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Donald Trump houdt vol dat de wapenstilstand intact blijft na de tot nu toe ernstigste test. Daarnaast: de 100 meest spectaculaire momenten van David Attenborough

De VS verklaarden dat zij aanvallen hebben uitgevoerd op Iraanse militaire doelen na een aanval op drie Amerikaanse torpedobootjagers in de straat van Hormuz. Goedemorgen en welkom bij de liveblog van the Guardian over het Midden-Oosten. De VS stelden dat ze aanvallen hebben uitgevoerd op Iraanse militaire doelen na een aanval op drie Amerikaanse torpedobootjagers in de straat van Hormuz, terwijl Teheran Washington ervan beschuldigde als eerste te hebben toegeslagen. De vuuruitwisseling dreigt een kwetsbaar staaktokend te doorbreken dat sinds 8 april van kracht is – maar Donald Trump hield vol dat de wapenstilstand intact is gebleven. Lees verder...

• The U.S. military and Iranian forces exchanged fire as the U.S. launched an operation to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz during a period described as a fragile ceasefire. • The incident underscores ongoing military tensions despite ceasefire arrangements, with both sides maintaining active military operations in the critical Middle Eastern waterway. • The escalating exchanges raise concerns about the stability of current de-escalation efforts between the two adversarial nations.

• Reports indicate Iran may be circumventing international sanctions through cryptocurrency exchanges, with Nobitex allegedly linked to figures close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's circle acting as a key financial conduit for sanctioned entities and individuals. • Blockchain analysis suggests millions of dollars have moved through the platform despite Western restrictions, utilizing advanced obfuscation tactics to obscure transaction trails. • The alleged sanctions evasion exposes enforcement gaps as the Trump administration grapples with containing financial flows from Iran, raising questions about the effectiveness of existing economic pressure campaigns.

• Indian and Pakistani military forces have engaged in heavy artillery exchanges along the Line of Control in Kashmir, with reports of at least 18 soldiers killed and dozens wounded in the most serious escalation in six months. • Pakistan's military spokesperson claimed Indian forces initiated the bombardment Friday morning; India stated Pakistani positions fired first, creating conflicting narratives about the incident's origins. • The US has urged both nations to exercise restraint and resume diplomatic channels; UN Security Council members are monitoring the situation amid concerns about potential nuclear escalation.

• Stripe completed the acquisition of Wise Exchange, a fintech startup specializing in cross-border payment optimization, for $1.2 billion in stock on April 18, expanding its international payment capabilities. • The acquisition adds Wise Exchange's proprietary currency conversion algorithms and partnerships with 40+ financial institutions across Europe, Asia, and Americas to Stripe's existing platform. • Industry analysts view this acquisition as Stripe's strategic response to intensifying competition from Block, PayPal, and traditional payment networks in the global payments sector.

• Artillery and small arms fire erupted along the Line of Control in Kashmir on April 17-18, marking the first significant border clash in eight months and resulting in at least 12 reported casualties on both sides. • Pakistan accused Indian forces of violating a 2003 ceasefire agreement with unprovoked shelling near the Siachen Glacier region; India's military claimed Pakistan-based militants initiated the exchange. • Both nations mobilized additional military units to their shared border; analysts warn the escalation could undermine fragile diplomatic channels reopened in late 2025.

Use of UK military bases in Gulf region has been ‘invaluable’ to US military operation in IranMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesThe UK’s actions in the Gulf should be the basis for any US judgment of the country’s value rather than Donald Trump’s social media posts, the defence secretary has said.Speaking at a conference in London, John Healey said the UK’s recent efforts “spoke for themselves”, as Keir Starmer flew home after a trip that included discussing how to keep the strait of Hormuz open with Donald Trump, as well as meeting leaders in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Continue reading...

• Following April 1 shelling that killed 12 Indian soldiers and 8 Pakistani troops, US-mediated talks led to a 72-hour ceasefire along the Line of Control. • Details include troop pullbacks by 2 km and no-fly zone for drones, verified by US satellites. • The de-escalation prevents nuclear escalation fears, with markets in Mumbai and Karachi rising 1.8%.