loaded with humanitarian aid were surrounded, intercepted and forcibly boarded. This attack constitutes a very serious violation of international maritime law, which guarantees freedom of navigation in international waters, and tramples on the fundamental principles of humanitarian law that require facilitating, and not obstructing, the passage of aid for civilian populations". Thus the humanitarian association for which "the aggression against a declaredly non-violent mission, the illegal seizure of boats and dozens of crew members are serious acts of intimidation against civil society, which is also mobilised to denounce the dramatic conditions in which the population of Gaza still lives, in a state of ceasefire declared but not respected, without basic necessities, adequate food and with a collapsing health system". "We call for an immediate political and diplomatic commitment to guarantee the safety of the Flotilla, which is acting in full compliance with international standards. In particular, we ask the Italia government and the European Union for diplomatic protection for the activists, formal condemnation and the interruption of all commercial and military relations with Israel," Emergency continues. "Today we renew our support and solidarity, we adhere to the national mobilisation and participate in the protests in defence of the Flotilla mission and for the respect of fundamental rights in Gaza," the NGO concludes.

"Italia and Germany follow with great concern the developments regarding the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was seized last night in international waters off Greece. We call for full compliance with applicable international law and to refrain from irresponsible actions'. This was stated in a joint statement by the foreign ministries of Rome and Berlin. "Our absolute and shared priority is to ensure the safety of our citizens, in line with international humanitarian law. We recall our common commitment and the efforts of the international community to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza in accordance with international law and standards," it concludes.

The German Chancellor should focus more on ending the war between Ukraine and Russia and healing his country, instead of interfering with Iran. This was stated by Donald Trump on Truth, going back on Friedrich Merz. "The chancellor should spend more time ending the war between Russia and Ukraine (an area in which he has been totally ineffective!) and healing his country in crisis - especially on immigration and energy - and less time interfering with those who are eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat, thus making the world, including Germany, a safer place," Trump wrote.

Faced with the tragedy of millions of people who "still suffer from hunger", the Pope invokes the ability to "transform the logic of selfish consumption into a culture of solidarity" that knows how to promote "concrete gestures", such as the diffusion of awareness campaigns, an effective distribution of food to the poor and the adoption of a a "sober and responsible lifestyle". He does so in the video on the Prayer Intentions for the month of May, dedicated to the theme "For a food for all", released today, through the multimedia campaign "Pray with the Pope" promoted by his World Prayer Network.

Changing the name of the Strait of Hormuz would be a "terrible mistake". Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote this on X, sharing a post of US President Donald Trump with a picture of the renamed Strait of Hormuz. "Today in Iran is Persian Gulf Day, which commemorates the expulsion of the Portuguese from the Strait of Hormuz by our ancestors 400 years ago," Araghchi wrote. "The US president uses the correct term 'Persian Gulf', not the Pentagon's incorrect version. But calling Hormuz by another name is indeed a terrible mistake," the Iranian foreign minister added.

"In 1622, after 115 years of occupation, we drove the European colonisers out of the Persian Gulf and we celebrate Persian Gulf Day in honour of this victory. Today, moreover, Iran, by exercising control over the Strait of Hormuz, will guarantee itself and its neighbours the precious benefit of a future without the presence and interference of the United States,' writes the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, on X.

The economic outlook, with developments in the war on Iran, is 'very uncertain' and 'supply chains are coming under pressure'. This was said by ECB President Christine Lagarde. Lagarde explained that 'risks remain on the downside' for growth. Governments' fiscal measures to cope with the energy shock must be 'temporary, targeted and tailor-made'.

European Foreign Policy High Representative Kaja Kallas said today that "a quick solution to the stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz is not in sight. "The consequences are negative across the board. The global economy is in trouble. Russia is getting new revenues from higher oil prices and US arms deliveries to the Nordic and Baltic countries are being delayed," Kallas specified during his speech at the Nordic-Baltic ministerial meeting. "For Europe, freedom of navigation is non-negotiable. The EU foreign ministers have already agreed to extend sanctions against Iran due to shipping restrictions. Our naval operations can play a stronger role in restoring energy and trade flows," Kallas noted, adding that "it is necessary to address Tehran's nuclear and missile programmes, as well as its support for terrorist groups in the region and beyond. These issues cannot be ignored."

L'Alta rappresentante dell'Unione europea per gli affari esteri e la politica di sicurezza, Kaja Kallas, parla ai media in occasione del vertice tra i leader dell'Unione europea e dei partner regionali tenutosi a Nicosia (Lefkosia), Cipro, il 24 aprile 2026. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou

Blocked by the Israelis in international waters off the Greek island of Crete. Thus ended the sailing of 22 of the approximately 70 boats of international activists on their way to Gaza to bring humanitarian aid. After yesterday's cabinet meeting on Flotilla-related security, PM Netanyahu wanted to take preventive action by not allowing the flotilla to approach the Strip.

