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Iranian forces strike US vessels in swift retaliation for tanker attack: Top military commander

Press TV – May 7, 2026

A spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said on Thursday that Iranian forces gave an immediate and decisive response to a series of US military aggressions in the strategic waters of the Strait of Hormuz and along the country’s southern coastline.

In a statement, Ebrahim Zolfaghari noted that the “aggressive, terrorist, and outlaw” US military, in violation of a ceasefire, targeted an Iranian oil tanker.

The vessel was transiting from Iran’s coastal waters in the Jask region, heading towards the Strait of Hormuz.

In a separate but simultaneous incident, another Iranian ship came under attack while entering the Strait of Hormuz, directly opposite the UAE’s Fujairah port.

Concurrent with these fresh acts of aggression, the spokesperson said that US forces, operating in coordination with certain countries in the region, launched airstrikes against civilian areas in the coastal provinces.

These aerial attacks reportedly targeted locations along the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island.

According to the statement, Iran’s response was immediate and decisive. … continue

US Warplane Attacked Iranian Commercial Ship in Gulf of Oman

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | May 6, 2026

A US F-18 attacked and disabled an Iranian-flagged civilian ship in the Gulf of Oman.

“US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces observed M/T Hasna as it transited international waters enroute to an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman,” a statement from CENTCOM published on Wednesday said. “After Hasna’s crew failed to comply with repeated warnings, U.S. forces disabled the tanker’s rudder by firing several rounds from the 20mm cannon gun of a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from USS Abraham Lincoln.” … Full article

US war on Iran to raise shipping costs by $500M per month, Maersk says

Al Mayadeen | May 7, 2026

The US-Israeli war on Iran has created what Maersk termed a “new wake-up call” for global trade, with the shipping giant warning that financial and operational pressures could intensify in the coming months.

Speaking to CNBC’s Squawk Box Europe after Maersk released its first-quarter earnings, CEO Vincent Clerc said the company is facing significant cost increases driven largely by rising energy prices.

“We are a highly energy-intensive industry, and that has created a whole new set of circumstances that we now have to deal with,” he said. “That will have an important impact on the second and third quarters.”

Maersk warns of $500M monthly cost increase
Clerc highlighted that the surge in oil prices following the US aggression on Iran is significantly increasing operational expenses across the shipping sector.

“What this energy shock is going to mean is about $500 million of extra costs per month for as long as the oil remains around in the in the $100 per barrel neighborhood, that is significant,” Clerc told CNBC. … Full article

Growing public anger in US toward Trump’s war on Iran, new poll shows

Press TV – May 7, 2026

A new poll has shown growing public anger toward President Donald Trump’s war on Iran, with most Americans saying the illegal war has “done more harm than good,” weakened the United States’ global standing, and worsened economic hardship at home.

According to the results of a PBS News/NPR/Marist poll published on Wednesday, a clear majority of Americans now reject Trump’s handling of the unprovoked war that began on February 28, was waged in close collaboration with Israel, and lasted for the next 40 days.

According to the poll, over 60 percent of respondents disapproved of Trump’s policy, while only 33 percent supported his confrontational policy, which risks global isolation of Washington. … Full article

UK crackdown on pro-Palestine speech faces landmark legal test

By Thanvir Khan | MEMO | May 7, 2026

Activist and humanitarian aid worker Majid Freeman is due in court this week as the final phase of his landmark case comes to an end.

Freeman was charged with encouraging terrorism over social media posts in which he allegedly invited support for Hamas and expressed support for the group. He was arrested in July last year.

Freeman has pleaded not guilty, with the jury expected to reach a decision as early as this week, amid a widening crackdown on pro-Palestinian sentiment across the country.

The allegations against Freeman do not accuse him of committing any physical act of terrorism, operational involvement or financial support. The charges relate directly to social media posts which prosecutors claim could indicate sympathy with, or vocal support for, Hamas and Palestinian resistance.

Anas Mustapha, head of public advocacy at the international advocacy organisation CAGE, said: “Majid Freeman is a community activist, a humanitarian and a man of conscience who refused to be silent about the genocide in Gaza. He has been a target ever since his exposure of Leicester’s former failed Labour MP, Jonathan Ashworth, and his subsequent unflinching campaigning for the Palestinians in Gaza.

“This is the security state seeking to discipline the entire Muslim community by targeting one of its most active voices for justice. To do so in defence of a genocide makes this prosecution all the more dubious and its motives entirely political.

“Regardless of the outcome, Majid has consistently upheld the truth: occupied people have the right and obligation to resist their occupiers. Supporting that can never be a crime.”

Critics say Majid’s trial could become a landmark case. Amid a widening crackdown on pro-Palestinian slogans such as “globalise the intifada” and calls by Prime Minister Keir Starmer to ban certain protests, this case could become a litmus test for free speech on Palestine.

It may also send a clear signal to the prime minister and other politicians that there is no straightforward legal framework to ban pro-Palestinian slogans or sentiments outright, and that attempts to do so could face serious challenges in court.

The case may also test whether expressions of support for the right of occupied peoples to resist can be prosecuted as terrorism in the UK. If Freeman is convicted, critics are likely to argue that the ruling places UK courts at odds with international lawUN resolutions and the Geneva Conventions, which affirm protections and rights for peoples living under occupation. … Full article

Israeli ‘double tap’ strike hits paramedics in south Lebanon hours after renewed bombing of Beirut

The Cradle | May 7, 2026

An Israeli “double tap” strike targeted paramedics in the southern Lebanese town of Toul on 7 May, coinciding with brutal attacks across southern Lebanon and just hours after Tel Aviv’s first attack on Beirut since the start of the so-called “ceasefire.”

“An enemy drone struck the Toul area. After the attack, the Islamic Health Authority’s Civil Defense team went to inspect the site, before enemy warplanes launched another raid on the area, which resulted in the injury of two members of the rescue team and significant damage to the ambulance,” Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.

Video footage captured the exact moment the Islamic Health Authority’s vehicle was bombed by the occupation army. Over 100 Lebanese medics have been killed by Israel since the war began. … continue

Occupation Bulldozes Farmland, Uproots Vineyards

IMEMC | May 7, 2026

On Wednesday, Israeli occupation forces invaded the Al‑Baq’a area east of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank’s southern region, and carried out a large‑scale destruction of Palestinian agricultural land, uprooting thousands of grape vines and bulldozing more than 200 dunams of privately owned farmland over the past three days, in one of the largest agricultural demolitions reported in the district this year.

Eyewitnesses said multiple military units accompanied Israeli bulldozers as they invaded the area at dawn, sealed all access roads, and prevented Palestinian farmers from reaching their land while the machinery destroyed entire vineyards, vegetable fields, and irrigation networks. … continue

Three Gaza police officers killed as Gaza genocide death toll reaches 72,628

Palestinian Information Center – May 7, 2026

GAZA – Three Palestinian police officers were killed and several others were injured on Thursday in an Israeli strike targeting a security site west of Gaza City, amid ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement and growing threats to resume the war on the Gaza Strip.

A local source said an Israeli Apache helicopter fired at least one missile at a room used by Gaza’s security services in the Ansar area west of the city, following intense low-altitude flights and widespread drone activity overhead.

The dead and wounded were transferred to Al-Shifa Medical Complex, while one injured person was taken to the Palestinian Red Crescent field hospital in central Gaza City.

