US Iran War News Live Updates: USS Gerald R Ford returns after longest deployment since Vietnam war amid Iran conflict

The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, returned to its home base in Virginia on Saturday after an 11-month deployment — the longest by a US carrier since the Vietnam War.

The carrier strike group, accompanied by the destroyers USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan, docked at Naval Station Norfolk after operations linked to the US conflict with Iran and the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. Nearly 5,000 sailors reunited with their families for the first time since June.

During the deployment, the crew also dealt with a major onboard fire that damaged sleeping quarters and forced extended repair work on the Greek island of Crete.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the homecoming ceremony and praised the crew of the USS Bainbridge.

“You didn't just accomplish a mission, you made history,” Hegseth said on the destroyer's deck. “You made a nation proud.”

US President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed that Tehran should reopen the Strait of Hormuz, although Beijing did not publicly indicate any plans to intervene on the issue.

Speaking aboard Air Force One while returning from Beijing after two days of talks with Xi, Trump also said he was considering lifting US sanctions on Chinese oil companies purchasing Iranian crude. China remains the largest buyer of Iranian oil.

"I'm not asking for any favors because when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return," Trump said when asked whether Xi had made a firm commitment to pressure Iran into reopening the strategic waterway.

Xi did not publicly comment on discussions related to Iran. However, China’s foreign ministry criticised the conflict, saying it was a war that “should never have happened” and “has no reason to continue.”

Vladimir Putin discussed the Iran conflict with his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to the Kremlin.

The statement said both leaders emphasised the importance of continuing political and diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching compromise-based peace agreements.

Putin also expressed appreciation for the UAE’s support on humanitarian issues related to the conflict in Ukraine.

Israel’s military says it is investigating soldiers who stood by while masked Israeli settlers, including a reservist, set fire to vehicles in a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, troops were deployed to the village of Shuqba after reports that masked Israelis vandalised and burned several vehicles. When forces arrived, some suspects fled while others continued the damage, and none were detained at the scene.

Subsequently, Border Police arrested four Israeli civilians and an IDF reservist serving in an area defence unit (Hagmar), who are suspected of involvement. Police have launched a formal investigation, while the reservist’s weapon was confiscated and he has been suspended from reserve duty pending inquiry.

The military said it will also investigate the conduct of the soldiers who did not intervene during the incident. Dozens of Hagmar personnel have previously been dismissed over violations, including alleged attacks on Palestinians, and the IDF has recently begun reducing the number of active Hagmar troops in the West Bank.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a 24-hour operational update that Hezbollah launched hostile aircraft, mortar shells and explosive drones that landed near areas where Israeli soldiers were operating in southern Lebanon.

The IDF also said it carried out strikes on approximately 100 Hezbollah targets across several locations in southern Lebanon, including observation posts, a weapons storage facility, and other infrastructure sites in the Tyre region.

Israel warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes across the Tyre and Nabatieh districts in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s official National News Agency.

One strike hit the Hamadieh area near the al-Bass road in Ma’rakah, while another attack on Hawsh Tyre reportedly caused deaths, injuries, and significant damage to residential homes. The exact casualty figures remain unclear.

The report also said a drone strike targeted the town of Qusaybah in Nabatieh, while additional raids hit Zawtar al-Sharqiyah.

Separately, artillery fire struck the outskirts of Mazraat al-Hamra toward Yahmar al-Shaqif, as well as the Ali al-Taher forest near Nabatieh al-Fawqa.

United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said a US Army helicopter monitored commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz as part of enforcement operations linked to the maritime blockade against Iran.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said that as of May 16, US forces had redirected 78 commercial ships and disabled four others “to ensure compliance” with the blockade measures.

CENTCOM says 78 ships redirected during Iran blockade enforcement

Israel artillery shelling in southern Lebanon has killed one person and injured another, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.

The report said the shelling targeted the area around the Sarbin junction in southern Lebanon, causing casualties in the attack.

Pakistan's interior minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Iran for a two-day official visit aimed at helping facilitate stalled peace talks between Tehran and the US, according to Iranian media reports.

Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni received Naqvi in Tehran, days after a separate visit by Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief.

