Sunday

April 12, 2026

Armed conflicts and attacks

Three Pakistan Coast Guard personnel are killed when Balochistan Liberation Army militants open fire on a patrol boat in the Arabian Sea near the Iran–Pakistan border. (Reuters)

Middle Eastern crisis

2026 Iran war

The Iranian government updates the death toll in Iran to 3,375 people. (Al Jazeera)

2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis

2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign

U.S. president Donald Trump announces a U.S. naval blockade of Iran and the strait "effective immediately," which will "seek and interdict" any vessel that paid Iran's toll to cross the strait. (Axios)

2026 Iran war ceasefire

The initial three rounds of ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States conclude in Islamabad, Pakistan, after 14 hours. However, the Iranian government says that negotiations will continue. (AA) (Reuters)

U.S. vice president JD Vance, who led the American delegation in the ceasefire talks, says that the two sides have not reached a deal to end the war, with disagreement over nuclear weapon development, and that the U.S. made its "final and best offer" and stated "We'll see if the Iranians accept it". (Al Jazeera) (NBC News)

Pakistani deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar urges Iran and the U.S. to uphold their commitment to observe a ceasefire after Vance said that both sides didn't reach an agreement. Dar also says that Pakistan will continue to play its role in facilitating engagement and dialogue between both sides. (Arab News PK)

Pakistani sources say that the major disagreements during the talks were Iran's nuclear program, missile program, restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, and calls for a ceasefire in Lebanon. (MENA via The New Arab)

Hezbollah–Israel conflict

2026 Lebanon war

At least 24 people are killed by Israeli airstrikes across southern Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Gaza war

The Israeli military claims that they have killed several Hamas terrorists who took part in hostage-taking during the October 7 attacks, including Nukhba commander Ali Sami Mohammad Shakra, in a strike in central Gaza yesterday that killed seven people. (The Jerusalem Post) (The Times of Israel)

Arts and culture

2026 Laurence Olivier Awards