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US-Israel-Iran conflict: Trump says war ‘is very close to over’; Latest updates
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Timeline
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Trump says China agreed to stop sending weapons to Iran, credits US for permanently opening Hormuz -
UAE Vice President holds phone call with Iran’s parliamentary speaker on de-escalation -
Dubai’s private early childhood centres to resume on-site learning from April 16 -
UAE media chief urges citizens to ignore provocative accounts and embody national values online -
Ten countries including UK, Canada and Japan call for immediate end to fighting in Lebanon -
US says no ships broke through Iran blockade in first 24 hours, six vessels turned back -
Israeli ambassador praises UAE airlines as first to resume flights to Israel -
Modi says he discussed Hormuz security and bilateral ties with Trump -
Kurdistan Region hit by four explosive drones in second attack since US-Iran ceasefire -
Trump says Iran war is ‘very close’ to ending, expects talks to resume this week -
Trump asks Pope Leo to acknowledge Iran killing 42,000 protesters, rejects nuclear Iran -
US-Israel war on Iran: As it happened
Live Updates
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Trump says China agreed to stop sending weapons to Iran, credits US for permanently opening Hormuz
President Donald Trump said via a post on Truth Social, China has “agreed not to send weapons to Iran” and expressed satisfaction that he is “permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz” for the benefit of China and the world, adding “this situation will never happen again.”
He said Chinese President Xi Jinping “will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks,” describing the relationship as working “together smartly, and very well.”
Trump added that while cooperation is preferable, the US is “very good at fighting, if we have to — far better than anyone else.”
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UAE Vice President holds phone call with Iran’s parliamentary speaker on de-escalation
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court held a phone call with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, discussing regional developments and ways to de-escalate tensions in the region.
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Dubai’s private early childhood centres to resume on-site learning from April 16
Private early childhood centres in Dubai will begin a gradual return to on-site learning starting Thursday, April 16, 2026, beginning with centres located in government premises and commercial buildings.
Reopening is subject to KHDA approval and compliance with comprehensive health and safety protocols.
The announcement follows the latest updates from the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council.
Authorities said the safety and wellbeing of children, staff, and the wider community remains their highest priority.
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UAE media chief urges citizens to ignore provocative accounts and embody national values online
National Media Authority Chairman Abdulla Mohammed Alhamed said protecting UAE society across social media is a responsibility entrusted by the nation’s leadership.
He called awareness “our strongest weapon” and urged the public not to engage with abusive accounts, saying interaction only grants them “undeserved attention.”
He encouraged users to block such accounts, calling it “the true form of victory,” and described silence in the face of provocation as dignity.
Alhamed urged citizens to embody “Zayed’s ethics” online, reminding them they are “ambassadors of your country in this digital world” and that their conduct should reflect the UAE’s values and standing.
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Ten countries including UK, Canada and Japan call for immediate end to fighting in Lebanon
Ten countries issued a joint statement calling for “an immediate end to the fighting in Lebanon,” expressing concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation and displacement crisis.
While welcoming the US-Iran ceasefire, they said weapons must also fall silent in Lebanon.
The statement called for respect for international humanitarian law and condemned actions that led to the deaths of UN peacekeepers and increased risks to humanitarian personnel in southern Lebanon.
The signatories were Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
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US says no ships broke through Iran blockade in first 24 hours, six vessels turned back
US Central Command said more than 10,000 sailors, Marines, and airmen along with over a dozen warships and dozens of aircraft are enforcing the blockade of Iranian ports.
During the first 24 hours, no ships made it past the blockade and six merchant vessels complied with US orders to turn back to Iranian ports on the Gulf of Oman.
The blockade applies to vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas on both the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, while US forces are supporting freedom of navigation for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.
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Israeli ambassador praises UAE airlines as first to resume flights to Israel
Israeli Ambassador Amir Hayek said Etihad and FlyDubai were the first airlines to resume flights to Israel, praising the UAE leadership for its “commitment to the Abraham Accords and to building a better future in the Middle East.”
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Modi says he discussed Hormuz security and bilateral ties with Trump
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he received a call from President Trump, during which they reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
The two leaders also discussed the situation in the region and stressed the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and secure.
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Kurdistan Region hit by four explosive drones in second attack since US-Iran ceasefire
Iraq’s Kurdistan Region was targeted by four explosive drones at different times on Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior announced, marking the second such attack since the US-Iran ceasefire was declared.
The region’s counter-terrorism forces shot down two of the drones over Erbil.
The ministry called for an end to using the region as a battleground for settling scores and urged a halt to attacks on public stability and civilian safety in Kurdistan.
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Trump says Iran war is ‘very close’ to ending, expects talks to resume this week
President Donald Trump said the war with Iran is “very close to being over,” with further negotiations expected this week before the two-week ceasefire expires on April 21.
He told Fox News that “if I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country,” adding “we’re not finished” but “I think they want to make a deal very badly.”
The comments came after marathon talks in Pakistan over the weekend failed to produce a deal.
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Trump asks Pope Leo to acknowledge Iran killing 42,000 protesters, rejects nuclear Iran
President Donald Trump called on Pope Leo to recognise that Iran has “killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months” and reiterated that “for Iran to have a Nuclear Bomb is absolutely unacceptable.”
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US-Israel war on Iran: As it happened
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Day 1 – Israel launches ‘pre-emptive attack’ on Iran as explosions hit central Tehran
More Politics
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Image: Abu Dhabi Media Office -
A vessel at the Strait of Hormuz, off the coast of Oman’s Musandam province, April 12, 2026. Image: Reuters
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