The United Arab Emirates has begun expelling large numbers of Pakistani workers following Islamabad’s mediation efforts to end the conflict between the United States and Iran. The move has strained relations between the longtime partners, with reports indicating that thousands of Pakistani Shia workers have been detained and deported since mid-April. Interviews cited by The New York Times describe sudden arrests, detentions, and deportations without explanation, raising concerns about sectarian targeting.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry has denied any mass deportations, stating that only individuals involved in criminal activities were expelled. The UAE has not commented publicly. The expulsions follow Abu Dhabi’s withdrawal of a $3.5 billion loan to Pakistan, a significant blow to its foreign reserves. Saudi Arabia subsequently offered a $3 billion deposit to help stabilize Pakistan’s finances.

Analysts suggest the rift stems from Pakistan’s failure to strongly condemn Iran’s attacks on the UAE and its perceived tilt toward Tehran. The situation risks deepening Pakistan’s entanglement in Gulf rivalries between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The United States has proposed an interim agreement to halt ongoing conflict in the Middle East and expects Iran’s response by Friday, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Tehran, however, stated that the proposal remains under review and rejected any American ultimatum. The two sides continue to blame each other for violating last month’s ceasefire, with new clashes erupting near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. US forces reportedly attacked two Iranian tankers on Friday, prompting former President Donald Trump to say he was awaiting a letter from Iran that night.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Washington of resorting to military action whenever diplomatic progress is made, adding that Iran has strengthened its ballistic missile stockpile during the ceasefire pause. Pakistan has delivered a memorandum to Tehran that Washington believes could form the basis of a lasting truce, while Qatar’s prime minister met the US vice president in Washington to discuss the issue.

The US proposal reportedly includes a 60-day formal ceasefire leading to broader talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Global oil prices have risen as the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, though markets briefly rallied on hopes of a temporary deal.

The United States Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on ten individuals and entities accused of assisting Iran’s military in acquiring equipment for drone and weapons production. The action, announced on May 9, 2026, targets those allegedly linked to Tehran’s efforts to obtain materials for its Shahed drone program. Among the sanctioned entities is China-based Yushita Shanghai International Trade Co. Ltd., accused of mediating for Iran’s Center for Innovation and Technology Cooperation (CITC).

According to the Treasury statement, CITC had been attempting to purchase portable air defense systems and other weapons from China. The sanctions also cover Dubai-based Elite Energy FZCO, which allegedly transferred several million dollars to a Hong Kong company to support CITC’s procurement efforts. Additional entities include Hong Kong’s HK HESIN Industry Co. Ltd. and Belarus-based Armory Alliance LLC, both identified as intermediaries for CITC.

Individuals sanctioned include Iranian national Mohammadmahdi Maleki, based in Belarus, and Armory Alliance CEO Mohammad Ali Talibov, described as a long-time arms procurer for Iran. Hong Kong-based Mustad Limited was also accused of facilitating multimillion-dollar weapons transactions for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah announced it launched missile and drone attacks on Israeli military bases in response to recent Israeli airstrikes in Beirut and ongoing assaults in southern Lebanon. According to Lebanese authorities, at least 11 people were killed in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon on Friday. The Israeli army reported intercepting one missile while others landed in open areas without causing casualties.

The escalation follows a ceasefire agreement reached last month, which has failed to halt hostilities. Earlier in the week, an Israeli strike in southern Beirut killed a senior Hezbollah commander, marking the first major attack in that area in nearly a month. Hezbollah said its latest operations targeted bases near Nahariya and northern Israel as retaliation for Israeli violations and civilian casualties.

Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed civilian deaths, including women and children, while Israel ordered evacuations from several southern Lebanese towns. Amid rising tensions, direct talks between Lebanon and Israel are scheduled in Washington next week, though Hezbollah has condemned the planned negotiations as unacceptable.

Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank have compelled the reburial of a Palestinian body in Al-Asasa village near Jenin. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the body had been buried earlier in the day, but Israeli authorities ordered its removal because the grave was located close to an illegal Israeli settlement.

