Main Points
- US president Donald Trump warned Iran that its forces will be “blown off the face of the earth” if they attempt to target US vessels guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday
- Iran fired missiles and drones at the UAE and Oman after the US military launched ‘Project Freedom’ to ensure ships could again pass through the strait
- US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said reopening the strait is a ‘temporary mission’ and that the US ‘is not looking for a fight’
- The head of the International Monetary Fund warned the global economy could face a ‘much worse outcome’ if the war drags into 2027 with inflation already picking up
- Spain renewed a demand for the ‘immediate release’ of a Spanish activist who was detained on a Gaza-bound flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Greece
- About 13,000 fewer flights will operate in May around the world after recent cancellations
Key Reads
- News report: Iran renews attack on UAE as Middle East braces for resumption of war
- Europe has ‘gotten the message’ from Trump on Iran, Nato chief says
- Trump had not seen Iran offer despite insisting he was ‘not satisfied’
- Trump says Iran ceasefire means he doesn’t need Congress approval for war
That concludes our rolling updates for this evening. We’ll be back tomorrow with more coverage of the war in the Middle East.
US secretary of state insists ‘Project Freedom’ is ‘defensive’ operation
US secretary of state Marco Rubio is briefing reporters at the White House and has insisted “Project Freedom” is a defensive operation.
“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first. We’re not attacking them, but if they are attacking us, you need to respond to that,” he said.
Inflation in Iran is at 70 per cent, he said, and its currency is “in total and complete free fall”.
The US blockade is costing Iran “as much as $500 million a day in lost revenue”, Rubio said.
“Ninety per cent of total Iranian trade has been halted” by the blockade, resulting in “permanent damage” to Iran’s oil infrastructure, he said.
The US’s preference, Rubio added, is “for these straits to be opened to the way they’re supposed to be open, back to the way it was. Anyone can use it. No mines in the water, nobody paying tolls. That’s what we have to get back to, and that’s the goal here.”
Iran must “make a sensible choice” and take the diplomatic path that could lead to “reconstruction, to prosperity and to stability and to not posing a threat to the world,” Rubio said.
Asked if the US has seen any recent indications that Iran is willing to give up its nuclear program, he said “they have always said they don’t want a nuclear weapon, they just don’t mean it.”
Two million airline seats cut because of soaring jet fuel prices
Two million airline seats have been cut from this month’s schedules as airlines redraw their operations because of soaring jet fuel prices amid the Middle East conflict.
About 13,000 fewer flights will operate in May around the world after recent cancellations, according to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium.
Although the figure represents less than 2 per cent of global aviation capacity, it comes amid fears that the long-term supply of jet fuel could cause further summer cancellations.
Some of the 2 million seats have been cut by using smaller planes, as well as outright cancellations.
Istanbul and Munich have recorded the biggest drop in flights, with Turkish Airlines and the German flag carrier Lufthansa making swingeing cuts. Lufthansa has cut 20,000 short-haul flights, operated by its CityLine subsidiary.
The price of jet fuel has more than doubled since the US-Israel attack on Iran and the closure of the strait of Hormuz.
Iraq’s prime minister-designate offers mediation support between US and Iran
Iraq’s prime minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi has spoken by phone with Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian and offered to help efforts to mediate between the US and Iran.
In a statement on X, al-Zaidi said he used the call to convey “Iraq’s position in support of the diplomatic path and the adoption of dialogue to resolve disputes and contain crises, affirming Iraq’s ability to contribute to a mediating role between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America.”
Last week, Trump congratulated Al-Zaidi on his nomination, saying the US looked forward to a “strong, vibrant, and highly productive” relationship with Iraq.
IRCG warns vessels only to transit Hormuz through routes it approves
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRCG) navy has issued a renewed threat to ships transiting through the strait of Hormuz not to deviate from routes Iran has previously approved.
“All vessels intending to transit the strait are warned that the only safe route for passage through the Strait of Hormuz is the corridor previously announced by Iran. Any deviation from this route is unsafe and will be met with firm action by the IRGC Navy,” the IRCG said in a statement, reported by the Fars news agency,
It comes as both Tehran and Washington claim to be in control of the strait after the US launched so-called “Project Freedom”, an effort to support ships to move freely through the critical waterway, and the two sides exchanged fire on Monday.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth insisted this morning that “Project Freedom” was a “separate and distinct” effort from the ongoing military operation in the region.
Trump dismisses war with Iran as ‘a little skirmish’
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, US president Donald Trump dismissed Iran’s military capability and when asked what could constitute a violation of a fragile ceasefire, said: “They know what not to do.”
Asked whether he would consider arming the Iranian opposition to help them seize power in the country, he said, “I don’t want to say that, but yeah, I mean, people say, why aren’t they protesting?”
