Cairo, Apr 19: The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz escalated again Saturday as Iran reversed its reopening of the crucial waterway and fired on ships attempting to pass, in retaliation after the United States pressed ahead with its blockade of Iranian ports.

The strait is closed until the US blockade is lifted, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy said Saturday night, warning that “no vessel should make any movement from its anchorage in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, and approaching the Strait of Hormuz will be considered as cooperation with the enemy” and be targeted.

New attacks on the strait, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil normally passes, threatened to deepen the global energy crisis and push the countries into renewed conflict as the war entered its eighth week.

A fragile ceasefire is due to run out by Wednesday. Iran said it had received new proposals from the United States, and Pakistani mediators were working to arrange another round of direct negotiations.

Iran’s joint military command earlier said “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces.”

Revolutionary Guard gunboats opened fire on a tanker and an unknown projectile hit a container vessel, damaging some containers, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. India’s foreign ministry said it summoned Iran’s ambassador over the “serious incident” of firing on two India-flagged merchant ships, especially after Iran earlier let several India-bound ships through.

For Iran, the strait’s closure — imposed after the US and Israel launched the war on February 28 during talks over Tehran’s nuclear programme — is perhaps its most powerful weapon, threatening the world economy and inflicting political pain on President Donald Trump. For the United States, the blockade keeps up pressure and could strangle Iran’s already weakened economy.

Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued defiant remarks on Saturday, saying the navy stands “ready to inflict bitter defeats on its enemies.” He has not been seen in public since being elevated to the post following his father’s death in Israel’s opening barrage.

A turnaround a day after Iran said the strait was open

On Friday, Iran announced the strait’s reopening to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. The reopening caused oil prices to fall.

Trump, however, said the US blockade of Iran’s ports “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the United States. Trump had imposed the blockade after a round of historic face-to-face talks in Pakistan between the countries ended without an agreement.

US forces have sent 23 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, US Central Command said Saturday. Trump’s comments triggered an outcry.

“Americans are risking the international community, risking the global economy through these, I can say, miscalculations,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told The Associated Press, adding that the US is “risking the whole ceasefire package.”

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued a statement calling the blockade a violation of the ceasefire and said Iran would prevent “any conditional and limited reopening” of the strait. The council has recently acted as Iran’s de facto top decision-making body.

Since most supplies to US military bases in the Gulf region come through the strait, “Iran is determined to maintain oversight and control over traffic through the strait until the war fully ends,” the council said. That means Iran-designated routes, payment of fees and issuance of transit certificates.

The Revolutionary Guard navy statement later indicated that no vessel should attempt a transit at all.

Pakistan pushes for progress toward a new deal

The renewed standoff over the strait came hours after Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country was working to “bridge” differences between the US and Iran. Pakistan is expected to host a second round of negotiations early next week.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said “new proposals” from the US had been put forward during a visit to Iran by Pakistan’s army chief and were being reviewed.

But Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for a new round of face-to-face talks because the Americans “have not abandoned their maximalist position.”

He also said Iran will not hand over its stock of 970 pounds (440 kilograms) of enriched uranium to the United States, calling the idea “a non-starter.” Khatibzadeh did not address other proposals for the enriched uranium, saying only that “we are ready to address any concerns.”

Trump said Saturday that Iran “got a little cute” but that “very good” conversations were happening, and more information would come by day’s end. “They can’t blackmail us,” he added.

On Friday, Trump said the US will go into Iran and “get all the nuclear dust,” referring to the enriched uranium, which is believed to be buried under nuclear sites badly damaged by US military strikes last year.

French peacekeeper is killed in Lebanon

French President Emmanuel Macron said a French soldier was killed and three others were wounded Saturday during an attack on UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. “Everything suggests that responsibility for this attack lies with Hezbollah,” Macron wrote on social media. The UNIFIL peacekeeping force also blamed Hezbollah.

Hezbollah denied involvement.

Pakistan’s foreign minister said fighting between Israel and Hezbollah had been a key sticking point in US-Iran talks, and the declaration of a ceasefire in Lebanon was seen as a boost to efforts for an Iran agreement.

It was unclear to what extent Hezbollah would abide by a truce it did not play a role in negotiating, especially with Israeli troops still occupying a stretch of southern Lebanon.

In Beirut, displaced families began moving toward southern Lebanon and the capital’s southern suburbs despite warnings by officials not to return home until it was clear whether the ceasefire would hold.

The Iran war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, more than 2,290 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen US service members have been killed.

The sky above Kabul, once marked by long stretches of silence broken only by gunfire and drifting smoke, or natural disasters and occasion roaring of helicopter or flying jet has transformed into a dotted canvas of colour and motion.

Today, bright flying kites glide like a flying ribbon, and dart across a clear blue backdrop, carrying with them a sense of calm, shared joy looks. Beneath them, families gather, children laugh, and communities reconnect in a festival that feels as symbolic as it is celebratory.

For many, especially the younger generation, the festival offers something increasingly rare: time outdoors. In a world where screens often dominate attention, the sight of hundreds of eyes lifted toward the sky feels significant. Children who might otherwise be absorbed in phones are instead running across open deserted fields, chasing loose kites and cheering each other on. The simple act of looking up, of being present in a shared space, becomes part of the celebration and delight itself.

According to Tolo News, the three-day festival has drawn large crowds from across Kabul and the surroundings, turning the event into a lively gathering centred on tradition and togetherness. Kite flying, long regarded as one of the country’s most cherished pastimes, provides both competition and connection. Participants describe it not just as a game, but as an expression of cultural identity and collective memory.

Tolo News quoted one participant as saying, “Kite flying is one of Afghanistan’s traditional games that has long been popular among the people of Kabul. In the past, people used to coat the string with glass to make the string stronger, and overall, it is a very enjoyable game.” Others, as reported by local media, echoed the sentiment, emphasising the festival’s role in bringing families together. “We came to the kite festival for recreation, to spend some happy time with our family members,” another attendee shared.

The energy of the competition builds with every kite launched. When strings cross, and one is cut, the crowd erupts. A freed kite drifts unpredictably, and instantly, young people sprint across the open areas or congested lanes, eager to capture it. Laughter follows as multiple voices claim victory, each insisting they were the one who made the decisive cut. In the end, one competitor may be declared the winner, but the excitement belongs to everyone.

Beyond the competition, the festival carries a deeper purpose. Organizers say the event is designed to promote unity, encourage social interaction, and celebrate the arrival of spring, a season often associated with renewal and hope. Thousands of kites and reels have been distributed free by doners and game lovers, ensuring that all class of people, regardless of means, can participate.

The gathering has also grown into a broader showcase of activity and talent. Regional media reported that alongside the kite flying, freestyle performers and athletes draw crowds with dynamic displays, adding another layer of entertainment and drawing even more people into the festive atmosphere.

For older generations, the scenes take them back into their memory lanes, the powerful childhood memories. One elderly participant recalled flying kites as a child with his father, describing the tradition as a cultural inheritance passed down through generations. For him and many others, the festival is not just about the present moment, it is a bridge between past and future.

Kite flying in Kabul has long been tied to both winter and spring, seasons when communities come together to mark change and continuity. After years when conflict limited such gatherings, the return of large-scale celebrations carries added meaning. The kites themselves, light, colourful, fragile, yet resilient, seem to mirror the spirit of the people below.

As one attendee said, kite flying conveys a message of peace. It creates space for connection, for joy, and for the kind of shared experience that strengthens communities. Kabul’s kite flying festival becomes more than an event, it becomes a reminder of what it means to come together.