Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has described Israel’s attack on journalists as a clear war crime following the death of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil. He strongly condemned the Israeli strikes targeting journalists in southern Lebanon, particularly after Khalil was killed in an airstrike in the village of At-Tiri on Wednesday.

Salam stated that deliberately targeting journalists, preventing rescue teams from reaching them, and striking the same site again after rescuers arrive constitute a clear war crime. He added that such attacks on journalists performing their professional duties are no longer isolated incidents in the region but have become a systematic practice that violates international law and norms.

The incident occurred when an Israeli airstrike destroyed a building in At-Tiri, trapping Khalil under the rubble. She was later recovered dead, according to reports cited by Middle East Eye.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that the consequences of the ongoing Iran war are spreading into Europe and could worsen if peace is not achieved. He made the remarks during a telephone conversation with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, according to a report published on April 23, 2026.

Erdogan stated that the conflict in the region is beginning to weaken Europe and emphasized that the damage caused by the war could increase further without peace. He added that Turkey is working to end the Iran conflict through dialogue and to achieve a lasting peace.

The discussion between the Turkish and German presidents highlights Ankara’s diplomatic engagement amid regional instability, as Turkey seeks to position itself as a mediator in the Iran conflict.

Israeli media reported that the United States has informed Israel the ceasefire with Iran will expire on Sunday. According to Israel’s state broadcaster Kan, Washington told Tel Aviv that the deadline set by President Donald Trump for Tehran is nearing its end within a few days. The report added that Trump seeks to reach an agreement with Tehran rather than prolonging indefinite negotiations.

Israeli sources cited in the reports indicated that progress in the ongoing US-Iran discussions is unlikely this week. Earlier, White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt stated that President Trump had not set any specific deadline for receiving proposals from Iran. The information was originally reported by Middle East Eye and later circulated through Israeli outlets.

The approaching end of the ceasefire raises uncertainty about the next phase of US-Iran relations and potential regional tensions if no agreement is reached before the deadline.

Iran has strengthened its control over the Strait of Hormuz as uncertainty persists over ending the ongoing war and no signs of renewed peace talks have emerged. Tehran has seized two ships in the strategic waterway, according to reports. The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a unilateral ceasefire extension, saying it would remain in effect until discussions on an Iranian peace proposal take place.

Iranian officials have not confirmed whether they agreed to extend the ceasefire and criticized the U.S. decision to maintain a naval blockade on Iranian trade routes, calling it a wartime measure. Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that a full ceasefire would only be meaningful if the blockade were lifted. The war, which began on February 28 with a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, has seen little progress toward resolution.

Maritime sources said a third Liberian-flagged container ship was fired upon but not damaged. The U.S. military reported redirecting over 30 ships as part of the blockade and detaining at least three Iranian tankers near Asian waters.

The United States military has detained at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters, redirecting them from positions near India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. The information was reported by Reuters on Wednesday, citing maritime and security sources. The seizures come as Washington continues to enforce sanctions on Iran’s maritime trade.

The report notes that Iran has fired on vessels attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Despite a declared ceasefire nearly two months after the outbreak of conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, there are no visible signs of renewed peace talks. The closure of the strait has disrupted one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies, triggering a worldwide energy crisis.

In recent days, US forces have also seized an Iranian cargo ship and an oil tanker, while Iran claimed to have captured three vessels attempting to leave the Persian Gulf. The US Central Command has not yet commented on the latest tanker detentions.

Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon killed five people, including a journalist, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA). The attacks took place in the village of At-Tiri, where the first strike damaged a vehicle and killed two people inside a house. The NNA reported that a subsequent airstrike hit a building in the same village, trapping a journalist under the debris. Amal Khalil, a reporter for the local newspaper Al Akhbar, was later found dead at the scene.

The Israeli military stated that it targeted two vehicles that had departed from a military facility used by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. The NNA’s report, citing Al Jazeera as a source, confirmed that the strikes occurred in southern Lebanon but did not specify further details about the timing or broader context of the attacks.

The incident highlights ongoing hostilities between Israel and armed groups operating in southern Lebanon, though the report did not include any official reactions or statements from Lebanese authorities or Hezbollah.

A 15-day ceasefire between the United States and Iran, brokered by Pakistan on April 9, 2026, expired on April 22 without renewal. Despite mediation efforts by Pakistan and Egypt, no agreement was reached on extending the truce. Key disputes remain unresolved, including Iran’s nuclear program, control of the Strait of Hormuz, and Israeli attacks in Lebanon. Iran accused the US of violating the ceasefire by maintaining naval blockades, while Washington claimed Iran was attempting to blackmail it by closing the strait.

Reports indicate that the US has increased its military activity in the region, deploying additional naval and air assets, including aircraft carriers, artillery brigades, and missile defense systems. Analysts suggest the US may be using the ceasefire to rebuild its strategic strength after failing to achieve its objectives during earlier hostilities. Iran, meanwhile, is said to be rebuilding its defenses with support from Russia and China.

Observers believe the short-term truce may serve as a tactical pause for both sides to regroup, raising concerns that renewed conflict could erupt soon if diplomatic efforts fail.

Tasnim News Agency, a media outlet close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has published a map showing submarine internet cables and cloud infrastructure in the Strait of Hormuz. The publication, reported on April 23, 2026, is being viewed as an implicit warning to Gulf Arab states whose digital communications depend on these routes.

According to Tasnim’s report, the Strait of Hormuz is not only a vital energy supply route but also a key corridor for submarine cables. The report warned that accidental or deliberate damage to several major cables could cause severe internet outages across the Persian Gulf region.