Trump also sought to minimise the war with Iran, calling it “a little skirmish”.
“We’re in a little skirmish military. I call it a skirmish, because Iran has no chance. They never did. They know it,” Trump said during the event.
On Monday, he called it a “mini-war” and last month he described US military operations against Iran as “a little excursion”.
He added that Iran “wants to make a deal”, saying: “As you know, the blockade has been amazing. It’s like a piece of steel. Nobody’s going to challenge the blockade. And I think it’s working out very well. We’re going to say, I can say this; Iran wants to make a deal”.
“What I don’t like about Iran is they’ll talk to me with such great respect and then they’ll go on television. They’ll say, we did not speak to the president”.
Turkey’s Aselsan to ramp up delivery of ‘Steel Dome’ parts in 2026
Leading Turkish defence firm Aselsan will ramp up the delivery of parts it is producing as part of Turkey’s efforts to build its integrated and multi-layered “Steel Dome” air defence system, the company’s general manager told Reuters on Tuesday.
NATO member Turkey, which in recent years has significantly ramped up its defence industry production and reduced dependence on external suppliers, first announced plans to build its Steel Dome - similar to Israel’s Iron Dome system - in July 2024.
Despite its defence industry developments, Turkey lacks its own fully-fledged air defences. It has relied on nearby NATO air defences against Iranian missiles targeting its airspace during the Iran war.
Speaking at the SAHA 2026 defence show in Istanbul, Aselsan General Manager Ahmet Akyol said the company would increase by 50 per cent the delivery of products as part of the Steel Dome, adding they aimed to deliver more than 150 different components in 2026.
He said the parts to be delivered by Aselsan included early warning radars, electronic combat and defense systems and payloads, adding that the Steel Dome parts would comprise nearly a third of the firm’s portfolio in coming years. - Reuters
Hegseth says US ceasefire with Iran ‘not over’ despite Strait of Hormuz attacks
US military leaders have said that a ceasefire with Iran remains in effect a day after Tehran was blamed for new attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and against the United Arab Emirates.
The fragile truce, reached nearly a month ago, appeared to be holding on Tuesday as US forces pressed ahead with efforts to reopen the vital waterway for global energy.
On Monday, the US said it sank six small Iranian boats that had threatened commercial ships.
So far, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through a new US-guarded route, with hundreds more bottled up in the Persian Gulf. - AP
Trump accuses Pope Leo of ‘endangering a lot of Catholics’ with Iran stance
US president Donald Trump has issued a fresh verbal attack against Pope Leo XIV, accusing the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics” because “he thinks it’s fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” writes Angela Giuffrida.
The remarks come two days before Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, meets Leo at the Vatican in an effort to ease the tensions sparked by Trump’s previous broadside against the Chicago-born pontiff over his condemnation of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Speaking to Hugh Hewitt, a prominent conservative radio talkshow host on the US-based Salem News network, Trump said the pope “would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don’t think that’s very good”.
“I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people,” the US president added. “But I guess if it’s up to the pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
For the full article, read here.
Abu Dhabi Considers New Entity to Drive Global Defense Ambitions - Bloomberg
Officials in Abu Dhabi have held preliminary talks on creating a new defense-focused investment vehicle, people familiar with the matter said, as part of the United Arab Emirates’ push to further bolster its capabilities in the wake of regional conflicts.
The move aims to centralise efforts to build stakes in global defense manufacturers and expand domestic production, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is private.
The talks have involved top officials and executives in Abu Dhabi, including Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed Al Nahyan and Mubadala Investment Co. Chief Executive Officer Khaldoon Al Mubarak, some of the people said.
The new vehicle is likely to be mandated with taking stakes in defense companies worldwide to diversify supplies for the UAE.
Investments could span established firms in Europe and the US, Ukrainian and Turkish drone manufacturers, as well as venture-style bets on niche technologies, the people said. - Bloomberg
Reuters reports that a fire has broken out in the Reeds area in Miqan wetlands near Iran’s central city of Arak, where winds are spreading the blaze.
Nations with ‘equity stake’ in Strait of Hormuz should assist, says US general
Now is the time for countries with an “equity stake” in the Strait of Hormuz to assist the US, a top military commander has said.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made his comments as America moved to reopen the strategic waterway to commercial shipping, protected by what Washington described as “a powerful red, white and blue dome”.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth also repeated that he expected the rest of the world “to step up” and said the US would hand over responsibility “at the appropriate time and soon”.
The White House has been deeply critical of the response by the UK and other allies to the Gulf crisis, insisting other nations needed the strait more than the US.
Hegseth recently dismissed efforts led by Britain and France to ensure the future security of the strait as “silly” and said they should have “less fancy conferences in Europe and get in a boat”. - PA
UAE dealing with Iranian missile and drone attacks, says defence ministry
The United Arab Emirates’ defence ministry said on Tuesday that its air defences were dealing with missile and drone attacks from Iran, a second day of attacks after four weeks of relative calm since the United States announced a ceasefire.
