Lebanon’s health ministry has reported that at least 2,869 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since renewed conflict began on March 2. The ministry also stated that more than 8,730 others have been injured during the same period. The ongoing strikes and counterattacks have raised concerns about worsening humanitarian conditions across several areas of the country.

As the violence continues, many residents have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. The international community has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire and for measures to protect civilians amid the escalating conflict.

The situation remains volatile, with fears that the humanitarian crisis could deepen further if hostilities persist.

Iran has expressed support for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s four-point proposal aimed at promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iran’s ambassador to China, stated that Tehran is ready to back the initiative, emphasizing its alignment with Iran’s goals for regional cooperation and security.

According to Fazli, Iran supports the Chinese plan as part of its efforts to ensure lasting security and joint development in the Persian Gulf region. He noted that the issue was also discussed in detail during a meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries.

Earlier, President Xi presented the four-point plan during a meeting in Beijing with UAE President Zayed Al Nahyan, outlining China’s approach to maintaining peace and stability across the Middle East.

Former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of exploiting the ongoing Iran war to reshape the Middle East and advance a long-term plan for a 'Greater Israel.' In an interview with Al Jazeera’s program 'Al Muqabala,' he said the conflict was not accidental and claimed Netanyahu had long sought to draw the United States into confrontation with Tehran since the 1990s, convincing Washington that the war would be short and lead to Iran’s regime collapse.

Sheikh Hamad criticized overreliance on U.S. military power and said a diplomatic initiative led by Oman earlier this year could have prevented the crisis. He warned that the most dangerous outcome of the war is the Hormuz Strait crisis, as Iran now treats the waterway as sovereign territory and uses it as a weapon, posing a major threat to the global economy. He also alleged that Iran’s attacks on Gulf infrastructure under the guise of targeting U.S. bases have cost Tehran regional support.

He proposed forming a 'Gulf NATO' with Saudi Arabia as its backbone and urged regional cooperation with Turkey and Pakistan. Sheikh Hamad also condemned Israeli actions in Gaza as a moral and political disaster and praised Saudi Arabia’s refusal to normalize ties with Israel without a clear Palestinian statehood commitment.

Israel has intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon, launching new airstrikes and demolition campaigns after ordering residents of at least nine border towns and villages to evacuate. The Israeli forces are reportedly operating within a so-called 'Yellow Zone' extending about 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory, where explosions and destruction of structures have been reported by local sources.

While discussions continue in Washington on extending a ceasefire agreement, the situation on the ground is becoming increasingly volatile. The Lebanese government has appealed to the international community for assistance in rebuilding the south, securing the release of detained individuals, and ensuring the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese soil.

Analysts warn that continued attacks and forced evacuations could undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts toward a ceasefire and heighten instability across the region. According to Al Jazeera correspondent Obaida Hitto, fear is spreading in southern Lebanon as many families flee in search of safety.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to visit India this week to attend the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled for May 14 in New Delhi. According to Indian media reports, the meeting is being viewed as a preparatory session for the 18th BRICS summit to be held in September in the Indian capital. India currently holds the presidency of the group.

The BRICS bloc, now comprising 11 member countries, has expanded beyond its five founding members—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It is increasingly seen as a key platform for economic and diplomatic cooperation among Global South nations. The upcoming meeting is expected to discuss trade expansion, alternative financial systems, regional security, energy cooperation, and ongoing international crises. Developments in the Middle East and global economic uncertainty may also feature in the discussions.

Analysts suggest that bilateral issues between Iran and India, including energy cooperation, regional connectivity, and strategic projects such as the Chabahar Port, could receive special attention during the visit.

China is closely observing the ongoing Iran war, now in its third month, to learn from the United States’ military performance. According to a CNN report citing Chinese and Taiwanese experts, Beijing is analyzing how U.S. defense systems such as Patriot and THAAD have responded to Iranian tactics. Former PLA Air Force colonel Fu Qianshao said the main lesson so far is the need to identify weaknesses in China’s defense systems to remain invincible in future conflicts.

