War, breaking news. Trump: 'I ordered to destroy minelayer ships in Hormuz'

The Central Bank of the Islamic Republic confirmed that toll payments for the Strait of Hormuz were made in cash and not in cryptocurrency. This was reported by the Fars news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is seriously injured and in a complex physical condition after the Israeli attack on the compound where he lived with his family on 28 February, but remains 'mentally lucid and active'. According to Iranian sources telling the New York Times, the leader has undergone several surgeries on one leg and is now awaiting a prosthesis, while an operated hand is slowly recovering functionality. Sources quoted by the newspaper also report severe burns to the face and lips, such that it is difficult to speak, and may require plastic surgery.

"Iran is having great difficulty understanding who their leader is! They just don't know!" US President Donald Trump wrote this in a post on Truth. "The infighting between the 'hardliners', who are suffering serious defeats on the battlefield, and the 'moderates', who are not moderates at all (but are gaining respect!), is crazy!" he added. "We have total control of the Strait of Hormuz. No ship can enter or leave without the approval of the US Navy. It is 'hermetically sealed' until Iran is able to make a deal!!!," the president concluded.

There is no certainty about the actual number of mines: Iran has the potential capacity to place hundreds of mines in the Strait, but operationally only a few dozen are needed for an effective blockade, as merchant ship captains and ship owners do not want to take the risk.

According to the Pentagon, it could take up to six months to completely clear Hormuz once the war is over; while for the US Navy the demining itself would not be too difficult with the current technological means, it is necessary that mine-clearers - American or European - can operate safely and this would only be possible after a peace agreement.

"We are grateful to those countries that have already indicated their willingness to contribute. We are confident that real progress can be made," the note reads.

"The security of trade routes is crucial, that is why our commitment to freedom of navigation is maximum". This was stated by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during question time at the Senate. "We lead European naval missions in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean," he added, "with a stable truce, Italia is ready to play its part in Hormuz as well, with a broad coalition of European and international partners."

"I have ordered the US Navy to shoot and sink any vessel, no matter how small (their warships are all, 159 in all, at the bottom of the sea!), that is laying mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz." US President Donald Trump writes this in a post on social Truth.

"The Federal Government urges Iran to end its nuclear programme and stop threatening Israel and other neighbouring states. The Strait of Hormuz must remain open permanently, reliably and without restrictions or tolls. If a comprehensive agreement is reached, the Federal Government is ready to work in close coordination with partners to gradually ease the existing restrictive measures. If, however, Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz, the Federal Government is ready to consider further sanctions'. The German government announced this in a note. "Once a final cessation of hostilities has been reached, the Federal Government, together with its partners, stands ready to contribute to the free navigation of the Strait of Hormuz in compliance with international law and national procedures. The Federal Government will continue to work through diplomatic channels to bring a definitive end to the war in southern Lebanon," the note further reads.

The US military has announced that it has seized another oil tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling. According to the US Department of Defence, it is the tanker Majestic X and was seized in the Indian Ocean. "We will continue to ensure global maritime enforcement to dismantle illicit networks and intercept ships providing material support to Iran wherever they operate," the US Department of Defence said.

Next May 1, the 60 days that the law governing war powers grants a president to conduct a conflict without congressional authorization will expire, writes the New York Times today. The attack on Iran began on 28 February, but President Trump officially notified Congress on 2 March that he was invoking his authority as commander-in-chief to protect American bases in the Middle East and 'advance national interests vital to the United States'. Republicans have defended the president, but as the 60-day deadline approaches, some are signalling to the White House that their support may be waning. Senator John Curtis, elected in Utah, announced as early as the beginning of April in an article that he 'will not support ongoing military action beyond the 60-day window without congressional approval'.

Once the deadline has passed, Trump would have three possible choices: seek authorisation from Congress to continue the war, start diminishing US war involvement or give himself an extension. In fact, the law only grants the president a 30-day extension if he certifies in writing that this is necessary to ensure the safety of US troops, but does not grant the authority to continue an offensive campaign. That leaves the option of actually asking Congress for authorisation to use force, but as united as the Republicans have been so far, for obvious political reasons, in blocking Dem attempts to stop the war, it is unclear whether they would be so united in the face of an actual vote to authorise a conflict, which in the past eight weeks has caused huge negative economic consequences, starting with skyrocketing petrol prices, seven months before the midterm elections. The last time Congress voted to use military force was in 2002 when it authorised the war in Iraq.

"The Iranian parliament and the Supreme National Security Council are examining a plan to take sovereign control of Hormuz". The Mehr news agency reports this, quoting Fadahossein Maleki, a member of the National Council of the Tehran parliament. "The final decision-making authority remains to be determined," Maleki concluded.

