A Chinese-owned oil and chemicals tanker sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday in an apparent defiance of Donald Trump’s US blockade.
Shipping data showed the Rich Starry passed through the waterway and exited the Gulf on Tuesday, becoming the first vessel to make it through the chokepoint since the blockade began on Monday afternoon.
The tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, were sanctioned by the US for dealing with Iran, according to Reuters.
Trump has said the US military will block Iranian vessels and any ships that have already paid Iran tolls. He said that any Iranian “fast-attack” naval ships nearing the blockade will be eliminated.
The US military has warned vessels that they will be subject to “interception, diversion and capture” regardless of flag, according to a note sent from US Central Command.
Tehran in turn has threatened to hit naval ships going through the strait and to retaliate against its Gulf neighbours' ports.
NATO allies including Britain and France said they would not be drawn into the conflict by taking part in the blockade, stressing instead the need to reopen the waterway.
Read MoreTrump’s Strait of Hormuz blockade threatens piracy and risks outright war against China
Would a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz be legal? An international law expert explains
Why is the US threatening to blockade the Strait of Hormuz – and how could it work?
Starmer refuses to back Trump’s Strait of Hormuz blockade
Key Points
- Donald Trump said his Hormuz blockade had begun
- Vance accuses Iran of ‘economic terrorism’ in Strait of Hormuz
- US-sanctioned Chinese tanker first to pass through Strait during blockade
- White House says Iran's 'desperation' for deal will grow with Naval blockade
- Pakistan proposes second round of talks in Islamabad
- How the US blockade of Strait of Hormuz could work
Watch: What the Strait of Hormuz looked like before Iran war and after US blockade
10:30 , James ReynoldsUK gas supply ‘will meet demand over the summer’ despite Middle East crisis
10:07 , James ReynoldsThe UK will have sufficient gas supplies to meet household and business demands this summer, with enough surplus to allow for exports to mainland Europe, according to a new forecast from British Gas.
This projection comes will come as relief to consumers, amid a surge in global oil and gas prices which have climbed sharply around the escalating crisis in the Middle East.
National Gas emphasised that Britain's gas requirements will primarily - around 86 per cent - be fulfilled by supplies extracted from the UK Continental Shelf and imports from Norway.
Read the full story:
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UK gas supply ‘will meet demand over the summer’ despite Middle East crisis
In full: Starmer refuses to back Trump’s Strait of Hormuz blockade
09:45 , James ReynoldsSir Keir Starmer has demanded Donald Trump end his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which is set to cause economic pain for Britons as petrol costs soar.
The prime minister had already announced that the UK would not support the blockade, and that the UK is “not getting dragged in” to the Iran war.
But Sir Keir then announced that he was bringing 40 nations together to force the reopening of the Strait, which Iran had initially blockaded and demanded a reversal in the White House’s policy.
In full, here’s how Britain is responding to developments in the Gulf:
Starmer refuses to back Trump’s Strait of Hormuz blockade
Negotiators could return to Pakistan for more talks this week, sources say
08:27 , James ReynoldsNegotiating teams from the U.S. and Iran could return to Islamabad this week, four sources said on Tuesday, days after the highest-level talks between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution ended in the Pakistani capital without a breakthrough.
Asian stocks gain and oil falls on hopes of renewed US-Iran talks
08:13 , Maira ButtAsian stocks were trading higher tracking Wall Street gains and oil fell on Tuesday as expectations rose over a possible second round of talks between the U.S. and Iran on an end to the Iran war.
Asian stocks gain and oil falls on hopes of renewed US-Iran talks
Watch: Tehran engaged in ‘economic terrorism’, says Vance as Strait Of Hormuz blockade begins
07:45 , Maira ButtVance accuses Iran of 'economic terrorism'
07:25 , Maira ButtVice president JD Vance has accused Iran of perpetrating “economic terrorism” through their control of the Strait of Hormuz as a US blockade of Iranian ports and coastal areas came into effect on Monday.
