April 11: IRGC threatens to ‘deal severely’ with warships in Strait of Hormuz
Trump says ‘makes no difference’ if deal reached or not, warns China of ‘big problems’ if it ships arms to Iran * IDF says it struck some 200 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon over past day
The Times of Israel liveblogged Saturday’s events as they unfolded.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threaten to ‘deal severely’ with warships in Hormuz after US Navy transits the strait
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warns that any attempt by military vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz will be met with “a strong response,” saying only non-military vessels would be allowed to pass under specific regulations, the IRGC declares in a statement carried by Iranian media after the US Central Command announced two US Navy warships transited the strategic waterway to clear mines laid by Tehran.
“Any attempt by military vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz will be dealt with severely. The IRGC Navy has full authority to manage the Strait of Hormuz intelligently,” the IRGC’s Navy Command says, according to state broadcaster IRIB, adding passage of the strait will only be “granted to civilian vessels under specific conditions.”
Trump says ‘makes no difference’ if deal reached or not, warns China of ‘big problems’ if it ships arms to Iran
US President Donald Trump says he is not bothered about the outcome of US-Iran talks in Pakistan, insisting the United States has come out ahead from the war.
“Whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me. The reason is because we’ve won,” Trump tells reporters, downplaying the importance of the ongoing ceasefire negotiations involving Vice President JD Vance.
Trump acknowledges “very deep negotiations” with Iran, but says the US military is searching for mines in the Strait of Hormuz, which still remains effectively closed to most freighters carrying oil and natural gas out of the Persian Gulf.
He also warns that China will have “big problems” if it ships arms to Iran.
Iran news agency says another round of talks under way in Islamabad
A new round of talks between Iranian and US delegations has begun in Islamabad, with Pakistani officials acting as mediators, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reports, citing its correspondent.
It adds that the current round appears to be the “last opportunity” to reach a common framework, given what it describes as “excessive US demands.”
Israel reprimands Spanish diplomat over town’s detonation of giant Netanyahu effigy
Israel says it reprimanded Spain’s most senior diplomat in Tel Aviv over the blowing up of a giant effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Spanish town this week.
The seven-meter (23-foot) figure was packed with 14 kilograms (31 pounds) of gunpowder in El Burgo, a small town near the southern city of Malaga, in a decades-old ceremony on April 5, its Mayor Maria Dolores Narvaez told local television.
“The appalling antisemitic hatred on display here is a direct result of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government’s systemic incitement,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry says in a statement on X which highlighted a video clip.
“The Spanish government is committed to fighting against antisemitism and any form of hate or discrimination. As such we totally reject any insidious allegation which suggests the contrary,” a Spanish foreign ministry source says in response.
The appalling antisemitic hatred on display here is a direct result of @sanchezcastejon government’s systemic incitement.
And even now, the Spanish government remains silent.
The Spanish chargé d’affaires was summoned for a reprimand. pic.twitter.com/2Bguhs7Ce8— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) April 11, 2026
Opposition leaders say PM failed to achieve Iran war goals: ‘When you win, you don’t need to declare it every few days’
Opposition leaders pour scorn on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims this evening about Israeli success in the recent conflict with Iran, asserting that he failed to achieve the war aims he himself set out.
“Netanyahu is under pressure, because he knows the goals of the war [against Iran] were not achieved,” writes Democrats party leader Yair Golan on X.
“When you are victorious and win, you don’t need to declare every few days that you were victorious and won,” he quips.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid makes similar comments, stating that “Netanyahu once again is taking pride in the accomplishments of the army, so that we forget his total failure.”
“He did not achieve any of the war aims that he himself defined,” adds Lapid. “The entire people of Israel salutes our security services and is waiting for the moment when we will have leadership that is able to win wars and not steal money from Israeli citizens while they are in bomb shelters.”
Footage shows settlers stealing sheep, macing Palestinians in South Hebron Hills
Settlers were filmed earlier today stealing sheep from Palestinians in the village of Tuba in the South Hebron Hills and macing several Palestinians with pepper spray.
According to Palestinian reports, one of those affected is a child.
إصابة طفل باعتداءات المسـ ـتوطنين على مسافر يطا، جنوب الخليل.
لتغطية أوسع، تابعونا على قناتنا عبر التيليجرام :https://t.co/npZgVjcriR pic.twitter.com/PJXC7v98FY
— قناة القدس (@livequds) April 11, 2026
A short while ago: settlers attacked residents of the village of Tuba, stole five lambs, beat residents, and sprayed pepper spray in the faces of villagers, including children. The settlers initially gathered on a hill overlooking the village. pic.twitter.com/uHARizG0yR
— מחוץ לעדר/ kivsa shchora (@masafering) April 11, 2026
Netanyahu says Hezbollah planned to invade, conquer the Galilee, insists Israel ‘will deal with’ Hamas
Turning to the fight against Iran’s proxies, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu boasts that Israel created security zones in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon.
“We will deal with” Hamas in Gaza, he promises.
Israel is also dealing with the missiles that Hezbollah still has, says Netanyahu.
Hezbollah also planned that “thousands of Radwan terrorists will covertly reach the border, will invade, and conquer the Galilee.”
“We are still fighting them, it’s not over,” he says.
Netanyahu says that Lebanon asked Israel several times over the past month to begin direct peace talks.
“I approved it,” he says, adding that there are two conditions — disarming Hezbollah, and a “real peace agreement” that will last for generations.
He asserts other countries are also reaching out to Israel.
Netanyahu claims that Iranian propaganda minimizing Israel’s achievements “is echoed in our media, and the propaganda of our political rivals is echoed in Iran.”
Lapid urges Bennett and Eisenkot to discuss plans for election behind closed doors
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid calls on Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot to stop pronouncing in public on their plans for the pending general election and instead meet with him to discuss how the opposition will organize itself for the vote.
Both Bennett and Eisenkott intend to run their own political parties in the coming election, which must take place before the end of the year.
Lapid was referring to recent comments both political figures have made in the press about whether or not they will run together on a joint list.
“Gadi, Naftali, enough with this. Why is it good to conduct this [debate] in the media. The right time will come, we will sit down, and agree on everything. Coffee is on me,” Lapid writes on X.
A poll last week by Channel 12 news put Lapid’s Yesh Atid party at just six seats, with Eisenkot’s Yashar party at 13 and Bennett’s party at 22.