The Gulf Arab state’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the attacks were a serious escalation and posed a direct threat to the state’s security, adding that the UAE reserved its “full and legitimate right” to respond.
On Monday evening, the UAE had said its air defences were engaging missile and drone threats as firefighters battled a blaze at a major oil industry zone following a drone attack that authorities said had originated from Iran. - Reuters
What has happened so far on Tuesday?
Zelenskiy meets Bahrain’s king
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he discussed Iran’s air strikes against Bahrain and the Strait of Hormuz, during a meeting with Bahrain’s king, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, earlier.
“Our country is facing similar terrorist strikes almost every day, and our people have relevant experience in full-scale defence,” Zelenskiy wrote in a post on X.
“Ukraine is ready to share this security expertise with Bahrain and help strengthen the protection of life.”
“I proposed signing a drone deal and scaling up co-operation with Bahrain, and we agreed that our teams will work out the details,” the Ukrainian leader, who is defending his country against the Russian full-scale invasion, added.
After more than four years of fighting, Ukraine has battle-tested drone interceptor expertise and has developed groundbreaking air defence technology.
Since the US and Israel launched its war on Iran on February 28th, Ukraine has been offering its drones and know-how to several Middle Eastern countries suffering from Iranian drone attacks.
Ukraine says it has now signed deals with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.
In return for its aid to Gulf countries, Ukraine is seeking more high-end air-defence missiles that they possess and that Kyiv needs to counter Russia’s attacks. – The Guardian
Suspected arson attack at former synagogue in east London
Counter-terrorism police are investigating a suspected arson attack at a former synagogue.
Jewish security charity Shomrim said that fire crews were called out to the building in Nelson Street, Whitechapel, east London, in the early hours of Tuesday.
The incident is being investigated alongside a number of apparent attacks on Jewish sites in London since late March.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called just before 5.15am by the London Fire Brigade and that minor damage had been caused to a set of gates and a lock at the front of the building.
CCTV showed that the fire had ben started deliberately minutes before, the force said.
Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke said: “We are taking this incident extremely seriously and we will be working closely with colleagues from Counter Terrorism Policing to support the investigation.
“The building targeted has not been operational as a synagogue for some years but that will be of little comfort to the Jewish community in Tower Hamlets, Hackney and beyond, who are first in my thoughts this morning.
“Local residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while inquiries into this incident continue.”
Fire breaks out in shopping centre west of Tehran, state news agency reports
A fire broke out in a shopping centre west of the Iranian capital Tehran, the state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday, without providing further details.
The cause of the incident remains unknown, the semi-official Fars news agency later reported.
Iranian media, including Fars, showed video of a plume of heavy smoke rising from the site.
The fire broke out as a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States comes under renewed pressure following an exchange of fire between the two sides on Monday. – Reuters
Saudi state deficit widens amid Hormuz closure
Saudi Arabia’s fiscal deficit widened in the first quarter to the highest level since 2018 as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz forced it to reduce oil exports and spending on projects to diversify the economy continued to rise.
The kingdom posted a budget shortfall of 125.7 billion riyals (€28.7 billion), according to the finance ministry. Oil revenue dipped around 3 per cent year-on-year for the first quarter, while expenditure rose roughly 20 per cent to the equivalent of $103 billion.
The figures are a fresh signal of some of the pressures the Middle East’s largest economy is facing from the US-Israeli war on Iran, which is now in its third month and in a fragile ceasefire. – Bloomberg
US raised threat of Iranian nuclear attack on Britain in angry behind-doors exchange
UK chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves had an angry exchange with her US counterpart, Scott Bessent, in Washington last month over the war in Iran in the latest sign of the deepening tensions between the two countries, the Guardian is reporting, citing sources.
The chancellor and the US treasury secretary are said to have argued in person during the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund, according to people briefed on the exchange, confirming a story first reported by the Financial Times.
The row centred on Reeves’s criticisms over the Iran conflict, which she made in public before the meetings began, triggering an angry backlash from some in the Trump administration.
Criticisms by Reeves and the prime minister, Keir Starmer, have caused the biggest rift in US-UK relations for decades, with the US president, Donald Trump, threatening to rip up a trade deal and to recognise Argentina’s claims to the Falkland Islands in response.
Reeves told the Mirror at the outset of the war she felt “very frustrated and angry that the US went into this war without a clear exit plan”, calling the war a “folly”.
According to those briefed on her meetings, Bessent – the US secretary of the Treasury – upbraided her over the comments during an in-person meeting on April 15th, including invoking the threat of an Iranian nuclear attack on Britain.
