War Monitor

⚡️🇹🇷 GRAPHIC: Footage showcases the moment of attack at the school at Kahramanmaraş.

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇶🇮🇷The United States announced sanctions against seven commanders of Iran-aligned militia groups accused of planning and directing attacks against U.S. personnel, facilities, and interests in Iraq. The targeted figures are linked to groups including Kata’ib Hizballah, Kata’ib Sayyid Al-Shuhada, Harakat Al-Nujaba, and Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haqq, which Washington says threaten American lives and undermine Iraq’s sovereignty. The following people have been sanctioned: - AL RAMMAHI, Ammar Jasim Kadhim - ALBAKHATRA, Khalid Jameel Abed - ALMOHAMMED, Radhwan Yousif Hameed - HAMZAH, Hasan Dheyab Hamzah - JAYTHOOM, Husham Hashim - MUKHAMIS, Saeed Kadhim SUWAED, Safaa Adnan Jabbar

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇱🇱🇧 Axios: U.S. President Trump’s post declaring that Israel is “prohibited” from bombing Lebanon and that “enough is enough” caught Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his advisers by surprise. The post contradicted the US‑brokered ceasefire agreement, which preserves Israel’s right to self‑defence against planned or ongoing attacks. After Israel asked for clarifications, a US official confirmed that the ceasefire prohibits offensive military operations but does not restrict self‑defence. axios.com/2026/04/17/leb…

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇱🇱🇧 Axios: A U.S. official clarifies Trump's Lebanon comments: “The President’s ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel clearly states that Israel will not carry out any offensive military operations against Lebanese targets but preserves its right to self-defense against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks".

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇱🇮🇷🇱🇧 U.S. President Trump announced that the United States will take all nuclear “dust” created by US B‑2 bombers in Iran, with no money exchanging hands. He said the deal is not linked to Lebanon, but the U.S. will separately work with Lebanon to address Hezbollah. “Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!”

⚡️🇱🇧🇱🇧🇮🇱 Hezbollah official Nawaf al‑Moussawi, responsible for resources and borders, said the group will respond “in its own appropriate way” to any Israeli ceasefire violation. “We will not go back, we will not remain silent about assassinations and bombings as before the campaign – this is not up for discussion,” he stated. Moussawi warned that if Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meets Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, he would lose his status as president. He also revealed that Hezbollah has changed its operational methods, with some communication now conducted via carrier pigeons. “For every senior Hezbollah commander who is eliminated, there are two replacements – this does not harm the fighting,” he said. He praised leader Naim Qassem, saying he has become a father figure for the group’s fighters.

⚡️🇱🇧🇮🇱 NPR: A senior Hezbollah field commander, using the nom de guerre Jihad, stated that the group has adopted a new decentralised command structure under leader Naim Qassem. Fighters are divided into semi‑autonomous units that do not communicate with each other to avoid Israeli surveillance. “One specialises in shooting, another watches the road. Another might even specialise in wrapping sandwiches for the fighters,” he said. Following the 2024 pager attacks, Hezbollah no longer imports electronics and uses old Motorola devices, handwritten notes and couriers on motorbikes. The commander admitted mistakes led to the killing of Hassan Nasrallah. He claimed Hezbollah did not disarm but gave the Lebanese army empty boxes and old items. Smuggling weapons through Syria remains possible despite Assad’s fall, and the group manufactures some weapons domestically using internet tutorials. npr.org/2026/04/12/g-s…

⚡️🇪🇺🇮🇷🇺🇸🇮🇱 The Soufan Center: The US‑Israeli war against Iran is amplifying "terrorism" risks across Europe, with Iran‑linked actors using deniable, low‑cost attacks on Jewish communities and US‑linked assets. Since late February, incidents include synagogue explosions in Liège and Rotterdam, a bomb near the U.S. embassy in Oslo, a foiled Bank of America plot in Paris, and arson on Jewish ambulances in London. A group calling itself Harakat Ashab al‑Yamin al‑Islamia (HAYI) has claimed many of these attacks; European officials suspect it may be a front created by Iranian intelligence. Iran’s hybrid tactics blur terrorism, criminality and statecraft, complicating attribution and counterterrorism responses. thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-202…

⚡️🇬🇧🇮🇱🇮🇷 London’s Kensington Gardens has been closed after police discovered a number of discarded items near the Israeli embassy. Officers wearing protective clothing are on scene. A video circulated online by the Iran‑linked group Harakat Ashab al‑Yamin al‑Islamia claims it targeted the embassy with two drones carrying “radioactive and dangerous carcinogenic materials”. Police have confirmed the embassy was not attacked and staff are safe. Counter‑terrorism officers are investigating the video’s authenticity and any link to the discarded items.

⚡️🇮🇷🇺🇸🇱🇧 Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei explained that Iran had not implemented safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz because the other side failed to uphold its ceasefire commitments. Now that a ceasefire has taken effect in Lebanon, Iran will reciprocate. “The other side decided to fulfil its commitment regarding a ceasefire in Lebanon, and we, in return, have announced that transit through the Strait of Hormuz will be allowed based on the previously specified coordinates – that is, in coordination with Iranian authorities on designated routes, providing safe passage.”