Separately, Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman ruled out running with any of the other opposition parties, while also vowing not go into a coalition with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I won’t sit with Netanyahu, I will be prime minister after the elections,” Liberman declared. The Channel 12 poll put Yisrael Beytenu on nine seats.
PM: Iran would already have nuke if we didn’t attack, Israel ‘smashed’ its nuclear and missile programs
Israel decided to go to war with Iran in February because it “was very close to achieving a nuclear weapon” and to gaining the ability to produce thousands of missiles, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
If Israel hadn’t attacked Iran twice in the past year, he says, the Islamic Republic “would already have a nuclear weapon.”
He says that Israel had intelligence last year Iran was preparing to turn its enriched uranium into a nuclear weapon.
“The moment we received that intelligence, we went into action,” he says.
Netanyahu says that only months later, he received new intelligence that Iran wanted to expand its missile and nuclear projects, and bury them deep underground.
Israel killed eight nuclear scientists dealing with weaponization in Operation Roaring Lion, he says, adding that Israel also destroyed the heavy water reactor in Arak and Iran’s centrifuge production and uranium lines.
“We succeeded in smashing its nuclear program, in smashing its missile program,” he says.
Beyond “smashing” its nuclear and missile programs, Israel also wanted to “smash the Iranian regime,” says Netanyahu, to bring it “to its weakest point” since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
He says Israel had “massive achievements” in Operation Roaring Lion, claiming that Iran is “begging for a ceasefire, there are internal disputes among the leadership… We see their growing difficulty to meet citizens’ demands.”
Netanyahu says campaign against Iran ‘not over,’ admits ‘more to do’ as he touts ‘historic achievements’
The campaign against Iran “is not over,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says in a video statement, “but we can already say clearly — We have historic achievements.”
Moving to a map of the Middle East with the Iranian axis highlighted in red, Netanyahu says that “they wanted to strangle us, and we are strangling them.”
“We hit them, we still have more to do,” he says.
Netanyahu says that he spent much of his life ensuring that Iran won’t achieve a nuclear weapon, including approving covert operations to delay it and telling the world of the danger. “But the world wouldn’t hear,” he says.
Netanyahu says that Israel “broke the barrier of fear” by striking Iran last June.
Netanyahu obliquely criticizes Israel’s intelligence agencies — and again absolves himself of blame — over the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack, saying “this time, precise intelligence reached me on time.”
IDF opens probe after reservist shoots dead alleged Palestinian stone-thrower
The military says it is investigating after a reservist soldier shot dead a Palestinian who was allegedly hurling stones in the West Bank earlier today.
According to the IDF, troops were dispatched to the Palestinian village of Deir Jarir following reports of “a number of Palestinians who hurled stones at an Israeli civilian near the area.”
The soldiers were of an “area defense force” unit — known by its Hebrew acronym Hagmar — which is made up of local settlers in reserve duty.
Citing an initial inquiry, the IDF says that as troops arrived at the location, a “riot developed that included stone-throwing at them.”
The military says one reserve soldier carried out a “suspect arrest procedure” which included firing warning shots in the air, “followed by firing toward one of the stone-throwers.”
The Palestinian suspect, identified as 23-year-old Ali Hamadneh, was taken to a hospital where his death was declared.
The IDF says it is investigating the incident and will forward the details to the relevant authorities for review.
وزارة الصحة: استشهاد الشاب علي ماجد حمادنة (٢٣ عاما) برصاص المستعمرين خلال اعتدائهم على بلدة دير جرير شمال شرق رام الله، حيث اخترقت رصاصة ظهره وصدره، ووصل مجمع فلسطين الطبي بحالة حرجة جدا. pic.twitter.com/7EC3WDlXrt
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 11, 2026
White House says talks ‘ongoing’ as Iran state media hits out at ‘extravagant’ US demands
The White House says high-level in-person trilateral talks with Iran and Pakistan are “ongoing” in Islamabad, with negotiations aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
A senior White House official says in a brief statement that the talks are continuing, after Iranian state media reports two rounds took place and a third was expected.
“According to information provided to the state TV correspondent by a person close to the negotiating team, another round of negotiations will likely be held tonight or tomorrow,” Iranian state broadcaster IRIB says.
An Iranian state TV reporter in Islamabad, meanwhile, claims last efforts are being made to close gaps in the talks while accusing the US of continuing with its “extravagant” demands, as Iran’s Tasnim news agency says the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the main points of serious disagreement and that the Islamic Republic is insisting on preserving military gains.
Netanyahu to release video statement at 9 p.m. Israel time
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will release a video statement at 9 p.m. local time.
It comes as the US and Iran engage in ceasefire talks in Pakistan, and direct talks between Israel and Lebanon are set to start on Tuesday in Washington.
IDF says soldier seriously wounded during ‘operational accident’ in central Gaza
An IDF soldier was severely wounded in an “operational accident” in the central Gaza Strip earlier today.
The incident occurred during bulldozing work in the area.
The military says the soldier was taken to a hospital in serious condition and his family was notified.
Report that China will ship new air defenses to Iran is ‘entirely fabricated,’ its embassy tells ToI
China denies a CNN report that it is preparing to ship new air defense systems to Iran,” calling it “entirely fabricated.”
“As a responsible major country, China always abides by international law and its international obligations, and never provides weapons to any party to the conflict,” the Chinese embassy tells The Times of Israel. “China firmly rejects the circulation of speculative, misleading, and false information targeting China.”
It says that on Iran, China has “consistently worked to promote peace talks and never added fuel to the fire. The current ceasefire negotiations have not come easily. We hope that relevant parties will do more to ease tensions, rather than the opposite.”
Pope rails at ‘idolatry of self and money’ as he says ‘delusion of omnipotence’ fueling the Iran war
In his strongest words yet, Pope Leo XIV on Saturday denounces the “delusion of omnipotence” that he says is fueling the US-Israel war in Iran and demands that political leaders stop and negotiate peace.
Leo presides over an evening prayer service in St. Peter’s Basilica on the same day the United States and Iran began face-to-face negotiations in Pakistan and as a fragile ceasefire holds.
History’s first US-born pope doesn’t mention the United States or President Donald Trump in his prayer, which was planned before the talks were announced. But Leo’s tone and message appear directed at Trump and US officials, who have boasted of US military superiority and justified the war in religious terms.