Analysts note that while the PLA has rapidly expanded its offensive capabilities, including hypersonic glide vehicles and fifth-generation stealth fighters, its defensive systems remain a concern. Iran’s use of low-cost drones and ballistic missiles to penetrate U.S. defenses has drawn particular attention. Experts in Taiwan warn that China’s growing drone production capacity could play a major role in any future conflict over Taiwan, though Taiwan’s current counter-drone systems are described as ineffective.

Commentators also emphasize that China lacks real combat experience since 1979, unlike the U.S., which has fought multiple wars. Analysts suggest the key lesson for Beijing is that battlefield success does not always translate into political victory.

The Middle East conflict intensified as U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to Washington’s proposal for ending the war, calling it “completely unacceptable.” Iran had earlier sent its reply through Pakistani mediators, according to state media. Meanwhile, Trump is expected to pressure Chinese President Xi Jinping on the Iran issue during an upcoming visit to Beijing.

In Europe, the United Kingdom and France announced a multinational defense ministers’ meeting on Tuesday to discuss military planning for securing commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran warned both countries that any deployment of warships in the area would face an “immediate and severe response.” Drone attacks also struck several targets in the Gulf region, including a cargo ship traveling from Abu Dhabi to Qatar, though no casualties were reported.

Separately, Iran released Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi on medical bail amid growing health concerns. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the war cannot be considered over until Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles are removed. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any attack on Iranian tankers would trigger retaliation against U.S. facilities in the region.

Iran has rejected reports that crude oil tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz with their tracking systems turned off to avoid potential attacks. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the large tanker ‘Aegeos Fanorios One,’ bound for Vietnam and carrying Iraqi crude under a Maltese flag, followed a route designated by Iran while crossing the strategic waterway.

Earlier, Reuters had reported that three tankers switched off their transponders before passing through the strait on Sunday. Tasnim, however, stated that the ‘Aegeos Fanorios One’ ensured a safe journey by adhering to Iran’s instructed route. The vessel, which loaded oil in Iraq’s Basra on April 17, had previously failed twice to cross the strait before succeeding on Sunday. It is now heading toward the Gulf of Oman.

The report comes amid heightened regional tensions and conflict in the Middle East, where tanker movements through the Strait of Hormuz have become increasingly risky. Conflicting accounts of vessel routes have added to uncertainty in global energy markets, with analysts suggesting Iran aims to demonstrate control and surveillance capability over the passage.

A Turkish Airlines aircraft caught fire while landing at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 11, 2026. Authorities confirmed that all 277 passengers and 11 crew members were safe. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the fire is believed to have started from a spark in the right landing gear during touchdown. Rescue operations were completed, and an investigation into the cause of the incident is underway.

Following the incident, the airport’s only runway was closed for about two hours before resuming operations. Kathmandu’s airports are considered among the world’s most challenging due to their mountainous surroundings and complex terrain, which increase risks for pilots.

A similar Turkish Airlines incident occurred at the same airport in 2015 when a plane skidded off the runway, though no injuries were reported. Nepal has faced multiple aviation safety issues in the past, prompting plans to improve safety standards amid European Union restrictions on its airlines.

Three large crude oil tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz with their location trackers turned off to avoid potential Iranian attacks, according to data from Kepler and LSEG cited by Reuters on Monday. The vessels, named Agios Fanourios One, Kiara M, and Basra Energy, each carried about two million barrels of crude oil. Agios Fanourios One, loaded in Iraq’s Basra on April 17, is heading toward Vietnam after two failed attempts to cross earlier. Kiara M, flying the San Marino flag and operated by a Shanghai-based company, has not yet confirmed its unloading destination. The Panama-flagged Basra Energy departed Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC Zirku terminal on May 1 and discharged its cargo at Fujairah port in the UAE last Friday.