He is understood to have made comments along the lines of those he made to the BBC a day earlier, when he responded to concerns about the war’s economic fallout by saying: “I wonder what the hit to global GDP would be if a nuclear weapon hit London.” – The Guardian
Gold prices rise as US-Iran ceasefire seems under threat
Gold prices rose on Tuesday after hitting a more than one-month low in the previous session.
Investors assessed a fragile Middle East truce and the conflict’s potential impact on inflation and interest-rate expectations.
Spot gold was up 1 per cent to $4,566.79 (€3,902) per ounce as 12.45pm after touching its lowest level since March 31 on Monday.
While gold is traditionally seen as a hedge against inflation and uncertainty, its appeal tends to wane when interest rates are high, as rising yields make non-yielding assets less attractive. – Reuters
US ‘not looking for a fight’ in new ‘Project Freedom’
The US will not need to enter Iranian airspace or waters as part of the reopening of the strait of Hormuz, Hegseth says.
“Hundreds of ships are lining up to transit” the strait, he says.
This is a “temporary mission” for the US, he adds. “Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope and temporary in duration, with one mission, protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression.
“American forces won’t need to enter Iranian waters or airspace. It’s not necessary. We’re not looking for a fight.” – Guardian
Secret Service says it exchanged gunfire with armed suspect near White House
The US secret service said its officers confronted an armed and “suspicious individual” near the White House who later fired at them before fleeing on foot and being shot by law enforcement. The incident led to a brief lockdown at the White House.
Separately, a US judge apologised to the man accused of attempting to assassinate president Donald Trump for the “legally deficient” treatment he has faced in a Washington, DC, jail, which included being placed on suicide watch, separated from other inmates and denied a Bible.
US magistrate judge Zia Faruqui said he was disturbed by the conditions for Cole Allen, who allegedly fired a shotgun during a foiled attack on Trump and senior officials in his administration at an April 25th press gala.
The judge said the conditions were inappropriate for a person with no criminal history. – Reuters
Spain renews demands for detained Gaza flotilla activist
Spain on Tuesday renewed a demand for the “immediate release” of a Spanish activist who was detained on a Gaza-bound flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters near Greece.
The activist is held in Israel after his detention was extended until Sunday.
Spain’s consul in Tel Aviv will continue to visit Saif Abu Keshek, “providing full protection and in permanent contact with his family”, foreign ministry sources said.
“The government of Spain demands his immediate release and that all his rights be respected.” – The Guardian
Iran ‘trying to hold the global economy hostage’
The Iranian regime, claimed to be led by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is “effectively trying to hold the entire global economy hostage” according to top US general Dan Caine.
Caine said the US now has a “significant presence” in the Strait. He said Iran has fired at maritime vessels nine times, and attempted to attack US vessels ten times since the ceasefire began.
Attacks by Iran against US assets were “all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point”, Caine has said.
Caine also dismissed reports of Iran possessing “kamikaze dolphins” – Hegseth, however, said he could not confirm or deny whether the US possessed “kamikaze dolphins”.
The fragile ceasefire has been further shaken by moves to free up the strategic waterway, over which Tehran has maintained a stranglehold.
He said more than 15,000 US service members are in the area, with these forces having enabled two US-flagged maritime vessels to pass through the Strait thus far.
Hegseth, just moments earlier, claimed that the US is acting for the good of “the world” and that the Iranian government needs to reign in its military.
US wants allies to “come assist” keeping Hormuz open
Weeks after saying the US did not need help from Nato or European allies, a top US military commander has appealed for countries “with equity stake in the Strait to come assist”.
Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made his comments at the same press briefing.
The US has moved to reopen the strategic waterway to commercial shipping, with Caine saying: “Now is the time for those with equity stake in the strait to come assist.”
Defence secretary Pete Hegseth said: “The world needs this waterway a lot more than we do. We’re stabilising the situation so commerce can flow again.
“But we expect the world to step up at the appropriate time and soon we will hand responsibility back to you.” – Additional reporting: PA
Some 22,500 mariners remain trapped in the Strait of Hormuz
Speaking at the same media briefing on the US-Israeli war on Iran, joint chiefs of the staff chair Dan Caine said Iran has continued to attack its neighbours, referring to yesterday’s strikes on Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
He said the Iranian attacks have all fallen below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point.
Caine also said some 22,500 mariners remain trapped in the Strait of Hormuz and are unable to transit.
He said commercial vessels in the region will feel US military power around them in the seas and the skies.
The joint force is “ready to resume major combat operations” against Iran if ordered to do, he added. – The Guardian
Iran is the “clear aggressor,” says US defence secretary
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said the US won’t need to enter the Iranian airspace or waters as part of opening the Strait of Hormuz.
In a media briefing on the US-Israeli war on Iran, Hegseth called Iran the “clear aggressor.”
