First modification: 04/22/2026 - 14:28 Last modification: 04/23/2026 - 05:04

Donald Trump assured this Wednesday, April 22, that it is possible that talks with Iran will resume on Friday. Meanwhile, the conflict persists and the Revolutionary Guard claimed to have seized a third ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The moves come a day after Trump announced an "indefinite" extension of the ceasefire and when a new round of talks between the parties was expected.

The essentials:

This minute by minute has been closed. Below, the main news from this Wednesday, February 22, on tensions in the Middle East, while Iran and the US are going through a fragile truce:

Panama describes the seizure of a Panamanian-flagged ship by Iran as a "serious attack"

Panama condemned this Wednesday the "illegal" seizure by Iran of a Panamanian flag ship of convenience in the Strait of Hormuz, an action that the Central American country has described as a "serious attack" on maritime security and contrary to international law.

"Panama, a maritime country with the largest merchant fleet in the world and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, condemns in the strongest possible terms the illegal seizure this Wednesday, by the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran, of the Panamanian-flagged and Italian-owned ship, MSC-Francesca," said a statement from the Panamanian Foreign Ministry.

The death of a journalist confirmed in an Israeli attack against southern Lebanon

Rescue teams recovered this Wednesday the body of journalist Amal Khalil, from the local newspaper 'Al Akhbar', after she was hit by an Israeli attack against the town of At Tiri, in southern Lebanon, where a second reporter was also wounded.

"With deep sadness, we mourn the death of the martyred journalist Amal Khalil, who was attacked by the Israeli occupation army while carrying out her professional work of transmitting the truth in At Tiri," announced the Lebanese Minister of Information, Paul Morcos, on his X account.

Washington rejects that commercial ships have circumvented its blockade of Iran's ports

The United States Army denied that commercial ships have circumvented its blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, as international media have reported, reporting that US sailors have prevented the passage of 29 ships in total.

"In the last 24 hours, media reports have claimed that several commercial vessels evaded the blockade, citing the M/V Hero II, M/V Hedy, and M/V Dorena as examples. These reports are inaccurate," said the United States Central Command (Centcom), based in Florida, on its social networks.

Trump did not give Iran a deadline for a deal, says White House

The White House assures that Donald Trump has not set any deadline for Iran to reach an agreement to end the war, after extending the ceasefire.

"The president has not set a firm deadline for receiving an Iranian proposal," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said at a press conference, adding:

"Ultimately, the schedule will be dictated by the commander in chief (Donald Trump)."

Iran must deliver enriched uranium to the United States, says White House

Iran must agree to hand over its enriched uranium to the United States as part of negotiations to end the war, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News' "The Story with Martha MacCallum" on Wednesday.

Brent oil gains 3.5% and is close to $102 after the extension of the ceasefire

The barrel of Brent oil for delivery in June rose around 3.5% this Wednesday, reaching close to $102 at the close of the session in the London futures market, given supply fears in the Middle East after the United States announced an extension of its ceasefire with Iran.

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is "impossible" in the face of "flagrant violations": president of the Iranian Parliament

"A complete ceasefire only makes sense if it is not violated by the maritime/naval blockade that takes the world economy hostage, and if Zionist belligerence is stopped on all fronts," declared the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, on Wednesday.

"Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible with such a flagrant violation of the ceasefire (...) The only way out is to recognize the rights of the Iranian nation," Qalibaf added.

Lebanese Health Ministry says Israeli troops fired at rescuers searching for missing journalist

Lebanon's Health Ministry reported that two Israeli attacks in Al-Tiri, southern Lebanon, left two people dead. Journalist Amal Khalil and her colleague took refuge in a house, which, according to the Health Ministry, was the target of the second attack. Upon arrival, the rescuers managed to recover the two bodies and an injured journalist.

However, the Israeli military fired live ammunition at the ambulance, preventing the team from completing the search for Khalil, according to the ministry. Lebanon's National News Agency showed images of the damage suffered by the ambulance.

Khalil's health status is unknown. She is a prominent journalist for the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar. Meanwhile, Israel's military institution alleged that the villagers violated the ceasefire, putting the safety of the troops at risk. He denied having prevented rescue teams from reaching the area or attacking journalists.

Attacks and seizures: Hormuz is ratified as the new battlefield after extension of the truce

The Strait of Hormuz, crucial for maritime oil traffic, is consolidated as the epicenter of tensions between the United States and Iran after the Islamic Republic claimed new attacks and seizures of ships in the area this Wednesday, April 22. The movements are not isolated events, but part of a dynamic of action and reaction between Iran and the United States in the midst of a double naval blockade. Tehran's maneuvers, justified as control measures on a strategic "red line", appear to respond directly to Washington's previous seizures of Iranian ships. Here, the details of a calculated escalation between Iran and the US.