Gaza’s Interior Ministry later announced that three security officers and personnel were killed in the Israeli strike on a guard post belonging to a security headquarters west of the city. A fourth officer was critically injured, along with several civilians. … Full article

‘Israel’ kills Azzam al-Hayya, son of Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya

Al Mayadeen | May 7, 2026

Azzam al-Hayya, the son of Khalil al-Hayya, leader of the Hamas Resistance movement in Gaza, was martyred on Thursday after succumbing to wounds he sustained in an Israeli attack on Gaza City on Wednesday evening, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent.

The correspondent reported on Wednesday night that Hamza al-Sharbasi was killed and Azzam Khalil al-Hayya was injured in an Israeli airstrike near the Jabalia bus stop in the al-Daraj neighborhood, in central Gaza City.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement condemned the assault, saying, “The government of war criminals in the occupying entity continues to escalate its crimes against the Gaza Strip.”

In a statement, the movement noted that “the occupation army is carrying out ongoing assaults aimed at assassinating Resistance forces and their leaders, particularly within Islamic Jihad and Hamas.”

It further highlighted that the latest in these assassinations was “the treacherous airstrike that targeted Hamza al-Sharbasi, a leader in the al-Qassam Brigades, yesterday.”

“The attack also injured several others, including the martyr Azzam, the son of Khalil al-Hayya, the head of the Hamas movement in Gaza, who succumbed to his wounds this morning,” the movement added. … continue


… Azzam was the fourth son of Khalil al-Hayya to be killed in Israeli attacks. One son was killed when Israel targeted the Hamas negotiating team in the Qatari capital, Doha. … Press TV

What has Guterres supported in Gaza?

By Ramona Wadi | MEMO | May 7, 2026

In March this year, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had stated that the UN is “cooperating actively with structures created by the Board of Peace.” By the time Guterres made his statement, US Board of Peace High Representative for Gaza Nickolay Mladenov had already warned, in February this year, that Hamas bears the burden of Israel’s full resumption of genocide in Gaza if it fails to disarm.

In a letter that was quoted yesterday in Israeli media, Mladenov and senior US official Aryeh Lightstone warned the Palestinian technocratic government, “Failure by Hamas to accept the framework within a reasonable timeframe, as determined by the Board of Peace and after consultation with the parties, shall render such commitments null and void.”

Two days before Mladenov’s warning was made public, a senior military official said that it was inevitable that Israel would resume “fighting” in Gaza if Hamas refuses to disarm. Israel has in fact not stopped colonising Gaza through violence – what we are seeing now is a slower form of genocide in the aftermath of a very visible genocide which world leaders and diplomats preferred to watch rather than stop.

Mladenov is aware that Israel kept killing Palestinians in Gaza after the ceasefire came into effect, that more buildings were detonated, that the Yellow Line keeps expanding in Gaza besides already occupying more than half of its shrinking territory.

Therefore, the pretence of a before and after the ceasefire does not hold. It is merely a convenient veneer for the Board of Peace’s next rhetorical step that asserts its agreement with genocide. … continue

UAE received $80m in EU farming subsidies as calls grow for sanctions over Sudan genocide

MEMO | May 7, 2026

The United Arab Emirates’ ruling Al Nahyan family has benefited from more than €71 million (US $80 million) in European Union farming subsidies, even as campaigners intensify calls for sanctions against senior Emirati officials over Abu Dhabi’s alleged role in the Sudan genocide.

A cross-border investigation by DeSmog, shared with the Guardian, found that subsidiaries controlled by the Al Nahyan family collected more than €71 million over six years through farmland in Romania, Italy and Spain. The payments were made under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which distributes around €54 billion (US $60 billion) a year to farmers and rural areas across the bloc.

The investigation traced 110 subsidy payments between 2019 and 2024 to a network of companies and subsidiaries controlled by the UAE ruling family and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ. The largest payments were linked to Agricost, a Romanian agricultural company which owns what the Guardian described as the EU’s single largest farm, covering 57,000 hectares.

The findings have raised fresh questions about how European public funds are being channelled to foreign state-linked investors and ultra-wealthy landowners. … continue

NATO members divided over Ukrainian drone incidents

RT | May 7, 2026

A Ukrainian kamikaze drone was likely responsible for damage to empty fuel storage tanks in Latvia, but Kiev should not be blamed for such incidents, Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds has argued. Finland earlier rebuked Kiev for breaches of its airspace.

Several NATO countries bordering Russia have recently reported cases of Ukrainian unmanned aircraft entering their airspace and crashing instead of striking targets inside Russia. Latvian officials said two drones – which the Russian military identified as Ukraine’s Lyuty-type fixed-wing aircraft – crossed into the country overnight. One remains unaccounted for, while another sparked a fire near the town of Rezekne, roughly 40km from the Russian border.

“Ukraine has every right to defend itself,” Spruds stated. He added that incidents involving foreign aircraft entering Latvian airspace will continue as long as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains unresolved, blaming Moscow for it.

The muted reaction is in contrast to remarks by Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, who said earlier in the week that while his nation supports Kiev, he told Vladimir Zelensky during a meeting in Armenia that Finland deems Ukrainian aircraft entering its airspace “unacceptable.”

Russia accuses NATO of enabling attacks

Russian officials have previously accused NATO members of quietly permitting Ukraine to use their airspace to launch strikes on targets inside Russia, particularly in the northwestern Leningrad Region.

The latest string of reports of Ukrainian drones falling in NATO states started in late March, when Kiev focused attacks on Russian Baltic Sea oil export terminals. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland – nations that lie on a flight path from Ukraine to Leningrad Region that avoids Russian ally Belarus – were all affected.

Some of the incidents include:

  • March 23. A drone explodes after falling into Lake Lavysas in Lithuania;
  • March 25. Drone wreckage found in Latvia’s Kraslava area;
  • March 25. A drone hits a chimney of the Auvere Power Plant in Estonia;
  • March 29. A drone crashes near the city of Kouvola in Finland;
  • April 1. Drone wreckage found in the Rezekne area in Latvia.

During the latest overnight wave of Ukrainian attacks, Russian air defenses intercepted 347 drones, according to the Defense Ministry. It added that 570 robotic aircraft were downed over the last 24 hours.

Bryansk Region Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz said 13 civilians, including a child, were injured in strikes on the regional capital. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin also reported a stream of over 30 drones stopped while trying to approach the Russian capital. … Full article

Trump gives green light for new arms deliveries to Ukraine

By Lucas Leiroz | May 7, 2026

Apparently, the Trump administration’s recent pro-war shift is not limited to the Middle East. The Republican administration seems increasingly yielding to the interests of the military lobby and the so-called “deep state,” approving measures that will harm international security and further worsen current tensions (in addition to contributing nothing to US people’s legitimate interests).

Recently, the Trump administration gave the green light to the sale of precision-guided bomb kits to Ukraine. The package is estimated to be worth over 373 million dollars. The approval is a direct consequence of strong congressional pressure on the administration. Although the White House had been trying to freeze discussions on the subject, lawmakers – many of whom directly represent the interests of the military-industrial complex – had long been pushing for the measure’s approval.

The approved equipment is the JDAM-Extended Range (JDAM-ER), which can be used to convert heavy bombs into guided munitions, increasing the impact power of attacks. These munitions are generally guided by a GPS system, and can hit targets tens of kilometers away. Depending on where these bombs are launched from, they could destroy numerous civilian targets in Russian border regions. … continue

Ukraine steps up strikes on Europe’s largest nuclear plant – Moscow

RT | May 7, 2026

Ukraine has dramatically stepped up drone strikes on Russia’s Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and the city of Energodar, Aleksey Likhachev, the head of the state-owned Rosatom operator, has said.

