Iran warns of heavier US losses if fighting restarts Abbas Araghchi said Iran was prepared to destroy more US aircraft if Washington chose to resume military action against Tehran. In a post on X, Araghchi said Iran’s armed forces had become “the first to strike down a touted F-35” and warned that any return to war would bring “many more surprises”. Araghchi also pointed to what he said were acknowledged US military losses, citing a recent Congressional Research Office report.
Tehran calls US statement on Minab school strike 'appalling lie' Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei rejected US claims about an elementary school in Minab that was struck by a missile, calling the allegations a “baseless fabrication and an appalling lie”. In a post on X, Baghaei criticised remarks by US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper, who had said the Shajareh Tayyebeh school was located on an active Iranian cruise missile site. Baghaei said the statement was an attempt to obscure what he described as the “tragic slaughtering” of more than 170 schoolchildren and teachers in the 28 February missile attack.
'No longer fit for purpose': Politicisation of aid endangers millions, medical researchers warn Submitted by Yasmine El-Sabawi on Mon, 05/18/2026 - 16:49 A new report in The Lancet suggests millions of people are left to die when aid systems are guided by the whims of politicians A blood-stained gurney is seen at Nasser hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, after an Israeli air strike on 21 April 2026 killed three Palestinians nearby (Bashar Taleb/AFP) Off A dire warning from researchers at The Lancet medical journal says humanitarian aid, particularly in support of global public health systems, has been so reduced that it has become "rationing by design" and now demands an immediate overhaul. The architecture of the humanitarian system has become so selective and difficult to access that it is merely "survival triage", more than three dozen researchers from the Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health and The Lancet Commission on health, conflict, and forced displacement argued in a report published on Wednesday. The politicisation of aid - when it is linked to national security and foreign policy priorities - is a key factor in the breakdown of the system, particularly after US President Donald Trump returned to power in January 2025 and gutted the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Iran's UN mission accuses US of spreading 'lies and disinformation' Iran’s mission to the United Nations accused the United States of “spreading lies, false accusations, and disinformation” about Tehran and its nuclear programme during discussions at the Security Council. In a post on X, the mission also accused Washington of violating international law through maritime blockades and continued support for Israeli actions across the region. “In fact, the culprit and the thief are now playing the role of prosecutor and judge, trying to whitewash his own crimes,” the Iranian mission said.
UAE and France sign new defence cooperation agreement The UAE and France have signed a new defence cooperation agreement during an official visit by UAE Minister of State for Defence Mubarak bin Fadhel al-Mazrouei. “The two sides also witnessed the signing of a Defence Cooperation Agreement, reflecting the depth of bilateral relations and the shared commitment to advancing military and defence collaboration between the UAE and France,” the UAE Ministry of Defence said in a statement posted on X. “They discussed ways to strengthen defence and strategic relations between the two friendly nations,” it added.
Death toll rises to 10 after Israeli strike on south Lebanon town The death toll from the Israeli air strike on the town of Deir Qanoun en-Nahr in Lebanon’s Tyre district has risen to 10, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. The dead include three women and three children, the agency reported. Three other people, including a girl, were wounded in the attack.
Airbus orders spending cuts over fallout from war on Iran European aerospace company Airbus has instructed staff to reduce “non-essential expenses” by 10 percent amid instability linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran. “We are asking for your support in adopting several cost containment measures to help our company navigate this unstable situation,” a company document seen by AFP said. “Our specific focus is on significantly pausing all activities and costs that are not strictly essential to our industrial activities and operations … We aim to reduce these costs by -10 percent compared to the 2025 baseline.
JD Vance says US seeks to ‘reset’ relations with Iran US Vice President JD Vance said Washington sees an opportunity to reshape relations with Iran after decades of hostility. “We have an opportunity here, I think, to reset the relationship that has existed between Iran and the United States for 47 years,” Vance told reporters. “That’s what the president has asked us to do, and that’s what we’re going to keep on working at.
Hezbollah says it launched fresh attacks on Israeli forces in south Lebanon Hezbollah said it carried out a new series of attacks targeting Israeli forces over the past few hours in southern Lebanon. The group said its fighters struck Israeli troops in Khallat Raj, near the town of Deir Siryan, using “artillery shells, rocket salvos, and attack drones”. In a separate attack, Hezbollah said it targeted Israeli forces in the town of Beit Leef with artillery fire.
US lobbied Saudi Arabia to release funds for Gaza 'Board of Peace' amid cash crunch Submitted by Sean Mathews on Tue, 05/19/2026 - 21:26 Israeli attacks and concerns about Palestinian representation have complicated Gulf funding for the board Youssef Rayyan mourns over the body of his son Ibrahim, killed in an Israeli strike, inside the morgue of Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on 17 May 2026 (Eyad Baba/AFP) Off A senior US official visited Saudi Arabia in April to shore up the kingdom’s $1bn pledge for President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” in Gaza , amid concerns that funding is not materialising, one Arab official and a US official familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye. Aryeh Lightstone, one of the key US officials overseeing the US’s post-war planning for Gaza, visited the kingdom, where he met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan to discuss the financial pledge Saudi Arabia made to the Board of Peace in February. The board includes a committee of Palestinian technocrats approved by Israel to manage daily affairs in Gaza.
