This live blog follows updates for Day 52 of the US-Israel war on Iran. For a recap of Day 51, go here.
- Israel threatens force in Lebanon despite ceasefire tensions
- US seizes Iranian ship, escalating maritime confrontation
- Iran condemns blockade, warns retaliation soon
- Strait of Hormuz remains high-risk for shipping
- Diplomatic efforts continue with talks planned in Pakistan.
US oil benchmark surges 7.5% as Middle East conflict escalates
Published: April 20, 2026 | 00:15GMT | by Web Desk
The benchmark US oil contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), surged 7.5% on Monday, as Iran accused the United States of having broken a ceasefire in place since early April.
WTI crude was trading up 7.5% at $90.17 per barrel, while international oil benchmark Brent North Sea crude gained 6.5% to $96.27 per barrel.
Iran's military said a US destroyer fired on an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to evade a US naval blockade.
Meanwhile, the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, has been virtually closed since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran.
'We are conducting negotiations': Iran’s parliament speaker
Published: April 20, 2026 | 03:11GMT | by Web Desk
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Tehran does not trust its adversaries and warned the war could escalate at any moment, Middle East Eye reported, citing the Iranian Mehr News Agency.
“We do not trust the enemy, for he may escalate the war at any moment,” he said, adding that Iran is engaged in negotiations but remains ready to act.
“We are conducting negotiations, but we are prepared to take the necessary measures,” Ghalibaf said.
“The last war was imposed on us by American cunning in the midst of negotiations, but we gained experience from the 12-day war.”
US destroyer fires on, seizes Iran cargo ship trying to evade blockade
Published: April 20, 2026 | 01:21GMT | by Web Desk
A US destroyer fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman that tried to evade a US naval blockade, President Donald Trump and the US military said.
Trump posted on Truth Social that after the Iranian vessel, Touska, ignored warnings to stop, the guided missile destroyer USS Spruance "stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engine room."
Separately, the US Central Command released footage of enforcing naval "blockade measures against an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel attempting to sail toward an Iranian port."
Over 20 vessels passed through Strait of Hormuz on Saturday
Published: April 20, 2026 | 02:57GMT | by Web Desk
Data from shipping analytics firm Kpler shows that more than 20 vessels passed the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, marking the highest number of ships crossing the waterway since the war on Iran began on March 1.
Of the vessels that successfully transited on Saturday, five had most recently taken on Iranian cargoes consisting of metals and various oil products.
This group included three liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, with two destined for China and India, the data shows.
The other vessels that departed included those carrying products from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
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