China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on Pakistan to strengthen its mediation efforts between Iran and the United States to help restore normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, according to China’s Xinhua news agency.

During a telephone conversation, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar briefed Wang Yi on Islamabad’s recent mediation initiatives aimed at easing tensions between Washington and Tehran. Dar expressed gratitude for Beijing’s support and voiced hope for closer coordination between the two countries.

Wang Yi praised Pakistan’s mediating role, noting that its efforts had contributed to extending a temporary ceasefire. He expressed confidence that Pakistan would continue its diplomatic initiatives to promote regional peace and stability. Wang added that China would keep supporting Pakistan’s mediation and play its own role in resolving the crisis.

Saudi Arabia has secretly conducted numerous airstrikes inside Iran, according to Reuters citing Western and Iranian officials. The attacks reportedly took place in late March as retaliation for earlier strikes on Saudi territory during the ongoing Middle East war. Analysts said the revelation indicates a more assertive Saudi stance against its regional rival Iran.

Two Western officials confirmed that the Saudi Air Force executed the operations, though the exact Iranian targets remain unverified. The conflict, which began after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, has since expanded across the region. The Wall Street Journal also reported that the United Arab Emirates carried out attacks against Iran, suggesting a widening of the confrontation.

The report noted that Saudi Arabia, traditionally reliant on U.S. security guarantees, acted independently during the ten-week war, exposing perceived weaknesses in Washington’s protective umbrella.

The United States Department of Defense has reported that the cost of the ongoing war with Iran has reached approximately $29 billion. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth presented the updated figure during two hearings of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday. The disclosure came as part of discussions on the Pentagon’s proposed $1.5 trillion budget.

According to the hearings, the war expenditure has increased by about $4 billion over the past two weeks, up from a previous estimate of $25 billion. The Pentagon’s comptroller clarified that the new $29 billion figure does not yet include the cost of repairing U.S. facilities damaged by Iranian attacks, suggesting that the final total could rise further.

The hearings placed particular emphasis on the growing financial burden of the conflict and its implications for U.S. military strategy and defense spending priorities.

A Russian cargo ship named Ursa Major sank about 60 miles off the Spanish coast on December 23, 2024, following multiple unexplained explosions. According to a CNN investigative report, the vessel was likely carrying two nuclear reactors intended for North Korean submarines. The incident has been described as potentially indicating direct Western military intervention to prevent Russia from transferring advanced nuclear technology to its ally North Korea.

Fourteen Russian crew members survived and were taken to the port city of Cartagena, where Spanish police questioned them. Opposition lawmakers said the ship’s captain initially refused to discuss the cargo but later admitted that items listed as “manhole covers” were actually parts of submarine nuclear reactors. The ship’s owner, Oboronlogistics, later called the event a “planned terrorist attack,” reporting three explosions and a 50-by-50-centimeter inward-bent hole in the hull.

CNN’s report added that the damage might have been caused by a Barracuda supercavitating torpedo, a weapon known to exist only in a few countries, including the United States, some NATO allies, Russia, and Iran.

The United Nations has warned that around 45 million people could face severe hunger and famine if fertilizer shipments through the Hormuz Strait are not restored soon. Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and head of a task force addressing the crisis, told AFP that the world has only a few weeks to prevent a major humanitarian disaster.

According to Silva, about one-third of the world’s fertilizer supply passes through the Hormuz Strait. The ongoing disruption has already affected global fertilizer distribution, threatening food production worldwide. The UN fears that the prolonged blockade of this vital trade route could trigger a collapse in agricultural output, worsening global food insecurity.

The organization cautioned that failure to stabilize the situation could escalate into a massive humanitarian crisis, as millions more people are pushed into hunger and deprivation.

Bangladesh has strongly condemned an Israeli attack in Lebanon that killed two Bangladeshi nationals. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday expressing deep sorrow over the deaths of Rafiqul Islam and Nahidul Islam Nahid, both from Satkhira. The government extended condolences to the bereaved families and confirmed that the Bangladesh Embassy in Lebanon is coordinating with local authorities to complete formalities for repatriating the bodies.

The statement further expressed Bangladesh’s deep concern over the ongoing violence in the region and the loss of civilian lives. It called for maximum restraint and adherence to international humanitarian law. The embassy is maintaining contact with the victims’ families to provide necessary support.

The government’s response underscores Bangladesh’s consistent position on protecting civilians and upholding international law amid regional conflicts.

Israel sent Iron Dome missile defense batteries and personnel to the United Arab Emirates during its ongoing conflict with Iran, according to statements by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz. His remarks, later cited by Israeli media, indicated that the UAE had used the Israeli-supplied Iron Dome system. The confirmation was reinforced by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee during an event in Tel Aviv, where he thanked the UAE for its role as the first member of the Abraham Accords and highlighted the cooperation.

Huckabee expressed optimism that more Middle Eastern countries would soon join the Abraham Accords, expanding diplomatic ties with Israel. The development underscores growing defense collaboration between Israel and the UAE, reflecting a deepening strategic partnership.

The report suggests that this cooperation adds complexity to the regional security landscape amid heightened Iran-Israel tensions, as diplomatic and military alignments in the Middle East continue to shift rapidly.

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced that the country’s armed forces are fully prepared to respond to any aggression. His warning came after U.S. President Donald Trump described the ongoing Middle East ceasefire as being in a highly fragile state. While Tehran has repeatedly expressed willingness to engage in talks, it has made clear that it will not accept any imposed conditions.