Muslim-American groups blame mainstreaming of hate speech for mosque shooting Submitted by Yasmine El-Sabawi on Tue, 05/19/2026 - 17:15 Three people were killed by teenage gunmen at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, on Monday Parents and children leave the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, after a shooting, on 18 May 2026 (Mike Blake/Reuters) Off Muslim-American groups have blamed what they describe as the mainstreaming of anti-Muslim hate speech for a shooting that killed three people outside a California mosque on Monday, pointing the finger at lawmakers and other right-wing influential figures. "We are deeply disturbed, but not at all surprised," the Council on American Islamic Relations (Cair) said in a statement. "Hate against American Muslims is completely out of control.
Lebanese army chief discusses post-UNIFIL phase with UN official Lebanese army commander Rudolf Heikel met UN Undersecretary-General for Safety and Security Gilles Michaud at army headquarters in Yarzeh to discuss “the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as the post-UNIFIL phase”, according to a military statement. The Lebanese army said the talks focused on the security situation and future cooperation. During the meeting, Michaud “commended the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces” and praised the army’s role in maintaining stability in the country.
Rubio discusses Strait of Hormuz with UN chief US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the US State Department. The discussion focused on US efforts to prevent Iran from placing mines and imposing tolls in the waterway, including a proposed UN Security Council resolution on the issue. “The Secretary emphasized the overwhelming support of a broad base of UN members for these efforts,” US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
Thousands of Palestinian patients remain stranded in Gaza awaiting treatment abroad The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said only 29 patients requiring treatment abroad were able to leave through the Rafah crossing with Egypt on Friday. The ministry added that just 20 patients had been transferred to hospitals in Jordan the previous day. “The small number of departing patients does not meet the urgent need for travel for those on the lists who are suffering from difficult health and humanitarian conditions, especially given the worsening health crisis in the Gaza Strip,” the ministry said in a statement on Telegram.
Somaliland recognises Jerusalem as capital of Israel, will open embassy Submitted by Sean Mathews on Tue, 05/19/2026 - 19:15 Somaliland and Israel are opening embassies, in a sign of Israel's deepening ties with the breakaway region in the Horn of Africa Special forces prepare for the 35th Independence Day celebrations near the presidential palace in Hargeisa's Shap neighbourhood in Somaliland, on 18 May 12026 (Kang-Chun Cheng/AFP) Off Somaliland is opening an embassy in Jerusalem, and Israel will reciprocate by opening one in the breakaway region of Somalia, in the latest sign that the two are deepening their ties. “I am pleased to announce that the Republic of Somaliland’s embassy will be located in Jerusalem - the embassy will be opened soon,” Mohamed Hagi, Somaliland’s ambassador to Israel, said on Tuesday. “Israel will also establish its embassy in Hargeisa, reflecting growing friendship, mutual respect, and strategic cooperation between our two peoples,” he added, referring to the capital of the internationally unrecognised territory.
Oil prices fall after Trump pauses planned Iran attack Oil prices dropped by more than one percent after US President Donald Trump said he had paused a planned attack on Iran to allow negotiations aimed at ending the US-Israeli war on Iran. Brent crude futures fell to just above $110 a barrel following the remarks, while US oil futures dropped to $103 a barrel. Markets are closely watching talks between Washington and Tehran amid concerns over the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio to attend Nato meeting amid concerns over US troop plans in Europe US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel this week to a Nato foreign ministers meeting in Sweden as concerns grow over reported US plans to reduce troop levels in Europe and US President Donald Trump’s stance towards the alliance. The State Department said Rubio would attend the Nato meeting in Helsingborg on Friday before travelling to India, where he is expected to visit Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur, and New Delhi. According to the department, Rubio will call “for increased defense investment and greater burden sharing in the alliance”.
EU pledges support for farmers hit by fertiliser price surge The European Union has promised “exceptional support” for farmers affected by rising fertiliser costs linked to the US-Israeli war on Iran. Nearly half of the globally traded urea, the world’s most commonly used fertiliser, passes through the Strait of Hormuz from Gulf states, leaving agricultural markets vulnerable to disruption in the waterway. Recent interruptions to gas supplies and shipping routes have already forced fertiliser plants in the Gulf and elsewhere to reduce or halt production.
Four bodies recovered after Israeli strike in southern Lebanon Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that four bodies have been recovered following an Israeli strike on Deir Qanoun al-Nahr in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon. More than 10 people, including women and children, were also reportedly wounded in the attack. Rescue teams are continuing search operations as efforts to remove rubble remain underway.
Iran has mapped out US flight patterns for air defence: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 05/19/2026 - 18:03 Iran may be in a better position to deploy its air defence systems after mapping out US flight patterns with Russian help, official says An Iranian military truck carries parts of the S-300 air defence missile system during the annual military parade marking the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1980-1988 war with Saddam Hussein's Iraq, in Tehran on 21 September 2024 (Atta Kenare/AFP) Off Iranian military commanders may have mapped out flight patterns of US fighter jets and bombers over their skies, raising the risks should US President Donald Trump decide to restart the war on Iran , a US official told The New York Times. The status of Iran’s air defences is likely a critical component as Trump weighs whether or not to resume attacks on Iran. Trump said on Monday that the US was set to resume attacking Iran on Tuesday, but decided against it because of lobbying from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE.