“They’ve basically threatened any ship that's moving through the Straits of Hormuz,” he told Fox News. “Well, as the President of the United States showed, two can play at that game.”
He said that the United States would ensure that “no Iranian ships are getting out either” if Iran engaged in “economic terrorism”.
Rubio to take part in Israel-Lebanon talks – report
07:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS secretary of state Marco Rubio will reportedly participate in the talks between Israel and Lebanon later today.
An Israeli delegation, led by ambassador Yechiel Leiter, and the Lebanese delegation led by ambassador Nada Hamadeh will hold talks at the US state department.
“This conversation will scope the ongoing dialogue about how to ensure the long-term security of Israel’s northern border and to support the government of Lebanon’s determination to reclaim full sovereignty over its territory and political life,” a state department official told CNN.
"Israel is at war with Hezbollah, not Lebanon, so there is no reason the two neighbours should not be talking," the official added.
Bessent says Fed should 'wait and see' before lowering rates
06:40 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Federal Reserve should "wait and see" before deciding whether to lower interest rates amid the war in Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Semafor.
Bessent said the US economy was "very strong" in January and February, and that the Fed is "doing the right thing by sitting and watching" how the conflict plays out.
"I would be shocked, for instance, if (the European Central Bank) hiked (rates)," he said.
"Although I will say that many European countries, (such as) the UK, and Asian countries, are subsidising demand, which we haven’t done in the US."
Bessent said he is confident that recent price increases are not "going to get embedded into inflation expectations."
Trump’s Strait of Hormuz blockade threatens piracy and risks outright war against China
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarTrump’s threats to the Strait of Hormuz will make America a pirate nation and risk conflict with China, making Beijing seem like the grown-ups, explains world affairs editor Sam Kiley.
Trump’s Hormuz blockade threatens piracy and risks outright war against China
What is the ‘Gate of Tears’? Key shipping route that could be attacked by Houthis
06:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDonald Trump’s threats to blockade the Strait of Hormuz have sparked fears Iran could counterattack by urging its Houthi allies in Yemen to halt sea traffic through another major shipping corridor in the Middle East.
The entry of the Houthis into the Iran war at the end of March sparked concerns that the group, known for its attacks on shipping, could block the vital Bab al-Mandab strait to oil tankers, causing further economic chaos.
Like the Strait of Hormuz, the strait, also known as the “Gate of Tears”, is a chokepoint in the region through which large volumes of petroleum and liquefied natural gas pass. Crucially, it’s a vital strategic link in the maritime trade route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
More here.
What is the ‘Gate of Tears’? Key shipping route that could be attacked by Houthis
Israeli military says soldier killed in Lebanon
06:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIsrael’s military said a reserve soldier was killed and three others wounded in fighting in southern Lebanon.
The military said that the reservist killed was a firefighting vehicle driver.
The death brought the number of Israeli soldiers killed in the current war in Lebanon to 13.
Trump threatens to 'eliminate' Iranian warships approaching blockade
05:51 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump has warned that any Iranian "fast-attack" ships that go near the US maritime blockade on Iran will be eliminated, saying the US would not allow Tehran to "extort the world".
Trump said the US blockade on vessels entering and departing Iran had gone into effect yesterday.
Describing Iran's navy as "completely obliterated" during the six-week-long war between the US and Iran, Trump had earlier posted on Truth Social: "What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, 'fast attack ships,' because we did not consider them much of a threat."
"Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea. It is quick and brutal," Trump wrote.
Trump rants against ‘The Failing New York Times’ over Iran coverage
05:35 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump has lashed out at The New York Times once again after the outlet's chief White House correspondent called his mental health and stability into question.
"HAVE THEY NO SHAME? HAVE THEY NO SENSE OF DECENCY?" the president posted on Truth Social after NYT veteran political reporter Peter Baker cast doubt over his "erratic behavior and extreme comments."
