Dubai: Iran reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and fired on a tanker trying to pass the waterway on Saturday. It also warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US 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 towards 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 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 US President Donald Trump said the blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the US that includes its nuclear program. Tehran had reopened the strait on Friday to commercial vessels.

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 US service members have also been killed. AP

Hezbollah leader dismisses ceasefire paper published by US

April 19, 2026 10:45 am

Dubai: Naim 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 US 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 US described the 10-day truce as a gesture by Israel “to enable good-faith negotiations” towards a permanent peace agreement with Lebanon. The text gives Israel the “right to take all necessary measures in self-defence, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks”. It does not mention any similar right for Lebanon or Hezbollah. Kassem said the truce should entail “a complete cessation of all hostilities” and that Hezbollah “will respond to enemy violations”. AP

UN chief condemns attack in Lebanon that killed French peacekeeper

April 19, 2026 9:44 am

Dubai: Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said Guterres has strongly condemned the killing of a French peacekeeper and the wounding of three others in an attack in southern Lebanon. The UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small-arms fire on 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. AP

Another Israeli soldier dies in combat

April 19, 2026 9:43 am

Dubai: Israel’s military says another soldier died in combat in southern Lebanon, the second death announced in under 12 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. AP