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” Leo demands. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Organizer of Tel Aviv protest claims 10,000 people at rally, 10x the cap set by Supreme Court
Tel Aviv’s Habima Square is packed with protesters against the government as well as the wars in Iran and Lebanon.
Organizer Alon-Lee Green, of the binational socialist outfit Standing Together, claims there are 10,000 people at the rally, ten times the cap set by the Supreme Court amid the threat of missiles.
However, dozens of cops who are present haven’t made any arrests or otherwise acted against the protesters, including several dozen communist youth activists chanting “every cop is a fascist, every soldier a terrorist” along the southern edge of the square, in front of several police vehicles.
Along the square’s western edge, about 200 people stand in silence as they hoist candles and pictures of children killed by Israel in Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank and Iran.
Across the square, speaking from atop a platform, MK Ayman Odeh, head of the Arab-majority communist party Hadash, assails opposition parties for failing to present a “moral alternative” to the government.
“I believe that you don’t need Jewish-Arab partnership for war, but you need Jewish-Arab partnership for peace,” he says. “We have a problem, which is that we have a weak opposition that doesn’t offer a moral alternative to the government. The moral alternative to this government is peace.”
Protesters cheer and chant, in Arabic, “Peace, freedom, social justice.”
As Turkey reportedly seeks to imprison him, Netanyahu blasts Erdogan for ‘massacring Kurds’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attacks Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing him of massacring Kurds in his country.
“Israel under my leadership will continue to fight Iran’s terror regime and its proxies, unlike Erdogan who accommodates them and massacred his own Kurdish citizens,” he writes on X.
The post seems to come in response to Turkish prosecutors seeking, according to reports in Turkey, up to 4,596 years in prison for Netanyahu and other Israeli officials for crimes against humanity, genocide and for stopping the Sumud flotilla from reaching Gaza in 2025.
Lebanon says over 2,000 killed in Israeli strikes since start of latest war with Hezbollah
Lebanese authorities say Israeli strikes have killed 2,020 people since the war began last month when Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked northern Israel.
The new toll from the Lebanese health ministry includes 248 women, 165 children and 85 medical and emergency personnel killed, along with 6,436 people wounded since Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2, but doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.
IDF Home Front Command adjusts restrictions in north as fighting with Hezbollah continues
The IDF Home Front Command announces adjustments to its wartime guidelines in northern Israel as the fighting with Hezbollah continues.
In communities on the Lebanon border, all educational activities will be prohibited, and gatherings will be limited to 50 people outdoors and 100 people indoors.
In the Upper Galilee, educational activities will be permitted only inside bomb shelters, and gatherings are limited to 50 people outdoors and 200 indoors.
In the Haifa Bay area, schools will now be able to open if an adequate bomb shelter can be reached in time amid an attack. Gatherings of 100 people outdoors and 400 indoors are also permitted in the Haifa Bay area.
Previously, in all three areas, educational activities were only permitted inside bomb shelters, and gatherings were limited to 50 people outdoors and 200 indoors.
In the rest of the country, no changes are made to the guidelines, the military says.
A full list of guidelines per locale can be found on the Home Front Command’s website.
Pakistani officials say US and Iran now holding second meeting after break
US and Iranian officials have again convened for a second round of talks tonight in Islamabad after a break, with both sides backed by technical experts, two Pakistani officials say.
They add that Pakistan’s top political and military leadership is encouraging both sides to resolve their differences to ensure durable peace in the region, and the talks are progressing.
The officials speak on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to speak to the media.
The officials decline to share further details, saying they hope for a win-win solution.
Report says Pakistan talks at stalemate over Strait of Hormuz, which Iran claims US isn’t actually clearing
After US President Donald Trump says his military is clearing the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s state-affiliated Nournews claims that is “false news.”
“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz as a favor to countries all over the World,” Trump posted, saying 28 Iranian mine-dropping vessels had been sunk.
Britain’s Financial Times newspaper, meanwhile, reports that the talks in Pakistan have hit a stalemate over the status of the strait.
US says its destroyers passed through Strait of Hormuz as it works to de-mine the key waterway
The American military says it has begun a mine-clearing operation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Two US Navy missile destroyers, USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. and USS Michael Murphy, “transited the Strait of Hormuz and operated in the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mission to ensure the strait is fully clear of sea mines previously laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps,” the US Central Command says in a statement.
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 11, 2026
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” says CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper in the statement.
CENTCOM says that additional American forces, “including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.”
Protesters against government and Iran war gather under heavy police presence in Tel Aviv
Hundreds of anti-government protesters rally at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square with several dozen police officers on hand, after cops arrested dozens of people at previous weekend demonstrations, citing security restrictions due to the war in Iran.
The Supreme Court has set the cap for this week’s protest at 1,000 people.
About a dozen Border Police vans are parked near the square’s southern end and police have also taken over a small mound overlooking the protest.
The protesters themselves hail from both left-wing groups opposed to the Iran war and from other protest organizations railing against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alleged corruption and his government’s bid to overhaul the judiciary and exempt ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students from military service.
Protesters wearing orange jumpsuits and Grim Reaper outfits dance around a mock cauldron with a sign over it reading “Death Eaters,” the Harry Potter villains whose name is sometimes used by critics of the government to refer to its supporters.
The protesters chant against the “forever war” and also: “Under cover of the war they’re carrying on the overhaul.”
Protesters in Tel Aviv wearing masks of members of the coalition dance around a mock cauldron with the words 'Death Eaters' written over it pic.twitter.com/FhnuZHAOAh
— Noam Lehmann (@noamlehmann) April 11, 2026
As it hosts US-Iran talks, Pakistan deploys jets to Saudi Arabia under mutual defense treaty
Pakistan has sent fighter jets and other military forces to Saudi Arabia to boost security under a defense pact between the two countries, the Saudi defense ministry says, as Islamabad hosts talks aimed at ending the Iran war.
Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry says in a statement that Pakistani fighter jets and support aircraft arrived at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in the country’s eastern province.
It says the Pakistani deployment aims to strengthen joint defense cooperation and support regional and international security and stability.
The planes were sent after Iranian strikes hit key energy infrastructure and killed a Saudi national, three sources, including a senior Pakistani government official, tell Reuters.
They are”not there to attack anyone,” says the Pakistani official, who speaks on condition of anonymity.