Babak Kharbo, a 33-year-old protester imprisoned in Isfahan, central Iran, is facing charges that could carry the death penalty, according to a source close to his family told Iran International. Kharbo was arrested in February in the city of Dizicheh and is currently detained in Dastgerd Prison without access to a lawyer. According to the source, he was subjected to interrogation and torture after his arrest and his family was warned not to take any steps towards his release. The 33-year-old is the uncle of Alireza Kharbo, a 20-year-old protester killed during the January protests. According to sources close to the family, Alireza was shot dead by Basij forces and later died while in custody; his body was returned to his family with several gunshot wounds. At least three other protesters were killed during the same riots.

The Pentagon disavows the news reported by the Washington Post that de-mining the Strait of Hormuz will take six months. In a statement, the War Department's chief spokesman,Sean Parnell said that "the media's biased selection of leaked information, much of it false, from a classified, closed-door briefing is dishonest journalism." "An assessment does not mean that the assessment is plausible, and a six-month closure of the Strait of Hormuz is impossible and completely unacceptable to the secretary," Parnell said speaking to Afp.

Lebanon's Ministry of Health condemned on social media the killing of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil in the town of Al-Tiri, in the district of Bint Jbeil, in the south of the country. The ministry stated that the journalist died "in circumstances that dishonour human conscience, after being chased by the occupying army to the house where she had taken refuge".

Donald Trump 'is in no hurry to conclude the Iran deal'. This was said by the US president himself in a brief telephone interview with Fox News journalist Martha Maccallum, to whom he clarified that 'politics, including the midterm elections, will not affect the timing'.

The Israeli army announced that it had intercepted a 'suspected air target' launched from south Lebanon, according to Al Jazeera.

The Israeli Channel 15, citing military sources, indicated that the drone was targeting Israeli forces operating in southern Lebanon at the time of the interception.

Rezha Phalavi, son of the Shah of Persia, called on the European Union and Germany to "take sides on the right side of history" with regard to Iran's future. "Stand on the right side of history. The Iranian people will continue to fight, with or without European help," Pahlavi told a press conference in Berlin. "As long as this regime remains in power, the threats will continue," Pahlavi warned addressing the Europeans. In his view, no negotiations, no agreements will be able to change the situation. "You have tried for many years, and you have failed," Pahlavi stressed, emphasising that only a free Iran can be a reliable partner for Europe. "Change is taking place," Pahlavi said again referring to the Iranian regime, but "the question is how many more Iranians will have to die along the path to change."

US President Donald Trump has not set a deadline by which Iran must submit a peace proposal, the White House said.

Iran has for the first time collected a toll from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and the funds have been transferred to the Central Iranian Bank, the Iranian news agency Mehr reports, quoting the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hamid Reza Haji Babaei.

Iran does not need a particularly large traditional fleet to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed: the use of fast patrol boats armed in asymmetric operations is sufficient, according to an analysis by Cnn.

The US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, has sacked the Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, the latest in a series of senior officials forced to leave the Pentagon since the start of the war with Iran.

On 5 September 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to rename the Department of Defence (informally known as the Pentagon) to the Department of War.

The shock generated by the war in Iran "affected the spread between the 10-year BTp and Bund, which is a proxy for investors' perception of exposure to the shock: at the end of February, it stood at an all-time low around 60 basis points, reflecting recognition of the government's efforts to strengthen the credibility of fiscal consolidation and resilience. Since the outbreak of the conflict, it has, on average, risen significantly, albeit with some increased volatility, to peaks of around 90-100 basis points. More recently, the spread has progressively narrowed, although not fully back in line with the situation in February; the increase has been much smaller than that observed during previous periods of market nervousness, demonstrating that the fundamentals of the economy are more solid than in the past'. Reads the Public Finance Document approved yesterday.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today and thanked Riyadh for the continued oil supplies to Japan and called for cooperation in expanding them further. The Japanese government's number one also reiterated support for talks to achieve peace in the region.

Thephone conversation lasted about 30 minutes. Takaichi expressed sympathy for the victims and material damage caused by the Iranian attacks and also thanked Saudi Arabia for its assistance to Japanese citizens who left the region via the capital Riyadh.

The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, denounced as "constitutive of a war crime" the attack that led to the death of two French blue helmets in Lebanon on Saturday. Speaking on Franceinfo, Barrot stressed that attacking soldiers clearly identified as belonging to a peacekeeping mission is, "constitutive of a war crime". The French diplomatic chief also pointed to a specific responsibility in this attack. "Everything suggests that the responsibility for this crime lies with Hezbollah," he reiterated.

