TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy announced that 35 vessels, including oil tankers, have passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours in coordination with and under the security protection of the Iranian forces.
UAE’s Gargash says Iranian control of Strait of Hormuz would set serious precedent UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash has warned that any move by Iran to alter the status of the Strait of Hormuz would have severe global repercussions, including for Europe, and set a serious precedent. Gargash said European countries should view Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz not as a distant problem, but as one directly tied to their energy and trade security. “The European initiative on Hormuz is designed to kick in when the conflict is over, and we are not clear what the initiative would do once it is over," he said.
Lebanon says Israeli strike kills six, including two rescuers and child We earlier reported that a double strike in Tyre in southern Lebanon killed a paramedic and injured others. The Lebanese health ministry says an Israeli strike on southern Lebanon killed six people on Friday, including two rescuers and a child, despite a fragile ceasefire in Israel's war on Lebanon. In a statement, the ministry said that "six people were martyred", including two rescuers from the Risala Scouts association, one of them also working as a freelance photographer, and a Syrian girl in a strike on Deir Qanun al-Nahr village.
Israeli strike kills Palestinian shepherd in southern Gaza An Israeli strike on Friday killed a Palestinian near the so-called yellow line, northwest of Rafah City in the Gaza Strip, Wafa news agency reported. Medical sources at the Nasser Hospital said that the body of Rafat Adel Ibrahim Breika, a 42-year-old shepherd, arrived at the hospital after being targeted by an Israeli drone strike in the area. Meanwhile, Israeli artillery shelled eastern Khan Younis and northern Rafah, as intense bombardment targeted eastern and southern Khan Younis.
Double tap strike in southern Lebanon kills, injures paramedics A series of drone strikes at a junction point in southern Lebanon’s Tyre district has killed a paramedic and injured four others, according to the National News Agency. The first strike targeted a motorcycle at a junction between Burj Rahal, Deir Qanoun al-Nahr and al-Abbasiyah, the agency said. Another strike targeted the rescuers who attempted to retrieve the motorcyclist, it added.
New posts 09:35 Iranian, Pakistan Ministers Meet In Tehran Over Peace Proposals Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi (file photo) Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has met Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Tehran to discuss proposals aimed at ending the US-Israeli war with Iran, according to Iranian media reports.
Footage shows Israeli soldiers celebrating destruction in southern Lebanon A video shared by the Israel Genocide Tracker shows an internal ceremony for an Israeli unit, where soldiers and their families applaud the demolition of villages in southern Lebanon. MEE couldn’t independently verify the precise location or time of the video. Since the start of March, Israel has killed at least 3,089 people and wounded 9,397 others.
Israeli air strike and drone attack reported in southern Lebanon An Israel air strike was reported in the southern Lebanese area of al-Hafour, located between Sadiqin and Qana, wounding three as a result, the National News Agency reported. A drone attack by the Israeli army also targeted the town of Deir Qanoun an-Naher in Tyre.
Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said that its forces are "maintaining peak readiness" in the Middle East, as it continues the blockade against Iranian ports. Meanwhile, Iran and Oman - a US ally - have held talks over partnering in a system charging fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, despite protests by President Donald Trump's administration. Here are some of the other latest developments from across the region: The US military used more of its advanced missile defence interceptors to defend Israel from Iranian attacks than its ally spent defending its own homeland, according to a report by The Washington Post published on Thursday.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A warning by the medical journal The Lancet about damage inflicted on the Pasteur Institute of Iran by US-Israeli attacks shows that the assault endangered not only Iran’s public health infrastructure but also regional health security, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) warned Iran’s enemies to take the country’s threats seriously.
Clarity needed on Iran war before states tap into oil reserves, French Finance Minister says France's Finance Minister said that governments should first have clarity on the duration of the war on Iran before releasing oil reserves. "We cannot release stocks — which are by nature finite — without having visibility on the duration and intensity of the conflict at this stage," Roland Lescure told the Financial times. He indicated that even when the Strait of Hormuz - a critical waterway - is opened, it will take several weeks for oil supplies to reach countries all over the globe.
Tel Aviv [Israel], May 22 (ANI): Iran could be planning a surprise missile and drone attack targeting Gulf countries and Israel amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Washington and Tehran, Jerusalem Post reported, citing intelligence officials.
Centcom says army remains at ‘peak readiness’ as US blockade on Iran ongoing The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said that its forces are "maintaining peak readiness" amid the continued blockade against Iranian ports.
Washington DC [US], May 22 (ANI): Amid intense indirect discussion over a ceasefire framework between Washington and Tehran, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that the strike group of the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is maintaining peak readiness if it is called to action.
US navy official says arm sales to Taiwan put on 'pause', citing war on Iran The acting US navy secretary said that arm sales to Taiwan has been put on hold to ensura that the military has enough weapons for operations in Iran. During a congressional hearing regarding the stalled $14 billion weapons purchase by Taiwan, Hung Cao said that Washington is "doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury - which we have plenty". "But, we're just making sure we have everything, then the foreign military sales will continue when the administration deems necessary," he added.
Israel kills four early on Friday in southern Lebanon An Israeli air strike targeting an emergency response center in the town of Hanouiyeh, south Lebanon, killed four. The Israeli attack is the latest violation of a ceasefire that came into effect in mid-April. Since the start of March, Israel has killed at least 3,089 people and wounded 9,397 others.
Washington DC [US], May 22 (ANI): The United States has paused a proposed USD 14 billion arms sale to Taiwan amid concerns over munitions requirements linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to a report by The Hill.
Lebanese families of Israeli strike victims in Beirut seek justice Standing before their devastated building in central Beirut, childhood neighbours Wael Sabbagh and Ghida Krisht vow to fight for justice after an Israeli strike killed their family members. On 8 April, hours after a ceasefire was announced between the United States and Iran, Israel launched a massive wave of air strikes across Lebanon, including at the heart of the capital, killing more than 350 people. Sabbagh's mother and brother, and Krisht's parents and another relative, were killed in a strike on a building in central Beirut's affluent Tallet al-Khayat district, on what Lebanese now refer to as Black Wednesday.
Iraq deploys rescue teams after contact with Bolivia-flagged vessels lost Iraq’s port authority said early on Friday that it deployed maritime and rescue teams after it received alerts about the loss of contact with two Bolivia-flagged vessels in the Gulf. The General Company for Ports stressed that the two ships that went missing - identified as vessels Bridge 1 and Bridge 2 - had not entered Iraqi waters, the Iraqi News Agency reported. It added that it did not receive any distress calls or information regarding their current whereabouts from either vessels.