Lebanese Ministry of Health confirms that an Israeli attack in the south of the country leaves two dead

The Lebanese Ministry added that the attack carried out on Wednesday afternoon in the village of Yohmor also left two wounded.

A second French soldier from the UN mission in Lebanon dies: this is what we know

What is Trump looking for by changing his rhetoric from attacking Iranian territory to extending the truce?

RSF denounces that a journalist is missing after an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon

This Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called on the international community to immediately pressure the Israeli Army to allow the rescue of journalist Amal Khalil, of the newspaper 'Al-Akhbar'.

RSF added that Khalil is trapped near the village of Al-Tiri in southern Lebanon after an Israeli airstrike near her vehicle. "Her life is in danger! Continued Israeli airstrikes are preventing rescuers from reaching her," RSF declared.

The president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, asked the Lebanese Red Cross to collaborate in the rescue of Khalil, along with another journalist, Zeinab Faraj, who accompanied her. Aoun called on the Lebanese Red Cross to coordinate with the Lebanese Army and UN peacekeepers "to carry out the rescue operation as soon as possible."

Hezbollah bids farewell to fighters killed in Israeli attacks; fear over fragile ceasefire

Crew of a ship attacked in the Strait of Hormuz is safe, according to the management company

The management company of a container ship that was attacked by gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz in the early hours of Wednesday, April 22, reported that the Liberian-flagged Epaminondas was boarded and shot at by a manned patrol boat while transiting the strait, about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Oman.

The Technomar company declared that the entire crew is safe and located and that no injuries were reported, but that preliminary inspections indicated that the ship's bridge was damaged.

"Technomar maintains close contact with the crew and relevant authorities. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our crew, while we work with all interested parties to ensure their safety and to investigate the incident," stated the company, noting that it will publish more information "when there are relevant developments."

Trump affirms that there is a possibility of resuming talks with Iran on Friday

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, affirmed this Wednesday that there is the possibility of resuming negotiations with the Iranian Government in Pakistan next Friday, after the ceasefire was extended indefinitely. "It is possible," he responded in statements to The New York Post when asked about the information from Islamabad that points to an eventual resumption of peace talks in the next 36 or 72 hours.

Trump announced on Tuesday his decision to indefinitely extend the ceasefire with Iran until the Government of the Islamic Republic, which he considers divided, presents him with a unified proposal for an agreement. The US president made that decision a few hours after the current ceasefire expired this Wednesday and despite the fact that on Tuesday he declared that he did not intend to extend it and that he was willing to resume the "bombing" against Iran.

Iran affirmed this Wednesday that it will return to the negotiating table with the United States when the "necessary and reasonable conditions" are met and assured that the country is prepared to defend itself in the event of new attacks.

Attacks in southern Lebanon test truce, on eve of talks in the US

On the eve of talks in Washington between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun declared that Beirut would request an extension of the 10-day ceasefire, brokered by the United States, which expires next Sunday, April 26.

However, an Israeli strike killed two people in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, the Lebanese state news agency reported, and a drone attacked Israeli forces in the south of the country, further straining the ceasefire between the Iran-backed group and Israel. Hezbollah, for its part, announced that it carried out another assault.

The US-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon emerged outside of Washington's efforts to resolve its conflict with Tehran, although Iran had called for Lebanon to be included in any broader truce. The United States has denied any link between the two events.

Israel kills at least two people with attacks in southern Lebanon, despite truce

The attack targeted a vehicle in the city of Tayri on Wednesday, Lebanon's state-owned National News Agency reported.

The attack occurred despite the ten-day ceasefire that came into effect last Friday, April 17. Since then, several Israeli attacks have been reported, while Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for a pair of attacks since Tuesday.

Iran stresses that it has not yet decided whether it will participate in a new round of talks with the US.

“We entered into the negotiations in good faith and seriousness, but the negotiating party (the United States) has shown contempt and lack of good faith,” Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said on Wednesday, quoted by Iranian state television.

A second round of negotiations, scheduled for later this week in Pakistan's capital, has not yet been confirmed. On Tuesday, April 21, US President Donald Trump indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Tehran, leaving the next steps for concluding talks up in the air.

“Iran has not yet decided whether it will participate in the new round of peace negotiations with the United States, scheduled for the end of this week,” Baqaei said.

Emmanuel Macron announces the death of a French soldier wounded in Lebanon

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, announced this Wednesday the death of Corporal Anicet Girardin, who was seriously injured in Lebanon and was repatriated to French territory on Tuesday.

The corporal, belonging to the 132nd Suippes Dog Infantry Regiment, "was seriously injured by Hezbollah fighters," declared the President of the Republic.

Anicet Girardin was serving in Operation DAMAN, integrated into UNIFIL, explained the Minister of the Armed Forces, Catherine Vautrin, along with non-commissioned officer Florian Montorio, who died last week.

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