In a statement released on Thursday, Likhachev described three consecutive days of intense Ukrainian strikes on civilian infrastructure in Energodar, a town mere kilometers away from the frontline. The Ukrainian attacks targeted a gas distribution station and residential buildings, with over 20 explosions recorded in a single day, he said, adding that five vehicles were set ablaze and a fire truck was seriously damaged.

Other strikes hit the city administration building, with one of the drones crashing into the entry of a bomb shelter, though without casualties, Likhachev said.

On top of that, another drone struck the NPP’s external radiation control laboratory on Saturday, with no casualties reported, Likhachev said, adding that a local power substation has been targeted almost daily, making repair work impossible.

Energodar itself experienced a full blackout between April 30 and May 3 due to damage to electrical infrastructure, with hospitals and utilities running on emergency diesel generators, the Rosatom chief said.

“Choosing a nuclear power plant as a target is the most irresponsible step on the part of the Ukrainian authorities… Any strike on any building, any piece of equipment is a blow to the nuclear safety of the NPP… Not understanding this is the height of cynicism and recklessness.”

Russia took control of the Zaporozhye NPP, Europe’s largest nuclear facility, in March 2022, shortly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. All six reactors have been in shutdown since September 2022. … Full article

U.S. Blockade Against Cuba Must End Immediately: China

teleSUR – May 7, 2026

On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian reiterated that China supports Cuba’s sovereignty, expressed opposition to foreign interference in its internal affairs and called on U.S. authorities to end the blockade against the Caribbean Island.

“China firmly supports Cuba in defending its national sovereignty and security, and resolutely opposes interference in its internal affairs,” Lin stated.

“Beijing urges the United States to immediately end the blockade, sanctions and any form of coercion and pressure against Cuba,” the spokesperson said in response to a question regarding measures announced by U.S. President Donald Trump that expanded sanctions against the Caribbean country.

Lin stressed that the United States has further intensified illegal unilateral sanctions against Cuba, “seriously undermining the Cuban people’s rights to subsistence and development, and seriously violating the basic norms governing international relations.” … continue

China strongly condemns Israeli lawmakers’ Taiwan visit as ‘despicable,’ warns against crossing red lines

Press TV – May 7, 2026

China has issued a strong condemnation of a recent visit by some Knesset members to Taiwan, calling their actions “despicable” and warning that there will be a ” price ” for crossing China’s red lines.

The Chinese Embassy in occupied territories said on Wednesday that the visit by Boaz Toporovsky, a member of the Yesh Atid party, and several other Knesset members included “erroneous remarks regarding the Taiwan question” that seriously violated the one-China principle. […]

The Zionist lawmakers have colluded “with ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces, the embassy spokesperson said, adding that they have been “provoking confrontation across the Taiwan Strait.”

“Their actions are despicable,” the spokesperson said, adding that Beijing views separatist activities by Taiwan authorities as “the greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”

China warned the lawmakers to “immediately cease their erroneous words and deeds,” emphasizing they should “not underestimate the firm resolve of the Chinese government and the Chinese people in defending national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“Do not believe that one can cross red lines on the Taiwan question without paying any price,” warned the spokesperson. … Full article

Iran maritime authority offers services to commercial vessels operating in Strait of Hormuz

Press TV – May 7, 2026

Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) has announced that it is fully prepared to offer maritime services, technical assistance, and medical support to commercial vessels navigating the strategic Strait of Hormuz and surrounding regional waters.

The maritime authority made the announcement in an official message to commanders of commercial vessels on Thursday, saying the announcement is in line with efforts to ensure maritime safety, improve seaworthiness, and safeguard the welfare of seafarers.

The message, transmitted through maritime communication networks and VHF systems, is specifically intended for all commercial ships operating in the region.

According to the maritime authority, the ships may have access to essential services, including fuel, provisions, and medical assistance, if they require support while traversing Iranian territorial waters and anchorages. … Full article

Bahrain expels three MPs for criticizing monarchy’s security policies

Press TV – May 7, 2026

Bahrain’s parliament has stripped three lawmakers of their seats in the latest crackdown by the minority regime against dissent, after the trio publicly criticized the monarchy’s controversial citizenship revocations and security policies.

In a vote in Manama on Thursday, the Bahraini House of Representatives revoked the memberships of Abdulnabi Salman, Mahdi al-Shuwaikh, and Mamdouh al-Saleh after the trio publicly lambasted the Bahraini regime for striping citizenship from dozens of Bahrain nationals accused of sympathizing with Iran.

On April 27, the Bahraini interior ministry said the Persian Gulf kingdom had revoked the citizenship of 69 individuals and their families for “expressing support for Iran’s (retaliatory) attacks” against US and Israeli military assets across West Asia amid their war of aggression against the Islamic Republic.

The ministry noted at the time that the individuals had published posts on social media platforms “glorifying and sympathizing with” regional resistance movements. … Full article

The FCC Wants Your ID Before You Get a Phone Number

By Ken Macon | Reclaim The Net | May 6, 2026

The era of the anonymous phone number could be ending. On April 30, the Federal Communications Commission unanimously approved a proposal requiring telecom providers to verify customers’ identities before activating service.

Government-issued ID, physical address, legal name, and existing phone numbers would all be included. The stated goal is stopping robocalls. The result would be an identity-verification regime covering one of the last semi-anonymous communication tools available to ordinary Americans.

The proposal applies to nearly every voice provider in the country, from traditional carriers and mobile operators to VoIP services. The FCC is seeking public comment on specifics, but the direction is clear. … continue

Canada House of Commons Tracks Online Posts About MPs

Parliament will not say what’s in the database, only that it sorts your posts by tone.

By Cindy Harper | Reclaim The Net | May 6, 2026

The House of Commons in Canada is keeping a database of what Canadians say about their elected representatives online and officials are sorting those comments by category, including the tone and identity-based content of social media posts about MPs.

That admission came from Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Mellon at a parliamentary committee, where he described the operation as a “very robust records management system.”

According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the system catalogues incidents involving MPs and allows staff to sort and analyze posts, including those deemed “misogynistic” or otherwise “abusive.” […]

The effect of an arrangement like this does not require enforcement. A Canadian who learns that a parliamentary office is filing posts about MPs into a categorized database, with no disclosed retention policy and no clear line between criminal threat and ordinary criticism, has a reason to think twice before posting. That hesitation is the point at which speech is suppressed without anyone being charged or any post being taken down. … Full article

German arson case: Antisemitism commissioner’s inner circle now top suspects after police raids

Remix News | May 5, 2026

The investigation into the early 2026 firebombing of Brandenburg Antisemitism Commissioner Andreas Büttner’s home is nearing a conclusion, but the results have stunned the public.

In a dramatic reversal of the initial narrative, the Brandenburg State Criminal Police Office has executed a series of raids across Lower Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania targeting the commissioner’s own close associates.

While the case was initially treated as an Islamist or antisemitic hate crime, the German Public Prosecutor General’s Office now identifies two men from Büttner’s “own circle,” which belongs to the left, as the primary suspects, reveals Tagesspiegel in a new exclusive report. … continue

British journalist faces ‘anti-terror probe’ after Iran visit, reporting on US-Israeli crimes

Press TV – May 6, 2026

In a politically motivated move, a UK-based independent journalist and activist faces an “anti-terror probe” after her recent visit to Iran, where she reported on post-war developments, including massive rallies against the US-Israeli war coalition.