The report notes that ongoing conflict and instability in the Middle East have severely disrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Amid heightened tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States, oil exporters and shipowners are increasingly operating “in the dark” by disabling tracking systems to reduce the risk of targeted attacks.

Iran has executed a man accused of spying for the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel’s Mossad, according to the state-run Mehr News Agency, as reported by Al Jazeera. The executed individual was identified as Erfan Shakourzadeh, who was said to have worked with an Iranian scientific institution involved in satellite-related activities.

Authorities in Iran alleged that Shakourzadeh had provided sensitive information to foreign intelligence agencies. However, no further details about the nature of the information or the circumstances of his arrest and trial were disclosed in the report.

The execution underscores Iran’s continued focus on countering alleged espionage activities linked to Western and Israeli intelligence networks, though the report did not specify when or where the execution took place.

At least 51 people, including two health workers, were killed in Lebanon within the past 24 hours amid ongoing Israeli attacks. Funerals in the villages of Harret Saida and Al-Saksakiyyah drew hundreds of mourners, many of whom carried photos of their deceased relatives. Ali Safiuddin, head of Civil Defense in Tyre, said residents live under constant threat and feel as if they have already lost their lives.

In Gaza, Israeli strikes on residential areas, including the Al-Shati refugee camp, killed several Palestinians. Families were seen mourning beside the ruins of their homes. According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli aggression since March has killed 2,846 people in Lebanon, while Gaza’s death toll has surpassed 72,700. Bereaved families have appealed to the global conscience for justice.

The Israeli offensive, which began on March 2, has displaced more than 1.2 million Lebanese. Despite a ceasefire declared on April 16, the intensity of attacks has continued to rise, worsening the humanitarian crisis across both Lebanon and Gaza.

The United Kingdom and France will jointly host a virtual defense ministers’ meeting on Tuesday to discuss military planning aimed at normalizing commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a British government statement. The announcement came just hours after Iran warned both London and Paris against deploying warships to the region. More than 40 countries are expected to participate in the meeting, co-chaired by UK Defense Minister John Healey and French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin.

The meeting follows an April gathering of military planners in London, where discussions focused on implementing a multinational mission led by the UK and France to secure the vital waterway after a sustainable ceasefire. Both countries have already deployed naval assets to the Middle East: France sent its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, while the UK dispatched the destroyer HMS Dragon. Officials said these deployments are part of preparations for an international mission to safeguard maritime traffic.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister warned that any foreign warships entering the strait would face an immediate and firm response, asserting that only Iran can ensure its security. French President Emmanuel Macron later clarified that France supports a coordinated security mission involving Iran rather than unilateral naval deployment.

Israel’s military is facing major challenges in countering ‘First Person View’ (FPV) drones launched by Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post. The drones use special fiber‑optic cables for direct control, making them resistant to Israel’s jamming and signal‑blocking systems. One such FPV drone reportedly struck an Iron Dome battery along Israel’s northern border last Sunday, and Hezbollah has released footage of the attack.

The report adds that Israeli defense officials, during a recent visit to southern Lebanon, confirmed the launch of several pilot programs aimed at improving detection and interception of these drones. However, the military has yet to match the pace of Hezbollah’s evolving drone technology in real time, the report noted.

The situation underscores a growing tactical challenge for Israel’s air defense systems as Hezbollah continues to deploy advanced, hard‑to‑jam FPV drones in cross‑border operations.

US President Donald Trump said the United States is monitoring Iran’s enriched uranium, which he described as being buried under rubble. In an interview with journalist Sharyl Attkisson, recorded last week and aired on Sunday, Trump warned that if anyone approaches Iran’s enriched uranium, the US would detect it and take military action. He also claimed that Iran has been militarily defeated and that the US has already struck 70 percent of its targets in Iran, with more potential targets identified.

According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, Tehran has responded to the latest US proposal aimed at ending the war. The proposal reportedly emphasizes US war reparations, Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, lifting of sanctions, and the release of Iran’s frozen funds and assets.

The developments follow a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28, after which Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israeli and US positions in the Middle East and tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz.