The Latest: Standoff intensifies in Strait of Hormuz after Trump issues ‘shoot and kill’ order

Tensions in the standoff between the U.S. and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz intensified Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he ordered the U.S. military to “shoot and kill” Iranian small boats in the strait, while Iran pushed back on Trump's claim there was a leadership rift in the Islamic Republic.

“In Iran there are no ‘hard-liners’ or ‘moderates’. We are all Iranians and revolutionaries,” Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and Speaker of Parliament Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf wrote in almost identical social media statements.

Since the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the first strike of the war on Feb. 28, it has been unclear who in Iran wields ultimate authority over its collection of civilian figures and powerful generals who appear to be in charge.

Trump also said Thursday evening that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah by three weeks after talks at the White House.

The standoff between the U.S. and Iran has effectively choked off nearly all exports through the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of the world’s traded oil passes in peacetime, with no end in sight.

Here is the latest:

Some Lebanese people in Beirut believe south Lebanon should be included in a ceasefire between Israel and militant group Hezbollah.

They said a deal will not be sustainable without a lasting truce between Iran and the United States.

“It is not related to Hezbollah and Israel, but to Iran and the US. If they reach an agreement, the whole of the Middle East will be calm, but if not, there will be escalation in Lebanon and the rest of the world,” Joe Ghafari said.

Diala Ammar said it is “unfair” for the south to stay at war while the rest of the country “lives normally.”

Israeli forces occupying a strip of territory extending several miles into southern Lebanon have continued strikes, while Hezbollah has attacked Israeli forces there.

Pakistan completed repayment of $3.45 billion in deposits to the United Arab Emirates, returning a final $1 billion tranche, Pakistan’s central bank said Friday.

Pakistan had to arrange $3 billion in fresh financing from Saudi Arabia to support its foreign reserves.

The UAE placed the deposits with Pakistan in 2018 to bolster foreign exchange reserves.

The repayment comes weeks after the UAE asked Pakistan to return the funds without publicly explaining the reason for the abrupt request.

Media reports in Pakistan suggested the UAE’s request was linked to geopolitical differences over regional developments, though the government in Islamabad has downplayed such claims, maintaining that bilateral ties remain strong..

Iran’s top diplomat has called Pakistani officials over the ceasefire in the war with the United States and Israel.

A statement Friday said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief.

Araghchi’s statement said the men spoke about “regional developments and issues related to the ceasefire,” without elaborating.

Pakistan did not immediately acknowledge the call.

Pakistan has been trying to get American and Iranian officials back to the negotiating table in Islamabad, where they had hoped to have talks earlier this week that didn’t materialize.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said peace negotiations between the United States and Iran are at risk of forging a “weaker” agreement than one struck a decade ago.

“If the talks are only about the nuclear (issue) and there are no nuclear experts around the table, then we will end up with an agreement that is weaker than the JCPoA was,” Kallas said Friday in Cyprus, referring to a 2015 deal struck during the Obama administration that Trump pulled the U.S. out of in 2018.

Kallas said if negotiators do not table Iran’s “missile programs, their support to proxies, and also hybrid and cyber activities in Europe” there is a possibility “we will end up with a more dangerous Iran.”

A medical aid convoy left Turkey headed for Iran, an official told Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency on Friday.

The six trucks departed Van in eastern Turkey to pass through the Gurbulak border crossing, Van Health Director Muhammed Tosun said.

“The materials include medicines and medical supplies,” Tosun said.

“We previously sent three trucks. With today’s trucks, a total of nine trucks of aid materials will have been delivered to our Iranian colleagues to serve their citizens,” he said.

Zainab, the sister of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil, who was killed on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike, hugs her helmet as she mourns over her coffin in the village of Baysariyeh, southern Lebanon, Thursday, April 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

Mourners carry the coffin of Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil, who was killed Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike, during her funeral procession in the village of Baysariyeh in southern Lebanon on Thursday, April 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa, right, speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad, listen during a meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

From left, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad, listen to President Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

A container ship is seen in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Qeshm Island, Iran, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Asghar Besharati)

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 24, 2026--

Big-box warehouse supply across the Midlands has begun to fall after the turn-of-the-year peak, according to data from CoStar, a global leading provider of online real estate marketplaces, information and analytics in the property markets.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260424621936/en/

Availability has fallen by around 5m sq. ft. in recent months due to stronger occupier demand and a moderating construction pipeline, following a prolonged period of rising supply. Despite this decline, it remains historically high at around 30m sq. ft.

“Many occupiers are now moving earlier to secure space,” said Grant Lonsdale, senior director of market analytics at CoStar Europe. “This is particularly evident in established distribution locations with strong motorway access, driving around 6m sq. ft, of take‑up across the Midlands in the opening months of this year.”

At the same time, construction activity has slowed markedly, with around 70% of the region’s big-box space under construction pre‑let, limiting new availability in the coming months. At 9.3m sq. ft., the pipeline is 40% smaller than two years ago and half its 2022 peak.

“Tightening market conditions are likely to stabilise incentives and rental levels after a period of subdued activity,” said Lonsdale. “While rental growth may remain selective and scheme‑specific, the balance of power may be beginning to shift modestly back toward landlords, particularly owners of high‑quality warehouses.”

The full analysis can be found here.

For more information about the company and its products and services, please visit www.costargroup.com.

About CoStar Group

CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP) is a global leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, online marketplaces, and 3D digital twin technology. Founded in 1986, CoStar Group is dedicated to digitizing the world’s real estate, empowering all people to discover properties, insights, and connections that improve their businesses and lives.

CoStar Group’s major brands include CoStar, a leading global provider of commercial real estate data, analytics, and news; LoopNet, the most trafficked commercial real estate marketplace; Apartments.com, the leading platform for apartment rentals; Homes.com, the fastest-growing residential real estate marketplace; and Domain, one of Australia’s leading property marketplaces. CoStar Group’s industry-leading brands also include Matterport, a leading spatial data company whose platform turns buildings into data to make every space more valuable and accessible; STR, a global leader in hospitality data and benchmarking; Ten-X, an online platform for commercial real estate auctions and negotiated bids; and OnTheMarket, a leading residential property portal in the United Kingdom.

CoStar Group’s websites attracted over 139 million average monthly unique visitors in the fourth quarter of 2025, serving clients around the world. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, CoStar Group is committed to transforming the real estate industry through innovative technology and comprehensive market intelligence. From time to time, we plan to utilize our corporate website as a channel of distribution for material company information. For more information, visit CoStarGroup.com.

CoStar Data Shows Midlands Big-Box Market Reaches Turning Point as Supply Starts to Fall