Trump says ‘no idea’ how talks will go, predicts he’ll know soon if Iran acting in good faith
US President Donald Trump confirms in a phone interview with NewsNation that talks among the US, Iran and Pakistan have begun, though he does not know how successful they can be.
When asked how negotiations will go, Trump says: “I have no idea.”
The US president says he will know shortly if he feels Iran is acting in good faith about resolving the war.
Trump adds that the US knows where mines have been placed in the Strait of Hormuz and that the military is bringing equipment to remove them.
IDF releases video of strike on Hezbollah operative during firefight in south Lebanon
The IDF publishes footage showing an airstrike on a Hezbollah gunman amid a clash with troops in southern Lebanon overnight.
Two soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade were moderately injured during the exchange of fire, the military said earlier.
According to the IDF, the paratroopers had raided several Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, and at one building, they encountered several Hezbollah operatives.
The paratroopers directed an Israeli Air Force drone, which struck and killed at least two of the gunmen.
The IDF says the troops later located weapons used by the operatives.
צפו בתיעוד: לוחמי הצנחנים בשיתוף חיל האוויר חיסלו מחבלים בקרב בדרום לבנון
״יש היתקלות, מזהה מחבלים – פגיעה, שני מחבלים חוסלו״
לכל הפרטים: https://t.co/vwYLBuPisi pic.twitter.com/XGPqBf078z
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) April 11, 2026
Duma mayor accuses settlers of attempting to torch a home in the Palestinian village
Israeli settlers attempted to torch a home in the Palestinian village of Duma, hurling a Molotov cocktail into a children’s bedroom last night while the family was inside, the town’s mayor says in a statement.
The family managed to quickly put out the fire, which caused some damage to the home but no injuries.
There are no reports of arrests, which are highly rare in such incidents of settler violence that have been taking place across the West Bank daily.
فيديو يوثق آثار إحراق المستوطنين لأحد المنازل في بلدة دوما قضاء نابلس قبل أن يسيطر أهالي البلدة على الحريق قبل انتشاره. pic.twitter.com/LaIySZ0FE5
— الجرمق الإخباري (@aljarmaqnet) April 11, 2026
PA reports Palestinian man was shot dead amid settler raid on central West Bank village
A 23-year-old Palestinian man was shot dead during a settler raid of the village of Deir Jarir in the central West Bank earlier today, the Palestinian Authority health ministry reports.
The victim is identified as Ali Hamadneh. He was shot in the chest and was rushed in critical condition to a nearby hospital, where doctors were forced to declare his death.
The IDF does not immediately respond to a request for comment.
وزارة الصحة: استشهاد الشاب علي ماجد حمادنة (٢٣ عاما) برصاص المستعمرين خلال اعتدائهم على بلدة دير جرير شمال شرق رام الله، حيث اخترقت رصاصة ظهره وصدره، ووصل مجمع فلسطين الطبي بحالة حرجة جدا. pic.twitter.com/7EC3WDlXrt
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 11, 2026
Police filmed aggressively detaining Palestinian Christians during Holy Fire ceremony
Israel Police are filmed aggressively detaining several Palestinian Christians taking part in a Holy Fire procession in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Authority’s official Wafa news site says police forced members of the Palestinian scouts to remove the Palestinian flag from their uniforms.
The Haaretz news site says police are treating the annual Holy Fire procession as a security incident, rather than a religious celebration, putting up eight checkpoints from the New Gate to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and significantly limiting the movement of participants.
A police spokesperson said in advance of the event that precautions were taken to prevent overcrowding as candles are lit in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Responding to allegations regarding the use of excessive force, police say in a statement that “the incident in question involved a small number of individuals, some of whom were under the influence of alcohol, who attempted to disrupt public order and the proper conduct of the Holy Fire ceremony by refusing to clear a designated route for a religious procession.”
“Police officers acted to maintain order and ensure the safe continuation of the event. During the incident, one individual physically assaulted an officer and was subsequently arrested,” the statement continues.
الشرطة الإسرائيلية تمنع وصول المصلين الى كنيسة القيامة.
Israeli police are preventing Christians from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and restricting the number allowed onto its roof. pic.twitter.com/3vmGfGTlcQ
— ☧ Milad ܝܠܕܐ (@PalCatholic) April 11, 2026
HORRIFIC: Israeli police assault Christians and scout members celebrating Holy Saturday in the old city of Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/1kUY7M0abu
— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) April 11, 2026
????HOLY SATURDAY IN JERUSALEM: Israeli police assault Christians and scout members celebrating Holy Saturday in the Old City of Jerusalem, kicking a scout member to the ground, beating him, and arresting him over a Palestinian flag on his uniform. pic.twitter.com/2Rq5eoEXgK
— Ihab Hassan (@IhabHassane) April 11, 2026
Amid Islamabad talks, US Navy warships transit Strait of Hormuz for first time since Iran war began
A pair of US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz while US-Iran negotiations commenced in Pakistan, The Wall Street Journal reports, marking the first American warships to do so since the US-Israel war against Iran began.
The Axios news site earlier reported that several US Navy ships crossed through the Strait of Hormuz, without specifying what type of vessels, while adding that the move was not coordinated with Tehran.
“This was an operation that focused on freedom of navigation through International waters,” a US official told Axios.
Lebanon PM cancels trip to US as Hezbollah supporters rally in Beirut against talks with Israel
Amid protests against the planned negotiations with Israel, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam says he has postponed a planned trip to Washington “in light of the current internal circumstances.”
Ahead of his announcement, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader on international affairs warned against sidelining Hezbollah, saying in a social media post: “Mr. Nawaf Salam must know that ignoring the unparalleled role of the resistance and the heroic Hezbollah will expose Lebanon to irreparable security risks.”
President Joseph Aoun said Friday that a first meeting will be held on Tuesday at the US State Department to discuss a ceasefire and launch US-mediated Lebanon-Israel negotiations, following a call between the two countries’ ambassadors in Washington with the participation of the US ambassador to Beirut.
Protesters today burn portraits of Salam in downtown Beirut near the Grand Serail, calling him a “Zionist” as they carry Hezbollah flags.
It’s not immediately clear whether Salam was joining the delegation on Tuesday or what his decision means for the talks.
Qatar: Iranian strikes have slowed but ’not stopped,’ an attack on one Gulf state is an attack on all of us
Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson says that attacks against any Gulf state constitute an attack on all of them, denying that Qatar pays Iran to stop attacks against its territory.
