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US-Iran war as it happened: Trump’s blockade of Strait of Hormuz takes effect; Trump deletes image of himself as Jesus Christ; Tehran wants a deal ‘very badly’, says US president

Emily Kaine, Ellen Connolly and Isabel McMillan
Updated ,first published

Key Posts

What happened today
Iran conflict triggered ‘worst ever global energy disruption’
‘Ball is in the Iranian court’: Vance on negotiations with Iran
Australia joins global emergency talks to reopen strait
War in Iran sparks confidence collapse: NAB
Sanctioned oil tanker passes through Strait amid blockade, data shows
Report: Iran proposed five-year suspension of its nuclear activity
Red Cross volunteers killed in Lebanon as death toll rises
Pinned post from 6.36pm on Apr 14, 2026
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What happened today

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Thank you for reading our rolling coverage of the war in the Middle East. Our live blog has closed for the evening but will resume tomorrow.

Here’s what we covered today:

  • The US military has begun its blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz to stop shipping traffic reaching or leaving the country, a move that threatens to upend an already fragile ceasefire and further disrupt oil prices. But tracking data appears to show ships – including one Iranian-linked oil tanker – have cleared the strait since the blockade came into effect.
  • A spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters overnight that Israel’s upcoming talks with Lebanon in Washington would focus on disarming Hezbollah and establishing peaceful relations between the two countries.
  • The oil price has fallen on signs Washington and Tehran may revive peace talks following the start of a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. On Tuesday, traders were tracking a China-linked vessel that might test the new curbs.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Brunei, where he will engage in diplomatic talks to cement Australia’s fuel supply by establishing stronger two-way trade.
  • US Vice President JD Vance says the “ball is in the Iranian court” after making clear what “our red lines” are. Vance told Fox News the US would be happy to treat Iran like a “normal country”, but only if it didn’t pursue a nuclear weapon or pursue terrorism. He also said that if Iran “engages in economic terrorism”, the US will ensure “no Iranian ships are getting out either”.

  • Australia will be among dozens of countries to attend talks on a reopening of the strait, as the US continues its blockade of the area. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy confirmed Australia would send a representative to an emergency summit in Paris held jointly by Britain and France designed to find a solution to open the strait to traffic.

US President Donald Trump speaks to the media outside the White House.Bloomberg

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In pictures: Albanese in Brunei

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Brunei seeking to secure Australia’s energy supply during a whirlwind visit to the petro-state and Malaysia.

Anthony Albanese touches down in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, where he is seeking to shore up Australia’s energy supply. AAPIMAGE
Brunei’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dato Erywan (left) and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Nazmi greet Albanese. AAPIMAGE
The visit follows Albanese’s trip to Singapore, where he signed an agreement with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to continue two-way energy trade. AAPIMAGE

ASX higher on Trump optimism

By Staff writers

The Australian sharemarket advanced today as US President Donald Trump raised hopes for an Iran deal even as a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz took effect.

BHP climbed amid reports of progress in its iron ore stand-off with China, while Qantas fell after a profit warning due to the war.

The S&P/ASX rose 44.8 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 8970.80, with six of its 11 industry sectors in the green. The bounceback comes after the local bourse fell 0.4 per cent on Monday following a poor showing by tech stocks, and as investors reacted to news of the failed peace talks between the US and Iran, and Trump’s vow to blockade the crucial oil passageway.

Qantas opened sharply lower but pared its declines to 0.3 per cent after the company raised its fuel cost outlook and delayed a planned share buyback, citing sharply higher jet fuel prices since the war in the Middle East cut oil supply.

German leader pushes for Israel-Lebanon peace

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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he supports direct peace talks between the Israeli and Lebanese governments, which are set to start tomorrow in Washington.

Merz called for an end to hostilities in southern Lebanon and said militant group Hezbollah must lay down its arms, the German chancellery said on Monday night.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in February. AP

He also reaffirmed his government’s strong support of a diplomatic understanding between the US and Iran and its readiness to contribute to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz if the necessary conditions were met.

Merz expressed deep concern about developments in the Palestinian territories and said there must be no de facto partial annexation of the West Bank.

AP

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China calls US blockade of Iranian ports ‘dangerous and irresponsible’

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China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that a US blockade of Iranian ports was “dangerous and irresponsible”, warning it would only aggravate tensions.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that despite a temporary ceasefire agreed by relevant parties, the United States had increased military deployments and imposed a targeted blockade, a move that would exacerbate the conflict, undermine the fragile truce and further jeopardise the safety of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

China urges all parties to respect the ceasefire, stay committed to dialogue and peace talks, take practical steps to ease regional tensions and restore normal passage in the strait as soon as possible, Guo said.

Reuters

‘Two can play at that game’: Vance on blocking strait

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US Vice President JD Vance has accused the Iranian government of engaging in an “act of economic terrorism” blocking traffic from the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking to Fox News, Vance said US President Donald Trump had shown “two could play at that game”.

US Vice President JD VanceAP

He said that if Iran engaged in “economic terrorism ... no Iranian ships are getting out either”.

Chinese tanker passes through strait despite US blockade

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A Chinese tanker sanctioned by the United States passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday despite a US blockade on the choke point, shipping data showed.

The Rich Starry would be the first to make it through the strait and to exit the Gulf since the blockade began, data from LSEG, MarineTraffic and Kpler showed.

Oil tankers and cargo ships lining up in the Strait of Hormuz in March.AP

The tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co, were sanctioned by the United States for dealing with Iran. The company could not be immediately reached for comment.

Rich Starry is a medium-range tanker that is carrying about 250,000 barrels of methanol, according to the data. It loaded the cargo at its last port of call, the United Arab Emirates’ Hamriyah, the data showed.

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Iran conflict triggered ‘worst ever global energy disruption’

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The International Energy Agency on Monday urged countries to avoid hoarding energy supplies and imposing export controls that could worsen what they called the biggest shock ever to the global energy market.

IEA chief Fatih Birol told reporters after a meeting with IMF and World Bank leaders that several countries were holding on to stocks and imposing export restrictions, and appealed to all countries to let energy stocks flow to the markets. He did not name the countries.

Birol told an Atlantic Council event earlier that the conflict had triggered the worst ever global energy disruption, with more than 80 oil and gas facilities across the Middle East damaged. He said the situation was bad in March, when some cargoes had been loaded, but could worsen this month.

“The scale of the problem is huge, and countries will suffer under this, some more than others, but I can tell you ... no country is immune,” Birol said.

Reuters

Pakistan proposes second round of talks in Islamabad

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Pakistan has proposed hosting a second round of talks between the United States and Iran in Islamabad in the coming days, before the end of the ceasefire, two Pakistani officials say.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter with the press, said the proposal would depend on whether the parties requested a different location.

One of the officials said that despite ending without an agreement, the first talks were part of an ongoing diplomatic process rather than a one-off effort.

AP

Oil price falls as US, Iran weigh more talks

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The oil price has fallen on signs Washington and Tehran may revive peace talks following the start of a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

On Tuesday, traders were tracking a China-linked vessel that might test the new curbs.

Brent dropped below $US99 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was near $US97. The two sides are in talks on holding another round of face-to-face negotiations for a longer-term ceasefire, according to people familiar with the matter. The goal is to arrange them before the expiration of a two-week pause in hostilities that was announced April 7, they said.

US President Donald Trump said earlier that Tehran had reached out, telling reporters: “We’ve been called this morning by the right people, the appropriate people, and they want to work a deal.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, said that the country was prepared to continue peace talks solely within the framework of international law and regulations.

US President Donald TrumpBloomberg
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