The United States has lifted sanctions imposed on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories. The decision was confirmed through information published on the U.S. Treasury Department’s website. The move came a week after a federal judge issued a temporary suspension of the sanctions.

In its observation, the court noted that the Trump administration may have violated Albanese’s right to freedom of expression by punishing her for criticizing what she described as Israel’s ‘genocidal war’ in Gaza. Albanese has long been a vocal critic of Israeli military operations in Gaza and has expressed concern over the human rights situation of Palestinians in her reports and statements.

The lifting of sanctions marks a significant development in the ongoing debate over freedom of expression and accountability in international human rights advocacy.

A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report has claimed that the United States has lost or sustained damage to at least 42 military aircraft in its ongoing conflict with Iran. The list includes fighter jets, drones, and support aircraft such as four F-15E Strike Eagles, one F-35A Lightning II, one A-10 Thunderbolt II, seven KC-135 Stratotanker refueling planes, one E-3 Sentry AWACS, two MC-130J Commando II, one HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter, 24 MQ-9 Reaper drones, and one MQ-4C Triton drone.

According to the report, the Pentagon has not yet released a full accounting of the losses. CRS stated that its findings were based on analysis of various news reports and statements from the US Department of Defense and CENTCOM. Jules Hurst III, the Pentagon’s top financial officer, said the cost of the Iran-related military operations has reached about $29 billion, largely due to updated estimates for equipment repair and replacement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shared the CRS report on social media, asserting that Iran has learned important lessons from US and Israeli operations and warning of stronger resistance if future conflicts occur.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump postponed a planned military strike on Iran after receiving warnings that launching an attack during the Hajj season could severely damage Washington’s image in the Muslim world, according to a report by Middle East Eye. Two senior Gulf officials reportedly cautioned the Trump administration that such an operation could trigger a major crisis in the region, potentially trapping hundreds of thousands of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia. A senior U.S. official confirmed that discussions took place and that Trump was warned about possible reputational harm.

The report notes that the Hajj, scheduled to begin on May 24 and last six days, draws around one million foreign pilgrims annually. An attack during this period could have disrupted air travel across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, particularly affecting passengers from South and East Asia. Trump later stated that he delayed the strike at the request of Gulf leaders, including those of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Unnamed officials suggested that hostilities might resume after the Hajj. The report also highlights ongoing regional tensions following earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes and Iran’s retaliatory actions against American interests in the Gulf.

Former US Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who served under two presidents, long opposed costly and overly complex weapons programs, urging instead for affordable next-generation arms. Two decades later, little has changed. The Iran war revealed that producing a Patriot missile takes 36 months and costs $4 million each, while the US military used over 1,200 of them, including against Iran’s low-cost Shahed drones. The conflict underscored Gates’s earlier criticism, exposing serious deficiencies in America’s defense industrial capacity.

Current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is now addressing the issue, seeking a record $1.5 trillion military budget while calling for “85 percent solution” weapons and multiple suppliers to expand production. Experts, however, argue that financial increases alone cannot fix structural flaws. Rachel Hoff of the Ronald Reagan Institute said real change requires cultural and procedural reform within the Pentagon’s contracting and acquisition systems.

Analysts like Mackenzie Eaglen of the American Enterprise Institute blame the Pentagon’s slow procurement habits and limited-scale buying for production bottlenecks. Officials claim reforms are underway to boost manufacturing three to four times and to engage new defense technology firms.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has become the first official from President Donald Trump’s administration to publicly criticise Israel’s far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir. Huckabee’s remarks came after Ben-Gvir posted a video showing detained foreign activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla being taunted and mistreated. Several countries, including Italy, France, the Netherlands and Canada, summoned Israeli ambassadors in protest. Huckabee condemned Ben-Gvir’s behaviour as a betrayal of national dignity but his comments followed closely after the US Treasury sanctioned the flotilla’s organisers.

