Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz on April 18 after briefly announcing it open, following the US refusal to end its naval blockade. A fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait, and several vessels were targeted after the closure was declared.

The IMF cut its 2026 global growth forecast and warned that a prolonged energy disruption could push growth to 2 percent, the threshold historically linked to global recession. Inflation could exceed 6 percent in the worst scenario.

A gunman killed six people and wounded at least 14 outside a supermarket in central Kyiv on April 19 before police shot him dead. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy confirmed the attacker was born in Russia.

Iran's nationwide internet shutdown passed 50 days, the longest ever recorded for a connected society, according to NetBlocks. Security forces began confiscating satellite dishes door to door after the government shut down Starlink access.