He also said Iran will face overwhelming firepower if it attacks commercial shipping.
Iran has been harassing ships for too long in the Strait of Hormuz he said, adding that the US aims to protect shipping from Iranian aggression and its operation, Project Freedom, in the Strait of Hormuz is temporary.
The Pentagon chief said Iran has acted aggressively towards “innocent countries” whose ships are trying to pass through the strait of Hormuz.
He said Iran is “embarrassed” and although it says it controls the strait, “it does not”.
Hegseth said the United States has established a “dome” across the strait as a “gift to the rest of the world”.
The blockade remains “ironclad” and in force, he said.
Six ships tried to break through the blockade from Iranian ports, he added, but they were stopped by US forces. – The Guardian
Nine countries are known to have nuclear weapons: China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the US and the UK.
Along with Israel, the US and its western allies are unequivocal in demanding that Iran never develops a nuclear bomb.
The US and Israel bombed Iranian nuclear facilities last June, and justifying his declaration of the current war on Iran in late February, Donald Trump claimed that Iran – primarily through its nuclear programme – posed an “imminent threat.”
Iran maintains that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and that it has no plans to develop nuclear weapons.
But Iran, as of April, did have about 440.9 kilograms of uranium that was enriched up to 60 per cent purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. – The Guardian
Economic growth forecast for Ireland despite fuel supply turbulence
Economic growth is expected to continue across the island of Ireland this year but at a slower pace because of a fuel crisis triggered by the war in Iran.
The EY Economic Eye forecast, published on Tuesday, analysed the economies in Ireland and Northern Ireland amid turbulence prompted by the attack from US president Donald Trump’s administration and Israel on Iran.
Consultancy firm EY is forecasting Ireland’s inflation rate at 3.1 per cent for 2026 and 2.4 per cent for 2027.
Inflation in Ireland is to increase because of the conflict in the Middle East and the shutdown of the vital trading route, the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of oil supplies travel.
EY has said events in the Middle East had “adversely affected” Ireland’s inflation outlook.
“While some price pain is already being felt by households and businesses, the inflationary shock to date is less severe than that experienced following the invasion of Ukraine,” it said.
“However, energy prices remain a key downside risk to growth, with the duration of the conflict likely to strongly influence the impact on both the Irish and global economy.” – PA
Brazil central bank says Iran war feeding inflation risks
Brazil’s central bank said on Tuesday the duration of the Middle East conflict may already have been enough to materialise some inflation risks, with long-term inflation expectations drifting away from target, particularly for 2028.
In minutes from their latest monetary policy meeting, after cutting interest rates for a second consecutive time by 25 basis points to 14.50 per cent, policymakers said they assumed recent events would not prevent the continuation of the easing cycle. – Reuters
UAE restricts airspace after Iranian missile, drone attack
The United Arab Emirates has restricted flights to a handful of approved routes until at least May 11th and activated emergency security protocols, according to Notices to Air Men (NOTAMs) published by its General Civil Aviation Authority.
The restrictions came two days after the UAE had lifted all precautionary airspace measures and said its airspace was clear.
The UAE said on Monday that its air defences were thwarting Iranian missiles and drones, forcing multiple flights to divert to Oman’s Muscat and circle over Saudi Arabia. – Reuters
Iran’s foreign minister to travel to Beijing for talks
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, is travelling to Beijing later today for talks with his Chinese counterpart “on bilateral relations and regional and international developments”, his ministry said on its Telegram account.
While Beijing condemned the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran which started the war in late February, China has largely adopted a posture of neutrality ever since and has urged for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
Despite China being the largest buyer of Iranian oil, its fossil fuel stockpiles and diversified energy mix protected it from the worst of the oil shock that resulted from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, to what Iran described as “hostile” countries, crucially not China. – The Guardian
Detention of two Gaza flotilla humanitarian activists extended
An Israeli court extended the detention of two Gaza flotilla humanitarian activists until May 10th, the rights group Adalah said.
The two men were on board the Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying aid to Gaza, when the vessels, they were travelling on, were intercepted by Israeli forces.
In a post on Instagram, The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said it “expresses grave concern for the safety and wellbeing of human rights activists Saif Abu Kishek and Thiago Ávila, who were abducted by Israeli commandos following the unlawful attack on Global Sumud Flotilla vessels.
“Their kidnapping, transportation to Israel, reported abuse and continued arbitrary detention are egregious and raise urgent legal and humanitarian concerns.”
Adalah said it would appeal, according to the Reuters news agency.
Iran had ‘no pre-planned programme’ to attack oil facilities in UAE, says military official to Iranian state TV
Iran had “no pre-planned programme” to attack oil facilities in the UAE, Iranian state TV quoted a military official as saying, after the UAE blamed Iran for a drone strike at an energy installation in Fujairah.