Analysts said the episode highlighted a double standard in US policy toward Israel and Palestinians. The sanctions targeted four organisers of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which sought to break Gaza’s blockade and deliver aid. The US Treasury described the effort as supporting Hamas, while organisers rejected the accusation, calling the sanctions an act of complicity in genocide. Advocacy groups such as DAWN and the Quincy Institute argued that Washington’s actions reinforced Israeli impunity and showed the Trump administration’s unwillingness to meaningfully criticise Israel.

Observers said the incident underscored growing divergence between the US and other Western nations on international law and humanitarian principles.

The White House has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the Group of Seven (G7) summit scheduled to take place in France from June 15 to 17. His participation had previously been uncertain due to tensions with allied nations. The confirmation ends speculation about whether Trump would join the high-level gathering.

According to the report, Trump is interested in shaping the meeting as more trade-focused than a traditional diplomatic event. French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier proposed hosting a post-summit dinner at the Palace of Versailles to encourage Trump’s attendance. The summit dates were also adjusted to avoid a scheduling conflict with a planned UFC fight at the White House on Trump’s 80th birthday.

The announcement signals renewed engagement between the U.S. and its G7 partners, though the tone and focus of discussions are expected to reflect Trump’s emphasis on trade issues.

A heated verbal exchange erupted in the US House of Representatives over the ongoing Iran war, when Democratic lawmaker Seth Moulton questioned Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command, about the country’s plan to achieve victory. Moulton, a former Marine Corps officer during the Iraq war, expressed concern that the United States appeared to be losing, citing the absence of a nuclear deal and restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz. He asked how many more Americans would have to die due to what he described as strategic mistakes.

Admiral Cooper, known for his calm demeanor, reacted sharply, calling Moulton’s remarks “completely inappropriate.” Earlier, Cooper had asserted that the United States had achieved all its military objectives in the Iran war and remained prepared for any large-scale developments despite the current ceasefire. He avoided commenting on reports that a US strike on an Iranian school on February 28 killed about 170 children.

The exchange highlighted growing tensions within US leadership over the direction and justification of the Iran conflict.

U.S. journalist Alex Marquardt has warned that President Donald Trump’s patience over the Iran issue is wearing thin, heightening concerns about a possible new American attack on the country. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Marquardt said Trump had earlier delayed a strike on Iran at the request of close Gulf allies, but the likelihood of reaching any agreement now appears remote.

Marquardt cautioned against relying on Trump’s two-to-three-day deadline given to Iran for reaching a deal, noting that sources in Washington believe the president’s patience is clearly diminishing. He added that a ceasefire has been in place for several weeks, with both sides communicating indirectly through mediators including Pakistan, Gulf allies, and Turkey, but no real progress has been achieved.

According to Marquardt, if the current stalemate continues, there remains a real possibility of renewed U.S. military strikes, which could extend beyond military targets to include civilian infrastructure such as power grids and bridges.

The United States Senate has advanced a proposal aimed at restricting President Donald Trump’s authority to initiate military operations against Iran without explicit congressional approval. The measure, described as a war powers resolution, marks the first time the Senate has voted in favor of such a limitation on the president’s war-making powers.

Although politically significant, the proposal has not yet become law. It must still pass several legal and constitutional stages before taking effect. The move is being viewed as a major political challenge to the Trump administration’s executive authority.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that amid rising military tensions surrounding Iran and concerns over potential U.S. involvement, Congress is seeking to reassert its constitutional role in authorizing acts of war.

The ongoing war with Iran has exposed long-standing weaknesses in the United States’ weapons production and military supply systems. Despite possessing advanced technology, the US defense industry is struggling to meet battlefield demands quickly. A New York Times report cited that producing a Patriot interceptor missile takes about 36 months and costs roughly $4 million each, while Iran produces hundreds of low-cost drones monthly at around $35,000 apiece. The US has already used more than 1,200 interceptors, raising concerns about supply shortages.

The situation has revived former Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’s criticism of the Pentagon’s expensive and slow weapons programs. Current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is responding with a $1.5 trillion defense budget and plans to accelerate production. However, experts argue that increasing the budget alone will not solve the problem, emphasizing the need for structural reforms in procurement and production systems.