Trump, who once memorably branded himself a "Very Stable Genius", didn't respond directly to Baker's article, instead taking aim at the paper's coverage of his war in Iran.
More here.
Trump lays into ‘Failing NYT’ over Iran coverage after it questions his mental health
Dozens detained in New York City
05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
South Korean leader warns Gulf conflict to keep oil price high
05:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarSouth Korean president Lee Jae Myung said that rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz made it hard to be optimistic about the fallout from the Iran war, warning that high oil prices and supply-chain strains were likely to persist for some time.
Lee told a cabinet meeting this morning that the government should treat prolonged disruption in global energy and raw materials markets as a given and reinforce its emergency response system.
"For the time being, difficulties in global energy and raw materials supply chains and high oil prices will continue," Lee said.
"I ask that we pursue the development of alternative supply chains, medium- to long-term industrial restructuring, and the transition to a post-plastic economy as top-priority national strategic projects."
Lee also urged ministries to move quickly to deploy a supplementary budget passed in response to the war.
At the meeting, ministers outlined steps to contain the economic shock from the conflict, including support for crude imports, controls against hoarding of petrochemical feedstocks and medical supplies, and expanded financial assistance for affected companies.
US-sanctioned Chinese tanker first to pass through Strait during blockade
05:31 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarA Chinese tanker sanctioned by the US passed through the Strait of Hormuz this morning despite a US blockade on the chokepoint, shipping data showed.
The Rich Starry would be the first to make it through the strait and to exit the Gulf since the blockade began, data from LSEG, MarineTraffic and Kpler showed.
The tanker and its owner Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd were sanctioned by the US for dealing with Iran.
Rich Starry is a medium-range tanker that is carrying about 250,000 barrels of methanol on board, according to the data. It loaded the cargo at its last port of call, the UAE's Hamriyah, the data showed.
The Chinese-owned tanker has Chinese crew on board, the data showed.
Dozens detained in New York City protest over US arms sales to Israel
05:28 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarDozens of protesters were detained by police in New York City during demonstrations calling for the blocking of arms sales to Israel and an end to US military support for its ally.
Demonstrators included the anti-war group Jewish Voice for Peace, which said around 90 people were detained. Among those detained was whistleblower Chelsea Manning, a former US Army soldier and WikiLeaks source.
The New York City Police Department said there were "multiple" arrests but did not provide a number.
Clips from the protests showed a crowd gathering near the offices of US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Democratic colleague, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
Protesters chanted slogans like "stop the bombs," "end the killings" and "free Palestine" while expressing opposition to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Israel's attacks in Lebanon and Israel's assault on Gaza.
The protesters also chanted "let Gaza live," "let Iran live" and "let Lebanon live."
How the US blockade of Strait of Hormuz could work
04:56 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump announced that the American military has begun a blockade of Iranian ports as part of his effort to force Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept a deal to end the war that has raged for more than six weeks.
Enforcing the blockade is likely to demand significant resources from the US navy and could prompt concerns about military force and international law, experts say.
At least 15 US warships will be part of the blockade, an unidentified official told The Wall Street Journal. The US currently has 16 warships in the Middle East.
According to a defence official, no warships were in the Persian Gulf — the body of water that forms most of Iran’s coastline.
A note sent by Centcom to mariners says the blockade will "encompass the entirety of the Iranian coastline to include but not limited to ports and oil terminals," and applies to all vessel traffic, BBC reported.
Neutral vessels would be granted a "grace period" to depart Iranian ports that will expire once the blockade begins, after which time "any vessel entering or departing the blockaded area without authorisation is subject to interception, diversion, and capture".
The blockade will not be effective on humanitarian shipments including food, medical supplies and other essential goods, subject to inspection.
Second round of talks between US and Iran possibly soon - report
04:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe US and Iran are weighing new in-person negotiations in a bid to reach a deal aimed at ending their six-week war before the ceasefire expires next week, two US officials and a person familiar with the development told the Associated Press.