The Wafa report also described a series of Israeli military operations and settler attacks across the West Bank on Friday night. In Al-Lubban Asharqiya, south of Nablus, settlers set fire to a house before Palestinian Civil Defense teams brought the blaze under control. In the Burak Sulayman area south of Bethlehem, Israeli forces fired stun grenades to disperse a group of Palestinians who had gathered for a picnic.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that two people were treated for tear gas exposure and five others were evacuated from the scene following the incident.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in Beijing next week for a two-day high-level summit starting Thursday. The meeting is viewed as crucial in shaping the next phase of rivalry between the two global powers. Discussions are expected to cover unresolved issues including the Iran war, trade, and Taiwan. The two leaders last met in South Korea in October, where they agreed to a trade truce.

The Trump administration is currently preoccupied with the Iran war, while Xi faces challenges from slowing economic growth and high energy prices. The U.S. side plans to emphasize the ‘Five Bs’—Boeing aircraft, beef, soybeans, and the establishment of an investment and trade board—while China will focus on the ‘Three Ts’—tariffs, technology, and Taiwan. Beijing may seek an extension of last year’s trade truce and easing of semiconductor export controls. Trump is also expected to raise the imprisonment of Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai.

Experts predict limited breakthroughs, with possible small investment deals and an extension of the trade truce. Analysts suggest the summit may serve more as a starting point for future engagement than a venue for major agreements.

Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for 26 attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, carried out since Thursday afternoon. The group said its operations included a missile strike on an Israeli tank outside the town of Dair Syrian, shelling of Israeli troops advancing toward Haddatha, and an assault on soldiers gathered in the village of Labbouneh. Hezbollah asserted that the attacks caused casualties and damage among Israeli forces but did not specify numbers.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that more than 30 people were killed in intense Israeli strikes in the same region. Friday was described as one of the deadliest days of Israeli air raids in southern Lebanon. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which began on March 2, has so far resulted in over 2,700 deaths and at least 8,500 injuries in Lebanon.

The situation underscores the continuing escalation along the Lebanon-Israel border, with both sides sustaining heavy losses and no sign of de-escalation mentioned in the report.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a three-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday, Trump said the ceasefire would last from Saturday to Monday, covering May 9, 10, and 11. The announcement marks a temporary halt in hostilities between the two nations.

Shortly after Trump’s post, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on X that the ceasefire had taken effect as part of U.S. efforts to end the war that has continued for more than four years. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov stated that the agreement was reached during a phone conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, following discussions involving U.S. and Ukrainian representatives.

Ushakov added that the leaders’ recent call also touched on the historical alliance between the two countries during World War II and the possibility of a ceasefire coinciding with Russia’s Victory Day. Russia had earlier declared a two-day unilateral ceasefire for the same occasion.

Iran has called on the United Nations to strongly condemn the United States for imposing blockades on Iranian ports and attacking its oil tankers. In a letter sent last Friday to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General António Guterres, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani, described the actions as a serious and dangerous escalation threatening international peace and security.

Iravani warned that US military operations in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz could have catastrophic consequences extending beyond the Middle East, holding Washington fully responsible for any fallout. The US military confirmed it had disabled two Iranian tankers that attempted to breach the blockade, which was imposed as part of efforts to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Iravani urged the UN leadership to compel the United States to comply with international law and refrain from provocative actions that could further destabilize the region.

Lebanon and Israel are set to begin formal discussions in the United States, marking a shift from previous preparatory meetings. According to Al Jazeera’s Beirut correspondent Zeina Khodr, this third meeting will be regarded as the official start of negotiations between the two countries. The Lebanese delegation will be led by lawyer and former ambassador to the United States, Simon Karam, under the direction of President Joseph Aoun.

Khodr reported on social media that Lebanon views this meeting as the formal launch of talks rather than a preparatory session. While Lebanon continues to emphasize the need for a meaningful ceasefire, its prime minister has confirmed that discussions will proceed even if Israel does not observe one. The U.S. State Department announced that it will facilitate these intensive discussions between the two governments on May 14 and 15, focusing on progress toward a comprehensive peace and security agreement.