Observers say the move punishes legitimate political expression as the UK government seeks to silence dissenting voices critical of the unprovoked war against the Islamic Republic.

Bushra Shaikh, a British media personality who has been vocal about the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran as well as the ongoing genocide in Gaza, has been referred to the Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command over a speech she delivered at a rally in Iran during her recent visit.

The referral, which comes just days after her return from the Islamic Republic, has raised serious concerns about the UK government weaponizing “anti-terror” laws to target individuals whose political views diverge from its stance on West Asia developments.

In a video shared online, Shaikh was seen addressing a rally in Iran, in which she expressed her solidarity with the people of Iran and condemned the aggression against them.

During the rally, flags of regional resistance movements, including Hezbollah, were seen.

Within hours of the post going live, a formal complaint was lodged with Scotland Yard, as reported by British media, alleging that Shaikh may have breached the Terrorism Act, which criminalizes “inviting support” for a banned group. … continue

Texas has an Israel Investment Problem

By Adam Dick | Peace and Prosperity Blog | May 6, 2026

Investing is generally understood to be about seeking to preserve and grow wealth. But the Texas government seems to be making an exception to that understanding in buying the bonds of the Israel government and enabling other government entities in Texas to do so as well.

In February, Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock touted in a press release that the state government was doubling its holdings of Israel bonds “from approximately $140 million to $280 million, marking the largest one-time investment in Israel bonds in Texas history and elevating the state from the sixth-largest to the second-largest U.S. state investor in these securities.” … continue

The Global Sumud Flotilla Ambush: Greece Turns Crete into Israel’s Dock

By Freddie Ponton | 21st Century Wire | May 6, 2026

On the night of April 29 to 30, Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud flotilla in international waters west of Crete, seizing a civilian aid convoy hundreds of miles from Gaza and funnelling 176 activists into a tightly managed transfer operation on Greek soil, where 31 wounded required first aid.

But the episode did not end in Crete. While most passengers were offloaded into Greek custody and dispersal, two organizers, Saif Abukeshek, a Spanish-Swedish activist of Palestinian origin and Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist, were abducted and forcibly transferred to Israel against their will, brought before the Ashkelon Magistrates’ Court, and held in Shikma Prison in Ashkelon, where lawyers say their detention was extended and abuse allegations emerged.

What began as a challenge to the siege of Gaza quickly became something larger—a test of whether Israel can project force deep into the Mediterranean under the cover of blockade law, and whether Greece can stand inside its own search-and-rescue (SAR) zone, refuse the burdens of protection, process the wounded onshore, and then watch as two captives vanish into the Israeli prison system. Greece’s inaction in its SAR area of responsibility has therefore raised serious questions about whether Athens merely stood aside or deliberately narrowed its obligations while Israel turned a violent high-seas seizure into an administrative handover.

To understand what happened off Crete, it is not enough to ask how Israel justified the raid. The deeper question is how a violent capture at sea was sanitized through legal euphemism and then recast ashore as administration. … continue

Israel orders demolition of nearly 50 Palestinian facilities near East Jerusalem for settlement project

MEMO | May 6, 2026

Israeli authorities have ordered the demolition of nearly 50 shops and commercial facilities in the Palestinian town of Al-Eizariya, southeast of East Jerusalem, as part of measures paving the way for a controversial settlement project in the area, Palestinian officials said Wednesday, Anadolu Agency reports.

The Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement that Israeli authorities verbally notified around 50 Palestinians to evacuate their businesses in the Al-Mashtal area at the main entrance to Al-Eizariya before Sunday morning.

The statement said the move aims to implement demolition orders originally issued in August 2025.

According to the governorate, Israeli authorities warned that the facilities and their contents would be demolished if owners failed to comply within the specified timeframe. […]

Palestinian officials warn that the plan would effectively divide the occupied West Bank into northern and southern sections and isolate several Palestinian communities. … Full article

Four Palestinians killed in Gaza amid ongoing ceasefire violations

Palestinian Information Center – May 6, 2026

GAZA – One Palestinian civilian was killed in an Israeli strike on Wednesday, while three others succumbed to injuries sustained in previous attacks.

According to media sources, a young man identified as Mohamed al-Attar succumbed to injuries he sustained two days ago in an Israeli strike on Gaza City.

Another citizen, Khaled Jawda, also succumbed to injuries from a previous Israeli strike in northern Gaza.

Moreover, policeman Mohamed al-Khatib was pronounced dead after suffering serious injuries a few days ago when an Israeli drone bombed a police unit in Gaza City’s an-Nasser neighborhood.

In southern Gaza, two citizens were reportedly injured by Israeli gunfire in the central district of Khan Yunis.

Later, one citizen was killed and others were injured in an Israeli attack on the al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis.

Meanwhile, Israeli military vehicles opened heavy fire east of Khan Yunis, amid artillery shelling.

Israeli forces also shelled areas northeast of al-Bureij refugee camp and demolished several homes and buildings east of Gaza City.

‘Israel’ bombs Beirut’s Southern Suburb despite ceasefire

Al Mayadeen | May 6, 2026

An Israeli aggression targeted Beirut’s southern suburb on Wednesday evening, according to Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in the Lebanese capital.

The bombing reportedly hit a building in the Haret Hreik area, a densely populated district in the southern suburb of Beirut. Preliminary reports indicate that several people have been injured in the Israeli aggression.

“Israel’s” public broadcaster, Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, cited an Israeli official as saying that the operation, described as an assassination attempt, was carried out in coordination with the United States. … Full article

Israeli attacks on Lebanon kill 7 more people, including paramedics

Press TV – May 6, 2026

Israel has carried out new drone and airstrikes across southern and eastern Lebanon, leaving at least seven people killed and six others wounded, including paramedics, despite an ongoing ceasefire.

On Wednesday, Israeli strikes on the town of Mefdoun killed two people, while more air raids hit areas between Zawtar al-Sharqiya and Zawtar al-Gharbiya, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

Another strike targeted the home of a municipal council head in the town of Zellaya in western Bekaa, killing four people and injuring three others. The toll could rise as rescue operations are ongoing at the site.

In the town of Aadchit in the Nabatieh district, one person was killed in a separate Israeli airstrike.

Meanwhile, an Israeli drone targeted paramedics in the town of Deir Kifa, injuring three of them.

Israeli fighter jets also carried out strikes on the towns of Rishknaniyah, Safad al-Battikh, Baraachit and Qallawiyeh, inflicting severe damage on a school building in Burj Qallawiyeh. … Full article

The surcharge tax Americans pay to finance Israel-first wars

By Jamal Kanj | MEMO | May 6, 2026

… The Iraq invasion — sold on fabricated Israeli intelligence and planed by Israel-first loyalists in the dens of the US State Department and the Pentagon — added more than eight trillion dollars to the U.S. national debt. A “legal” theft, extracted from American workers, American schools, infrastructure, and future generations and poured into the sands of a war that made the Middle East less stable, not more. The one government that cheered for that war, that lobbied hardest in Washington’s corridors, coercing and or fooling American leaders with its Weapons-of-Mass-Deception, was Israel’s. The one government that bore none of its costs—in money or in blood—was Israel’s.

Now we are here again.

The U.S.-Israel war against Iran has barely begun, and the Pentagon is already before Congress requesting two hundred billion dollars. … Full article

Trump’s ’Project Freedom’ just got blown out of the water. What now?