“What happened was the product of the US military’s adventurism to create a passage for ships to illegally pass through” the Strait of Hormuz, the official said.
“The US military must be held accountable for it.” – The Guardian
Catch up – US actions in Strait of Hormuz risk reigniting conflict
If you are trying to catch up on the developments this week, here is a short summary:
The Iran war has been at risk of reigniting after the US tried to force open the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping. The fragile seemed to be holding on Tuesday even after the United Arab Emirates said Iran fired missiles and drones at it.
It is unclear what will follow after an American attempt to end Iran’s stranglehold on the strait by creating an “enhanced security area”.
A prominent Iranian official has accused the US of undermining regional security with the effort and warned that Iran will respond.
The US military said two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transited the strait on Monday, and that it fired on Iranian forces, sinking six small boats that were targeting vessels.
It remained to be seen whether any more ships would cross on Tuesday.
Ship tracking data showed a Panamanian-flagged crude oil tanker heading towards the centre of the strait on Tuesday morning after leaving an anchorage in the Gulf, though it was unclear whether it would try to pass through.
Iran has said the new US effort is a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.
US president Donald Trump on Sunday warned that Iranian efforts to halt passage through the strait “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully”.
He said the US effort to reopen the strait, dubbed Project Freedom, was intended to aid stranded seafarers on hundreds of ships stuck in the Gulf since the war began.
The Joint Maritime Information Centre, led by the US, advised ships on Monday to cross the strait in Oman’s waters, saying it had set up an “enhanced security area”. – AP
Rubio to meet pope on Vatican visit amid Iran war rift
US secretary of state Marco Rubio is set to have a “frank” meeting with Pope Leo during a visit to the Vatican this week, the US ambassador said on Tuesday.
US president Donald Trump took a fresh pot-shot at the pope for criticising his war with Iran.
“Nations have disagreements, and I think one of the ways that you work through those is ... through fraternity and authentic dialogue,” said Brian Burch, the US ambassador to the Holy See.
“I think the Secretary is coming here in that spirit,” Burch told journalists, “to have a frank conversation about US policy, to engage in dialogue.”
His latest addition to the back-and-forth with the pope, Trump told talkshow host Hugh Hewitt that “the pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, and I don’t think that’s very good.
“I think he’s endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people. But I guess if it’s up to the pope, he thinks it’s just fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Leo has never said Iran should have nuclear weapons, but has opposed the war which Trump says is aimed at ending Iran’s nuclear programme.
Rubio, a Catholic, first met the pope after attending his inaugural mass, the Trump administration’s only previous known cabinet-level meetings with the pope. – Reuters
IMF warns of ‘much worse outcome’ if Iran war drags into 2027
The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that inflation was already picking up and the global economy could face a “much worse outcome” if the war in the Middle East drags into 2027 and oil prices hit about $125 per barrel.
IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said the continuation of the war meant the global lender’s “reference scenario” assuming a short-lived conflict – which forecast a minor growth slowdown to 3.1 per cent and a minor increase in prices to 4.4 per cent – was no longer possible.
“This scenario, with every day that passes, is further and farther behind in the rear-view mirror,” Georgieva told Reuters.
The continuation of the war, a forecast of an oil price about or above $100 per barrel, and rising inflationary pressures meant the IMF’s “adverse scenario” was already in effect, she said. – Reuters
Oil spikes to $113 per barrel, emerging markets suffer
Oil was recorded at more than $113 a barrel on Tuesday, clouding prospects of global economic growth as energy-driven inflation fears come into the spotlight.
Asian economies that are most reliant on imported oil were heavily hit. The geopolitical and economic tensions meant most emerging market currencies and stocks inched lower on Tuesday.
Volatility and oil prices have been hit by the new attacks launched by US and Iran on Monday. The wrestling for control of the Strait of Hormuz, with duelling blockades, threaten the fragile ceasefire in place since early April.
Emerging market ″equities remain vulnerable if the Iran war drags on with prolonged disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in a depletion of Asian oil reserves,” analysts at Wells Fargo Investment Institute said.
“We would consider a potential upgrade if market volatility presents an opportunity to invest at more attractive prices.” – Reuters
Iranian attempts to stir violence in UK ‘will not be tolerated’, PM says
UK prime minister Keir Starmer has said Iranian efforts to stir up violence and hatred in the UK “will not be tolerated” amid suspicions Tehran could be backing anti-Semitic attacks.
The prime minister told leaders of community groups, senior government ministers and police chiefs there would be “consequences” if Iran was found to be behind some of the incidents.
Describing the situation as a “crisis” in the wake of the Golders Green attack, Starmer said new legislation would be rushed through to tackle “malign threats”.
Speaking in Downing Street he said: “One of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state has been behind some of these incidents.
