14:07 – Qatar warns against instrumentalization of Strait of Hormuz
The Qatari Prime Minister stated that the instrumentalization of the Strait of Hormuz would only “worsen the crisis,” during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Cheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani argued that “the closure or use of the Strait of Hormuz as a means of pressure will only worsen the crisis” in the Middle East, according to the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the discussion with Abbas Araghchi, the Qatari Prime Minister also asserted that the concept of free navigation could not be “compromised,” after Doha reported a drone attack on a commercial ship in its territorial waters.
13:24 – Two Hezbollah-affiliated rescuers killed
The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that two rescuers from the Islamic Health Committee, affiliated with Hezbollah, were killed and five others injured in Israeli airstrikes in the south of the country.
Israel “directly targeted two sites of the Health Committee,” in Qalaouiyah and Tibnine, according to the ministry, condemning the “continuation by Israel of violating international laws.”
13:14 – Seoul believes its cargo was hit by an aerial attack
South Korea announced that its ship, affected by a fire on May 4 in the Strait of Hormuz, was targeted by aerial shots. “On May 4, two unidentified aircraft hit the hull of HMM Namu about a minute apart,” said Park Il, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a press conference.
13:12 – Army chief reportedly met with supreme leader
The Iranian state television reported that the chief of the armed forces command, Ali Abdollahi, met with the Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since his appointment in March.
Mojtaba Khamenei provided “new directives and guidelines for the continuation of operations to confront the enemy,” as per the state television, without specifying the date of the meeting.
13:04 – UAE claims to be targeted by two Iranian drones
The United Arab Emirates announced intercepting two Iranian drones on Sunday, despite the fragile ceasefire in place since April 8 in the Middle East conflict. “The UAE’s Air Defense systems intercepted two drones launched from Iran,” stated the defense ministry in a release on X.
11:38 – Kuwait announces drone attack
Kuwait reported a drone attack on its territory, despite the fragile ceasefire in place since April 8 in the Middle East conflict. “The armed forces detected hostile drones in Kuwaiti airspace early this morning, handled according to established procedures,” wrote the army’s staff on X, without specifying the source of the drones.
11:24 – Iran seeks to punish American allies
The Iranian army warned that countries applying American sanctions against the Islamic Republic will face difficulties crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime passage for global oil trade. The U.S. government imposed new sanctions on May 1 targeting Iranian interests and warned ships paying Iranian authorities to cross the strait.
“We have established a new legal and security framework in the Strait of Hormuz. Now, any ship wishing to pass through must coordinate with us,” reiterated Mohammad Akraminia, an army official, to IRNA. “Countries aligning with the U.S. by imposing sanctions on Iran will surely face difficulties passing through the Strait of Hormuz,” he threatened.
9:52 – Iran threatens heavy response to any attack on its ships
Iran threatened to target Washington sites in the Middle East in case of an attack on its merchant navy, following American strikes against two of its tankers. The U.S. is still awaiting Tehran’s response to its latest proposals.
“Any attack on Iranian tankers and commercial vessels will result in a heavy response against one of the American centers in the region as well as the enemy’s ships,” warned the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army, on Saturday night.
9:40 – Saudi oil giant Aramco announces 25.5% profit increase
Saudi oil giant Aramco reported a 25.5% increase in its net profit in the first quarter, driven by rising crude oil prices, according to a statement published on the Saudi Stock Exchange.
The increase is attributed to “increased revenues and other sales-related products, partially offsetting the rise in operating costs,” stated the group, a flagship of the Saudi economy and one of the world’s largest companies in terms of market capitalization.
9:20 – Ship struck by projectile off Qatar coast
An unidentified projectile hit a ship off the coast of Qatar on Sunday morning, reported a maritime agency, after the Iranian Revolutionary Guards threatened the previous day to target “enemy” ships in the region.
According to the UK Maritime Security Agency, a freighter reported being struck by an “unknown projectile” 23 nautical miles northeast of Doha. “A small fire broke out but was extinguished, no casualties. No environmental impact was reported,” said the agency.
RECAP – Key headlines from the night
– Lebanese authorities confirmed the death of nine individuals in new Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, with Hezbollah claiming to have fired back into northern Israel.
– American Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed “threats” and Middle East security in a meeting with the Qatari Prime Minister. Both men discussed “American support for Qatar’s defense and the importance of close coordination,” said the U.S. State Department.
– Iran questioned the seriousness of American diplomacy in negotiations to resolve the Middle East conflict, without commenting on its response to Washington’s latest proposal. “The recent escalation of tensions by American forces and their multiple violations of the ceasefire raise suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American party on the path of diplomacy,” said Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, quoted by the Isna news agency.