“Qatar does not pay in exchange for stopping attacks on it,” says Majed al-Ansari in a televised interview with Al Jazeera, adding that Qatar intercepts the Iranian attacks.
Al-Ansari adds that Iran has also attacked civilian and industrial targets, despite Iran’s claim that it is only targeting military sites.
White House confirms US, Iran and Pakistan holding face-to-face talks in Islamabad
The White House characterizes the ongoing talks with Iran in Pakistan as three-way and face-to-face.
“The US, Pakistan and Iran are holding a trilateral face-to-face meeting today,” reads a statement sent to querying reporters that is attributed to a White House official.
A US official tells reporters that Vice President JD Vance’s team in the talks includes Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Vance’s national security adviser Andrew Baker and his special adviser for Asian affairs Michael Vance, who isn’t related.
The US team is also being assisted in Islamabad by “a full suite of experts on relevant subject areas” and is receiving additional support from experts in Washington, according to the official.
Iran’s negotiating team is being led by its parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
US revokes green cards of more Iranian-born relatives of current and former regime officials
The Trump administration has revoked the green cards of more long-term Iranian residents of the United States who are related to current or former senior Iranian officials.
The State Department says it has taken action against Seyed Eissa Hashemi, a Los Angeles-area psychology teacher, his wife and son, all of whom are Iranian-born lawful permanent residents of the US.
The department says in a statement released as talks to end the war with Iran are getting underway in Pakistan, that they were taken into custody by immigration authorities and are slated for deportation.
Hashemi, it says, is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, who served as a spokeswoman for the attackers who took over the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and was later promoted to be Iran’s first female vice president.
Just last week, the State Department revoked the green cards of the niece and grand-niece of former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a US airstrike in Baghdad in early 2020.
IDF says troops in northern Gaza killed terror operative who ‘posed immediate threat’
The IDF says troops stationed in northern Gaza killed a Palestinian terror operative who crossed the ceasefire line earlier today.
The operative approached reservists of the 205th “Iron Fist” Armored Brigade “in a manner that posed an immediate threat,” the military says, adding that the troops “eliminated the terrorist to remove the threat.”
Rescue forces responding to reports of Hezbollah drone impact in Shlomi
Rescue forces are responding to reports of a Hezbollah drone that struck a building in the northern border community of Shlomi a short while ago.
There are no immediate reports of injuries.
הירי מלבנון: תיעוד הפגיעה במבנה בשלומי, ללא נפגעים
צילום: תיעוד מבצעי מד"א@rubih67 pic.twitter.com/uOYmRICqBg— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) April 11, 2026
According to the IDF, several drones were launched from Lebanon in the attack, some of which were intercepted by air defenses.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah fired a barrage of some 10 rockets at the Karmiel area. The IDF says most of the rockets were intercepted, and the rest were allowed to hit open areas.
Iranian media claims US vessel in Hormuz turned back after warning
A US vessel entering the Strait of Hormuz turned back after receiving a warning from the Iranian navy, a senior Iranian military official tells Iran’s state TV.
The comment comes after US President Donald Trump claimed on social media that American ships had entered the strait to clear mines.
Vance-led team holds face-to-face talks with Iranian delegation, Pakistani source says
Three-way face-to-face talks were held between US and Iranian negotiators in Islamabad, an unnamed Pakistani source tells Reuters.
The US team, led by Vice President JD Vance, US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, met the Iranian team, led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir.
Sirens warn of drone attack from Lebanon in Western Galilee
Sirens warning of a drone attack from Lebanon sound across the Western Galilee.
The alerts are activated in Acre and numerous nearby towns.
IDF says it struck some 200 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon over past day
The Israel Air Force struck some 200 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in the past day, the military says.
According to the IDF, the targets included Hezbollah infrastructure and rocket launchers.
“The Air Force continues to strike infrastructures of the Hezbollah terror organization and to assist the activity of ground forces operating in southern Lebanon,” the IDF says in a statement.
“In addition, the IDF continues to strike launchers to thwart fire toward Israeli civilians,” the military adds.
Notably, the IDF has not conducted any strikes against Hezbollah in Beirut since Wednesday night.
צה"ל תקף ביממה האחרונה יותר מ-200 מטרות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בלבנון
חיל האוויר ממשיך לתקוף תשתיות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה ולסייע לפעילות של הכוחות הקרקעיים הפועלים בדרום לבנון.
בנוסף, צה"ל ממשיך לתקוף משגרים במטרה לסכל ירי לעבר אזרחי מדינת ישראל pic.twitter.com/8kL0gp3W9K
— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) April 11, 2026
Trump says US has begun clearing Hormuz, Iranian minelaying ships have all sunk
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump posts that the United States military has started to clear the Strait of Hormuz and that all of Iran’s minelaying ships have been sunk.
“We’re now starting the process of clearing out the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump writes in a social media post.
Several rockets fired at Safed; some intercepted, others hit open areas — IDF
Several rockets were launched from Lebanon at the northern city of Safed a short while ago.
According to the IDF, some of the rockets were intercepted and others were allowed to hit open areas.
There are no reports of injuries.
Syria thwarts Hezbollah plot to attack religious figure in Damascus; Israeli TV says target was rabbi
DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s interior ministry says that five people have been arrested over a plot to attack an unidentified religious figure in Damascus, alleging the cell was linked to the Hezbollah terror group.
The Kan public broadcaster names the figure as Rabbi Michael Khoury.
In a statement, the ministry says security forces observed a woman as she attempted to “plant an explosive device in front of the house of a religious figure” near a church in Damascus’s Bab Touma area.
Security forces intervened and dismantled the device, arresting all five members of the cell, the statement says.
“Preliminary investigations revealed the cell’s link to Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and that its members received specialised military training abroad,” the statement adds.
IDF probing why rockets fired at Kiryat Shmona last night weren’t detected
The IDF says it is investigating why rockets launched from Lebanon at the northern city of Kiryat Shmona last night were not identified by detection systems.
No sirens sounded when two rockets struck the city, causing damage but no injuries, according to rescue services.
The IDF says that following a preliminary investigation, “it emerged that the launches were not detected, and therefore no alert was activated in the city.”
“The circumstances of the incident, including the failure to detect the launches, are currently being investigated by all relevant authorities,” the military adds.
