Majority of US voters oppose war on Iran, survey finds A new poll by The New York Times and Siena College found declining US public support for both the Israeli military and the war on Iran. The survey of 1,507 registered voters showed that only 30 percent supported the US war on Iran, while 64 percent said they opposed it. The poll also found that 57 percent of respondents opposed providing US military aid to Israel, compared with 37 percent who supported it.
New York Times reports Iran moving missiles into mountain facilities The New York Times reported that Iran is embedding missiles beneath mountains and revising its military tactics in preparation for a possible new phase of confrontation. Citing a US military official, the report said Tehran used the ceasefire period to reopen dozens of missile sites that had previously been bombed. According to the report, Iran has also adjusted its military strategy ahead of any renewed fighting and stored large numbers of ballistic missiles inside caves and military facilities.
Hezbollah claims drone and rocket attacks on Israeli army positions Hezbollah said on Monday that its fighters carried out 14 attacks against Israeli forces inside southern Lebanon, using explosive drones, rockets and artillery shells. The group said the operations targeted gatherings of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in several border towns and valleys. In a statement, Hezbollah said the attacks were directed at Israeli army positions and troop concentrations across southern Lebanon.
US Senate Democrats push eighth vote to limit Iran conflict US Senate Democrats will force an eighth vote this week on a War Powers Resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s ability to wage war on Iran, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday. Posting on X, Schumer said Democrats were seeking to withdraw US troops from hostilities involving Iran. Schumer called on Senate Republicans to support the measure, saying lawmakers should “end the war” and “get our troops out of harm’s way”.
Qatar condemns Israeli interception of Gaza-bound flotilla Qatar condemned the Israeli army’s interception of the Global Freedom Flotilla and the detention of activists aboard aid boats bound for Gaza, describing the operation as a “flagrant violation of international law, humanitarian values, and maritime security”. In a statement published on X, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the action further entrenched what it called the “unjust siege” on the Gaza Strip. The ministry said ongoing Israeli actions against Palestinians, including what it described as intimidation of solidarity activists, were worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Israel bombs Tyre in Lebanon following displacement threat Israeli warplanes launched a violent air strike targeting a building in the al-Mushaqqa area of the Tyre district in southern Lebanon, according to the Palestinian Information Centre. The bombardment came amid continuing Israeli attacks across southern Lebanon. The strike took place less than an hour after the Israeli military issued a forced displacement warning for residents of al-Mushaqqa in Tyre.
Official says Iran will force US to 'retreat and surrender' Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Iran’s Expediency Council, issued a response after US President Donald Trump said he had delayed a planned military strike on Iran. In a post on X, Rezaei appeared to mock Trump for setting “a deadline for a military strike” before postponing it. “With this vain hope of making the Iranian nation and officials surrender!
Lebanese ministry says death toll from Israeli attacks crosses 3,000 The death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since March 2 has surpassed 3,000, Lebanon’s health ministry said on Monday, as cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and the Israeli army continued to escalate. Hezbollah later said it had carried out a drone attack targeting Israeli soldiers in the southern Lebanese town of Rachaf, describing the strike as retaliation for deadly Israeli attacks on villages in southern Lebanon.
Organisers say Israeli forces seize more Gaza-bound flotilla ships Israeli forces have continued intercepting Gaza-bound flotilla vessels in international waters, organisers said on Monday, accusing the Israeli military of seizing additional ships and detaining their crews. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said the Perseverance, carrying volunteers from Australia, Belgium, Canada and France, was attacked and its crew abducted. The Global Sumud Flotilla said around 30 vessels were still sailing towards Gaza after Israeli forces seized at least 47 ships.
Israeli forces raid villages near Ramallah, clashes erupt Israeli forces raided several areas in the Ramallah and el-Bireh governorate of the occupied West Bank on Monday evening, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The report said troops entered the northern villages of al-Mughayyir and Abu Falah, triggering confrontations with residents in al-Mughayyir. During the clashes, Israeli forces fired toxic gas canisters at residents, the report said.
Iran commander warns US against ‘strategic mistake’ amid tensions A senior Iranian military commander has issued a stark warning to the United States and its allies, cautioning against any renewed escalation. Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Iran’s armed forces stand on high alert and are ready to respond to any aggression. According to Tasnim news agency, he warned Washington not to make another “strategic mistake or miscalculation”.