The Spanish foreign minister, José Manuel Albares, said that "it is not possible" for Europe to say "absolutely nothing" against Israel's attacks in Lebanon and warned that the EU must give "a strong political signal". "It cannot be that Europe, which has to defend human rights, international law, which also has to join the peace efforts" in the Middle East "says nothing"," he criticised in an interview with Spanish broadcaster LaSexta, after no decision was taken by the Twenty-Seven on Tuesday on the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement for human rights violations, urged by Madrid, nor other specific measures, due to a lack of political and numerical agreement. Albares pointed out that eupteen EU countries were in favour of adopting some measures immediately, noting that the intention was to start a process of dialogue in order to reach a consensus. The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, will assert today in Cyprus at the informal summit of EU leaders, Madrid's position and the need for the Twenty-Seven to adopt dissuasive measures towards Israel, reiterating the demand to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Moncloa sources reported, echoed by the Iberian media.

The Israel Defence Forces captured a member of the elite Hezbollah unit Force Radwan in southern Lebanon. This was reported by the Times of Israel, which quotes the IDF. The captured suspect was planning "imminent" attacks against Israeli forces stationed in southern Lebanon. "Shortly after being identified, the terrorist surrendered and was arrested by the forces," the army says, adding that he was taken to Israel for interrogation by the Unit 504 of the Military Intelligence Directorate.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards released a video today showing the seizure of two boats in the Strait of Hormuz. The Guardian wrote this and published a small excerpt. According to reports by the shipping companies and the semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim, the Pasdaran claimed to have seized the ships for what they called 'violations of maritime regulations' and escorted them to the Iranian coast.

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with US Ambassador Natalie Baker to discuss the recent regional situation and diplomatic efforts to organise a second round of talks in Islamabad between Iran and the US. This was stated by the same ministry in a note on X. Naqvi reportedly praised President Trump's initiative to extend the ceasefire with Iran and stressed the need to maintain continuity of diplomatic channels to reach a lasting solution. The minister also expressed hope for "positive progress from Iran", adding that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir "are making every effort at all levels to resolve the issue".

the "aggression" of the US and Israel against Iran, i.e. the military operations launched on 28 February and halted by a fragile truce that Donald Trump extended, is "at the origin of the lack of security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz". These are the words of the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, disseminated by Tehran, which gives news of a meeting in the Iranian capital with the special envoy of the South Korean diplomacy, Chung Byung-ha. Araghchi, we read, denounced "brutal crimes" pointing the finger at the US and Israel.

The official media of the Iranian judiciary, reported by al Jazeera, reported the execution of a man convicted for links to an opposition group and the Israeli intelligence service Mossad.

According to Mizan, the information organ of the Iranian judiciary, Sultan Ali Shirzadi Fakhr was a long-standing member of the opposition group Mujahideen-e-Khalq and had had 'extensive cooperation with the group in various fields for years'.

The negotiation meeting between the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel in Washington, the second between the two sides since the resumption of the conflict, will start today at 4pm local time, 10pm in Italia (11pm in Israel). The talks are taking place while a fragile 10-day ceasefire is in force, aimed at suspending fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shia movement, strongly backed by US President Donald Trump and imposed on 16 April.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa are expected to attend the meeting. Israel will be represented by Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, while for Lebanon Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh Moawad will take part in the talks.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Israel of "war crimes" after an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon on Wednesday in which a journalist was killed and another colleague injured.

"Attacking journalists, preventing rescue teams from reaching them and then attacking them again after the teams have arrived, clearly constitutes a war crime," Salam wrote in X.

La giornalista libanese Amal Khalil, che lavora per il quotidiano Al-Akhbar, mentre riferisce nei pressi di un ponte distrutto a Qasmiyeh, in Libano, domenica 22 marzo 2026. Khalil è rimasta uccisa in un attacco aereo israeliano nel villaggio di al-Tiri, nel sud del Libano, mercoledì 22 aprile 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari) Associate Press/ LaPresse Solo Italia e Spagna Associate Press/ LaPresse Solo Italia e Spagna

According to the Lebanese premier, Israel's attacks on journalists doing their work "are no longer isolated incidents, but have become a common practice that we condemn and reject, as well as all international laws and conventions". "Lebanon will spare no effort to bring these crimes before the competent international courts," Salam warned.

Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was found dead yesterday in the rubble following an Israeli air raid on Al-Tiri in southern Lebanon.

The statue of Jesus that was destroyed by an Israeli soldier in the village of Debel, south Lebanon, has been replaced by a new statue donated by soldiers of the Unifil contingent from Italy. This was reported by the Times of Israel.

The Israeli army also delivered a replacement statue following the incident, albeit smaller and in a different style from the original.

The IDF claimed to have killed two Palestinian terrorists yesterday who "posed a threat" to troops in the Gaza Strip. In one incident in the north of the Gaza Strip, troops identified "a terrorist who was operating in the Yellow Line area and approached the forces in a manner that posed an immediate threat". In the south of the Strip, on the other hand, a 'terrorist who had crossed the Yellow Line and approached forces in such a way as to pose an immediate threat' was killed.