The three said discussions were still underway about a new round of talks, while a diplomat from one of the mediating countries went further to say Tehran and Washington have agreed to it.
It’s unclear if the same level of delegation would be expected to attend, the diplomat and US officials said.
The diplomat and US officials said Islamabad, Pakistan, was once again being discussed as the host location. The US officials also said Geneva was a possibility, and that while the venue and timing had not been decided, the talks could happen on Thursday.
Donald Trump told reporters earlier on Monday that “we’ve been called by the other side” and “they want to work a deal.”
Iran offers 5-year pause in nuclear activities
04:30 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran has reportedly proposed suspending uranium enrichment for up to five years, countering the Trump administration's offer, which insisted on 20 years.
The US and Iran traded proposals for a suspension of Iranian nuclear activities during weekend negotiations in Pakistan, the New York Times reported, citing US and Iranian sources.
Oil prices fall below $100 a barrel
04:16 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarAsian stocks advanced while oil prices and the safe-haven dollar fell this morning as the US said it continued to engage with Tehran to make a deal, despite an American blockade of Iran's ports coming into force.
Oil prices slid as expectations for a resolution outweighed concerns over supply disruptions, leaving Brent crude futures down 2.7 per cent at $96.66 a barrel. US crude futures fell 3 per cent to $96.13 per barrel.
Pakistan proposes second round of talks in Islamabad
04:15 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPakistan has proposed hosting a second round of talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad in the coming days, before the end of the ceasefire, two Pakistani officials told the Associated Press.
The officials said the proposal would depend on whether the parties request a different location.
One of the officials said that, despite ending without an agreement, the first talks were part of an ongoing diplomatic process rather than a one-off effort.
Marco Rubio to attend Israel-Lebanon talks: report
04:00 , Rachel DobkinUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend direct talks between Israel and Lebanon, according to a new report.
Israel launched a heavy bombardment on Lebanon last week as part of its ongoing campaign against Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire between the US and Iran.
A State Department official told CNN that Rubio will join Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the US, and Nada Hamadeh, the Lebanese ambassador to the US, on Tuesday.
“This conversation will scope the ongoing dialogue about how to ensure the long-term security of Israel’s northern border and to support the Government of Lebanon’s determination to reclaim full sovereignty over its territory and political life”, the State Department official said.
“Israel is at war with Hizballah, not Lebanon, so there is no reason the two neighbors should not be talking”, the official added, using another name for Hezbollah.
Vance accuses Iran of ‘economic terrorism’ in Strait of Hormuz
03:54 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS vice president JD Vance has accused Iran of conducting "economic terrorism" in the Middle East by disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
“If the Iranians engage in economic terrorism, then we will follow the principle that no Iranian ships are getting out either,” he told Fox News.
He added that negotiators "did make some progress" in the Islamabad talks on the US insistence on the removal of nuclear material from Iran as well as a mechanism to ensure uranium cannot be enriched in the future.
"They moved in our direction," Vance said in the interview. He said he thought Iranian negotiators were "unable to cut a deal" and needed to get approval from others in Tehran.
White House says Iran's 'desperation' for deal will grow with Naval blockade
03:30 , Rachel DobkinThe White House has said Iran's “desperation” for a peace deal will grow with the US naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The blockade went into effect Monday after peace talks in Pakistan fell apart over the weekend. US President Donald Trump has said he won’t agree on any deal that allows Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
“President Trump, Vice President Vance and the negotiating team have made the U.S. red lines very clear”, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement shared by the Associated Press.
“The Iranians desperation for a deal will only increase with President Trump’s highly effective Naval blockade now in effect”.
Iranian foreign minister told France ‘excessive’ US demands caused peace talks to crumble: report
03:00 , Rachel DobkinIranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has told France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot that the United States’ “excessive” demands caused peace talks in Pakistan over the weekend to crumble, The New York Times reported, citing Iranian state media.
Araghchi did say that progress was made, which is similar to what US Vice President JD Vance told Fox News' Bret Baier Monday.
