Reactions and statements from the international community
A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet patrolled near the Strait of Hormuz on [current date], as U.S. forces maintained a significant military presence in and around the strait to protect U.S. interests and commercial shipping.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, Axios reported that the Donald Trump administration informed the Islamic Republic of Iran on Sunday, prior to a U.S. operation to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, warning Tehran not to interfere.
British parliamentarian Alicia Kearns stated that the IRGC directly recruits in Britain and uses criminals without ideological motivation to advance its goals, calling for the IRGC to be placed on the terrorist list.
The Donald Trump administration informed the Islamic Republic of Iran through a confidential message prior to launching maritime operations in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, warning against interference. Despite this warning, Iran has continued to attack U.S. warships, commercial vessels, and targets in the UAE, though the U.S. maintains the ceasefire remains in place.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced in the Strait of Hormuz, as part of "Project Freedom," that the Islamic Republic will face a "devastating fire force" if it attacks American forces or commercial ships.
Spiegel reported on May 1 that Germany has deployed a minesweeper ship to the Mediterranean to assist in potential mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, citing the German Ministry of Defense. Reuters added that the U.S. military has contracted Domino Data Lab for $100 million to use artificial intelligence in detecting and neutralizing Iranian naval mines in the same strait.
On Tuesday, May 5, the UAE Ministry of Defense reported that it came under Iranian missile and drone attacks, with air raid sirens sounding in Dubai; earlier, on Monday, the UAE intercepted three missiles and reported a drone attack that caused a fire in Fujairah, leaving at least three wounded.
On Sunday, the Trump administration warned Tehran of an imminent operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz and requested that the Islamic Republic not interfere. Despite this warning, reports indicate that the regime has conducted multiple attacks against US Navy vessels and commercial ships, including those of the United Arab Emirates.
The United Arab Emirates announced that its air defense systems are intercepting missile and drone attacks originating from Iran. The UAE Ministry of Defense stated on X that sounds heard across the country are due to the interception of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, condemned the Islamic Republic's missile and drone attacks on the United Arab Emirates on the X network, expressing full support for Abu Dhabi and emphasizing the need for diplomatic dialogue to achieve regional peace and stability.
Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of War, stated during a press conference that the current U.S. operation in the Strait of Hormuz aims not to rebuild Iran but to provide an opportunity for the Iranian people to free themselves from the regime's oppression, in response to a journalist's question about Donald Trump's promises to the Iranian people.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced during a press conference in Yerevan that he will discuss the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz with Masoud Pezeshkian, emphasizing the need to restore freedom of navigation in the strategic waterway.