"A real attack against civilians in international waters," the Flotilla's press officer, Gur Tsabar, denounced to Al Jazeera, calling for "immediate action" by governments around the world to "guarantee the safety of the Flotilla and to ensure that the humanitarian corridor to Gaza can be opened." The ships were reportedly surrounded hundreds of miles from Israel, in territorial waters whose responsibility lies with Greece, and activists were threatened with weapons and arrested. "Israel has no jurisdiction in these waters," Tsabar explained, "Intercepting or boarding these boats would amount to illegal detention, potentially kidnapping on the high seas.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a statement that the only possible place for Americans in the Persian Gulf 'is at the bottom of its waters', state TV reported. Khamenei on the occasion of Iran's Persian Gulf National Day said that Tehran's 'new management' of the Strait of Hormuz 'will bring calm and progress' and economic benefits to all nations and that Iran will eliminate 'abuses of the enemy on the waterways'. He added that the countries in the region share a common destiny, but that "foreigners who commit evil" have no future there.

As Washington threatens to extend the blockade against Iran for 'several months' and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is causing oil prices to soar, US President Donald Trump shared an illustration depicting a map of the strait, dubbed the 'Trump Strait', on his social network Truth this morning. The image was originally posted by an account called 'IStandWithTrump47'.

- At least nine people, including two children, died in attacks by Israeli forces on locations in southern Lebanon, the Beirut Health Ministry reported. The same source also reported 23 wounded, including seven children and eight women.

''The driving force behind the flotilla provocation is Hamas, in collaboration with professional provocateurs, with the aim of sabotaging the transition to the second phase of Trump's peace plan''. The Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote this in a note, adding that ''Israel is committed to ensuring freedom of navigation. Given the large number of vessels participating in the flotilla, the risk of escalation and the need to prevent the violation of a legal naval blockade, prompt action was necessary, in accordance with international law''

"The bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without America and in the service of the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its peoples," the Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, remarked in his message for the Persian Gulf National Day. According to the message reported by Iranian media, Khamenei added that 'foreigners who come from thousands of kilometres away with the intention of committing evil deeds have no place except at the bottom of its waters'.

"Freedom of navigation in international law must be respected. This is a point. Furthermore, we have called and reiterate the call on Israel to respect international law, including international humanitarian law and international maritime law, which is very clear." This was stated by Anouar El Anouni, spokesman for the EU Commission for Foreign Affairs, when questioned during the daily press briefing on the detention of the Flotilla participants by the Israeli navy.

There are currently 24 Italian activists on board the Global Sumud Flotilla who have been arrested. This was learned from sources in the legal team. The activists were on some of the 22 boats intercepted so far. A total of 57 Italians are taking part in the mission. "It is extremely serious that activists arrested 150 nautical miles from Crete and 600 miles off the coast of Gaza are being taken to Israel," stress the Italian legal team.

After soaring above 126 dollars late yesterday evening, oil prices reversed course: Brent crude dropped 1.4% to 116.4 dollars a barrel while Wti was flat (-0.05%) at 106.9 dollars. Traders continue to look at the situation in Iran where the risk of military escalation seems to have been shelved for the time being: CNN reported that the US expects an updated proposal from Teheran by tomorrow.

At least nine people were killed in attacks carried out this morning by Israeli forces in two locations in the Nabatieh district of southern Lebanon. A family of five, parents and three children, were killed in a raid in Jebchit. Interviewed by the daily L'Orient Le Jour, Mayor Hussein Fahs denounced a 'massacre that is the responsibility of the Lebanese state, which must strengthen its diplomatic efforts to put an end to these crimes against civilians'. Four people died and six others were injured in another raid that hit a building in Toul, where the search for other possible victims under the rubble continues.

Further reading

Netanyahu and the one continuous war strategy

12 April 2026

The US is waiting for Iran's revised peace proposal, which could arrive by tomorrow, sources close to the mediation tell CNN. Donald Trump said yesterday that negotiations to end the war with Iran are taking place 'by phone' because 'no more flights' of 18 hours to Islamabad are taking place, after the first round of in-person talks ended without an agreement and the second was cancelled.

Israeli sources explain to ANSA that more than 175 Flotilla activists have boarded Israeli Navy ships and are on their way to the Israeli port of Ashdod, a crossing that could take several days. The other participants in the Flotilla, which numbers over 400 activists, have - according to the same sources - turned back to other destinations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that a US naval blockade on Iranian ports would aggravate the turmoil in the Gulf and fail to achieve its goals. "Any attempt to impose a maritime blockade or restrictions is contrary to international law... and is doomed to failure," Pezeshkian said in a statement. He added that such measures 'would not only fail to strengthen regional security, but are in fact a source of tension and an obstacle to lasting stability in the Persian Gulf'.