Pakistan deployed 8,000 troops, Chinese air defence system and warplanes to Saudi Arabia: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 05/18/2026 - 21:40 The US-Israeli war on Iran has put a spotlight on Saudi Arabia’s defence pact with Pakistan Pakistani fighter jets fly during a multinational naval exercise in the Arabian Sea near Pakistan's port city of Karachi, on 10 February 2025 (Asif Hassan/AFP) Off Pakistan has deployed 8,000 troops, a fighter jet squadron and a Chinese air defence system to Saudi Arabia as part of its mutual defence pact with the kingdom, Reuters reported on Monday. The deployments, which enhance the number of Pakistani troops and military assets in the kingdom, began in early April, Reuters reported. Pakistan has deployed a squadron of around 16 aircraft, mostly JF-17 warplanes, which it produces jointly with China.
US senator blames Trump’s Iran war for surge in fuel prices A Democratic lawmaker has condemned the US-Israeli war on Iran, linking the conflict to rising fuel costs across the United States. Senator Chris Murphy said prices in his home state of Connecticut have surged, placing pressure on households already facing economic strain. In a video posted on X, he said petrol is nearing $5 per gallon, while diesel is close to $6.
Trump says Gulf leaders urged delay to planned US strike on Iran The US president has said Gulf leaders urged Washington to delay a planned military strike on Iran, citing ongoing diplomatic efforts. In a post, he said Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had intervened ahead of the operation. Trump said they asked him “to hold off on our planned Military attack” on Iran, “which was scheduled for tomorrow”.
Trump says Gulf leaders asked him to 'hold off' on resuming Iran war Submitted by MEE staff on Mon, 05/18/2026 - 20:11 A 'large scale assault' was 'scheduled' for Tuesday, the US president said US President Donald Trump returns to the White House in Washington, DC, after his trip to China, on 15 May 2026 (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) Off The US will no longer resume its "full, large scale" war on Iran on Tuesday, because Gulf leaders have requested Washington to hold off, President Donald Trump has said . "I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to hold off on our planned Military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow, in that serious negotiations are now taking place, and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made," the US president wrote on his TruthSocial account on Monday. That prospective deal "will be very acceptable to the United States of America", and "will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!
Activists raise alarm over 'flood' of military supplies from India to Israel Submitted by Azad Essa on Wed, 05/13/2026 - 14:39 Activists say six shipments of suspected military-grade steel were making their way to Israel aboard a Swiss vessel MSC Valeria, a containership from the Mediterranean Shipping Company SA of Geneva, prepares to dock at the Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone in Mundra, India, on 4 June 2013 (Sam Panthaky/AFP) Off Activists with the Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) movement and No Harbour for Genocide (NHB) are raising the alarm over what they describe as a "flood" of military supplies from India to Israel, after six shipments of suspected military-grade steel were identified on multiple Swiss vessels en route to weapons factories in Israel. The shipments, activists said, amounted to around 806 tonnes of military-grade steel, and could produce up to 17,458 artillery (155mm) shells for the Israeli military. According to the movement, three of the shipments, carried by the Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), are currently being held in Italy - two in Gioia Tauro, in the region of Calabria, and one in Cagliari, Sardinia - where authorities are being pressed to conduct an inspection.
UAE and Israel established fund for joint defence acquisition, sources say Submitted by Sean Mathews on Mon, 05/18/2026 - 17:33 The emerging partnership between Israel and the UAE puts the Gulf state at odds with its neighbours A visitor looks through the scope of a sniper rifle during the International Defence Exhibition at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, on 20 February 2023 (Ryan Lim/AFP) Off The UAE and Israel have established a fund to jointly acquire and develop new weapons systems, in the latest sign that the war on Iran is bringing the countries closer together, one current and one former US official briefed on the matter told Middle East Eye. The current US official told MEE the two countries would pursue “joint acquisitions” of weapons systems as part of the new defence partnership. The UAE could also fund technological developments in Israeli air defence systems, the person added.
Israeli air strike kills child in southern Gaza An Israeli air strike has killed a child in eastern Khan Younis in southern Gaza, after he was wounded in an earlier attack. Doctors at Nasser Hospital confirmed the child died from his injuries after being brought in following the strike.
Iran warns unauthorised Strait of Hormuz passage will be 'illegal' Iran has escalated control over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel passing through the strategic waterway without approval will face consequences. The newly-formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), established to oversee the strait, announced the move in a statement published on its official X account, signalling tighter enforcement in one of the world’s most critical shipping routes. The authority said all navigation must now align with directives issued by Iran’s armed forces and state institutions.
Israeli attacks kill more than 3,020 in Lebanon since March Israeli attacks across Lebanon have killed at least 3,020 people since early March, according to the latest figures released by the Lebanese Ministry of Health. The ministry reported that a further 9,273 people have been wounded since 2 March.