Iranian media said Pakistan has been actively involved in mediating between Tehran and Washington and hosted high-level talks between both sides last month.

A ceasefire announced on April 9 has largely paused fighting that began after US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Tehran had received signals from Washington suggesting President Donald Trump’s administration remains open to continuing negotiations.

Hezbollah said it carried out a drone strike targeting a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam.

In a statement posted on its Telegram channel, Hezbollah said the attack was in response to what it described as Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement and attacks on villages that killed and wounded civilians.

The group said the strike targeted Israeli forces stationed in the area amid continuing tensions along the border with Israel.

Israel warplanes have carried out an air raid on the town of al-Shahabiya in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, according to Wafa.

Another air strike was also reported in the area between the towns of Arnoun and Yohmor al-Shaqif in southern Lebanon.

Iran’s state television reported that several European countries are in talks with Tehran over securing transit for ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the report, cited by AFP, negotiations with the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began after vessels from countries including China, Japan and Pakistan were granted passage under Iran’s newly introduced strait management protocols.

Iran has heavily restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of war with the United States and Israel on February 28, although a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8.

The strategic waterway, which normally carries around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, has become a key point of leverage for Tehran amid tensions and naval restrictions imposed by Washington on Iranian ports.

Iranian officials have repeatedly said maritime traffic through Hormuz would not return to pre-war conditions. Last month, Tehran confirmed it had begun collecting toll revenues from vessels using the route.

Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, said Iran has developed a “professional mechanism” to manage maritime traffic through the strait, adding that only commercial vessels and countries cooperating with Tehran would benefit from the arrangement. He also said service fees would be charged and that the route would remain closed to operators involved in the US-led “freedom project,” a temporary military operation aimed at escorting stranded commercial ships through the strait.

Iran has prepared a mechanism to manage traffic through the Strait of Hormuz along a designated route and will announce the plan shortly, a senior Iranian politician said.

Ebrahim Azizi, who heads parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, said only commercial ships and countries that cooperate with Tehran would be eligible to use the arrangement. He added that Iran would collect fees for specialised services provided under the mechanism, Al-Jazeera reported.

Iran has ordered an “immediate comprehensive response plan” across all operational levels of its armed forces following recent threats by US President Donald Trump, according to Nournews, a website affiliated with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Citing an informed military official, the report said any “miscalculation or hostile action” by the United States would trigger “heavy and simultaneous fire” targeting a broad range of US interests and infrastructure across the region.

The official added that some restrictions used in previous military planning had been lifted, with targets previously left untouched now receiving operational priority.

According to Nournews, the strategy considers seasonal vulnerabilities, summer climate conditions, energy pressures, logistical chokepoints, US regional and international weaknesses, and broader global challenges.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has condemned Israeli attacks on paramedics in Lebanon after a drone strike killed two Lebanese Civil Defence workers and wounded another in the southern city of Nabatieh.

MSF said the May 12 attack occurred while the paramedics were attempting to assist a person injured in an earlier strike. Ambulance crews from a nearby hospital reportedly witnessed the attack and later returned to recover human remains from the scene.

Jeremy Ristord, MSF’s head of mission in Lebanon, said the organisation was outraged by the killing of paramedics carrying out lifesaving work, adding that attacks on healthcare workers are unacceptable and should not become normalised, as cited by Al Jazeera.

MSF warned that repeated air strikes, drone attacks and artillery fire have damaged hospitals, ambulances and medical equipment across southern Lebanon, forcing rescue teams to delay or limit emergency responses out of fear of being targeted.

United Nations official Ramiz Alakbarov has condemned an arson attack on a mosque and several vehicles in a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, allegedly carried out by Israeli settlers.

In a post on X, Alakbarov said masked individuals set fire to the mosque and vehicles in the village of Jibiya, where Hebrew graffiti was also found on walls.

He said attacks on religious sites and civilian property were unacceptable and warned that increasing settler violence and escalating attacks across the occupied West Bank continue to threaten civilians and damage property.

Alakbarov added that Israel has a responsibility to protect civilians from all forms of violence, calling for an immediate and transparent investigation and for those responsible to be held accountable.