It marks the second time in a week that rockets have hit Kiryat Shmona without sirens sounding. Last week, the military said a “localized malfunction” led to a rocket launch not being detected.
נס בקריית שמונה: נפילה ללא אזעקה. רגעים לפני כן עברו במקום תושבים שחזרו מבית הכנסת. pic.twitter.com/keOPQvHzRc
— Rubi Hammerschlag | רובי המרשלג (@rubih67) April 10, 2026
Iranian, US and Pakistani negotiators meet for trilateral talks in Islamabad
A trilateral meeting between Iranian, US and Pakistani negotiators has begun in Islamabad, an unnamed Pakistani source tells Reuters.
The format of the talks remains unclear.
Sirens in Western Galilee warn of Hezbollah rocket attack
Sirens sound in the Western Galilee amid a Hezbollah rocket attack from Lebanon.
The alerts are activated in Nahariya and nearby towns.
Iran says Tehran in contact with Lebanon to ensure ceasefire respected on all fronts
Iran has been in touch with Lebanon to make sure ceasefire commitments were being respected on all fronts, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson tells state TV from Islamabad, where talks involving senior US and Iranian officials are taking place to end their six-week-old war.
Lebanese officials close to Hezbollah told Reuters that the group was supportive of the Pakistan dialogue, and said it was the right approach instead of a separate set of talks in Washington next week.
Two troops moderately hurt in clash with Hezbollah gunmen in south Lebanon
Two soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade were moderately wounded during a clash with Hezbollah gunmen in southern Lebanon earlier today, the military says.
According to the IDF, the pair were hit by gunfire shrapnel amid an exchange of fire with Hezbollah operatives.
They were taken to a hospital and their families were notified, the army adds.
Trump says empty oil tankers heading to US to fill up on ‘sweetest’ oil and gas
US President Donald Trump says that large numbers of completely empty oil tankers were heading to the United States to load up with oil and gas.
“Massive numbers of completely empty oil tankers, some of the largest anywhere in the World, are heading, right now, to the United States to load up with the best and ‘sweetest’ oil (and gas!) anywhere in the World. We have more oil than the next two largest oil economies combined — and higher quality. We are waiting for you. Quick turnaround!” he posts on Truth Social.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Iranian state TV says Tehran’s red lines include authority over Hormuz, ceasefire in Lebanon
Iranian state TV says Tehran’s delegation has set out its red lines to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, adding that these concerned the Strait of Hormuz, the release of Iran’s blocked assets, the payment of war reparations and a ceasefire to be enforced across the region.
Tehran’s agenda includes the acknowledgment of its authority over the Strait of Hormuz, where it aims to collect transit fees and control access. The strait is a chokepoint for about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
Iran is also demanding a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Lebanon says 10 killed in Israeli strikes on south Lebanon
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanon’s health ministry says 10 people, including three emergency workers, were killed by Israeli strikes on south Lebanon, as state media reports raids on more than a dozen locations.
The ministry says three deadly strikes hit locations in the Nabatiyeh district, with the dead including a member of the Lebanese civil defense and two paramedics from the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee, decrying what it said was Israel’s “systematic” targeting of emergency workers.
The figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Senior US official denies reports that Iranian assets unfrozen
Washington has not unfrozen Iranian assets in Qatar and foreign banks, a senior US official tells CBS News, denying earlier reports.
A team led by US Vice President JD Vance is in Islamabad to meet with Iranian negotiators today to solve disputes of the recent Iran war.
US-Iran talks kick off in Islamabad as Vance meets Pakistani PM
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met US Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad today, the former’s office says, adding that peace talks to end the Middle East war had “commenced.”
“As the Islamabad Talks commenced today, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, held a meeting with His Excellency JD Vance, Vice President of the United States of America,” the statement says.
“The Prime Minister reiterated that Pakistan looks forward to continuing its facilitation of both sides in making progress towards sustainable peace in the region.”
Israel’s Black Cube confirms involvement in exposing corrupt aide to Cypriot president
NICOSIA, Cyprus — A private spy firm founded by former members of Israeli intelligence has confirmed its involvement in a sting operation targeting state officials and private interests in Cyprus, saying it wanted to expose corruption.
A senior aide to Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides resigned in January after a video posted online showed him discussing investment projects in Cyprus.
It also featured a businessman who suggested he had direct access to Christodoulides, and a former minister speaking of how to make donations to the government. Those who appeared in the eight-minute video have denied any wrongdoing.
Israeli firm Black Cube says it was involved in the preparation of the video. In a statement to Cypriot media, and also sent to Reuters, Black Cube says it was “proud” to have uncovered “corruption” and help facilitate a cleaner business environment on the island.
“Black Cube has engaged with Cypriot authorities and is confident they will reach the truth and bring those responsible to justice,” it said. It did not respond to a question from Reuters on who its clients were.
There is no immediate comment from the Cypriot government.
Black Cube says it obtains legal advice in every jurisdiction in which it operates to ensure the legality of its activities. Its involvement was first disclosed by Cyprus’s Politis newspaper yesterday.
US agrees to release frozen Iranian assets in Qatar, foreign banks, to ensure opening of Hormuz — senior Iranian source
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A senior Iranian source says the US had agreed to release Iranian frozen assets that were held in Qatar and other foreign banks, welcoming the move as a sign of “seriousness” in reaching a deal with Washington in talks in Islamabad.
The United States has not made any public comments on the issue of unfreezing assets.
The source, who declines to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, tells Reuters that unfreezing the assets was “directly linked to ensuring safe passage through Strait of Hormuz,” which is expected to be a key issue in the talks.
Hezbollah MP says planned Lebanon-Israel talks are violation of constitution
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah reiterates his Iran-backed terror group’s rejection of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, a day after Lebanon’s president said such talks would take place next week in Washington.
The move is “a blatant violation of the (national) pact, the constitution and Lebanese laws… and it exacerbates domestic divisions at a time when Lebanon most needs solidarity and internal unity to face Israel’s aggression,” Fadlallah said in a statement.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Iran’s VP: Deal probable if we negotiate with representatives of ‘America first,’ not ‘Israel first’
Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref says there will be no deal with the United States if they are negotiating with “representatives of ‘Israel first'” during talks in Pakistan.