Vance said earlier that Iran refused to give assurances it would not seek a nuclear weapon, a major reason US President Donald Trump says he launched his military campaign against Iran.
“The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vance said.
Polymarket odds are slim that US and Iran will reach permanent deal by end of ceasefire
02:30 , Rachel DobkinThe odds are slim that the US and Iran will reach a permanent peace deal by the end of their two-week ceasefire, according to the prediction market, Polymarket.
There’s only a 13 percent chance on Polymarket that the two countries will find an end to the conflict by April 22. It comes after peace talks in Pakistan over the weekend fell through.
ICYMI: Trump says he ‘doesn’t care’ if Iran returns to peace talks after Islamabad negotiations collapse
02:00 , Harry CockburnDonald Trump has said he "doesn't care" whether Iran returns to the negotiating table after peace talks in Pakistan broke down without an agreement, threatening to collapse a fragile ceasefire.
On Sunday evening, the US president told reporters it is "fine" if Iran doesn't return to negotiations despite concerns that a two-week ceasefire was at risk of falling apart.
"I don't care if they come back or not. If they don't come back, I'm fine", he said, adding that the ceasefire is "holding well".
Read on...
Trump says he ‘doesn’t care’ if Iran returns to peace talks
Vance says Iran having nuclear weapon would impose 'terrible costs' on world
01:30 , Rachel DobkinUS Vice President JDVance has said Iran having a nuclear weapon would impose “terrible costs” on the world.
“I 100 per cent agree with the president on the fact that Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Monday.
MUST-WATCH: @VP JD Vance sits down with Bret Baier on @SpecialReport for the first interview since returning from Pakistan.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 13, 2026
Iran will not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. pic.twitter.com/NsjPf5W01J
The vice president led the US delegation in peace talks in Pakistan over the weekend, which ended with a deal to end the Iran war.
“I’ve seen that just in the negotiation we had in the last couple of days that these are tough negotiators, but they are fundamentally the kinds of people where them having a nuclear weapon, would impose terrible costs on the entire world,” he told Baier.
House Republicans postpone hearing with Pentagon officials: report
01:07 , Rachel DobkinHouse Republicans have postponed a meeting with Pentagon officials amid the ongoing war in Iran, according to a new report.
The House Armed Services Committee was set to hold a hearing with testimony from Admiral Brad Cooper, the leader of US Central Command, and General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, leader of the US Africa Command, on April 21, according to The New York Times.
But Republicans, who control the House, postponed the session until May 19, the NYT reported.
Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington state and the ranking member on the Armed Services Committee, said that the hearing was postponed because of Cooper’s availability.
“We are six weeks into this conflict. And we still haven’t gotten a public briefing from anyone in the administration about the war,” Smith said in a statement shared by the NYT.
ANALYSIS: Trump’s blockade threatens piracy and risks outright war against China
Tuesday 14 April 2026 00:32 , Sam KileyLocked in a war that has provoked threats of genocide from the US and retaliation from Iran, Washington and Tehran are forming an accidental alliance to strangle global trade and cripple the world economy.
Donald Trump’s threat to close the Strait of Hormuz to all Iranian shipping and to all vessels that have paid Tehran an illegally imposed toll for using the international sea passage, combined with Iran’s illegal blocking of the oil artery, drove the price of a physical barrel of crude oil up to $148.
Already the cause of a global economic slowdown and surge in the price of oil, gas, fertiliser, helium and dozens of other petrochemicals, the Israel-US war on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation put all three nations squarely in the dock for violations of international law.
These now include America’s threat to violate the Law of the Sea by making threats against international shipping, which moves about a fifth of the world’s fuel through the Strait.
China imports about 31 per cent of the oil shipped, India about 14 per cent. In total, about 86 per cent of all the oil shipped from the Gulf region by this route goes to Asia. So China has called for “restraint” in the latest desperate efforts of both the US and Iran to take their conflict to a place where each can declare some kind of victory.