UAE energy minister Suhail Al Mazrouei said that the country’s decision to leave OPEC and OPEC+ is a sovereign strategic choice based on its long-term economic vision and energy capabilities.

The decision followed a comprehensive assessment of national production policy and future capacity.

In a post on X, he wrote: “It is guided exclusively by the UAE’s national interest, its role as a reliable energy supplier, and its commitment to market stability."

The minister said the move is not driven by political considerations nor does it reflect any division between the UAE and its partners.

“The UAE’s decisions are sovereign, strategic, and guided by national interest, not external speculation,” the post read.

Israel’s military said that Ezzedine Al-Haddad, the head of Hamas’ armed wing, was killed in an air strike in Gaza a day earlier.

In a statement, the Israeli military said the strike was carried out in the Gaza City area in coordination with the Shin Bet domestic security agency, adding that Al-Haddad had been “eliminated” in what it described as a precise operation.

Pedro Sanchez defended Spain’s boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s participation, saying that “silence is not an option.”

Sanchez cited what he described as the genocide in Gaza and the “illegal war” in Lebanon while explaining the government’s stance.

Iraq exported 10 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz in April, according to the country’s newly appointed oil minister, Basim Mohammed.

Speaking at a press conference, Mohammed said Iraq plans to work with OPEC to expand the country’s oil production and export capacity. He added that Baghdad is aiming to increase production capacity to five million barrels per day.

FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom is set to meet officials from the Iranian Football Association in Istanbul to discuss Iran’s participation in the World Cup, according to a source familiar with the talks cited by Reuters.

The discussions are aimed at providing assurances over Iran’s ability to take part in the tournament, the source said.

Iran is scheduled to play all three of its group-stage matches in the United States. However, its participation in the June 11 to July 19 tournament has been uncertain since US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

US president Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed that Tehran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, although China has not indicated any such commitment.

Flying back from Beijing after two days of talks with Xi, Trump said he was considering whether to lift U.S. sanctions on Chinese oil companies purchasing Iranian oil. China remains the largest buyer of Iranian oil.

Xi did not publicly comment on discussions with Trump regarding Iran, although China’s foreign ministry said the conflict was “which should never have happened, has no reason to continue.”

The Israeli military has said it has begun targeting alleged Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, hours after the ceasefire was extended by another 45 days.

The move follows earlier evacuation notices issued by the army for nine towns in southern Lebanon.

US president Donald Trump said the ceasefire announced with Iran, aimed at opening diplomatic channels for a broader settlement in West Asia, was agreed “as a favour to Pakistan”, which he described as playing a mediating role between Washington and Tehran. He also said other countries had pressed for the truce.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while travelling from his two-day visit to China to Anchorage, Trump suggested that international pressure contributed to the decision to pause hostilities.

“We really did the ceasefire at the request of other nations. I wouldn't have really been in favour of it, but we did it as a favour to Pakistan. They are terrific, the Field Marshal and the Prime Minister. I mean, President Xi and I agree on many things,” he said.

An Israeli airstrike targeted the southern Lebanese town of Beit Siyad, Al Jazeera reported, as hostilities continued despite the extension of the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported that an Israeli drone was flying at low altitude over the villages of Zahrani, Bisariyeh, Tuffahta and Babliyeh.

Iraq exported around 10 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz in April, the country’s new oil minister Basim Mohammed said at a press conference on Saturday, as cited by Reuters.

Mohammed added that Iraq planned to coordinate with OPEC to expand the country’s production and export capacity, with Baghdad aiming to raise output capacity to 5 million barrels per day.

Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has thanked the Pope for his stance on recent US military strikes against Iran, according to a message published by Iran’s Fars news agency cited by Al Jazeera.

Pezeshkian said the pope had adopted a “moral, logical and fair” position in opposing the strikes, which he said were carried out under false pretences, violated international law, and were backed by Israel.

US officials suspect Iranian hackers may be behind a series of cyber intrusions targeting systems used to monitor fuel levels at gas stations across several American states, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

According to the report, the targeted systems, known as automatic tank gauge (ATG) systems, had reportedly been left exposed online without password protection, enabling hackers in some cases to manipulate fuel-level display readings.

Officials said the actual quantity of fuel stored in the tanks was not affected by the breaches.

Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations has warned that countries co-sponsoring a US-backed draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz would share “international responsibility” for any consequences arising from a potential new military escalation by Washington.

In a statement posted on X, Iran’s UN mission accused the United States of using the list of co-sponsors to create a “false image” of broad international support for what it described as unlawful actions and military adventurism.

“No political excuse or diplomatic cover can absolve them,” the statement said, as cited by Al Jazeera.

FIFA is set to offer ‘reassurance’ over Iran’s participation in World Cup hosted by the US.

Iran has qualified for the June 11 to July 19 World Cup tournament, but its participation has been overshadowed by tensions stemming from the country’s two-month-long conflict with the United States and Israel. Tehran has requested alternative venues for matches scheduled on US soil.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Thursday that he expected Iran to take part in the tournament and play matches in the United States, a position later endorsed by US President Donald Trump.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that a lack of trust remained the biggest obstacle in negotiations with the United States to end the war, while signalling that Tehran was open to diplomatic assistance, particularly from China, to help reduce tensions.

Araghchi said contradictory signals from Washington had “made us reluctant about the real intentions of Americans”.

“We are in doubt about their seriousness,” he told reporters, adding that negotiations could move forward if the United States was prepared for a “fair and balanced deal.”

Tehran’s municipal government has released new figures detailing the human and economic toll of US-Israeli attacks on the Iranian capital.

According to a spokesperson quoted by Iran’s ISNA news agency, the city recorded at least 650 impact incidents during the conflict. The official said at least 1,260 people were killed in Tehran and more than 2,800 others injured, as cited by Al Jazeera.

The spokesperson also said around 51,000 residential units suffered damage, while 10,733 cars and 754 motorcycles were affected in the attacks, including nearly 150 taxis.

Israeli warplanes carried out air strikes on the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor al-Shaqif on Saturday morning, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

The agency also reported heavy artillery shelling targeting the towns of Kfar Tebnit, Arnoun and Yohmor al-Shaqif, along with the Arnoun-Kfar Tebnit road.

UAE accused Iran of carrying out repeated attacks against the country since the outbreak of the conflict on February 28, claiming that Emirati air defences had intercepted nearly 3,000 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones allegedly aimed at civilian facilities and critical infrastructure. The UAE said the targets included airports, ports, oil installations, desalination plants, energy networks and residential areas.

Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar said Iran had continued its attacks “despite numerous international and regional condemnations”, pointing to UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), resolutions passed by the UN Human Rights Council, and decisions issued by international organisations including the International Maritime Organization (IMO), International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

According to the UAE statement, the resolutions reflected a “clear international consensus” against attacks targeting state sovereignty and civilian infrastructure.

UAE has strongly rejected Iranian allegations accusing Abu Dhabi of being “directly involved” in aggression against Tehran during the recent West Asia conflict, dismissing the claims as “malicious accusations” that would neither affect the country’s “principled positions” nor influence its sovereign decision-making.

The remarks were made by Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar during the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, where he reiterated the UAE’s categorical rejection of what he described as Iranian attempts to justify attacks targeting the UAE and other countries in the region.

In a statement issued by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Al Marar said the UAE “categorically rejects any allegations or threats targeting its sovereignty, national security, or independent decision-making”, while stressing that the country reserves its “full sovereign, legal, diplomatic, and military rights” to respond to any threats or hostile actions.

The US Justice Department has arrested and charged an Iraqi national accused of orchestrating at least 18 alleged attacks and attempted attacks across the United States, Canada and Europe.

A criminal complaint unsealed on Friday in a Manhattan federal court identified the suspect as Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, 32, described as a senior commander in Kataib Hezbollah, which is affiliated with IRGC, as cited by Al Jazeera.

FBI director Kash Patel said on X that the agency had arrested and brought al-Saadi to the United States, describing him as a “high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism”.

Al-Saadi appeared in court on Friday and faces six charges, including conspiracy to provide material support to what prosecutors described as “terrorist groups” Kataib Hezbollah and the IRGC.

The Israeli military said warning alerts were triggered in the Majdal Shams area of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights following what it described as a “false” alarm over the suspected infiltration of a “hostile aircraft”.