“If we negotiate in Islamabad with representatives of ‘America First,’ an agreement beneficial to both sides and the world is probable,” he says.
“However, if we face representatives of ‘Israel First,’ there will be no deal; we will inevitably continue our defense even more vigorously than before, and the world will face greater costs,” he adds.
Iranian negotiators meet Pakistani PM ahead of talks with US
TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian delegation met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad today, state TV reports, ahead of talks with the United States aimed at ending the war in the Middle East.
Confirming the sit-down, Iran’s state broadcaster adds that “arrangements for the Iran-US will be defined at the conclusion of this meeting.”
Hamas-run rescue service says 7 killed in Israeli strikes overnight
The Hamas-run Gaza civil defense rescue service says that Israeli airstrikes in the Palestinian territory had killed seven people overnight.
Mahmoud Bassal, spokesman for the group, which operates under the authority of the Hamas terror group, says an Israeli drone had fired two missiles close to a police post in the Al-Bureij refugee camp.
In addition to the seven dead, he says, several more people were wounded, four of them critically.
The Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza says it had received six bodies and seven wounded, “including four in a critical condition because of direct impacts to the face, torso and other parts of the body.”
The nearby al-Awda hospital says it had received one fatality and two wounded.
The figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Reached for comment by AFP, the Israeli military says it was working to verify the information.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
Britain nixes plan to return Chagos Islands to Mauritius after Trump criticism
LONDON — Britain is shelving its plan to hand back the Chagos Islands — which hosts the strategic Diego Garcia US-UK military base — according to a government spokesperson, following strong opposition from US President Donald Trump.
“We have always said we would only proceed with the deal if it has US support” the spokesman says in a statement, as reports say legislation to return the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius was due to run out of time in parliament.
Trump in January lashed out at what he called London’s “great stupidity” over the deal. The islands are home to the key Diego Garcia US-UK military base.
Pakistani FM says he hopes Iran-US peace talks will be constructive
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says that he hopes the United States and Iran will engage constructively in peace talks as the US delegation landed in the Pakistani capital.
Dar also reiterates Islamabad’s desire to continue facilitating the parties to reach a “lasting and durable solution to the conflict,” according to a statement from Pakistan’s foreign ministry.
Mojtaba Khamenei disfigured in war, still being treated for severe wounds, inner circle says
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still recovering from severe facial and leg injuries suffered in the airstrike that killed his father at the beginning of the war, three people close to his inner circle tell Reuters.
Khamenei’s face was disfigured in the attack on the supreme leader’s compound in central Tehran, and he suffered a significant injury to one or both legs, all three sources say.
The 56-year-old is nonetheless recovering from his wounds and remains mentally sharp, according to the people, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. He is taking part in meetings with senior officials via audio conferencing and is engaged in decision-making on major issues, including the war and negotiations with Washington, two of them say.
The question of whether Khamenei’s health allows him to run state affairs comes during Iran’s moment of gravest peril for decades, with high-stakes peace talks with the United States opening in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, today.
The accounts of the people close to Khamenei’s inner circle provide the most detailed description of the leader’s condition for weeks. Reuters couldn’t independently verify their descriptions.
Iran unable to locate and remove all mines it placed in Hormuz — report
Iran cannot reopen the Strait of Hormuz for shipping because it’s unable to find and remove all the mines it placed in the waterway throughout the war, US officials tell The New York Times.
US officials say that apparent safe routes through the mines provided by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are limited due to Tehran’s careless mining of the strait.
The report notes that both the US and Iran lack the capabilities to remove nautical mines. Some mines, according to the report, are also able to drift, while it is unclear whether Iran documented each mine it placed in the waterway.
The US has claimed that the strait was opened up already on Wednesday, denying reports that Iran was holding up much of the traffic and charging a toll. Over the past few days, Trump appeared to acknowledge that Iran was in fact blocking ships from using the channel, with the president issuing a series of Truth Social posts threatening Iran.
Tehran has pledged to continue blocking traffic until Israel stops striking its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, which Iran and Pakistani mediators say was supposed to be part of the ceasefire. The US has said there was a “legitimate misunderstanding” on that issue, while insisting that it never agreed to include Lebanon in the truce.
Jacob Magid contributed to this report.
Vance, Witkoff and Kushner land in Pakistan for talks with Iran
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A US government plane carrying top US officials landed in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Saturday for peace talks with Iran, two Pakistani sources told Reuters.
Footage shows Air Force Two, carrying Vice President JD Vance, landing in Islamabad. US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, have also arrived, a Pakistani source tells Reuters.
Washington and Tehran are due to begin negotiations seeking to end the six-week-old Iran war that has killed thousands of people across the Middle East, disrupted energy supplies, fed inflation and slowed the global economy.
???????????????? SAM095 US Air Force Boeing C-32A 98-0001 carrying the Vice President JD Vance has now landed safely in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Welcome to Pakistan. Hope meaningful peace talks will prevail. pic.twitter.com/XIj2QGer1a
— Awais ???? (@awais4226) April 11, 2026
Iran’s internet blackout has lasted more than 1,000 hours, monitor says
Digital monitor Netblocks says Iran’s internet blackout has lasted more than one thousand hours, in an X post.
While Iran’s domestic intranet remains operational — supporting local messaging apps, banking platforms and other services — access to the global internet has been severely restricted since early February.
Sirens in northern towns warn of suspected drone attack from Lebanon
Sirens warn of a suspected Hezbollah drone attack on communities close to the border with Lebanon.
Alerts are heard in the northern town of Kiryat Shmona and surrounding communities.
US intelligence indicates China preparing to ship new air defense systems to Iran – report
US intelligence indicates China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks, CNN reports, citing three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments.
The outlet says the intelligence demonstrates that Tehran could be using the pause in fighting to restore stocks of weapons systems.
Two of the sources tell CNN that Beijing is using a third country to route the weapons to obscure where they are being supplied from.
Drone sirens sound in several Lebanon border communities
Sirens are activated in several northern communities near the Lebanon border amid a suspected drone attack by Hezbollah.
Five Palestinians killed in northern West Bank highway collision
Five Palestinians have been killed in a collision involving two cars on Route 60 near the northern West Bank settlement of Rehelim.
A paramedic from the Magen David Adom ambulance service says four of the victims appeared to be in their 20s and the other around 50.