Read on...
Trump’s blockade threatens piracy and risks outright war against China
Vance: 'US made a lot of progress in Iran talks', accuses Tehran of 'economic terrorism'
Monday 13 April 2026 23:55 , Daniel HaygarthThe United States made a lot of progress in talks with Iran, vice president JD Vance said in an interview on Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier on Monday.
Vance, asked whether more talks were coming, said the ball was in Iran's court.
He added that the US expects Iran will make progress on opening the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the negotiation would change if Tehran does not.
Vance accused the Iranian regime of engaging in “economic terrorism” by blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
He added that if "engage in economic terrorism" the US will then work on the basis that "no Iranian ships are getting out either".
Watch: Strait of Hormuz ship traffic live
Monday 13 April 2026 23:45 , Dan HaygarthDonald Trump said his Hormuz blockade had begun but Starmer refuses to back it - recap
Monday 13 April 2026 23:30 , Dan HaygarthDonald Trump said that Iran wants to make a deal but he will not come to any agreement that allows Tehran to have a nuclear weapon, as his "blockade" of the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian ports began.
The US president said in a press conference that Iran had "called this morning" and that "they'd like to work a deal."
"Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," Trump told reporters at the White House. "We can't let a country blackmail or extort the world."
The US said it has begun a blockade of all ships entering and exiting Iranian ports. Trump warned Iranian naval ships approaching it will be “eliminated”.
He warned on that any Iranian "fast-attack" ships that go near a US maritime "blockade" on Iran would be eliminated, and he said the US would not allow Tehran to "extort the world."
Trump repeated his argument that safeguarding the strait is of greater concern to other parts of the globe than the United States.
Trump said a US blockade on vessels entering and departing Iran had gone into effect at 3pm UK time on Monday.
The effective closure of the strait since the start of the war, however, impacts global oil prices - which has led to surging prices for motorists and rising inflation on other goods.
"We don't use this strait," Trump said. "We have our own oil and gas, much more than we need."
Earlier on Monday, he posted on Truth Social: "Warning: If any of these ships (from Iran’s navy) come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED.”
Meanwhile, the UK and France are leading political and military planning to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but no mission will begin until hostilities between the US and Iran end, Sir Keir Starmer said.
The prime minister was speaking after Donald Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports came into effect, with the US president threatening to sink Tehran’s fast attack vessels if they come near American warships.
Sir Keir refused to back Mr Trump’s blockade and called for unfettered access to the strait, a vital route for global oil and gas supplies from the Gulf.
In his Commons statement, Sir Keir:
– Said Mr Trump was “wrong” to threaten to wipe out Iran’s civilisation.
– Acknowledged the “significant” economic consequences of the Iran war “will last longer than the conflict itself”.
– Demanded an end to Israeli bombing of Lebanon, saying the attacks were having “devastating humanitarian consequences”.
US officials 'weighing up second meeting with Iran', source tells CNN
Monday 13 April 2026 23:22 , Dan HaygarthUS officials are discussing the prospect of a second meeting with their Iranian counterparts before the ceasefire expires next week, CNN reports.
A source familiar with the talks told the network that potential dates and locations are being weighted up, if ongoing talks with Iran progress, the source said, though they said the were preliminary.
“We need to be prepared to stand something up quickly should things head in that direction,” the source told CNN.
Peak oil price likely to come 'in next few weeks,' US energy secretary says
Monday 13 April 2026 23:15 , Dan Haygarth
Oil prices are likely to hit their peak "in the next few weeks" once ship traffic resumes through the Strait of Hormuz, US Department of Energy secretary Chris Wright said on Monday.
Prices are expected to continue rising until "meaningful" ship traffic resumes through the strait, Wright told the Semafor World Economy Forum in Washington, despite previous comments he made that oil prices would likely come down soon.
"We're going to see energy prices high - and maybe even rising - until we get meaningful ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz," Wright said. "That'll probably hit the peak oil price at that time. That's probably sometime in the next few weeks."