⚡️🇮🇷🇱🇧🇺🇸 Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that following the announcement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, a key Iranian demand, it has been decided to implement the original ceasefire understanding regarding safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz. He stressed that there is no new agreement; rather, the existing framework from 8 April is now being applied. “We have no new agreement. The ceasefire understanding is the same one announced on 8 April. Following the establishment of a ceasefire in Lebanon as an inseparable component of that understanding, the Islamic Republic of Iran will manage transit through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with its armed forces and port authority.” Commercial vessels will be allowed to transit in coordination with Iranian authorities, as Iran is a littoral state managing the strait.

⚡️🇮🇷 Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that enriched uranium is as sacred as the country’s soil and will never be transferred anywhere. “The issue of transferring 60% enriched uranium is being raised. This has not been presented as an option by our side—that Iran's enriched uranium should be transferred to the United States. Various options exist regarding a settlement for the issues that are considered part of our nuclear file."

⚡️🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran’s foreign ministry said it is doing its utmost to secure the rights of the Iranian people, and that diplomacy is a continuation of military efforts in the field. The Islamabad meeting identified points of understanding and red lines; there is no longer any ambiguity regarding the negotiation files. The so‑called “naval blockade” will certainly face a firm Iranian reaction, as it constitutes a violation of the ceasefire, and Iran will take the necessary measures.

⚡️🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iranian state media outlets have issued rare and sharply worded criticism of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after he declared the Strait of Hormuz open for commercial vessels in a post on X. Hardline outlets said the announcement created confusion and gave U.S. President Trump an opening to claim victory. Mehr News said Araghchi’s tweet “provided the best opportunity for Trump to go beyond reality, declare himself the winner of the war and celebrate victory.” Tasnim described the post as a “bad and incomplete tweet that created misleading ambiguity,” while Fars questioned why officials remained silent about the conditions for reopening.

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇷 CBS: U.S. President Trump said Iran has “agreed to everything”, including the removal of enriched uranium from the country. He insisted no U.S. ground troops will be involved. “We’ll go down and get it with them, and then we’ll take it,” he said, adding that the material will be brought to the United States. Trump also said Iran has agreed to stop backing proxy groups, including Hezbollah and Hamas. The two sides are meeting this weekend, and the US will maintain its naval blockade “until we get it done”.

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇷🇵🇰 WSJ: A senior Trump administration official said negotiations between U.S. and Iran are likely to take place Monday in Pakistan. The official said President Trump’s negotiating team is on standby to participate. wsj.com/livecoverage/i…

⚡️🇮🇷🇵🇰 Tasnim: The sound of fighter jets heard over Tehran on Friday evening was not related to hostile aircraft but to the escort of a Pakistani official’s flight. The army public relations stated that two Iranian F‑4s and one MiG‑29 flew over the capital to carry out their assigned missions.

⚡️🇵🇰 Thursday Times: World Bank Moves Pakistan to MENA Region in Symbolic Shift The World Bank has reportedly reclassified Pakistan under its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, ending its longstanding placement in South Asia. According to Thursday Times, the move is bureaucratic but carries significant symbolic and geopolitical implications, potentially reflecting shifting regional alignments. Further clarification from the World Bank is awaited. thursdaytimes.com/2026/04/17/new…

⚡️🇺🇸🇮🇷🇦🇪🇧🇭🇰🇼JUST IN: Ship traffic resumes in the Strait of Hormuz after reopening today.

⚡️🇮🇳 #BREAKING: Just in, an Indian Air Force aircraft has crashed in Pune, India. Another Indian Air Force jet crash—at what point does this stop being “routine” and start raising serious doubts? From the outside, it’s fair to ask: are these incidents exposing deeper issues with pilot training and operational standards? For a force projecting regional dominance, repeated crashes don’t exactly inspire confidence. And in the context of past aerial confrontations in the region… do these patterns say more than officials are willing to admit?

⚡️🇮🇳 IAF Incident Raises Questions: Pune Runway Shut After Aircraft Mishap The Indian Air Force says Pune’s runway is “temporarily unavailable” after an incident involving one of its aircraft. While officials claim the crew is safe and no civilian damage occurred, details about what actually went wrong remain unclear. A major military runway taken out of action—even briefly—raises serious questions about operational safety, transparency, and readiness. Authorities say efforts are underway to restore operations, but no timeline has been provided.

⚡️🇮🇷🇺🇸 Commander of the Iranian Navy Shahram Irani stated that Iran is fighting against two "sinister regimes," referencing the United States and Israel: We are not at war with the world; we are at war with two sinister regimes. We will not allow them to pass.

⚡️🇮🇷🇺🇸 Commander of the Iranian Navy Shahram Irani stated that every day ships are passing through the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian guidance: Every day, ships that observe protocol and possess international understanding are passing through. We even provide cover for them and they face no issues. Even when others issue warnings, these commercial ships ignore them and continue their route because they belong to nations like China, India, Australia, Korea, or Japan. They pass through and go on their way.

⚡️🇮🇷🇺🇸 Commander of the Iranian Navy Shahram Irani on U.S. President Donald Trump using the word Blockade: "One is left amazed that this person has used the term naval blockade, whereas this is the very definition of banditry and piracy."