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The UAE Defense Ministry says its air defenses are engaging Iranian missiles and drones, while Iran's armed forces deny conducting any operations against the Emirates. The conflicting accounts follow reports of wounded Indian citizens and a fire aboard a cargo ship near Dubai.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, days before US President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit. Discussions centered on the Strait of Hormuz, with China calling for its swift reopening and a comprehensive ceasefire.
Negotiations between Serbia and Hungary's MOL over the purchase of Russia's stake in Serbian oil company NIS are facing hurdles, with Belgrade rejecting MOL's latest proposal. Serbian officials expect talks to conclude by May 16, but the US sanctions deadline looms on May 22. Gazprom Neft confirms MOL is the sole buyer in talks.
The US and Iran exchanged attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington launching 'Project Freedom' to reopen the waterway and Tehran accusing the US of reckless military action. The UAE reported intercepting Iranian missiles and drones, while the US said it sank six Iranian boats. Both sides deny each other's accounts of the clashes.
Renewed fighting and drone strikes in Sudan's Blue Nile state and elsewhere have killed and injured dozens of civilians and displaced thousands more, with humanitarian conditions deteriorating. The Sudanese army says it recaptured the town of Khor Hassan from the Rapid Support Forces, while reports of a deadly drone strike in the Balila area remain unverified. The conflict, ongoing since April 2023, continues to spread across multiple regions.
Iranian missile and drone strikes on the UAE, targeting civilian infrastructure including the Fujairah energy hub, have drawn widespread international condemnation. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, France, Germany, and other nations called for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy, while Iran defended the attacks citing US military actions.
Iran has accused the US of killing five civilians in a strike on two passenger boats in the Strait of Hormuz, contradicting US claims that it sank Iranian Revolutionary Guard vessels. The incident adds to rising tensions as the US seeks to reopen the vital waterway, with Iran also reporting broader civilian casualties among its seafarers.
An explosion and fire aboard the HMM Namu, a Panama-flagged bulk carrier, in the Strait of Hormuz was extinguished with no injuries among the 24 crew members. The cause remains under investigation, with South Korean officials expecting a multi-day analysis. Iran has denied any military involvement, while U.S. President Trump suggested Tehran had taken shots at the vessel.
The US and Iran exchanged fire over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, with Washington launching a naval operation to reopen the waterway and Tehran responding with attacks on ships and a UAE port. A fragile ceasefire appeared to be at risk as both sides reported strikes and denied the other's claims.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is widely expected to raise interest rates for the third consecutive time, with financial markets pricing in nearly an 80% chance of a hike. The decision comes as inflation jumps to 4.6%, driven largely by a spike in petrol prices amid escalating Middle East tensions, while mortgage holders and growers face mounting pressure.
The UAE said its air defenses intercepted a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones on May 4, 2026, while a drone strike sparked a fire at the Fujairah oil zone, injuring three Indian nationals. The attack came amid a fragile US-Iran ceasefire and heightened tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.
An explosion and fire aboard a South Korean-operated ship in the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a diplomatic push by U.S. President Donald Trump for Seoul to join the American-led 'Project Freedom' mission. While Trump blames Iran, South Korean authorities are investigating the cause, and Iran has denied involvement.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps navy has released a new map of the Strait of Hormuz, marking an expanded area of control that includes parts of the UAE coastline. Shipping remains at a standstill as the US begins a naval operation to restore navigation, but the industry says it has received no guidance and the security situation is unchanged.
US Central Command announced that two US-flagged merchant vessels have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz as part of Operation Project Freedom, which aims to restore commercial shipping through the vital waterway. The operation involves guided-missile destroyers, over 100 aircraft, and 15,000 service members. Iran had previously warned that such efforts would violate the ceasefire.
An Indian foreign ministry spokesperson reported that eleven Indian vessels have safely transited the Strait of Hormuz since the outbreak of the Middle East crisis, while at least 22 Indian-flagged ships remain in the area, 20 of which are vital for India's energy security. The report comes amid heightened regional tensions following the US-Israel military operation against Iran and Tehran's closure of the strait to certain nations.
Iran has issued a new 14-point peace proposal, but US President Donald Trump rejected it as 'not acceptable.' Meanwhile, ongoing naval clashes in the Strait of Hormuz and shifting Gulf alliances highlight the fragile state of the region.
OPEC+ agreed on Sunday to raise its collective production quota by 188,000 barrels per day for June, a move widely described as largely symbolic given ongoing disruption of Gulf oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. The decision came days after the United Arab Emirates formally left the group, and analysts say it signals continuity rather than any real change in physical supplies.
US President Donald Trump says he will review Iran's new peace proposal but doubts it will be acceptable, as Israeli airstrikes kill civilians in Lebanon and tensions remain high over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's deputy foreign minister says the ball is in Washington's court, ready for talks or war.
Russia's ambassador to North Macedonia, Dmitry Zykov, says Skopje has been cutting Russian gas imports since 2022 for political reasons, despite higher costs of alternatives. He cited data showing Russian gas share fell from 99% in 2021 to 47% in 2025, with new supplies from the UAE and Azerbaijan.
Middle Eastern governments are reviving proposals for overland pipelines and new rail-sea corridors as wartime disruptions threaten the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea. Led by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the UAE, these efforts aim to link the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean, with Syria positioning itself as a potential energy hub.