Iran emphasized that its main priority in any diplomatic negotiation is to eliminate the risk of renewed conflict. Tehran seeks security guarantees to prevent temporary truces from turning into cycles of renewed violence. Alongside these diplomatic messages, Ghalibaf reiterated through a post on social media that Iran’s forces are ready to teach aggressors a lesson, warning that wrong strategies always lead to bad outcomes.

Meanwhile, Trump said Iran’s response to the U.S. peace proposal was “foolish” and rejected Tehran’s reply, which had been sent through Pakistan’s mediation. Observers noted that significant gaps remain between the U.S. and Iranian proposals, and deep mistrust in Tehran continues to complicate the path toward a lasting resolution.

Israel’s air force has claimed responsibility for more than 1,100 airstrikes in Lebanon since the start of a ceasefire arrangement with Hezbollah. According to the Israeli military, over 350 Hezbollah members have been killed, and numerous buildings, arsenals, and other infrastructure used by the group have been destroyed. The strikes have continued despite the ceasefire, which was supposed to take effect on April 16.

The conflict began on March 2 when Israel launched a full-scale war in Lebanon. Since then, at least 2,852 people have been killed, and more than one million have been displaced across the country. Although a ceasefire is officially in place, both Israel and Hezbollah continue to exchange attacks, showing no signs of de-escalation.

The ongoing violence has left Lebanon in a state of humanitarian crisis, with no visible improvement in conditions despite the declared truce.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched an attack on Iran earlier last month. According to the report, the strike targeted an oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island and took place during a ceasefire declared by U.S. President Donald Trump following five weeks of air raids. The newspaper cited an unnamed source claiming that the United States quietly supported the UAE’s action.

Another unidentified source told the publication that Washington also backed other Gulf states interested in joining the conflict. However, AFP noted that it could not independently verify the UAE’s involvement, and the Wall Street Journal did not specify the exact date or time of the attack.

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that hours after the Lavan Island strike, missile and drone attacks hit the UAE and Kuwait, further straining the fragile ceasefire. The U.S. Energy Information Administration previously identified Lavan as Iran’s tenth-largest refinery, processing about 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily as of 2020.

South Korea will participate in a high-level multinational defense ministers’ meeting focused on ensuring security in the Hormuz Strait. The decision follows a recent attack on a South Korean-operated cargo vessel in the strategic waterway. The meeting, co-chaired by the United Kingdom and France, is scheduled to take place virtually, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense confirmed that Major General Woo Kyung-suk will represent the country at the conference. Discussions are expected to center on maintaining maritime safety and ensuring the smooth passage of vessels through the strait. The move reflects Seoul’s effort to reassess its strategic position in the region following the incident.

The meeting underscores growing international concern over maritime security in one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes, where disruptions could have significant global trade implications.

Ukrainian authorities reported that Russia carried out a drone attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, shortly after the end of a three-day temporary ceasefire between the two countries. Kyiv’s military administration chief, Timur Takachenko, stated on Telegram that Russian drones were present in the city’s airspace and urged residents to remain in safe locations until further notice. This was the first time air raid sirens sounded in the capital since the ceasefire began on Friday.

The Kyiv regional military administration called on residents to stay in shelters and confirmed that Ukraine’s air defense systems were active in the area. The ceasefire had been announced by U.S. President Donald Trump last Friday, ahead of Russia’s World War II victory celebrations, with hopes it could mark the beginning of an end to the ongoing conflict.

During the ceasefire period, both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of attacks on civilians. The truce officially lasted from May 9 to May 11, according to Trump’s announcement.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has rejected media reports suggesting that Iranian military aircraft were stationed at the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi to protect them from possible US attacks. In a statement issued from Islamabad, the ministry described such reports as misleading and sensational, asserting that they were part of attempts to undermine regional stability and peace.

The reports, originally published by a US media outlet, alleged that Pakistan, while acting as a mediator in the ongoing US-Iran tensions, had secretly allowed Iranian warplanes to use its base as a shield. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry dismissed these claims, clarifying that the Iranian aircraft currently in Pakistan arrived during a ceasefire period and that their presence had no connection to any military emergency or protective arrangement.

The statement further emphasized that spreading unverified and speculative information without fact-checking distorts reality. Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said the Strait of Hormuz has been used as a “weapon” in the ongoing war, severely affecting Gulf countries, particularly in economic terms. He made the remarks during a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

The Qatari leader stated that the situation in the Middle East has become extremely dire due to the U.S.-Israel war centered on Iran and the resulting Hormuz Strait crisis. He noted that freedom of navigation through the sea route is being restricted, posing a major threat to regional stability and economies.

Sheikh Mohammed cautioned that Iran should not use the Strait of Hormuz as a tool to pressure or “blackmail” Gulf nations, emphasizing the need to prevent further escalation in the region.

The European Union has agreed to impose long-delayed sanctions on Israeli settlers accused of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The decision, announced by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, came after months of deadlock that ended following a change of government in Hungary. The sanctions target seven settlers or settler organizations, as well as representatives of the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the EU is sanctioning key Israeli organizations and leaders supporting extremist and violent settlement activities. The move had been blocked by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whose opposition ended when nationalist leader Péter Magyar took office and withdrew Hungary’s veto. EU ministers also discussed a proposal to ban products from Israeli settlements, though no decision was reached.

Israel condemned the sanctions, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accusing the EU of moral failure and false equivalence between Israeli citizens and Hamas. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the EU “antisemitic,” while Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said the move was politically motivated and baseless.