Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleIndependent ReportersThursday 23 April 2026 11:34 BSTVideo purportedly shows Iranian soldiers seizing ships in Strait of HormuzDonald Trump stated there is "no time frame" for ending the war with Iran, despite extending a ceasefire indefinitely, and denied being influenced by upcoming midterm elections, asserting his focus was on securing "a good deal for the American people."Iran seized two ships, the MSC Francesca and Epaminondas, in the Strait of Hormuz, citing alleged maritime violations, and a third vessel was fired upon. Iran's parliament speaker declared reopening the Strait "impossible" due to perceived ceasefire breaches by the US and Israel.A two-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon is nearing its expiration, with continued violence in southern Lebanon, including Israeli strikes that killed at least five people, among them a journalist, prompting retaliatory actions from Hezbollah.Norway's $2.2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, on Thursday reported a first-quarter loss of 636 billion Norwegian crowns ($68.44 billion), attributed to the war's effect on global stocks. Major UK supermarkets, including Sainsbury's and Tesco, also expressed concerns over the war's impact on their profits and customers, as UK inflation rose to 3.3 per cent.Iran executed Soltanali Shirzadi Fakhr, convicted of ties to an exiled opposition group and Israeli intelligence. Separately, US officials reportedly estimated it could take up to six months to clear sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a detail shared during a classified Pentagon briefing.In fullIran-US war latest: Trump says there is ‘no timeframe’ for ending conflict as standoff in Strait of Hormuz continuesThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in