By Martin Jay | Strategic Culture Foundation | May 6, 2026

The escalation trap seems to be pulling Donald Trump deeper and deeper into the quicksand of the Iran war. Following Iran’s strike on a UAE oil terminal, Trump has had to back down and “pause” his plan to create a military escort that would chaperone oil tankers through the Straits of Hormuz. Project Freedom, according to the president’s own social media posts, has been suspended before it even started as Trump struggles to find more smoke-and-mirror tactics to fool a gullible American public that the war in Iran has been “won”. Eight times, in fact.

But it’s easy to see how Trump is getting pulled about by various players and may still be clinging onto the idea of some sort of military manoeuvre in the Persian Gulf. I have previously speculated that I don’t believe he will launch a second strike, but an attempt at landing on an island and installing US soldiers there must still be something he is considering. And since the Iranian strike on the UAE, something extraordinary has happened that will now lodge this idea further in his head—that such a plan might work. The UAE just went out on a limb and beefed up its relations to a whole new level with Israel, even beyond the special status it had as being the Zionist entity’s only solid partner in the entire GCC. After the strike on its oil terminal, news flooded social media that the UAE was planning a retaliatory strike and has teamed up militarily with Israel. This is significant on many levels, as not only does it create a clear dividing line between itself and other GCC countries that would like to make a statement to Iran that they are not its enemy, but it also positions the UAE as a major target for Tehran, and so the move is incredibly risky, if not foolish for its elite in Abu Dhabi. It is almost as though they are prepared to destroy everything the country has accomplished in fifty years as an economic miracle of the entire region just to make the point that signing the Abraham Accords was, in fact, not an egregious error on their part. Israel or nothing. … continue

Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico – Pentagon Reportedly Eyeing Targets in Latin America

Sputnik – 06.05.2026

The US military revived a jungle training school Panama after a 25-year hiatus, Bloomberg reported.

This isn’t just training, it’s preparation for intervention, Russian military expert Alexander Stepanov told Sputnik.

Cuba is the main focus—precision strikes on key infrastructure could help in seizing government centers and ports, he pointed out.

Nicaragua is next—its ties with China, strategic location, and anti-American leadership make it a priority to eliminate Daniel Ortega’s government, according to the expert.

He added that Mexico may see US operations framed as anti-drug efforts, but aimed at undermining sovereignty and taking full control.

The bigger picture: The Pentagon is seeking to form a regional US contingent to target governments regarded as unwelcome by the United States—all under the revived Monroe Doctrine, Stepanov concluded.

Rubio ‘lying’: Cuba slams denial of US blockade; claims debunked

Al Mayadeen | May 6, 2026

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected accusations that Washington is enforcing an oil blockade on Cuba, instead attributing the island’s deepening energy crisis and blackouts to the end of Venezuelan subsidized oil shipments and internal mismanagement.

Speaking publicly, Rubio said, “Here’s what’s happening with Cuba, okay? Cuba used to get free oil from Venezuela. They would take like 60% of that oil and resell it for cash. It wouldn’t even go to benefit the people. So the only blockade that’s happened is … the Venezuelans have decided we’re not giving you free oil anymore.”

Rubio further criticized Cuba’s leadership, stating, “The reason that I can’t fix it is not just because they’re communist. That’s bad enough, but they’re incompetent communists.”

His remarks come amid a worsening fuel and electricity crisis on the island, where oil imports have fallen sharply. Venezuela had previously supplied Cuba with subsidized crude, reportedly up to 100,000 barrels per month, under a barter system in which Havana sent medical personnel in return. That arrangement collapsed following the US-backed ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in early 2026, cutting off a key energy lifeline.

Rubio’s comments also contrast with reports and assessments pointing to US sanctions and restrictions as a major factor in the island’s energy shortages, with measures targeting entities involved in supplying fuel to Cuba. … continue

Trump’s Self-Serving Narrative Crashes Against the Reality of War

By Ted Snider | The Libertarian Institute | May 6, 2026

Within a few days at the end of March, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky made two claims. He revealed that Russia had given him two months to withdraw all forces from areas still under its control in Donbas, or Russia would take it by force and change the terms of the settlement. Russia said that was not true.

And he said that the United States had conditioned security guarantees on Ukraine withdrawing from Donbas. “That’s a lie,” U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio said. “I don’t know why he says these things; they’re just not true.”

That Zelensky was constructing a false narrative about the war does not bother him because he is not trying to reflect reality; he is trying to reshape reality. With Russia’s military acquisition of Donbas appearing increasingly inevitable, American peace plans conceding it, and Ukrainians increasingly accepting it, Zelensky’s survival depends on crafting a narrative in which he did not betray the nationalists or his promise but had no choice but to surrender Donbas because he was forced by both his enemy and his supporter.

In another war, in another part of the world, another president is doing the same thing. All Iran has to do to end the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said last week is to “cry uncle, that’s all they have to do. Just say, ‘We give up.” It doesn’t matter if they really give up: they just have to say it.

Trump’s team is crafting a narrative that provides them with an off ramp to a war they have lost that tells the story of a war they have won. … continue

US, Iran inching closer toward one-page MoU to end war: Axios

Al Mayadeen | May 6, 2026

The White House believes it is approaching an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war and establishing a framework for more detailed nuclear talks, Axios reported, citing two US officials and two additional sources briefed on the matter.

The United States is expecting Iranian responses on several key points within the next 48 hours, the sources added. While no agreement has been finalized, they indicated that this represents the closest the parties have come to a deal since the US and “Israel” launched their war on Iran in February 2026.

The proposed memorandum includes provisions under which Iran would commit to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, while the United States would agree to lift sanctions and release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds. Both sides would also remove restrictions affecting transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

However, many of the outlined terms remain contingent on reaching a final agreement, leaving open the possibility of a renewed war or a prolonged interim phase in which active fighting ceases without a comprehensive resolution. … continue

Cargo Ship CGM San Antonio Attacked in Middle East – Report

Sputnik – 06.05.2026

The cargo vessel CGM San Antonio came under attack in the Middle East on May 5, resulting in injuries among its crew, CBS reported on Wednesday, citing US officials.

The vessel, identified as CGM San Antonio and owned by a French company, was struck by a possible land-attack cruise missile in the Persian Gulf late Tuesday evening local time, the report said.

Several crew members were injured.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed that a cargo ship had been struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, but without disclosing its name.

At noon, the vessel was located near Dubai, but its subsequent course could not be tracked, CBS reported.

‘Operational failure’: Israeli media blast Trump’s Hormuz project halt

Al Mayadeen | May 6, 2026

US President Donald Trump’s move to suspend “Project Freedom” is a response to “operational failure”. This is how Israeli media reacted to the news on Wednesday.

“Project Freedom” was meant to escort foreign ships through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the reports, the decision followed what Israeli media also described as a failed military operation involving three aircraft carriers and 38 refueling aircraft, which allegedly lasted only 48 hours without achieving its objectives.

Israeli Channel 12 reported, citing senior military officials, that Trump’s decision represents a “dramatic” step given the deteriorating security situation in the region.

According to the same officials, US Central Command “lacks the capability to adequately protect oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz.” They also warned that an alternative maritime route proposed by Washington along the coast of Oman is “extremely dangerous” and very narrow, raising further concerns about navigation safety and security.

The outlets added that Trump “appears to retreat whenever he feels pressure from the Iranians,” adding that he “suddenly invokes Pakistan to avoid appearing to back down alone.”

