The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy announces alternative routes for ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, citing risks of sea mines in the main shipping channel.
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April 9, 2026 (Thursday)
1.7 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
The United Kingdom says Russia has launched a sabotage operation on its navy and critical infrastructure, including pipelines.
At least seven people are killed by a wave of Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling across Lebanon.
In an emergency conference, British defence secretary John Healey says Russian Navy submarines have launched military action against the UK in the North Sea and says counter-measures are underway.
The Israeli military says that it has killed Lebanese Resistance Brigades commanders Maher Qassem Hamdan and Ali Yusuf Harshi, personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem.
Hezbollah says that its fighters are engaged in "point-blank clashes" with Israeli troops in Bint Jbeil, Lebanon.
After pressure from the United States, Israel agrees to hold direct talks with Lebanon in Washington, D.C., but refuses to observe the Iran war ceasefire in Lebanon.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company CEO Sultan Al Jaber says that the strait is still not open because Iran is restricting and controlling traffic.
Arts and culture
The Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, and other holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem reopen for the first time since the war with Iran started on February 28 after being closed by authorities due to security concerns.
Business and economy
The OECD reports that official development assistance from its member states declined by 23.1 percent in real terms to US$174.3 billion, marking the largest recorded annual decrease, with the reduction largely driven by cuts from the United States.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announces plans to allocate €5 billion to support economies affected by the Iran war, focusing on financial systems, businesses, and infrastructure in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Politics and elections
The Supreme Court of Russia designates the human rights group Memorial as an extremist organization and bans its activities following a petition by the Ministry of Justice.
Science and technology
The Korean Central News Agency reports that North Korea has tested various military technologies throughout the week, including a surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile identified as Hwasongpho-11 Ka.
April 8, 2026 (Wednesday)
3.7 minutes to read
Armed conflicts and attacks
Thailand confirms the three crewmen on a vessel that was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz in March have died.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi confirms the two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States, which includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The ceasefire is ratified by the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC).
Iranian agencies report explosions from the Lavan and Sirri islands of unknown origin. Iran accuses Kuwait and the UAE of the attacks and launches retaliatory attacks against those countries in response.
MarineTraffic reports the first ships that have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since the ceasefire announcement, namely the Greek-owned bulk carrier NJ Earth and Liberia-flagged Daytona Beach.
The Israeli military says that it has halted strikes against Iran, but state that they will continue fighting Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The Lebanese army closes a bridge in the Tyre District after receiving a warning of a possible Israeli strike on the structure. The bridge is the last crossing linking areas north and south of the Litani River in the area, where many residents remain despite evacuation notices.
Iran closes Strait of Hormuz maritime traffic to oil tankers over Israeli attacks in Lebanon, claiming that Lebanon is included in the ceasefire.
At least 254 people are killed and 1,165 others are injured in a wave of Israeli strikes on Lebanon, including in southern Lebanon, Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley.
After the announcement, an Israeli military spokesperson states that Israel is still launching attacks on Iran.
The Bahraini military intercepts six missiles and 31 drones.
Kuwait's Interior Ministry reports fires at several oil facilities, power plants, and desalination plants after an Iranian drone attack.
The Emirati military intercepts 17 ballistic missiles and 35 drones.
Bahrain, Iraq, and Syria reopen their airspace after weeks of closure. The Damascus International Airport and the Bahrain International Airport begin resuming flights.
The Qatari military intercepts seven ballistic missiles and multiple drones.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning says that Afghanistan and Pakistan has agreed on a comprehensive plan to end tensions after seven days of talks in ĂśrĂĽmqi, China. The two countries also agree to avoid any escalations in their current conflict.
The SNSC announces that negotiations between Iran and the U.S. will start on Friday in Islamabad, Pakistan, with the U.S. contingent to be led by vice president JD Vance alongside senior presidential adviser Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt states that Netanyahu and Trump will continue discussions on potentially including Lebanon in a ceasefire arrangement.
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian says the ceasefire with Israel and the U.S. has been violated as a result of the bombings of Iranian islands and Lebanon. Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf later echoes the remarks, citing the attacks as well as the "denial of Iran to enrich uranium."
An Israeli airstrike in Sheikh Ijlin, Gaza City, Palestine, kills two people, including Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Wishah.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. president Donald Trump both claim that the ceasefire does not include Lebanon, despite contrary statements from both Iran and Pakistan on their versions of the ceasefire agreement.
After the announcement of a ceasefire and Israeli violations of the terms, Iran launches ballistic missiles at Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
Business and economy
Oil prices plunge below US$95 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average surges past 1,000 after the ceasefire announcement.
German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd says that it still does not plan to resume transiting the Strait of Hormuz despite the two-week ceasefire. They also say that it would need 6–8 weeks for recovery and for normal operations to resume.
U.S. president Donald Trump threatens to impose 50% tariffs on countries that supply military weapons to Iran.
International relations
Belarus plans to open an embassy in North Korea by August 1 after president Alexander Lukashenko visited the country in March following a decree signed by Prime Minister Alexander Turchin.
Law and crime
Turkish police arrest 198 suspects across 34 provinces in operations targeting the Islamic State following a fatal shootout outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on April 7. Several suspects are placed in pre-trial detention as part of the investigation.
Rex Heuermann admits in court to killing eight women and discarding their bodies between 1993 and 2010 in New York, United States. Heuermann is expected to receive a sentence of life in prison without parole when he is sentenced on June 17.
A U.S. court sentences Jasveen Sangha to 15 years in prison for distributing ketamine that resulted in the death of actor Matthew Perry in 2023, as part of a wider investigation into a network supplying controlled substances. Authorities also charge and sentence other individuals, including medical professionals, in connection with the distribution of the drug.
Politics and elections
Anti-war protesters gather outside the U.S. embassy in Ottawa, Canada, to protest against the Iran war, the war in Lebanon, and the Gaza Genocide.
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