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US-Israel-Iran conflict: Trump warns Iran’s fast attack boats will be ‘immediately ELIMINATED’; Chinese tanker passes through Hormuz blockade; oil to peak in weeks; Latest updates
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Timeline
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Oman Air resumes daily flights to Dubai from April 18 -
Macron urges resumption of US-Iran talks and unconditional reopening of Hormuz, announces Paris conference -
UAE media chief says Gulf platforms airing Iranian narratives are tools of enemy propaganda -
UAE announces gradual return to in-person learning, nurseries to reopen this week -
US Energy Secretary says oil prices will peak in coming weeks once Hormuz shipping resumes -
Sanctioned Chinese tanker breaks through US blockade of Strait of Hormuz -
Vance says progress was made in historic talks but insists Iran must give up all nuclear material -
Trump accuses New York Times of portraying Iran as winning despite military destruction -
US-Israel war on Iran: As it happened
Live Updates
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Oman Air resumes daily flights to Dubai from April 18
Oman Air announced the resumption of daily flights to Dubai starting April 18, 2026.
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Macron urges resumption of US-Iran talks and unconditional reopening of Hormuz, announces Paris conference
French President Emmanuel Macron said he spoke with both Iranian President Pezeshkian and US President Trump, urging the resumption of negotiations that stalled in Islamabad and calling for no further escalation. He said the ceasefire must be respected by all parties and must include Lebanon.
Macron called for the unconditional reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions or tolls.
He announced that France and the United Kingdom will host a conference in Paris on Friday, bringing together non-belligerent countries by videoconference to contribute to a multilateral defensive mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait when security conditions allow.
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UAE media chief says Gulf platforms airing Iranian narratives are tools of enemy propaganda
Abdulla Mohammed Butti Alhamed, Chairman of the National Media Authority, said the media battle during the conflict is as dangerous as the military one, criticising Gulf-based platforms for broadcasting what he called Iranian narratives “on a silver platter” to Arab audiences under the guise of neutrality.
He said platforms that promote those who attack Gulf states “lose their status as national platforms and become tools in the hands of the enemy’s psychological warfare.”
Alhamed questioned how analysts can appear on Gulf media, funded by Gulf resources, to justify Iranian aggression and promote the Revolutionary Guard’s narrative.
He said the problem lies not only in Iran’s aggression but in the weakness of the counter-narrative, calling for minds with “the courage to confront and the tools of rigorous, knowledge-based analysis.”
He warned that many have fallen for what he described as orchestrated pro-Iranian discourse, and called for a comprehensive reassessment of Gulf media, saying “media neutrality in the face of existential threat is nothing short of a betrayal of awareness.”
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UAE announces gradual return to in-person learning, nurseries to reopen this week
The UAE’s Education, Human Resources, and Community Development Council announced that educational institutions are preparing for a gradual return to in-person learning. Nurseries located in government and commercial buildings will begin reopening this week, with other nurseries allowed to offer home-based childcare services.
A formal announcement on whether schools and higher education institutions will resume in-person or remote learning will be made on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, through official Ministry of Education channels.
The council said comprehensive programs are being launched to prepare facilities and train staff, with field evaluation visits underway to ensure full readiness. Guidance is also being developed to allow flexible transitions between learning modes as the situation evolves.
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US Energy Secretary says oil prices will peak in coming weeks once Hormuz shipping resumes
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said oil prices are likely to hit their peak “in the next few weeks” once meaningful ship traffic resumes through the Strait of Hormuz. He acknowledged prices may continue rising until that point, according to a repot by Reuters.
President Trump separately said oil and gasoline prices may remain elevated until November’s midterm elections.
Since the war began on February 28, Iran has largely blocked the strait for all but its own vessels, seeking permanent control and the ability to collect levies from shipping.
The US military has responded with a blockade extending east to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea after weekend talks collapsed. Shipping data showed two ships turned around as the blockade took effect.
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Sanctioned Chinese tanker breaks through US blockade of Strait of Hormuz
A Chinese tanker sanctioned by the United States passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, becoming the first vessel to transit and exit the Gulf since the US blockade began, according to a report by Reuters which cited shipping data from LSEG, MarineTraffic and Kpler.
The Rich Starry, owned by Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, was carrying approximately 250,000 barrels of methanol loaded from the UAE’s Hamriyah port, with Chinese crew on board.
A second sanctioned tanker, the Murlikishan, also headed into the strait on Tuesday and is expected to load fuel oil in Iraq.
The vessel has previously transported Russian and Iranian oil. Both vessels and their operators are under US sanctions for dealings with Iran.
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Vance says progress was made in historic talks but insists Iran must give up all nuclear material
Vice President JD Vance said the Islamabad talks represented the first time US and Iranian governments met “at such a high level, maybe in the history of the current leadership of Iran,” calling it a positive step. He acknowledged “we did make some progress in the negotiation.”
Vance said all US red lines stem from the premise that “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” warning that if Iran is “willing to engage in economic terrorism on the entire world,” allowing it to possess a nuclear weapon would be unacceptable.
He stated the US has “made clear that we absolutely need to see the nuclear material come out of the country of Iran,” adding that “the ball is in the Iranians’ court because we put a lot on the table.”
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Trump accuses New York Times of portraying Iran as winning despite military destruction
President Donald Trump criticised the New York Times via a post on Truth Social, for what he called misleading coverage suggesting Iran is “actually winning or, at the very least, doing quite well,” insisting the opposite is true.
He accused the outlet of publishing “FAKE NEWS” and demanded an apology for what he called “LIES and horrible actions against me, my supporters, and our Country.”
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US-Israel war on Iran: As it happened
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Image: Abu Dhabi Media Office
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