The talks are expected to explore ways to advance stability and diplomatic engagement between Lebanon and Israel under U.S. mediation.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, sharply criticized Britain and France on May 9, 2026, after both countries called for an end to Israeli settler violence and land seizures in the occupied West Bank. In a post on social media platform X, Danon described their statements as “disappointing but not surprising,” accusing them of hypocrisy.

He argued that while the UK and France struggle to address domestic security challenges, they divert attention by focusing on issues in Judea and Samaria, the Israeli term for the West Bank. Danon also claimed that Jews in London and Paris fear walking the streets, yet those governments highlight “settler violence” and spread falsehoods about Israel.

Since the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has built settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, now home to more than 700,000 Israeli citizens. Despite repeated UN resolutions condemning the settlements, the United States has continued to shield Israel diplomatically, often using its veto power to block sanctions.

The article reports that despite former US President Donald Trump’s claims of victory in the war with Iran, the United States has suffered a humiliating defeat. Trump’s promises of avoiding new wars and being a ‘peace president’ are described as hollow, as he continues to attack world leaders who oppose his stance. Following threats to destroy Iranian civilization, Trump reportedly insulted global figures and portrayed himself as a divine figure. His vice president, JD Vance, led a 21-hour round of peace talks in Islamabad, which ended with accusations that Iran failed to meet US demands.

The report says Iran rejected the US position, citing lack of trust after surprise attacks by the US and Israel during the negotiation period that killed Iranian leaders and destroyed civilian infrastructure. The article argues that Trump’s unilateral cancellation of the 2015 nuclear deal and subsequent sanctions deepened mistrust. It also references historical examples, including unfulfilled US reparations to Vietnam and broken treaties with Native American nations, to claim that Washington consistently violates its commitments.

The piece concludes that the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and continued sanctions mirror past breaches of international law, reinforcing Iran’s skepticism toward American intentions.

US President Donald Trump has stated that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains effective despite recent retaliatory attacks between the two nations. His remarks came amid growing concerns that the truce could collapse following reports of strikes from both sides. Tehran has accused Washington of violating the agreement by launching attacks on Iranian positions.

The United Arab Emirates reported intercepting and destroying drones and missiles fired from Iran, with explosions heard in several areas during the defensive operation. Trump told reporters that the ceasefire agreement remains intact, while Iran maintained that the US is breaching the terms through continued assaults.

The renewed hostilities have raised fears of escalating tensions across the region, with observers warning that the fragile ceasefire could face further strain if the attacks persist.

Iran has sharply criticized and mocked former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threat of a nuclear strike against the country. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei described Trump’s comments as a “strange contradiction,” highlighting the inconsistency between calls for peace and threats of massive bombing. Baghaei made the remarks in a post on social media platform X.

In his post, Baghaei attached a clip from the 1964 American film “Dr. Strangelove,” directed by Stanley Kubrick, a satirical anti-war movie about an accidental nuclear strike on the Soviet Union and the United States’ failure to prevent it. Trump had told reporters on Thursday that if a ceasefire with Iran failed, “you will only see large-scale bombings coming out of Iran.”

According to the report, Trump has made halting Tehran’s nuclear program one of the key conditions for ending the conflict with Iran.

Iran has taken a firm stance on keeping its enriched uranium, rejecting U.S. demands to surrender its stockpile or dismantle its nuclear program. According to an Al Jazeera report on Friday, Iranian officials stated that they would not make any concessions regarding the country’s highly enriched uranium. Washington has insisted that Tehran must not retain enriched uranium under any circumstances.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told local media that officials seek a permanent end to all wars and want assurances that hostilities will not resume. He emphasized that Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz is non-negotiable, though Tehran may reopen the strait if the United States lifts its sanctions.

The exchange underscores ongoing tensions between Tehran and Washington over nuclear and regional issues, with Iran signaling that it will not compromise on its strategic and territorial interests.