Tim Mak1d ago

Good morning to readers. #Oil prices have surpassed $94 per barrel (+31.25% compared to pre-war).

As the U.S.–#Iran truce holds, heavy anticipation fills the Middle #East. For those fleeing, the silence is too fragile to trust. Is this peace or just a pause before the unknown?

https://www.iranwar.news/p/24-hours-of-mayhem-on-the-ground

24 hours of mayhem in Iran, Lebanon and Israel

The U.S.-Iran peace deal is proving shaky: Israeli strikes on Lebanon ramp up; Iranians flee with little faith in the ceasefire, and many Israelis spent this morning in bomb shelters.

Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak
Show threadTim Mak
Arash* found out about the ceasefire while he was driving to #Armenia from Iran to join his family — they drove north to Armenia just days before the war started. “The #U.S. was building up its military forces in the region; we knew what was coming. So my wife and children left,” Arash explained.
Apr 8 at 4:22pmWeb
Show threadTim Mak1d ago
Arash had promised his family that he would join them in Armenia but remained in #Iran until #Trump threatened to bomb civilian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, if #Iran did not open the #Hormuz Strait. Many experts deemed this a threat to commit war crimes.
Show threadTim Mak1d ago
Arash knew that if the #U.S. started bombing the #railways and roads, it could become very difficult to leave.
Show threadTim Mak1d ago
“I heard about the ceasefire while I was on the road [to #Armenia]. I was happy when I heard about it…I think it’s wrong that #Trump was planning to bomb civilian infrastructure. It has nothing to do with him," he explained.
Show threadTim Mak1d ago
Today, people living in #Iran and neighboring countries have been left reeling by recent peace talk developments between Iran and the #U.S.
Show threadTim Mak1d ago
Yesterday, just hours before Trump’s 8 p.m. deadline to open the Strait of #Hormuz, #Trump said that Iran’s "civilization will die tonight.” Then, just over an hour before the clock struck 8 p.m. EST, he announced a two-week ceasefire.
Show threadTim Mak1d ago

If you want to know more, read our latest story on our new publication, #Iran #War Dispatches, via the link.

https://www.iranwar.news/

Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak | Substack

A publication to report on the war in Iran through the stories of people on the ground. Click to read Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

Show threadTim Mak1d ago

The latest news at this hour:

#IRAN COULD OPEN #HORMUZ BEFORE #PEACE TALKS: Senior Iranian officials involved in the peace negotiations have told Reuters that the Strait of Hormuz could be opened on Thursday or Friday under certain conditions.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/iran-could-open-strait-hormuz-controlled-way-ahead-meeting-with-us-senior-2026-04-08/

Show threadTim Mak1d ago

HEGSETH CLAIMS #U.S. COULD STILL TAKE IRAN’S URANIUM: Defense Secretary Hegseth said that he hopes that Iran hands over its enriched uranium but that if Iran fails to do so the U.S. will “reserve [the] opportunity” to do it their own way. “It’s buried and we’re watching it, " Hegseth said.

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-2026-trump-deadline-latest-news/card/hegseth-says-u-s-reserves-option-to-take-iran-s-uranium-EFvJqcXa30AOQzph8ZAO

Show threadTim Mak1d ago

#IRAN CONTINUES ATTACKS ON GULF STATES: Iran increased strikes on Gulf states despite the #ceasefire.

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-2026-trump-deadline-latest-news/card/missiles-fly-across-the-persian-gulf-despite-cease-fire-CQQWOG8twnDYMX0jRm9G

Show threadTim Mak1d ago

VITAL #OIL #PIPELINE ATTACKED IN SAUDI #ARABIA: Two anonymous sources said that one of the pumping stations along Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline was damaged by a drone attack, The Financial Times reported.

https://www.ft.com/content/115eb832-9a62-424f-a893-57156ce8abf7?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Saudi Arabia’s vital East-West oil pipeline attacked

Conduit has become an economic lifeline for the kingdom since the near closure of the Strait of Hormuz

Financial Times
Show threadTim Mak1d ago

#IRAN SAYS #U.S. DEFEATED WHILE HEGSETH DECLARES VICTORY: Defense Secretary Hegseth declared a decisive victory over Iran, saying that Iran’s defense production had been destroyed.

https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-2026-trump-deadline-latest-news/card/hegseth-declares-decisive-victory-over-iran-RfDw9uVfcHaFsBHd9oB6

Show threadTim Mak1d ago

#LEBANON EXCLUDED FROM #CEASEFIRE: Pakistan's Prime Minister Sharif, who brokered the deal, declared the truce applied "everywhere, including Lebanon." But Netanyahu's office swiftly contradicted him: the two-week ceasefire does not cover Lebanon. Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon and #Beirut continued. Lebanon's status under the agreement remains unresolved.

https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pakistan-invites-us-and-iran-to-islamabad-talks-says-ceasefire-extends-everywhere-lebanon-1.500499611

Pakistan invites US and Iran to Islamabad talks; says ceasefire extends ‘everywhere’, Lebanon

Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif hails US-Iran ceasefire, invites both sides to Islamabad talks aimed at securing lasting Middle East peace, including in Lebanon.

Gulf News: Latest UAE news, Dubai news, Business, travel news, Dubai Gold rate, prayer time, cinema
Show threadTim Mak1d ago

#OIL TUMBLES AFTER U.S.-IRAN #CEASEFIRE: The announcement of a conditional two-week ceasefire between #Washington and #Tehran — contingent on reopening the Strait of #Hormuz — triggered an immediate reaction across global financial markets.

https://kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-partisans-sabotage-railway-hub-in-russias-belgorod-oblast-group-claims/

Ukrainian partisans sabotage railway line in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, group claims

The pro-Ukrainian partisan group Atesh sabotaged a railway line in Russia's Belgorod Oblast, disrupting the transport of military cargo toward Kupiansk, the group claimed via Telegram on April 8.

The Kyiv Independent
Show threadTim Mak1d ago

Amplify the voices living in the shadows of war.

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https://www.iranwar.news/

Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak | Substack

A publication to report on the war in Iran through the stories of people on the ground. Click to read Iran War Dispatches with Tim Mak, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

Show threadJohn Breen1d ago
@timkmak I have trouble following the chain of alliances.
Iran is helping RU against Ukraine.
Ukraine is helping KSA and UAE (and USA and Israel ?) against Iran.
But the war on Iran was initiated by Trump and Netanyahu.
Israel and KSA/UAE seem cozy these days.
USA is a KSA/UAE ally.
Are Israel and USA seen as Ukraine allies ?
1/2
Show threadJohn Breen1d ago

@timkmak Which side is RU seen as supporting in Iran, and how far are they willing to go ?
It's clear that China is exerting some influence, and China is seen as supporting RU against Ukraine.
What I've not mentioned in this calculus is the EU, because they seem uninterested in Iran. They are more interested in Russia, Ukraine, and Orban. Where US POTUS/VPOTUS support the fascist...

???

2/2