Israeli Channel 14 political correspondent described the suspension of the operation as a “mistake”, arguing that effective negotiations with Iran require “strong pressure”. He added that Trump’s message, in his view, suggests that Iranian actions in the Gulf “may have been successful.” … Full article

‘Project Freedom’ perishes in 48 hours, Trump retreats under the wall of Iran’s asymmetric deterrence

Press TV | May 6, 2026

In a dramatic and entirely predictable turn of events, US President Donald Trump early on Wednesday announced the immediate suspension of “Project Freedom,” the high-stakes naval offensive launched 48 hours ago with the stated goal of forcing open the Strait of Hormuz.

This is not an isolated tactical pause, as he wants the world to believe, but the third strategic retreat by the United States in less than a month – a sequence of capitulations that reveals a profound and irreversible shift in the balance of power in the Persian Gulf.

The first retreat was the ceasefire following the devastating 40-day full-scale war against Iran, in which the US-Israeli war machine failed to achieve even a single strategic objective.

The second retreat was the unilateral extension of that ceasefire after the first round of Islamabad negotiations. The third, and most telling, is the suspension of an operation whose very continuation would have inevitably reignited full-scale Iranian retaliation.

At its core, this decision exposes a singular, undeniable truth: Trump has belatedly realized that he holds no cards, no good options, no viable coalition, and no appetite for the catastrophic confrontation to challenge Iran’s legal sovereignty over the strategic waterway

The quiet abandonment of the so-called “Project Freedom” is not a strategic pivot, but a crushing defeat. It marks yet another failure for the US war machine, following closely on the heels of the 40-day war imposed on the Islamic Republic, and confirms that the era of unilateral American naval intimidation in the Persian Gulf is effectively over. … continue

Trump Adds Zionist Lobbyist to Iran Negotiating Team

By Kurt Nimmo | Another Day in the Empire | May 5, 2026

Donald Trump has appointed Nick Stewart as a negotiator along with the Zionist real estate developer Steve Witkoff and Trump’s settler-friendly son-in-law, Jared Kushner. On Iran, Witkoff is witless, while Kushner is a favorite of fanatical Zionist settlers in Bet El and other settlements on stolen Palestinian land. For Iran, the inclusion of Stewart represents another slap in the face and a further indicator the Zionists run the show in America. … continue

Ukrainian drone strike kills 5 civilians in Crimea – governor

RT | May 5, 2026

Five civilians have been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the northern Crimean city of Dzhankoy, Governor Sergey Aksyonov has said.

Shortly before reporting the fatalities, Aksyonov warned that Crimea was under attack by Ukrainian drones. He said air defenses and mobile fire teams were engaging the incoming threats and had intercepted at least 12 UAVs. […]

The strike came after Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses had downed 289 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and the Azov Sea the night before. According to the ministry, the raid targeted 19 regions in western and southern Russia. Regional officials reported damage and injuries in several areas.

Ukrainian drone raids on Russian territory have intensified in recent months, with Kiev increasingly deploying large numbers of fixed-wing UAVs against infrastructure, industrial facilities, and residential areas. Moscow has described the strikes as desperate “terrorist attacks” meant to compensate for the setbacks Kiev’s military has been suffering on the battlefield. … Full article

Romania Strikes Back and Humiliates the EU After Their 2024 Electoral Coup

On May 5, 2026, the pro-European government of Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan collapsed in a parliamentary no-confidence vote

By Freddie Ponton | 21st Century Wire | May 5, 2026

… The coup of December 2024 exposed the fraud at the heart of “European values.” An election was stolen in plain sight, justified by vague intelligence about algorithms, tools the West itself weaponizes daily through NGOs, think tanks, and social media giants. Georgescu’s ECHR appeal was dismissed. The message couldn’t have been clearer, and reminded Romanians that sovereignty is conditional on obedience.

Now the pro-EU experiment is crumbling from within. Negotiations for a new government will drag on. The same four parties may try to regroup without Bolojan. But the firewall is breached. AUR is no longer marginal. The narrative that only Brussels-approved liberals can govern has been shattered. Romanians have shown they remember who stole their vote.

This is not the end of EU influence in Bucharest, but it is a humiliating defeat for the regime-change architects. The same forces that engineered the 2024 annulment now face the consequences of their overreach. Austerity without legitimacy breeds revolt, while hybrid warfare against your own electorate breeds resistance. … Full article

Israel threatens Gaza flotilla activists with death after abduction

Press TV – May 5, 2026

Israeli forces have threatened two Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla activists, seized in international waters last week, with death or long prison terms, according to a rights group representing them.

The two pro-Palestinian activists, Saif Abu Keshek and Thiago Avila, were among dozens detained during an Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters off Greece on April 30.

On Tuesday, an Israeli court extended their detention until Sunday, May 10.

The legal rights centre Adalah, which represents the pair, said they have been subjected to psychological abuse and held in solitary confinement. According to the group, Israeli officers threatened to kill them or imprison them “for 100 years.”

Both men remain in “total isolation,” subjected to 24/7 high-intensity lighting in their cells and kept blindfolded whenever they are moved, including during medical examinations. They are also being held in very low temperatures, the group added. … continue

Met refuses to probe British nationals accused of war crimes in Gaza

Al Mayadeen | May 5, 2026

The Metropolitan Police has refused to open an investigation into ten British nationals accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the genocide in Gaza. According to Novara Media, the decision follows the submission of a 240-page dossier of evidence by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and the Public Interest Law Centre.

The Met stated that the material provided “did not meet the threshold required” to launch a formal investigation. This decision came despite support from more than 70 legal experts and proof of the targeted killing of civilians, attacks on hospitals, and the forced displacement of Palestinians involving the nationals between 2023 and 2024.

Human rights barrister Michael Mansfield KC condemned the Met’s refusal as a denial of accountability and a misapplication of legal standards, and legal representatives stressed that the police applied the wrong test by requiring evidence sufficient for prosecution before even opening an investigation. … continue

Armed settler storms Palestinian schoolyard in Jenin, chases students

Palestinian Information Center – May 5, 2026

JENIN – An extremist Jewish settler stormed the courtyard of a Palestinian school in the town of Silat al-Dhahr, south of Jenin in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday morning, driving his vehicle inside and chasing students while brandishing his weapon.

Eyewitnesses reported that an armed settler suddenly drove into the schoolyard, chasing students while aiming his firearm at them, sending them fleeing in panic.

The witnesses added that the settler withdrew from the school and town shortly afterward, with no injuries reported. … Full article

Israeli attacks on Gaza kill civilians, worsen health crisis

Al Mayadeen | May 5, 2026

At least two Palestinians were martyred by Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since early Tuesday, amid continued attacks across multiple areas.

According to reports from Gaza, one civilian was killed in an Israeli aggression near the Kuwait Roundabout, southeast of Gaza City.

In a separate attack, an Israeli airstrike targeted a police station in the Sheikh Radwan area, northwest of Gaza City, killing a child and injuring several police officers and personnel. … Full article

Hezbollah denies activity in Syria amid persistent and false claims

Al Mayadeen | May 5, 2026

Hezbollah’s Media Relations categorically denied the false accusations issued by the Syrian Interior Ministry, which claimed to have dismantled a “Hezbollah-affiliated cell” that was planning to carry out security operations inside Syrian territory.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Hezbollah noted the repeated accusations issued by the Syrian government despite the resistance’s consistent assertions that it maintains no activity in Syria.