China’s ambassador to the United Nations has criticised a proposed US-Bahrain resolution at the UN Security Council on the Strait of Hormuz, saying both its timing and content were inappropriate and warning that its adoption would not help ease tensions.

The draft resolution calls on Iran to halt attacks and mining activities in the strategic waterway, but diplomats say the measure is likely to face vetoes from both China and Russia if it is brought to a vote.

Beijing and Moscow had vetoed a similar US-backed resolution last month, arguing that it unfairly targeted Iran.

US President Donald Trump said he would be open to Iran suspending its nuclear programme for 20 years, signalling an apparent shift from his earlier demand for a complete and permanent halt to Tehran’s nuclear activities.

Trump said the suspension would have to be a “real 20 years”. He had previously insisted that Iran permanently stop enriching uranium, a key step in developing nuclear weapons, and never be allowed to acquire such arms.

At the same time, Trump warned that his patience with Tehran was wearing thin, as talks showed no signs of a breakthrough.

At least six people, including three paramedics, were killed and 22 others injured after an Israeli strike hit a civil defence centre in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s state news agency.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency has published what it said was the final handwritten note by Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, written shortly before he was killed during the February 28 conflict involving US and Israeli forces.

“The world is a bad thing, because even if you acquire all of it, you have acquired nothing. But this is also the good side of the world, because even if you lose all of it, you have lost nothing,” Mousavi wrote, according to Tasnim.

After his three-day state visit to China, US President Donald Trump said the United States and China agreed that "Iran can't have nuclear weapons" and that the Strait of Hormuz should remain open. Speaking aboard Air Force One after leaving China, Trump said he had extensive discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on West Asia, Taiwan and regional security.

Trump claimed the US effectively controls the Strait of Hormuz and said Iran had suffered losses of around 500 million dollars a day during the past two and a half weeks because of the US naval blockade. He quoted Xi as saying Iran "can't have a nuclear weapon" and should reopen the strait.

Trump also said Xi opposed any "fight for independence" in Taiwan, warning it could trigger a major confrontation. The two leaders additionally discussed arms sales to Taiwan and broader US-China relations.

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire by 45 days following two days of talks in Washington, the US State Department announced on Friday. The truce, which had been due to expire on Sunday, will remain in place while further political and military negotiations continue in early June.

US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott described the discussions as “highly productive” and said talks aimed at securing a permanent agreement would resume on June 2 and 3. Separate military-level discussions are also scheduled at the Pentagon on May 29.

Despite the extension, violence continued across southern Lebanon. Lebanese authorities said Israeli strikes killed at least six people, including paramedics, in Hanuf and wounded dozens more in the Tyre district. Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for drone and rocket attacks on Israeli military positions.

The United Nations warned that civilians continue to pay an “unacceptable” price despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza on Friday reportedly targeted Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the head of Hamas’s military wing, according to Israeli officials. It was not immediately clear whether al-Haddad had been killed or injured, while Hamas had not commented on the strike at the time of reporting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the operation targeted the leader of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades, describing him as one of the key planners behind the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel.

The strike was one of at least two carried out in Gaza City on Friday evening. One hit a residential building, while another targeted a vehicle. According to Palestinian medical officials, at least seven people were killed and dozens injured. Casualties were taken to Shifa Hospital and the Palestine Red Crescent Society’s Saraya Field Hospital.

Despite a ceasefire reached in October, Gaza has continued to witness frequent Israeli attacks. Palestinian officials say more than 850 people have been killed since the truce began. Israel has vowed to continue targeting all those involved in the October 7 attacks, which left around 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage.

Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire and continue broader negotiations towards a political settlement, the United States announced on Friday. The move comes despite fresh Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, which Israel says fall outside the terms of the truce.

The conflict began after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shia group, launched attacks on Israel, prompting Israeli military operations across southern Lebanon. Following two days of talks in Washington, representatives from Israel and the Lebanese government agreed to prolong the ceasefire by 45 days beyond its original Sunday deadline.

US officials said further diplomatic and military discussions would take place in early June and at the end of May. Lebanon welcomed the extension, calling it an opportunity to provide relief and stability for civilians affected by the conflict.