Analysts warn that without rapid reform, the US may struggle to maintain its “unmatched military capability” in future conflicts.

Former US special envoy for Iran Rob Malley has warned that President Donald Trump may be falling into a 'Vietnam War trap' in his approach to Iran. Speaking to Al Jazeera host Steve Clemons, Malley said Trump measures success by counting the number of Iranian leaders killed or the destruction of Iranian warships and missile systems, which he described as a 'wrong metric.'

Malley argued that the only way out of the current conflict is through an agreement that respects both US and Iranian core interests. He added that assessing the likelihood of such an agreement may depend more on psychology than on expert analysis.

According to Malley, the outcome of the situation ultimately hinges on President Trump’s mindset, suggesting that his personal approach could determine whether the conflict escalates or moves toward negotiation.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a planned military strike on Iran, originally scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, has been temporarily suspended. He stated that the decision was made due to important ongoing discussions and at the request of several allied Middle Eastern leaders. Trump emphasized that the U.S. military remains ready to launch a major operation against Iran if negotiations fail to produce an acceptable agreement.

Trump expressed optimism about reaching what he described as a “very acceptable” deal ensuring Iran would not possess nuclear weapons. Speaking to reporters, he called the development a positive step and said he would prefer a diplomatic resolution over large-scale bombing. However, he cautioned that the outcome of the talks remains uncertain.

He also hinted that Iran might be offered a proposal to suspend its nuclear program for 20 years, signaling a possible softening of the U.S. stance from its previous demand for total dismantlement. Earlier this year, on February 28, Israeli and U.S. forces carried out extensive airstrikes in Iran.

A new poll conducted jointly by The New York Times and Siena University indicates that American public support for a war against Iran and for providing military assistance to Israel has significantly declined. The survey, which included 1,507 registered voters, found that only 30 percent supported a US war against Iran, while about 64 percent opposed it. Additionally, 57 percent of respondents opposed US military aid to Israel, compared to 37 percent who supported it.

The findings mark a notable shift from a November 2023 Quinnipiac University poll, conducted a month after Israel’s war in Gaza began, when more than 51 percent of American voters supported sending additional military aid to Israel. The new results suggest a substantial drop in public backing for Israel’s military assistance.

The poll results highlight changing attitudes among US voters toward Middle East conflicts and Washington’s role in them, reflecting growing reluctance to engage militarily or provide arms support abroad.

The Trump administration has been holding secret meetings in Washington over the past four months with representatives from Greenland and Denmark to discuss expanding US control over the Arctic island. The talks, revealed by a New York Times investigation, aim to revise a 1951 defense agreement to allow indefinite US military presence in Greenland, even if it becomes independent. The United States is also seeking veto power over major investment deals to block Russian and Chinese influence, and joint access to Greenland’s oil, uranium, and rare earth resources.

Greenlandic leaders have expressed deep concern that these demands threaten their sovereignty. They fear that once tensions with Iran ease, President Trump may again focus on asserting dominance over Greenland. Danish and Greenlandic officials have strongly opposed the proposed “forever clause” and veto powers, viewing them as attempts to bind the island’s autonomy for generations.

Pentagon officials argue that melting Arctic ice is opening new strategic routes, requiring expanded radar and military bases across Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. However, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen insists environmental rules will remain strict and that decisions about business and sovereignty must rest with Greenland itself.

Former US Ambassador to Algeria Henry Ensher has said that all military options available to US President Donald Trump in the event of a war with Iran are 'terrible.' He made the remarks in an interview with Al Jazeera, highlighting the difficult position Trump faces regarding potential military action against Iran.

Ensher explained that if Trump were to launch a limited strike on Iran, he would face criticism without achieving any real impact on the Iranian regime. Conversely, a large-scale attack could significantly increase the risk of American casualties and might still fail to achieve its objectives. He described Trump’s military choices as extremely unfavorable.

Ensher further noted that Trump might be hoping that Gulf countries would urge him to refrain from renewed attacks on Iran, as the president himself may prefer to avoid further escalation.