“We are investigating, of course, all the possibilities,” he said, noting that the UK was being “clear that these actions will have consequences if that proves to be the case.
“Our message to Iran or to any other country that might seek to promote violence, hatred or division in society is that it will not be tolerated.
“That is why we are fast-tracking legislation to tackle these malign threats.”
Starmer also promised new action to implement a “zero-tolerance” approach to anti-Semitism on university campuses and action in the arts to address the issue. – PA
Pakistan joins condemnation of attacks on UAE
Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has condemned the attacks on the US-allied UAE after the Gulf nation was struck by a barrage of missiles and drones on Monday.
The UAE came under repeated attacks from Iran for the first time since a ceasefire took hold in early April. One sparked a fire at a key oil facility in Fujairah and injured three Indian nationals, authorities said.
Sharif expressed his full solidarity with UAE president sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates last night,” he wrote in a statement on X.
“It is absolutely essential that the ceasefire be upheld and respected, to allow necessary diplomatic space for dialogue leading to enduring peace and stability in the region.”
Pakistan is playing a crucial mediating role between Iran and the US, having hosted a first round of peace talks in Islamabad in April. – Agencies
Iranian internet blackout hits 67th day
The internet blackout in Iran has entered its 67th day, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks, as the regime continues one of the longest-running national internet shutdowns ever recorded.
The digital censorship casts a veil of silence for citizens – with the vast majority of the population completely cut off – but senior government officials were given “white” SIM cards granting them access to the global internet.
Under pressure to alleviate the economic harm the shutdown is causing, the government is now allowing less-restricted internet access to a small number of professions, businesses and friendly media.
There was an earlier internet shutdown in January during nationwide protests. – The Guardian
Petronet expects Qatar to resume gas exports within weeks of war end
One of the world’s largest natural gas companies, India’s Petronet LNG expects Qatar to resume operations at its liquefied natural gas facilities within three to four weeks of the Middle East crisis ending.
“We are confident that maybe from the first week of June, the entire supply will come as per the annual delivery plan,” Petronet’s head of finance, Saurav Mitra, told analysts on Tuesday.
Mitra said Petronet is in talks with Qatar regarding the delivery of cargoes hit by the Iran war in 2027.
India is looking to Australia, as well as Mozambique, Oman, Congo, Senegal and Nigeria, to offset the shortfall from Qatar. The country’s domestic production is stuck operating at half of its maximum production volumes despite urgent need in the state due to gas shortfalls.
UAE attacked by 2,260 drones since onset of conflict
Air defence systems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) intercepted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones on Monday, according to the country’s ministry of defence.
In a statement, the UAE defence ministry said the interceptions on Monday brought the total number of drones engaged by its air defences to 2,260.
This comes in addition to 549 ballistic missiles and 29 cruise missiles. It said Iranian attacks had injured 227 people, with three military personnel and 10 civilians killed.
The UAE air defence systems engaged 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAV’s.
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) May 4, 2026
The Ministry of Defence announced that on May 4, 2026, the UAE air defence systems engaged 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAV’s launched from Iran, resulting in 3 moderate… pic.twitter.com/FlrqZyB3Nj
Maersk says shipping vessel transited Strait under US protection
A vessel belonging to Danish shipping giant Maersk has sailed through the Strait of Hormuz under escort from US naval assets, the company said.
Maersk said it was “offered the opportunity” for the US Alliance Fairfax shipping vessel to leave the gulf in which it had been stuck since the war began in late February.
“The vessel subsequently exited the Gulf accompanied by US military assets” the company said in a statement to CBS News.
“The transit was completed without incident, and all crew members are safe and unharmed.”
India condemns ‘unacceptable’ attack on UAE that injured Indian citizens
India’s ministry of external affairs said the attack on Fujairah in the UAE – which injured three Indian nationals – was “unacceptable” and called for an immediate end to the “targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians”.
Officials in Fujairah said yesterday that a fire broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone following what they described as a drone attack originating from Iran.
Civil defence teams were deployed immediately to contain the blaze, Fujairah media office said in a statement. – The Guardian
South Korea to ‘review position’ on joining US Hormuz operation
The South Korean defence ministry said the country would “review its position” on joining the US operations in the Strait of Hormuz after an explosion hit a South Korean cargo vessel on Monday.
South Korea’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that all 24 crew members aboard the stricken HMM Namu – including six South Korean nationals – were unharmed and the fire on the vessel had been “completely extinguished”, CBS News has reported.
US president Donald Trump called on the South Korean government to join in his efforts in the Middle East following the attack, claiming the Asian country is reliant on fuel from the region.
South Korea ministry of defence said it would “carefully review our position”, noting its considerations would include an analysis of international law and its alliance with the United States, among other factors.
It added that it had been “actively participating in international discussions on co-operation to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz”.