US President Donald Trump told Axios in a telephone interview that he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel should only take 'targeted' military action in Lebanon and avoid a complete resumption of the war. "I told Netanyahu that he must act more surgically. Not tear down buildings. He cannot do that. It's too terrible and it makes Israel look bad," the tycoon told the news site. Trump stressed that he appreciated Lebanon and its leadership and believed the country could be 'reborn'. "Iran has ruined Lebanon. Their ally (Hezbollah ed.) has ruined Lebanon. When Iran is eliminated, Hezbollah will automatically be eliminated,' Trump said.

Freedom Flotilla Italia expresses full and unconditional solidarity with the activists involved in the attack that took place in the night off the coast of Crete, while they were on a civilian mission to Gaza for humanitarian purposes. According to the information available, 'the action was carried out by the Israeli army', and is 'an armed intervention in international waters against a civilian boat. An extremely serious episode that represents a violation of international law," he wrote in a note urging the intervention and condemnation of the Italia government and the EU.

The attack perpetrated by Israeli forces in international waters against the Global Sumud Flotilla, organised to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, constitutes an act of piracy'. This was stated by the Ankara Foreign Ministry in a statement, according to which 'Israel also violated humanitarian principles and international law' with its intervention. Turkey has called on the international community to 'adopt a united stance against this unlawful act by Israel' and is working 'to ensure the welfare of our citizens and other passengers on board the Flotilla', the note reads.

"Israel's actions mark a dangerous and unprecedented escalation: the kidnapping of civilians in the middle of the Mediterranean, more than 960 kilometres from Gaza, before the eyes of the whole world. Let us be clear what this is about. It is about piracy. It is the illegal abduction of human beings on the high seas near Crete, a claim that demonstrates how Israel can operate with total impunity, far beyond its borders, without suffering any consequences'. This was written by activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla in a note after the Jewish state intercepted dozens of boats.

The Global Sumud Flotilla, bound for Gaza to bring humanitarian aid, was intercepted in the night by Israeli patrol boats west of Crete in international waters. The Tel Aviv Navy claims to have seized some50 boats carrying 400 activists "hundreds of kilometres from the Israeli coast" and to have informed those on board that they are "under arrest".

A video posted on Telegram shows a crew of a Flotilla boat with their hands raised and an armed soldier boarding. "Dangerous and unprecedented escalation," the activists comment, "the kidnapping of civilians in the middle of the Mediterranean, more than 960 kilometres from Gaza, before the eyes of the whole world. This is piracy. Governments must act now to protect the Flotilla and hold Israel accountable for these flagrant violations of law'.

The Israeli Navy reportedly seized about 50 boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla, with about 400 activists on board, "hundreds of kilometres from the Israeli coast". This was reported by the Israeli media, according to Al-Jazeera in a post on X. Furthermore, Israeli naval forces reportedly informed the people on board that they were 'under arrest'.

'The Foreign Ministry has received information about an approach of Israeli military units to the Flotilla boats that sailed to Gaza in recent days. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani immediately asked the Crisis Unit, the embassy of Italia in Tel Aviv and the embassy of Italia in Athens to take up information with the Israeli and Greek authorities to define the contours of the operation underway and allow the Italian government to implement the necessary actions to protect the Italian citizens on board'. This was written by the Farnesina in a note

Further reading

Extreme attempts to revive negotiations between the US and Iran

26 April 2026

The US intends to deploy its hypersonic missile system in the Middle East, potentially for use against Iran. This operation would mark the first operational use of such a weapon. This is what Bloomberg writes, echoed by Middle Eastern newspapers. The US Central Command (USSC) has requested the transfer of the long-delayed 'Dark Eagle' system to the region, with the aim of equipping US forces with the capability to strike ballistic missile launchers deep inside Iranian territory. If approved, this would be the first operational deployment of a hypersonic weapon system by the US, a weapon that has been delayed for years and has yet to be declared fully operational, despite the fact that Russia and China have already deployed their own versions.

- US President Donald Trump is expected to receive a briefing today from Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper on new plans for potential military action in Iran. Axios reports this, citing two sources with knowledge of the facts.

According to what three people close to the dossier told CNN, the $25 billion estimate given yesterday by a senior Pentagon official to US lawmakers regarding the total cost of the war with Iran to date would be a downward figure, not including the cost of repairing the extensive damage done to US bases in the region. In fact, one of the sources quoted by CNN says that the real estimate of the cost is around 40-50 billion dollars, taking into account the costs of rebuilding US military installations and replacing destroyed infrastructure.

US President Donald Trump is expected to receive a briefing today from Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper on new plans for possible military action in Iran. This is reported by the Axios website, citing two sources, according to which the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, is also expected to attend the meeting.

According to the site, Centcom has prepared a plan for a series of 'short and powerful' attacks against Iran, probably including infrastructure targets, with the intention of breaking the negotiation deadlock.