Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said that a ‘new chapter’ has begun in the Persian Gulf and the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz following what he described as the United States’ ‘shameful failure’. He made the remarks on Tuesday in a statement marking Iran’s National Persian Gulf Day, according to the state news agency IRNA.

Khamenei stated that two months after what he called the world’s largest military operation and aggression, planned by the United States, ended in failure, a new phase is unfolding in the region. The statement was broadcast by Iranian state media on the day commemorating the 1622 expulsion of Portuguese forces from the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts cited in the report suggested that Khamenei’s comments highlight Iran’s growing control over regional maritime routes and a perceived decline in US influence amid recent tensions.

Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported that global press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in 25 years. The organization publishes an annual World Press Freedom Index assessing the degree of freedom enjoyed by journalists and media outlets in 180 countries. The five-tier index rates countries from “very serious” to “good” based on press freedom conditions.

According to RSF, for the first time since the index began in 2002, more than half of the world’s countries are in a “difficult” or “very serious” situation. Only seven countries achieved a “good” rating, with Norway, the Netherlands, and Estonia ranking highest. France placed 25th with a “satisfactory” score, while the United States ranked 64th with a “problematic” score, seven places lower than before. In Latin America, Argentina ranked 98th and El Salvador 143rd.

RSF identified Eastern Europe and the Middle East as the most dangerous regions for journalists, citing Israel’s attacks on reporters in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and Lebanon. The report also noted that over 60 percent of countries criminalize journalists in various ways, highlighting India, Egypt, Georgia, Turkey, and Hong Kong as key examples of state repression.

At least nine people were killed and 22 others injured when a bus overturned in western Bolivia early Wednesday. The accident occurred near the small town of Chalacollo, about 240 kilometers south of La Paz, on a highway close to Oruro. Local police confirmed the casualties, noting that the injured were taken to various hospitals in the area. Among the dead was a newborn who was declared dead after being taken to a medical center.

Authorities said the cause of the crash remains under investigation but suggested that excessive speed and driver inattention may have contributed. The 24-year-old driver was also injured in the incident.

According to official data, Bolivia records at least 1,400 road fatalities each year, with most accidents attributed to driver negligence and mechanical failures.

Seventeen bodies were recovered and seven people rescued from a drifting boat off the coast of Libya, the Libyan Red Crescent reported on Wednesday. The rescue operation was carried out by a patrol vessel that responded to a distress call near the North African country’s shoreline. The incident was confirmed by AFP from Tripoli.

According to the Red Crescent, the operation was one of the most difficult field missions conducted so far. Photos posted on the organization’s Facebook page showed rescuers unloading black body bags from a boat. The nationalities of the deceased and survivors were not disclosed. The Red Crescent said it was working with the UN refugee agency to provide humanitarian assistance to the survivors, suggesting they were migrants attempting to reach Europe.

The rescue involved members of the Red Crescent, the navy, the coast guard, and coastal security units. The operation lasted more than eight hours under challenging conditions, following eight days during which the stranded boat had been in distress.

Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani has announced that the country will soon unveil a new weapon described as terrifying to its enemies. According to a report by Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV on Wednesday, Irani remarked that he hoped the weapon would not cause the enemy a “heart attack.” He said the announcement follows recent military confrontations in which Iran claims to have successfully countered foreign aggression.

Irani stated that enemy forces had believed they could achieve their objectives quickly through attacks on Iran, but those assumptions have now become a subject of ridicule in military academies. He also claimed that Iran’s navy launched at least seven missile strikes against the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, temporarily halting its flight operations. The commander added that since the aggression began on February 28, Iranian forces have carried out around 100 retaliatory strikes on sensitive U.S. and Israeli targets across West Asia.

Irani further asserted that Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz from the Arabian Sea and warned that any further approach by enemy forces would trigger immediate action. Despite the blockade, he claimed some Iranian ships have successfully reached their destinations.

Iran has accumulated about 22,000 pounds, or 11 tons, of enriched uranium since the United States withdrew from the nuclear deal eight years ago. Despite a U.S. military campaign launched two months ago to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, the current status of this stockpile remains unclear. The uncertainty follows U.S. airstrikes in June 2025 on Iran’s enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordow, and on uranium storage tunnels in Isfahan.

After the attacks, Iran suspended cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, ending direct monitoring of its enrichment sites. Satellite imagery has not resolved where the uranium is stored, and some of it may be buried under war debris. Experts say that even if Iran retrieves the material, it would take many months to convert it into weapons-grade fuel. The Trump administration claims U.S. satellites are tracking the buried uranium, but analysts question this, suggesting Iran may have moved much of its stockpile to a new underground site near Isfahan.

The situation leaves open the possibility that Iran retains a hidden enrichment facility capable of restarting weapons-related activities if conditions allow.

Iran carried out extensive attacks on US military bases and other facilities across seven Middle Eastern countries, causing significant damage, according to a report by NBC News. The strikes followed US and Israeli attacks on February 28, and targeted warehouses, command centers, aircraft hangars, satellite communication systems, runways, advanced radar systems, and aircraft. The report indicated that the visible damage was far less than the actual scale of destruction.

Repairing the affected installations is expected to cost several billion dollars. Despite the activation of US air defense systems, an Iranian F-5 aircraft managed to strike a target, exposing weaknesses in the defense network. The Pentagon has not released a full account of the damage, and the US Central Command declined to comment on the wartime loss assessment.

The report underscores the intensity of the confrontation and the vulnerability of US assets in the region, though official confirmation of the full extent of losses remains pending.

Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command, announced that 42 commercial vessels attempting to enter or leave Iranian ports have been redirected. He praised the effectiveness of the naval blockade against Iran, stating that 41 tankers carrying 69 million barrels of oil, valued at over six billion dollars, remain unsold by the Iranian authorities. Cooper reaffirmed the US military’s commitment to fully enforcing the blockade.

The situation has intensified around the Strait of Hormuz, where hundreds of oil and gas tankers and cargo ships are stranded. Approximately 20,000 sailors are reportedly stuck in the Persian Gulf, unable to cross the strait due to the US blockade and heightened security risks.

The ongoing maritime standoff underscores the growing tension in one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, with significant implications for global oil transport and regional stability.

Around 20,000 sailors are stranded in the Persian Gulf as hundreds of oil, gas, and cargo ships remain unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz due to a US blockade and ongoing security risks. The standoff has persisted for nearly eight weeks, leaving crews such as that of Indian captain Rahul Dhar confined to their tankers while maintaining operations under growing psychological strain.

The sailors had hoped for relief after a ceasefire between the United States and Iran on April 7, but the conflict has yet to reach a clear resolution. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global energy route, normally handling about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, only about 80 ships crossed the strait between April 13 and 19, compared with more than 130 per day before the conflict, underscoring the severe slowdown in maritime traffic.

US President Donald Trump has indicated that his administration is reviewing the possibility of reducing the number of American troops stationed in Germany. He announced on his social media platform that a decision on the matter would be made soon.

The statement comes at a time of heightened tension between Washington and Berlin, following remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the Iran conflict. Merz had said that the United States was being “humiliated” by Iran’s leadership, a comment that drew sharp criticism from Trump. The US president has also repeatedly accused Germany and other NATO allies of failing to adequately support the US-Israel alliance, particularly criticizing their reluctance to deploy naval forces to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Germany currently hosts one of the largest US military contingents abroad, with approximately 33,900 American troops stationed there, according to the report.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in Riyadh, according to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs released on Thursday. The meeting focused on reviewing bilateral relations and exploring ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. Both ministers also discussed recent regional and international developments and their implications for security and stability. Prince Yazid bin Farhan, the Saudi foreign minister’s adviser on Lebanese affairs, was also present.

The French minister’s visit took place amid a deadlock in efforts to resolve tensions between the United States and Iran, which have affected Lebanon and other parts of the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and France have been jointly pursuing diplomatic initiatives to address Lebanon’s instability. The meeting comes as cross-border attacks between Hezbollah and Israel continue despite a ceasefire in Lebanon.

The discussions in Riyadh are expected to contribute to ongoing diplomatic coordination between Saudi Arabia and France on regional security matters, particularly concerning Lebanon and broader Middle Eastern stability.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has stated that the United States lacks a coherent or effective strategy in its ongoing conflict with Iran. Speaking to Swedish Radio News, Kristersson said it remains unclear how Washington intends to achieve its declared goal of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He expressed frustration, saying he sees no consistent plan behind U.S. actions at this stage.

Kristersson’s remarks add to a growing wave of European criticism directed at Washington’s handling of the Iran issue. Earlier, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused the U.S. of having no exit strategy for the war and claimed Washington had been humiliated at the negotiating table with Tehran. French President Emmanuel Macron had also urged the U.S. to maintain a more serious and consistent approach toward Iran.

The continued criticism from key Western allies is expected to increase pressure on the Biden administration over its Middle East policy, particularly regarding Iran.

Pakistan has opened six land transit routes for Iran to facilitate the movement of thousands of stranded containers following a US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. The initiative, formalized through the “Transit of Goods Through Territory of Pakistan Order 2026” issued on April 25, allows goods produced in third countries to be transported by road across Pakistan into Iran. The move creates an official road corridor linking Karachi, Port Qasim, and Gwadar ports with Iran’s Gabd and Taftan border crossings.

The announcement coincided with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Islamabad, where he met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir. Pakistan is currently attempting to mediate an end to the two-month conflict between Washington and Tehran. Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan described the decision as a significant step toward promoting regional trade and strengthening Pakistan’s role as a trade corridor. However, Indian goods remain excluded due to a post-2025 air war ban.

Analysts said the corridor could reduce Pakistan’s reliance on Afghanistan for westward trade and position it as a key gateway for China-backed routes into West Asia, though security risks along the border remain a concern.

Israel has detained 175 people from the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla after conducting an operation on 20 vessels, according to a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry posted on social media platform X. The ministry said the detained individuals were being peacefully taken toward Israel. A video showing personnel aboard an Israeli naval vessel was also released.

The Gaza Sumud Flotilla (GSF) claimed that Israeli forces carried out the operation on at least 22 vessels, calling it an act of piracy and a violation of international law. Israel maintains control over all entry routes into Gaza.

Since the war that began in October 2023, the United Nations and several international non-governmental organizations have accused Israel of obstructing the flow of goods into the region, further worsening the humanitarian situation.

The Israeli military reported that one of its drones was shot down over southern Lebanon. According to the army, the drone was brought down by Hezbollah using a surface-to-air missile. The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah also claimed responsibility, saying it had downed an Israeli Hermes 450Z drone over the Nabatieh area, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The incident has heightened tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, an area already prone to periodic clashes and military exchanges. Both sides confirmed the downing of the drone, though no further details were provided about casualties or damage.

The development is expected to further strain the fragile security situation in the border region, with observers noting increased volatility following the latest confrontation.