Donald Trump said on Sunday that the price of oil and gasoline may remain high until November's midterm elections, a rare admission of the potential political fallout from his decision to attack Iran six weeks ago
Trump attacks media in latest Truth Social post
Monday 13 April 2026 23:01 , Dan HaygarthThe US president wrote: “For those people that still read The Failing New York Times and, despite the fact that Iran has been totally OBLITERATED, Militarily, and otherwise, you would think that Iran is actually winning or, at the very least, doing quite well — But that’s not true, and The New York Times knows that it’s FAKE NEWS!”
EU still not clear on specifics of Trump's blockade, Kallas says
Monday 13 April 2026 22:45 , Dan Haygarth
The European Union’s foreign policy chief said it does not support any action that would impact free movement through the Strait of Hormuz.
Kaja Kallas told the BBC she was not still sure what sure on the specifics of the US blockade, speaking around six hours into it.
"It's not entirely clear what is the action by the US.”
She said the EU does not support blocks on a route which has previously "been open for anybody".
'No military solution', says UN general secretary, calling for resumption of talks
Monday 13 April 2026 22:30 , Dan HaygarthAntónio Guterres said on X: “After weeks of destruction & distress, it is clear that there is no military solution to the current conflict in the Middle East.
“I call for resumption of talks for an agreement to be reached. The ceasefire must absolutely be preserved. All violations must cease.
“All parties to the conflict must respect the freedom of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz, in line with international law.”
After weeks of destruction & distress, it is clear that there is no military solution to the current conflict in the Middle East.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) April 13, 2026
I call for resumption of talks for an agreement to be reached.
The ceasfire must absolutely be preserved. All violations must cease.
All parties to…
Lammy discussed US blockade in Washington
Monday 13 April 2026 22:15 , Dan HaygarthDeputy prime minister David Lammy has met with US vice president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio in Washington DC where they discussed the current crisis in the Strait of Hormuz as America imposed a blockade against Iranian ports.
Amid a fragile ceasefire, Mr Lammy is understood to have highlighted the role the UK is playing in the international effort to ensure shipping can pass freely through the critical waterway, the PA news agency reports.
The face-to-face talks are also said to have covered the ongoing Ukraine war and global security.
The meeting came amid increasingly strained transatlantic relations, with Donald Trump repeatedly criticising prime minister Sir Keir Starmer for his stance on the Iran war and making derogatory comments about the Royal Navy.
Watch: Starmer accuses Iran of holding world economy to 'ransom' over Strait of Hormuz
Monday 13 April 2026 22:00 , Nicole Wootton-CaneNetanyahu spokeswoman rules out a ceasefire with Hezbollah
Monday 13 April 2026 21:50 , Dan HaygarthShosh Bedrosian told reporters Monday that Israel's upcoming talks with Lebanon will focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between the two countries, the Associated Press reports.
"We will not discuss a ceasefire with Hezbollah, which continues to carry out indiscriminate attacks against Israel and our civilians," she said.
Israel and the Lebanese army have both been unable to forcibly disarm Hezbollah.
Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed 2,089 people during the latest Hezbollah-Israel war
That's an increase of 34 deaths since the previous day's count, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. It said Monday that among those killed were 252 women, 166 children, and 88 medical workers.
As the Israeli military pushed ahead with its air and ground offensive in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese militant group fired more rockets and drones at northern Israel on Monday.
Sirens rang out throughout the day in dozens of Israeli communities along the Lebanese border and in the city of Haifa, some 40 kilometres south, near key energy facilities.
The exchange of fire was taking place a day before Lebanon and Israel, which do not maintain diplomatic relations, were set to begin direct negotiations in the United States for the first time in decades.