It further said that the repetition of such allegations “raises serious questions and confirms that there are those seeking to ignite tension and discord between the Syrian and Lebanese peoples.”

Consequently, Hezbollah said it wishes only well for Syria and its people, and that any threat to Syria’s security would also constitute a threat to Lebanon’s security. It also reiterated that it never sought and would never seek to destabilize the security of any state, stressing that its confrontation remains against the Israeli entity and its expansionist project.

“Hezbollah has been and will remain in a defensive position in confronting the Zionist enemy and its expansionist projects, an enemy of Lebanon and Syria that occupies their lands and covets their resources and the wealth of their peoples,” the statement concluded.

Several statements have been issued by Syria’s transitional leadership accusing Hezbollah of operating inside its territories, which have been consistently rejected. This is also a trend that stretches beyond Syria, with recent fabricated allegations coming out of Bahrain and Kuwait.

Israel targets southern Lebanon with internationally banned phosphorus shells

Press TV – May 5, 2026

The Israeli regime’s forces are using internationally banned white phosphorus shells against civilian areas in southern Lebanon.

The Israeli army shelled towns in Bint Jbeil with white phosphorus munitions on Tuesday, while simultaneous airstrikes hit multiple areas across the Tyre district, according to the Lebanese state news agency NNA (National News Agency).

The towns of Kounine and Beit Yahoun in the Bint Jbeil district were also targeted by Israel with artillery shells containing phosphorus. … Full article

Israeli strike kills two people in southern Lebanon

Palestinian Information Center – May 5, 2026

BEIRUT – Two Lebanese men riding a motorcycle in southern Lebanon were martyred in an Israeli strike on Tuesday.

An Israeli army spokesperson claimed the two men were Hezbollah members and were killed by a drone after they approached Israeli troops operating in the area.

A Lebanese officer and a soldier also sustained minor injuries when Israeli forces targeted their vehicle in the town of Kafra in the Bint Jbeil district.

The Lebanese health ministry reported that the death toll from Israeli airstrikes over the past 24 hours has risen to 17, bringing the total number of fatalities since March 2 to 2,696, in addition to 8,264 wounded people.

Melkite bishops concerned over Israeli demolitions in South Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | May 5, 2026

The Council of Melkite Greek Catholic Bishops in Lebanon urged on Tuesday both the Lebanese government and the United Nations to take measures to protect civilian property and religious institutions.

The bishops specifically cited Yaroun, where local officials and community representatives say a Melkite convent was destroyed earlier this month alongside other structures, describing the destruction of the buildings as “a deep wound in the national and human conscience”.

According to Christian community figures in Yaroun, the convent belonging to the Melkite tradition was bulldozed by Israeli occupation forces in southern Lebanon.

Adib Ajaka, a local Christian community leader, said the structure was part of a religious complex that also included nearby facilities. He disputed claims that the convent remained intact, stating that rubble near adjacent buildings indicated its destruction.

In turn, the French Catholic charity L’Oeuvre d’Orient condemned the “deliberate act of destruction of a place of worship and the systematic destruction of homes in southern Lebanon aimed at preventing the return of civilian populations”. … continue

Israel’s Obliteration Ecocide from Gaza to Lebanon and Beyond

By Dan Steinbock | Palestine Chronicle | May 3, 2026

Lebanon accuses Israel of committing ecocide in country since 2023. It is an extension of Israel’s destruction of Gaza – and its obliteration doctrine.

Israeli military aggression has “reshaped both the physical and ecological landscape” of southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese report (which does not consider the impacts of Israel’s latest barrage of attacks this spring).

In her foreword, Lebanon’s minister for the environment, Tamara el Zein, notes: “The scale and intentionality of the damage to forests, agricultural lands, marine ecosystems, water resources, and atmospheric quality constitute what must be recognized as an act of ecocide, with consequences that extend far beyond immediate destruction.” … continue

Black tide from US-Israeli aggression on Iran chokes Persian Gulf turtle nesting sanctuary

By Mina Mosallanejad – Press TV – May 5, 2026

Black crude now clings to the shoreline of Shidvar Island – an uninhabited island in the Persian Gulf known for picturesque beaches and blue waters – like a second skin.

Days after US-Israeli military aggression targeted Iran’s civilian oil infrastructure on Lavan Island last month, the pale coral beaches of this protected Persian Gulf sanctuary were swallowed by a continuous band of tar as petroleum pollutants spread across its waters.

What was once an undisturbed crescent of white sand has been transformed into an oily black seam, raising urgent questions about the fate of the hawksbill turtles, migratory seabirds, and coral formations that make Shidvar one of the most ecologically sensitive islands in Iranian waters.

On this tiny, uninhabited refuge – known locally as Maro – there is still no complete accounting of what has happened beneath that black sheen.

Whether nesting turtles managed to crawl ashore to lay their eggs, whether hatchlings suffocated beneath contaminated sand, whether breeding colonies of terns abandoned their nesting grounds, or how much of Iran’s only protected coral reef ecosystem has already absorbed irreversible toxic damage – nothing is clear yet.

What is visible, however, is enough to establish one fact with brutal clarity: the consequences of the US-Israeli war of aggression did not stop at burning fuel depots and damaged refinery channels. They moved outward with the tide.

The contamination traces back to the April 8 attack on the Lavan refinery complex, one of Iran’s major civilian petroleum facilities in the Persian Gulf. Iranian officials say the strike took place even after a ceasefire had been declared, rupturing sections of oil transfer infrastructure and allowing petroleum materials to escape into adjacent marine waters.

From there, Persian Gulf currents pushed the contamination across the southern and eastern beaches of Lavan and through the narrow waters separating Lavan from Shidvar Island – a protected wildlife reserve only about 1.5 kilometers away.

Within days, images from the scene showed long stretches of coastline coated in dark residue, while field inspections confirmed that the spill was no longer a localized refinery accident but the beginning of a wider coastal ecological emergency.

According to Habib Masihi-Taziani, Director General of the Hormozgan Department of Environment, the pollution has affected far more than a single island.

“Nearly the entire coastal strip of Hormozgan – both the islands and the mainland – has suffered extensive petroleum contamination as a result of the enemy’s attack on non-military facilities,” he said. … Full article

US attacks civilian cargo boats heading to Iran’s shores, killing 5 on board

Press TV – May 5, 2026

The United States has attacked two civilian cargo boats heading from the Omani coast to the Iranian shoreline, claiming the lives of at least five people on board, a report says.

Tasnim News Agency reported the development on Tuesday, citing a military source.

The source, meanwhile, refuted the US claims of having targeted speedboats belonging to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), saying, “Instead of targeting IRGC speedboats, the United States, in a blatant crime, opened fire on two small boats carrying civilians’ goods.”

Detailing the developments on the ground following issuance of the false account by Washington, the source said, “Given that none of the IRGC’s combat vessels had been hit, local sources were consulted to verify the nature of the incident.”

“The investigation revealed that US forces had [actually] attacked and fired on two small cargo boats transporting goods belonging to civilians. The boats were traveling from [the town of] Khasab, along the coast of Oman, towards Iranian shores. The attack resulted in the deaths of five civilian passengers.” … Full article

UAE deports tens of thousands of Pakistanis, seizes their savings amid war on Iran: Report

Press TV – May 5, 2026

Authorities in the UAE are conducting a sweeping deportation campaign targeting tens of thousands of Pakistani workers, freezing their bank accounts and stripping them of their life savings amid growing regional fallout from the US-Israeli aggression on Iran.