US intel said to assess Iran still has thousands of ballistic missiles, can recover launchers
Iran still has thousands of ballistic missiles it could fire by recovering launchers currently buried in underground facilities, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Citing US officials familiar with American intelligence assessments, the report says though half of Iran’s missile launchers are destroyed, damaged or trapped under rubble, many can be repaired and recovered from the subterranean sites. US and Israeli officials are also quoted saying that while Iran now has half as many missiles as before the war, it still has thousands of medium- and short-range ballistic missiles it can take out of hiding or uncover from below ground.
The report also says some US officials are worried Iran will use the ongoing ceasefire to rebuild its missile stockpiles.
Artemis II safely splashes down in Pacific Ocean, concluding 10-day moon mission
The Artemis II capsule and its four-member crew streak through Earth’s atmosphere and safely splash down in the Pacific Ocean after nearly 10 days in space, capping the first voyage by humans to the vicinity of the moon in over half a century.
NASA’s gumdrop-shaped Orion capsule, dubbed Integrity, parachutes gently into the sea off the Southern California coast shortly after 5 p.m. local time, concluding a mission that took the astronauts deeper into space than anyone had flown before.
The Artemis II flight, traveling a total of 694,392 miles (1,117,515 km) across two Earth orbits and a climactic lunar flyby some 252,000 miles away, was the debut crewed test flight in a series of Artemis missions that aim to start landing astronauts on the lunar surface starting in 2028.
The splashdown, about two hours before sunset, was carried by live video feed in a NASA webcast.
Recovery teams were standing by to secure the floating capsule and retrieve the crew — US astronauts Reid Wiseman, 50, Victor Glover, 49, and Christina Koch, 47, along with Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, 50.
The crew’s homecoming clears a critical final hurdle for the Lockheed Martin-built Orion spacecraft, proving it will withstand the extreme forces of reentry from a lunar-return trajectory.
It follows a white-knuckle, 13-minute fiery plunge through Earth’s atmosphere, generating frictional heat that sent temperatures on the capsule’s exterior soaring to some 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).
At the peak of reentry stress, as expected, intense heat and air compression formed a red-hot sheath of ionized gas, or plasma, that engulfed the capsule, cutting off radio communications with the crew for several minutes.
The tension broke as contact was reestablished and two sets of parachutes were seen billowing from the nose of the free-falling capsule, slowing its descent to about 15 mph (25 kph) before Orion gently hit the water.
It’s expected to take NASA and US Navy teams about an hour to secure the floating capsule and assist the four astronauts out of the vehicle and fly them to a nearby recovery ship to undergo an initial medical checkup.
Artemis II astronauts reenter Earth’s atmosphere, in critical test of spacecraft’s heat shield
The NASA spacecraft carrying four astronauts hurtles back into Earth’s atmosphere following a historic trip around the Moon, beginning a critical test of their heat shield which must protect the capsule from searing temperatures.
Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen and Reid Wiseman are in the final phase of their approximately 10-day journey that included a lunar slingshot, in which they lost communications for six minutes.
Following reentry, they are expected to splash down into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
Trump’s Board of Peace denies any funding constraints, says commitments for Gaza met ‘in full’
US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace says it has no funding constraints and that all requests have been met “immediately and in full” to date.
Fundamentally incorrect and misleading reporting by @Reuters today.
The Board of Peace is a lean, execution-focused organization that calls capital as needed. There are no funding constraints. To date, all funding requests have been met immediately and in full.
To be sure, far…
— Board of Peace (@BoardOfPeace) April 10, 2026
Reuters, citing sources, reported earlier in the day that the peace board has received only a tiny fraction of the $17 billion pledged for Gaza, preventing Trump from pushing ahead with his plan for the shattered Palestinian enclave’s future.
Rocket sirens sound in Safed and neighboring towns
Rocket warning sirens sound in the northern city of Safed and several neighboring communities, as Hezbollah continues to launch attacks on the north.
Rocket warning sirens activated in Kiryat Shmona, other Lebanon border communities
Warning sirens sound in several communities near the Lebanon border, including Kiryat Shmona, as Hezbollah appears to fire rockets at northern Israel.
Trump insists Strait of Hormuz to reopen ‘pretty quickly,’ vows to do so ‘with or without’ Iran
US President Donald Trump expresses his confidence that the Strait of Hormuz will soon be reopened to uninhibited shipping flows.
“We’re going to open up the (strait) with or without him, but that’ll be open,” Trump tells reporters.
“I think it’s going to [be opened] pretty quickly, and if it doesn’t, we’ll be able to finish it off one way or the other,” Trump says.
The US has claimed that the strait was opened up already on Wednesday, denying reports that Iran was holding up much of the traffic and charging a toll. Over the past 24 hours, Trump appeared to acknowledge that Iran was in fact blocking ships from using the channel, with the president issuing a series of Truth Social posts threatening Iran.
Tehran has pledged to continue blocking traffic untils Israel stop striking its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, which Iran and Pakistani mediators say was supposed to be part of the ceasefire. The US has said there was a “legitimate misunderstanding” on that issue, while insisting that it never agreed to include Lebanon in the truce.
Asked if he’ll allow Iran to charge tolls for ships in Hormuz, Trump says he won’t. “It’s international water.”
He then clarifies that he hasn’t verified Iran is actually charging tolls.
Asked what he is looking for in a deal with Iran ahead of Saturday’s talks, Trump responds, “No nuclear weapon.”
As for a backup plan if Iran refuses to reopen Hormuz, Trump insists that he doesn’t need one and claims Iran has already been “militarily defeated.”
In first-ever call, Israel’s envoy to US says he told Lebanese counterpart Israel rejects a truce with Hezbollah
Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter says he told his Lebanese counterpart during their first-ever phone call earlier today that Israel is not prepared to cease fighting against Hezbollah, even as it negotiates with Lebanon.
“In the conversation earlier today in Washington between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to Washington, together with US ambassador to Lebanon, and under the auspices of the US State Department, Israel agreed to begin formal peace negotiations this coming Tuesday,” Leiter says in a statement.
“Israel refused to discuss a ceasefire with the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which continues to attack Israel and is the main obstacle to peace between the two countries,” he adds.
The US is reportedly urging Israel to halt the fighting against Hezbollah before the first-ever public meeting between envoys from Jerusalem and Beirut on Tuesday. Lebanon has argued that a ceasefire should be a precondition of the meeting.