The main internet cables of countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia pass through this strait. The region has previously experienced disruptions due to cable cuts in the Red Sea, and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also issued threats regarding cables in the past.

The Pentagon has informed that removing sea mines from the Strait of Hormuz will take six months, according to a report by the Associated Press citing sources familiar with the matter. The information was shared during a closed-door briefing to the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, where defense officials outlined the current situation in the strategic waterway.

The AP report noted that the briefing left lawmakers with more questions than answers, particularly regarding the cost, strategy, and objectives of the ongoing conflict with Iran. Lawmakers also raised concerns about an earlier attack on an Iranian school that reportedly killed around 165 people, most of them young schoolgirls. No responses were provided to these questions during the meeting.

The situation underscores ongoing uncertainty surrounding U.S. military operations and policy objectives in the region, as well as the humanitarian consequences of recent hostilities.

The United States military has reported that 31 ships were redirected or sent back to port during a naval blockade against Iran. According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), most of the vessels involved were oil tankers, and the majority complied with US instructions to change course or return.

CENTCOM stated that the blockade operation involves around 10,000 US troops, 17 warships, and more than a hundred aircraft. The military shared the update through a message on social media, emphasizing that most ships followed the directives issued by US forces.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, did not specify the duration or geographic scope of the blockade but confirmed that it forms part of a broader US military operation targeting Iranian maritime activities.

Hundreds of Bangladeshi youths are losing their lives in the Mediterranean Sea while attempting to reach Europe illegally through human trafficking networks. Each journey costs between 1.5 and 3 million taka, yet many never reach their destination. According to the UNHCR, 39 percent of those traveling from Libya to Italy by sea are Bangladeshi, with 1,358 Bangladeshis among 5,901 arrivals as of March 22 this year. A recent tragedy on March 27 claimed 13 lives from Sunamganj district during a Libya-to-Greece crossing.

Experts blame both the government’s limited enforcement and the migrants’ unrealistic ambitions for the persistence of this “Europe game.” Research by BRAC shows that men aged 26–40, mostly from districts such as Madaripur, Shariatpur, and Sylhet, are the most likely to attempt the journey. Families often fall into debt after paying traffickers, while legal cases against smugglers see little progress.

Officials say the government is taking steps to curb illegal migration, though challenges remain in awareness campaigns and cross-border cooperation. The Home Ministry reports over 4,700 pending human trafficking cases, with more than 42,000 accused individuals nationwide.

After being missing for 27 years, Amir Hossain Talukder, a 62-year-old from Naria in Shariatpur, has returned to Bangladesh from Malaysia. He arrived in Dhaka late Tuesday night on a Batik Air flight and was received at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport by his family, BRAC Migration Program representatives, and airport officials. His return brought both joy and sorrow, as he was found to be mentally unstable and unable to recognize his family members.

According to family sources, Amir Hossain went to Malaysia in 1996 to work as a painter and regularly sent money home for the first few years. Communication was lost after three years, and his family eventually assumed he had died. Recently, Bangladeshi expatriates discovered him living in a tin shed in a jungle in Penang, Malaysia, and shared his photos and videos online. His family identified him from those images and contacted BRAC, which coordinated with the Bangladesh Embassy in Malaysia to arrange his return.

BRAC stated that it will provide necessary medical and rehabilitation support considering Amir Hossain’s physical and mental condition.

An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon’s Tyre city on Wednesday, April 22, killed Amal Khalil, a journalist for the newspaper Al-Akhbar, and seriously injured another reporter, Zainab Faraj. According to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA), Khalil was hit while on professional duty. She is the fourth media worker killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since March.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state media reported that Faraj was injured while rescuers tried to free Khalil from the rubble. The Lebanese Red Cross transported Faraj to Tibnin Hospital. Authorities said the journalists had taken shelter in a nearby house after an initial strike, which was later targeted again, killing two other people and injuring several others.

The Israeli military acknowledged that two journalists were wounded but denied obstructing rescue operations, claiming the strike targeted two suspected vehicles linked to a Hezbollah military site. The United Nations and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the attack on journalists.

A total of 174 Bangladeshi nationals were repatriated from Tripoli, Libya, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, through the coordinated efforts of the Embassy of Bangladesh in Libya and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The returnees, who had been living in risky and distressed conditions in Tripoli and nearby areas, voluntarily chose to return home. Among them, 27 individuals were reported to be physically ill, including one in serious condition. They were scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Thursday morning via Buraq Air flight UZ 222.

Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Libya, Major General Md Habib Ullah, met the returnees at the embassy premises before their departure and provided a pre-departure briefing. He emphasized that the embassy continues to work closely with relevant authorities to ensure the safe return of Bangladeshis wishing to come home voluntarily. The ambassador also highlighted the support of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment in prioritizing the repatriation of distressed and trafficked citizens.

He further urged the returnees to take legal action against fraudulent brokers who had deceived them, aiming to prevent future exploitation of Bangladeshi migrants.

U.S. President Donald Trump said a positive development could emerge by Friday regarding a second round of peace talks with Iran. According to The New York Post, citing Islamabad-based sources, the discussions might resume within 36 to 72 hours. When asked about potential progress, Trump responded via text message saying, “It’s possible! – President D.J.T.”

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency immediately rejected the claim, posting on social media that Trump was lying and that Iran had no plans to join talks on Friday. Earlier, Trump had extended the existing ceasefire with Iran to allow more time for negotiations, and the truce remained effective as no new clashes occurred.

Trump noted that the United States had not set a specific deadline for Iran’s next move and credited consultations with Pakistan’s leadership for this approach. He added that U.S. forces were instructed to maintain the blockade and uphold the ceasefire until Iran presented a unified proposal.