Trump gets McDonalds DoorDashed to White House and then takes Iran war questions with delivery person
Monday 13 April 2026 21:40 , Dan HaygarthWhile holding his bags of cheeseburgers, Trump kept the delivery driver at his side while she weughed in on his no-tax-on-tips measure and he addressed reporters on a wide range of issues including the Iran war. The truly bizarre stunt played out as the US began a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the president was embroiled in a simmering controversy over his posting an AI image of himself as Jesus Christ on Truth Social.
Read more below:
Trump gets McDonalds DoorDashed and takes Iran war questions with delivery person
In pictures: Protesters in New York City demonstrate against war in Iran
Monday 13 April 2026 21:20 , Nicole Wootton-Cane
Red Cross calls consecutive strikes in Lebanon 'gravely concerning'
Monday 13 April 2026 20:55 , Dan HaygarthThe International Committee of the Red Cross said it was deeply concerned by attacks on medical workers in Lebanon after a deadly strike on a Red Cross centre in the country on Monday and the death of a volunteer a day earlier.
Lebanon's state news agency reported that Monday's strike, which it said was carried out by Israel, killed one person and damaged Lebanese Red Cross vehicles.
The ICRC said the Lebanese Red Cross centre in the district of Tyre, a city on Lebanon's coast, was hit by the strike. It did not comment on who was responsible or give details of the victim.
Israel's military it had carried out a targeted strike on a "Hezbollah terrorist" in Tyre on Monday and was investigating reports the strike had caused damage to a Red Cross centre. The military did not identify the individual who it said it had killed.
On Sunday, the Lebanese Red Cross said one of its volunteers, Hassan Badawi, had died from his injuries after a strike by an Israeli drone in the district of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon.
Badawi had volunteered for the Lebanese Red Cross since 2012, his friend Ahmed Qassam told Reuters during his funeral on Monday.
He was buried in a temporary grave in Choueifat, south of Beirut, as it was not possible to access Badawi's home village of Sultaniyah in Bint Jbeil district, due to intensive fighting there. Israeli troops on Monday launched an attack to seize the key border town in southern Lebanon.
"I was waiting for a phone call from him to tell me, 'Mother, I'm fine.' He didn't call me. My heart was burning," Badawi's mother, Ahlam Badawi, said.
"They (the Israeli military) attacked him directly. He was just doing humanitarian work. He was not doing anything more," Badawi's father, Ali Badawi, added.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment on the accusation. Earlier, it had said it had struck a "Hezbollah terrorist" in the area and that it was reviewing the incident after it received reports of injury to a Red Cross team.
Agnes Dhur, head of the ICRC delegation in Lebanon, said in a statement on Monday: "The loss of those who dedicate their lives to saving others is gravely concerning, given the impact on the civilians who depend on their help."
"Humanitarian and medical personnel must be protected. They must be allowed to reach and help the wounded, and return unharmed," she added.
Lammy tells Vance it is 'vital' ships can pass through Strait of Hormuz
Monday 13 April 2026 20:39 , Nicole Wootton-CaneDeputy Prime Minister David Lammy has met with US vice president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio in Washington DC where they discussed the current crisis in the Strait of Hormuz as America imposed a blockade against Iranian ports.
Amid a fragile ceasefire, Mr Lammy is understood to have highlighted the role the UK is playing in the international effort to ensure shipping can pass freely through the critical waterway.
The face-to-face talks are also said to have covered the ongoing Ukraine war and global security.
"It is vital that shipping flows freely again through the Straits of Hormuz," Mr Lammy’s office said in a statement.
The meeting came amid increasingly strained transatlantic relations, with Donald Trump repeatedly criticising Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for his stance on the Iran war and making derogatory comments about the Royal Navy.
Israeli military says incident 'under review' after reports Red Cross volunteer killed
Monday 13 April 2026 20:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe Israeli military has said it is reviewing a strike in Lebanon following reports a Red Cross volunteer was killed.
In a statement, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it struck a Hezbollah target in the Bint Jbeil area of southern Lebanon on Monday, and reports were received "regarding a Red Cross team injured in the strike", reports the BBC.
