Ukrainian sources report that the German army will consider producing and deploying "Flamingo" cruise missiles on its own soil if there is a reduction or complete withdrawal of U.S. forces from Europe, as a replacement for U.S. Tomahawk missiles.
Hossein Shariatmadari, a representative of the Islamic Republic's leader at Kayhan newspaper, accused Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Jordan of direct involvement in the recent war and stated they must face retaliation. He also said that while negotiating with America and these Arab countries is part of the regime's mechanism, the war cannot end without exacting harsh revenge against those responsible for the death of Ali Khamenei.
Iraq's new oil minister announced on Saturday, May 16, that the country exported 10 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz in April (April 1 to May 10), and stated intentions to cooperate with OPEC to increase production capacity to five million barrels per day. Baghdad has also reached "understandings" with the United States and Iran to mitigate the impact of the Strait of Hormuz blockade on its oil exports.
Israel announced the targeting of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, commander of Hamas's military wing and a key planner of the October 7 attack, in an airstrike on Gaza. Al-Haddad is the highest-ranking Hamas official targeted since the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
On Friday night, the U.S. State Department announced an extension of the ceasefire in Lebanon for 45 additional days. The announcement came as Hezbollah continued launching drones and rockets into northern Israel, where residents remain in bomb shelters.
Masoud Pezeshkian, President of the Islamic Republic, sent a message to Pope Leo expressing appreciation for his stance on the Iran war, stating that U.S. and Israeli attacks are against law and human values, and called for a responsible international response to what he termed "illegal actions."
On Friday, the FBI announced the arrest and transfer of Muhammad Baqir Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a senior member of Kata'ib Hezbollah, to the United States for trial on six terrorism-related charges. Al-Saadi, a key figure in one of Iran's main proxy groups, was accused of collaborating with the Quds Force.
The New York Times reports, citing two Middle Eastern officials, that the United States and Israel are preparing potential attacks against the Islamic Republic, including bombings and special ground operations, with approximately 5,000 Marines and 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division in the region awaiting instructions.
The Lebanese government sent an unprecedented letter to the United Nations in late April, accusing the Islamic Republic of Iran of abusing diplomatic immunity and interfering in Lebanon's internal affairs by transferring IRGC forces under diplomatic cover, in violation of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Muhammad Baqir al-Sa'idi, a leader of the Iraqi Hezbollah terrorist group, has been transferred to the United States after his arrest in Turkey. Al-Sa'idi faces six charges related to his cooperation with the IRGC Quds Force and the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades, including directing attacks against American and Israeli interests.
In an interview with Fox News, Mike Waltz, the U.S. Representative to the United Nations, stated that the issue of enriched uranium and the Strait of Hormuz remains a primary concern for Washington, challenging the Islamic Republic's claim of a peaceful nuclear program and asserting that maintaining 60% enriched uranium indicates military objectives.
Mike Waltz, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, told Fox News that China has distanced itself from Iran following former President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing, agreeing that Iran should not acquire nuclear weapons and that the Strait of Hormuz must remain non-militarized. Waltz also stressed that international shipping lanes like the Strait of Hormuz cannot be used for toll collection and must remain open for global trade.
In an interview with Fox News, former President Trump stated that the U.S. deliberately avoided fully destroying Iran's infrastructure during military operations, emphasizing that only specific targets like oil facilities and nuclear storage sites on Kharg Island were attacked. Trump claimed Iranian officials reported that a "granite mountain" housing nuclear materials had collapsed, making it inaccessible to Iran except for the U.S. and China.
Ukrainian long-range drones struck the Nevinnomyssky Azot chemical plant in the Stavropol Krai region of Russia, a facility critical for producing nitrogen-based chemicals that supply the Russian defense sector with materials for high explosives.
The Chinese ambassador to the United Nations criticized the draft resolution proposed by the United States and Bahrain regarding the Strait of Hormuz, stating that its content and timing are inappropriate and will not reduce tensions with Iran. China and Russia had previously blocked a similar resolution last month, arguing that it unfairly targeted the Islamic Republic.
U.S. President Donald Trump discusses Iran, stating they have a "fake press" and cannot be trusted to uphold nuclear deals, while also mentioning Chinese President Xi Jinping's agreement on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The United Arab Emirates has announced plans to accelerate the construction of a new oil pipeline to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, aiming to double oil export capacity from the port of Fujairah by 2027, according to officials in Abu Dhabi.
The United States launched "self-defense" strikes against targets in Iran on October 4, 2025, following attacks on US warships in the Persian Gulf. No specific casualty or arrest numbers were reported.
US officials have proposed potential ground troop operations in Iran, including deploying special forces to seize enriched uranium at the Isfahan site, supported by the 82nd Airborne Division, and deploying marines and ground forces to Kharg Island.
U.S. prosecutors announced the arrest of Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saeedi, a 32-year-old Iraqi citizen and commander in Kata'ib Hezbollah, who was charged with plotting a terrorist attack on a New York synagogue and supporting groups backed by the Islamic Republic, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