Status quo at Strait of Hormuz is ‘intolerable’ for the US says Iran
The speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, has claimed the continuation of the “status quo” at the Strait of Hormuz is “intolerable” for the US.
The US central command has said more than 100 land and sea-based aircraft, F-16 fighter aircraft, are in the region attempting to “protect US forces and defend commercial shipping”.
Ghalibaf said, in a statement on X, the security of the vital shipping lane has been jeopardised by the US and its allies. The imposition of the blockade on Iranian shores, Tehran said, was a violation of the ceasefire.
″We know well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America, while we are just getting started.”
“A new equation” is being established in the region, the speaker of the Iranian parliament said.
U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft are among more than 100 land and sea-based aircraft supporting Project Freedom. During the defensive operation, these advanced warfighting platforms are helping to protect U.S. forces and defend commercial shipping. pic.twitter.com/7boqPZ1rSZ
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 5, 2026
Shares falter and oil prices retreat
Stocks fell in Asia on Tuesday while oil prices retreated after the previous day’s surge but remained well above $100 a barrel, as the US and Iran traded blows over the Strait of Hormuz, leaving a fragile truce hanging in the balance.
Traders also had their eyes on the yen after the Japanese currency briefly jumped in the previous session, stoking speculation of another round of intervention from Tokyo. Eurostoxx 50 futures were down 0.3 per cent and FTSE futures shed 1 per cent, while DAX futures lost 0.4 per cent.
In Asia, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.6 per cent in thin trade, with markets in Japan and South Korea closed for a holiday.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost more than 1 per cent while China’s CSI300 blue-chip index was little changed.
In oil markets, Brent crude futures fell 1.3 per cent to $112.93 a barrel while U.S. crude slid 2.3 per cent to $104 per barrel, having both jumped in the previous session on heightened worries about supply disruption.
Missile strikes reported in Oman, Dubai
Violence flared anew in and around the Gulf on Monday, as the United Arab Emirates said Iran had fired missiles and drones at its territory and the US military said it sank several Iranian military boats.
UAE authorities blamed Iran for attacks on a major oil port and an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, in the first such attacks since the truce began four weeks ago. Oman also reported an attack that injured two people in the coastal town of Bukha, near UAE territory.
Loud explosions shook the UAE city of Dubai as air defence missiles detonated high overhead. US Central Command said it had shot down Iranian missiles and drones aimed at ships and around the strait.
Iran did not officially confirm or deny that it had resumed attacks, and a senior military official denied on state media that its boats had been sunk.
Iran has frequently targeted energy infrastructure in Gulf countries that host US military bases since Israel and the United States attacked in late February, beginning the war.
At least three Indian citizens were injured when an Iranian drone struck an oil industrial zone in Fujairah, a UAE port in the southern end of the Strait of Hormuz, local authorities said. Oman, without assigning blame, said a residential building near the strait had been struck, with two people injured.
No casualties were reported in the attack on a UAE oil tanker.
South Korea to investigate explosion on ship
Seoul said that authorities will investigate the cause of an explosion and fire on a South Korean-operated ship in the Strait of Hormuz in an incident US president Donald Trump blamed on an Iranian attack.
“The exact cause of the accident would be figured out after the vessel is towed and its damage is assessed,” South Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Panama-flagged cargo ship operated by South Korean shipper HMM was empty and at anchor when the explosion and fire occurred on Monday.
The ministry said there were no casualties and the fire in the engine room had been extinguished. The ship, named HMM Namu, would be towed to a nearby port so that the damage could be assessed and repairs carried out, the ministry said.
An HMM spokesperson said the 24 crew remained on board the 35,000-ton vessel.
In a post on the Truth Social platform, Trump said Iran had fired shots at the ship and other targets as the US launched an operation seeking to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.
He suggested it could be time for South Korea to join his new effort to help guide stranded ships through the waterway.
Trump threatens to blow Iranian forces ‘off the face of the earth’
US president Donald Trump has threatened that Iran‘s armed forces will be “blown off the face of the earth” if they attack US vessels trying to reopen a route through the Strait of Hormuz.
The US launched an operation on Monday to help hundreds of ships trapped with their crews in the Gulf, dragging the region back to the brink of full-scale war.
Tehran sought to reassert its blockade on the strait, which is a vital waterway in global trade. While the US military claimed to have destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted both Iranian cruise missiles and drones, this was denied by Iran.
Trump’s comments call into question the fragile, Pakistan-brokered ceasefire that halted hostilities last month, but failed to open up the strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of international oil supplies usually travel.
More than 800 ships and roughly 20,000 crew members remain stranded in the region.
Trump’s threats against Iran echo remarks he made in April, when he warned that a “whole civilisation will die” if Tehran failed to comply with his demands – comments that drew widespread domestic and international backlash.
