Iran war day 70: US, Iran trade fire in Hormuz amid ceasefire tensions

War diplomacy

• Rubio meets pope amid war tensions: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the war with the pope as they met on Thursday against the backdrop of tensions between the White House and the Vatican, notably over the Iran war.
• France condemns attacks near Hormuz: French President Emmanuel Macron told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian that strikes on Emirati civilian infrastructure and ships near the Strait of Hormuz were “unjustified”.
• Lebanon, Israel set for Washington peace talks: Lebanon and Israel are expected to hold a new round of negotiations in Washington on May 14-15 aimed at reaching a peace agreement, a US official said, despite new Israeli strikes.

In the Gulf

• UAE urges residents to shelter amid aerial threat: The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority said air defence systems were responding to a missile and drone threat, and urged residents to remain in safe locations and follow official updates.

In the US

• Trump says Iranian boats destroyed in Hormuz clash: The US president said three US Navy destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz “under fire” without sustaining damage, while claiming Iranian attackers and several small boats had been “completely destroyed” during the confrontation.
• Tit-for-tat exchanges continue amid diplomacy push: Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett, reporting from Washington, DC, said the US and Iran are blaming each other for the latest escalation, describing the situation as a “tit-for-tat” exchange unfolding even as diplomatic efforts continue.
• Trump insists ceasefire remains in place: Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was still holding, despite clashes in the Strait of Hormuz. The US president also warned Tehran of a harsher response if a deal is not reached “fast”.

In Lebanon

• Netanyahu pledges continued strikes on Hezbollah: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed responsibility for the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut the previous day, saying “no terrorist is immune” from Israeli attacks.
• Israeli attacks kill 11 in southern Lebanon: Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli air attacks on the towns of Doueir, Harouf and Habboush in the Nabatieh district killed 11 people, including two children, and wounded 36.

Global economy

• UN warns of mounting disruption in Strait of Hormuz: The head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization said about 1,500 ships and their crews remain stranded in the Gulf because of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route disrupted by the regional war.
• Oil prices jump after Hormuz clashes: Oil prices surged after the US and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears over the fragile ceasefire and the security of global energy supplies. Brent crude rose as much as 7.5 percent during Thursday’s trading, before easing to about $101 per barrel early Friday.