While initial reports from New Lines Magazine placed the number of expelled individuals at 15,000, Pakistani sources recently confirmed to Press TV that the deportations are continuing at a rapid pace and now affect tens of thousands of workers.

The expulsions target Shia Muslims or individuals who have publicly expressed solidarity with Tehran following the recent US-Israeli aggression against Iran.

Those targeted are being expelled without formal charges or legal recourse. The systematic removals involve sudden arrests, phone confiscations, and transfers between various detention facilities before the workers are forced onto flights back to Pakistan. … continue

Wheels Down in Tbilisi: Was a Routine U.S. Military Stopover a Deliberate Signal to Iran?

By Seth Ferris – New Eastern Outlook – May 5, 2026

A brief and poorly explained landing of a U.S. military transport aircraft in Tbilisi at the end of March 2026 has become a subject of discussion and speculation about its real significance, fueling suspicions that more complex geopolitical signals may lie behind the official explanation of a “routine flight.”

Let’s pull apart the “routine flight” narrative and read between the lines, asking whether a fleeting stopover was less about logistics and more about sending a message — one that Georgia may end up paying for. If you think geopolitics is all press releases and polite diplomacy, think again. I would suggest that what is going on in the shadows, outside of mainstream coverage, is closer to theater — with Georgia cast in a role it never auditioned for.

Start with the headlines: last month, a US Air Force cargo aircraft made a brief stop in Tbilisi, purpose unknown – and just start reverse engineering, taking it apart, and you come up with what is between the lines as to the possible motivations for the US, a strategic ally of Georgia, to be willing to put Iran, its regional partner, in harm’s way. Moreover, it is interesting to know the news sites where this news first appeared, such as Georgian Today, and its history of paid hired gun articles supporting US policy in the region.

It is not as if Georgia and the US do not know that now is not the most opportune time to be perceived as supporting the illegal American-Israeli war against Iran. And let’s not forget C-130 Turkish Cargo Planes falling out of blue Georgian skies. Providing logistic support in a preempted war of aggression is still a recognized crime under the Nuremberg Codex. That puts the provider of such support in the crosshairs of the party being attacked, as has already been demonstrated by Iranian countermeasures, not to mention ‘protective reaction’ strikes in the Gulf States and Jordan. … continue

Macron: France Won’t Join Any Military Action to Open Strait of Hormuz

Al-Manar | May 4, 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that Paris won’t take part in any military operation to open Strait of Hormuz, urging the United States and Iran to reopen the waterway in a “coordinated way.”

“What we want above all is a coordinated reopening by the United States and Iran — that is the only solution for reopening the Strait of Hormuz,” Macron said at the 8th European Political Community summit in Armenia’s Yerevan

“We are not going to take part in any military operation in a framework that to me seems unclear,” said the French leader, whose country has with Britain led efforts to assemble a coalition to reopen the strait once peace is secured.

Ships divert from Hormuz Strait, cluster off Dubai coast

Al Mayadeen | May 5, 2026

Hundreds of vessels have moved away from the Strait of Hormuz and gathered off the coast of Dubai, in response to Iranian navigation controls, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, the Strait remains largely empty as ships divert from the key transit route, with maritime traffic shifting toward waters near Dubai. Nearly 60 vessels of various types were reported to have sailed to the area, an unusually high number even for waters that have seen tanker clustering since the start of the war. The total number of ships in the area has risen to at least 363, compared to an average of 294 over the previous seven days.

Dubai lies outside the new control zone defined by Tehran in the Strait, which extends southward from the strait to Umm Al Quwain along the UAE coastline and into the Gulf.

The buildup has intensified over the past day, with maritime crews reporting radio broadcasts warning vessels about boundaries enforced by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The force has said that the safety of civilian and commercial shipping in the strait depends on adherence to its naval protocols and prior coordination.

Iranian authorities have continued to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz, rejecting US claims that vessels have freely transited the waterway under alternative arrangements.

Tehran has maintained since the start of the war that navigation in the strait is now governed by new rules, stating that the passage remains open to ships except those deemed to be supporting hostile actions against Iran.

Officials have also said that vessels must notify Iranian authorities in advance to ensure safe transit under the new framework, which they say is intended to prevent adversaries from using the route to transport weapons or support operations against the country.

In this context, a senior Iranian political-security source told Al Mayadeen on Monday that the Strait is fully under Iran’s control, asserting that this constitutes a clear message from the armed forces to the Americans.

In a series of statements to Al Mayadeen, the senior source warned the US against any action, or its assets would be targeted. “The message to the aggressor Americans is clear: move forward, and you will be targeted,” he said.

He further warned that if Washington’s hostile actions continue, Iran’s strategy in the Strait of Hormuz would be replicated and expanded along other maritime fronts. … Full article

Trump’s second strike on Iran would be suicidal. But that’s not the reason why he won’t go ahead with it

By Martin Jay | Strategic Culture Foundation | May 4, 2026

Trump has been presented with a report sketching out a second-strike plan against Iran’s infrastructure, which he is reported to be mulling over. The media has latched onto terms like “short, powerful” strikes aimed at Iran’s infrastructure – which the author predicted in two previous articles and which, if it were to happen, would occur over the summer period when temperatures reach unbearable levels in the region. But is Trump really serious about it, and does he even understand the extent of Iran’s retaliation? The very fact that Trump has military advisors who are even presenting him with such plans shows, if nothing else, the level of their disconnect from reality and his exaggerated sense of self-importance.

The US already did this the first time round and went through its stocks of ordnance, breaking all records for the volume of missiles used in such a short space of time. It did very little to bring Iran to its knees, rather making it stronger than ever, with greater support. But what it did succeed in doing was giving Iran a dry run with such an attack and allowing it to learn a great deal about how to cope with one. Militarily, Iran has never been stronger, more focused and more technologically advanced. For Trump to believe he has a shot at a second go is not only unrealistic but sheer madness in terms of what the US – and to a lesser extent Israel – is going to have to deal with as a response. Iran will almost certainly reduce Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure to dust, which experts estimate would take ten years to rebuild. … continue

UK chancellor, US treasury chief clashed ‘fiercely’ over aggression against Iran at IMF meeting: Report

Press TV – May 5, 2026

A heated exchange took place between British Chancellor of the Exchequer and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent over the American-Israeli aggression against Iran during last month’s IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, according to a report.

The Financial Times carried the report on Tuesday, saying the officials had a “fierce row” on the sidelines of the gathering, clashing over the consequences of the aggression.

The disagreement followed remarks by Reeves, in which she said she was “not convinced” that “we are safer today than we were a few weeks ago.”

According to the Financial Times, Bessent responded by “berate[ing]” Reeves, arguing that the world had become “safer” as a result of the joint attacks. The report added that he even invoked, what he called, the “possibility” of Tehran’s launching a “nuclear attack on London.”

Reeves reacted strongly to the remarks, responding “angrily by telling Bessent she did not work for him and disliked how he had spoken to her,” the report noted.

She reiterated her concerns about the aggression, saying that it lacked clear objectives and had not necessarily improved global security.

Ahead of the IMF meetings, Reeves had already expressed criticism of the aggression in comments to the Daily Mirror.

“This is a war that we did not start. It was a war that we did not want. I feel very frustrated and angry that the US went into this war without a clear exit plan, without a clear idea of what they were trying to achieve. And as a result, the Strait of Hormuz is now blocked.” … Full article