The authorities in Beirut are said to be 'passive bystanders' in the ceasefire talks with the US and Israel that have led to a 10-day truce in the country. This is what the Financial Times writes. According to the newspaper, Beirut had no influence in the decisions that led to the agreement that was only reached at the behest of Trump and Iran.

Italia in the 2026 World Cup instead of Iran. This is the request made by Donald Trump's envoy, Paolo Zampolli, to Fifa, explaining that the four World Championships won by the Azzurri justify the exchange. According to the Financial Times, the plan is an 'effort to mend ties between Trump and premier Giorgio Meloni' after the president's attacks on the Pope over the war in Iran.

"I confirm that I suggested to Trump and Infantino that Iran should replace Italia at the World Cup. I am Italian, it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at the World Cup in the United States. With four titles, the Azzurri have the pedigree to justify inclusion,' Zampolli told the Financial Times. Iran, however, has made it known in the last few hours that they are ready for the tournament in June and intend to participate.

The US military command for the Middle East, Centcom, stated that US forces had 'ordered 31 ships to reverse course or return to port as part of the US blockade against Iran'.

"Most of the ships complied with American instructions," Centcom wrote again in X, adding that "most of the ships that backed off were oil tankers".

It could take up to six months to completely clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines laid by the Iranian military, and such an operation would be unlikely to be launched before the end of the war between the US and Iran. This, according to the Washington Post, is the assessment that the Pentagon has forwarded to Congress and which suggests that the economic impact of the conflict could last until the end of the year or even beyond.

The estimate was outlined Tuesday in a confidential briefing to members of the House Armed Services Committee by a senior Defence Department official, three sources familiar with the discussion told Wp. According to the same sources, the projected timetable has caused frustration among both Democrats and Republicans, because it suggests high gasoline and oil prices long after any peace agreement.

Two centuries ago, Carl von Clausewitz called war the 'realm of uncertainty', in which 'three quarters of the factors on which action is based are shrouded in a fog of uncertainty of greater or lesser magnitude'. It is in that same fog that the attempts to stop the war that opened with the attack on Tehran seem to be navigating. With one difference: instead of the course of military operations, the fog seems to be generated by the chaotic style with which Donald Trump manages the war and the entire presidential term.

Almost two months after the 28 February attack, the news from the Persian Gulf alternates like a pendulum, making it difficult to form an idea of the course of operations in conventional terms. Yesterday Iran stopped the MSC Francesca and two other ships transiting through Hormuz, on Tuesday Trump had announced at the last moment the extension of the expiring truce, on Monday the US had boarded the container ship Touska, today who knows.

The May 1 deadline could increase the pressure on Donald Trump to end the Iran war. First of May is in fact 60 days of conflict and the law requires the president to request authorisation from Congress to proceed. The New York Times reports. So far, Republicans have allowed him to move freely, even blocking all war powers resolutions submitted by Democrats. But the first of May is a deadline that many Republicans do not intend to overlook. Although the war against Iran started at the end of February, Trump formally notified Congress of the operation on 2 March, triggering the 60-day countdown that falls on 1 May. Once the deadline has passed, the options available to the president to continue the campaign without congressional authorisation are limited. Trump would have three: ask Congress to continue, start reducing US involvement, or grant himself an extension. The rule in fact provides for a 30-day extension if the president certifies in writing that more time is needed to facilitate the safe withdrawal of US forces. The extension, however, would not grant him the authority to continue the offensive. Congress has the option at any time to explicitly grant him permission to continue the war by approving an authorisation for the use of military force. It is unclear, however, whether or not the Republicans would have the numbers. Trump could then decide, as some presidents have done in the past, to ignore the deadlines while exposing the Republican Party to many political risks.

Secretary of the Navy John Phelan was fired after months of tension with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth. According to US media reports, it was Phelan's close relationship with President Donald Trump that fuelled the friction. The two often talk and meet at Mar-a-Lago and Phelan is said to have directly suggested to the president the idea of modernising the fleet, bypassing Hegseth. A move that the Pentagon chief did not digest.

The Senate once again blocked a resolution on war powers by 51 votes to 46. Democrat John Fetterman voted with the Republicans and conservative Rand Paul with the Liberals. The Democrats forced the vote but again failed.

US Secretary of the Navy John Phelan is leaving office with immediate effect. This was announced by the Pentagon without explanation of the exit. Phelan is the highest ranking civilian in the US Navy and his exit comes amidst the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. His place will be taken on a temporary basis by his deputy Hung Cao. (ANSA).

The news of 22 April