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The Latest: Iran fires on ships in Strait of Hormuz as Tehran imposes restrictions again
Iran reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and fired on a tanker attempting to pass the waterway on Saturday. It also warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence a new deal was within reach.Iran's joint military command said on Saturday that "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces."Two gunboats from Iran's Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It reported the tanker and crew as safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. TankerTrackers.com reported vessels were forced to turn around in the strait, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, after they were fired on by Iran.Saturday's developments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the blockade "will remain in full force" until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S. that includes its nuclear program. Tehran had reopened the strait Friday to commercial vessels.Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Iran's Friday announcement about the opening of the crucial body of water, through which 20% of the world's oil is shipped, came as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold.Despite the escalation, Pakistani officials say the United States and Iran are still moving closer to a deal ahead of the April 22 ceasefire deadline.The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.Here is the latest:Another Israeli soldier dies in combatIsrael's military says another soldier died in combat in southern Lebanon, the second death announced in under twelve hours.It brought the total number of soldiers killed in Lebanon to 15, and was the second soldier killed in combat since the ceasefire.The military said another soldier was badly wounded in the same incident, along with four moderately wounded and four lightly injured.It was the second soldier to die since the ceasefire. The first died because of wounds sustained during combat, the military said.UN chief condemns attack in Lebanon that killed French peacekeeperStéphane Dujarric, the spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, says Guterres has strongly condemned the killing of a French peacekeeper and the wounding of three others in an attack in southern Lebanon.The U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire Saturday morning. Two of the injured were hurt seriously, France's president and the force known as UNIFIL said.Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the Lebanese militant group denied involvement.Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz fully closed, state media reportsThe navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said it extended the closure to the corridor it had earlier designated for the safe passage of vessels through the strategic waterway and declared the strait fully closed until the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and ships is lifted.On Friday, Iran said vessels could move through the strait in coordination with it and against the payment of a toll.But in a statement late Saturday carried by Iran's state media, the navy warned that any violating vessel would be targeted.Iran considers the U.S. blockade a violation of the ceasefire between the two countries. Two vessels were attacked earlier on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz and off Oman's coast, at least one of them by Iranian gunboats.Israel says one of its soldiers has been killed in LebanonThe military said the soldier, an officer, was killed in south Lebanon on Friday, the day after the start of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has otherwise largely held.It said two other soldiers were injured in the incident, but didn't release any more details.This brings to 14 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the latest war in Lebanon.Hezbollah leader dismisses ceasefire paper published by USNaim Kassem, head of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, in a statement read on the group's al-Manar TV said a paper published by the U.S. State Department that it described as the text of a ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel "means nothing at the practical level, but it is an insult to our country.""Everyone knows that the government of Lebanon has not met or approved this statement," he said.The text published by the U.S. described the 10-day truce
IRAN reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and fired on a tanker attempting to pass the waterway on Saturday. It also warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence that a new deal was within reach.
Iran's joint military command said on Saturday that "control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state ... under strict management and control of the armed forces."
Two gunboats from Iran's Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. It reported the tanker and crew as safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. TankerTrackers.com reported vessels were forced to turn around in the strait, including an Indian-flagged supertanker, after they were fired on by Iran.
Saturday's developments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said the blockade "will remain in full force" until Tehran reaches a deal with the U.S. that includes its nuclear program. Tehran had reopened the strait Friday to commercial vessels.
Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze an already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Iran's Friday announcement about the opening of the crucial body of water, through which 20% of the world's oil is shipped, came as a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to hold.
Despite the escalation, Pakistani officials say the United States and Iran are still moving closer to a deal ahead of the April 22 ceasefire deadline.
The fighting has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.
Here is the latest:
Another Israeli soldier dies in combat
Israel's military says another soldier died in combat in southern Lebanon, the second death announced in under twelve hours.
It brought the total number of soldiers killed in Lebanon to 15, and was the second soldier killed in combat since the ceasefire.
The military said another soldier was badly wounded in the same incident, along with four moderately wounded and four lightly injured.
It was the second soldier to die since the ceasefire. The first died because of wounds sustained during combat, the military said.
UN chief condemns attack in Lebanon that killed French peacekeeper
Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, says Guterres has strongly condemned the killing of a French peacekeeper and the wounding of three others in an attack in southern Lebanon.
The U.N. peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire Saturday morning. Two of the injured were hurt seriously, France's president and the force known as UNIFIL said.
Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the Lebanese militant group denied involvement.
Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz fully closed, state media reports
The navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said it extended the closure to the corridor it had earlier designated for the safe passage of vessels through the strategic waterway and declared the strait fully closed until the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and ships is lifted.
On Friday, Iran said vessels could move through the strait in coordination with it and against the payment of a toll.
But in a statement late Saturday carried by Iran's state media, the navy warned that any violating vessel would be targeted.
Iran considers the U.S. blockade a violation of the ceasefire between the two countries. Two vessels were attacked earlier on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz and off Oman's coast, at least one of them by Iranian gunboats.
