US-Israel-Iran War News Live Highlights: Tehran hit by 4.6 earthquake; Kuwait arrests four linked to Iran’s IRGC over sea infiltration attempt

President Donald Trump warned the ceasefire in the Middle East war was on "life support" Monday after rejecting the latest counteroffer from Iran, which said its military stood ready to respond to any act of aggression.

The president's angry reaction to Iran's position -- delivered in response to a US proposal -- sent oil prices soaring and dashed hopes that a deal could be quickly negotiated to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping.

After slamming the reply as "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE", Trump insisted the United States would see a "complete victory" over Iran, adding that the truce which has largely halted fighting in the Gulf for over a month was on its last legs.

"The ceasefire is on massive life support, where the doctor walks in and says, 'Sir, your loved one has approximately a one percent chance of living,'" he told reporters on Monday.

Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who served as chief negotiator in previous talks with Washington, said shortly afterwards that his country was prepared "for any eventuality".

"Our armed forces are ready to respond and to teach a lesson for any aggression," he wrote on X. "A bad strategy and bad decisions always lead to bad results -- the world already understands this."

The developments unnerved global energy markets already thrown into chaos by the war and the overlapping blockades imposed by Iran and the US in the Strait of Hormuz -- a vital conduit for oil and gas shipments.

"The energy supply shock that began in the first quarter is the largest the world has ever experienced," the CEO and president of Saudi oil giant Aramco, Amin Nasser, told investors.

"If the Strait of Hormuz opens today, it will still take months for the market to rebalance, and if its opening is delayed by a few more weeks, then normalisation will last into 2027."

- Hunger and starvation -

Aside from energy, the world also faces a shortage of fertiliser -- much of which comes from Gulf ports -- and hence food for tens of millions of people.

Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), told AFP there were just a few weeks left to avert a potentially "massive humanitarian crisis".

"We may witness a crisis that will force 45 million more people into hunger and starvation."

Trump did not say what had offended him in Iran's response, but Tehran's foreign ministry said it had called for an end to the US naval blockade of its ports and to the war "across the region" -- implying a halt to Israel's strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Crucially, ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters, Iran demanded the "release of assets belonging to the Iranian people, which have for years been unjustly trapped in foreign banks".

This would be not just a return to the status quo before the US and Israel launched the war on February 28, but a victory in the Islamic republic's long-standing campaign against its economic isolation.

"We did not demand any concessions. The only thing we demanded was Iran's legitimate rights," Baqaei said.

An end to international sanctions would diminish Washington's leverage over Tehran as it tries to secure a lasting end to Iran's nuclear enrichment.

The US, Israel and their allies have long accused Iran of seeking atomic weapons, an accusation Tehran has repeatedly denied.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted the conflict would not end until Iran's nuclear facilities were destroyed.

The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, said Iran's counterproposal had included the possibility of diluting some of its highly enriched uranium, with the rest transferred to a third country.

- 'Restraint over' -

The lack of a path to a resolution has focused concern on the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran is restricting maritime traffic and setting up a payment mechanism to charge tolls for crossing ships.

US officials have stressed it would be "unacceptable" for Tehran to control the international waterway.

Trump told Fox News that he was considering reviving a short-lived US operation to guide oil tankers and other commercial ships through the Hormuz, but that he had not yet taken a final decision.

Saudi sources previously told AFP that Saudi Arabia had prohibited the US from using its airspace and bases for the operation the first time around, fearing "it would just escalate the situation and would not work".

As part of its blockade, the US Navy has at times fired on ships to disable them, or boarded and diverted them.

In a social media post on Sunday, the spokesman for the Iranian parliament's national security commission warned Washington: "Our restraint is over as of today."

"Any attack on our vessels will trigger a strong and decisive Iranian response against American ships and bases," Ebrahim Rezaei said.

Iran's parliament speaker said his country's military stood ready to "teach a lesson" to any aggressor on Monday, after US President Donald Trump warned the ceasefire in the Middle East was hanging by a thread.

"Our armed forces are ready to respond and to teach a lesson for any aggression," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X. "A bad strategy and bad decisions always lead to bad results -- the world already understands this."

President Donald Trump said Monday he will move to suspend the federal tax on gasoline to help Americans shoulder surging fuel prices caused by the Iran war.

The president cannot suspend the federal tax on his own. Congress would have to approve the move.

Lawmakers from both parties have pushed for a gas-tax suspension, saying it would provide much-needed relief for families and businesses that rely on their cars and trucks to get to work and school and run everyday errands.

As of Monday, the average national gas price was USD 4.52 a gallon, according to the AAA motor club, 50 per cent higher than the average price of just under USD 3 a gallon before Trump began the war against Iran.

The federal tax is currently set at 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel, an amount that does not include state taxes, which often are higher.

Asked by reporters at the White House how long the tax should be suspended, Trump said, “Until it's appropriate.” While the tax only adds about 18 cents per gallon to the price of gas, “it's still money,” Trump said.

As gas prices have spiked, the Trump administration has released millions of barrels of oil from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve and temporarily lifted sanctions on some Russian and Iranian oil shipments already at sea. The US is negotiating with countries reliant on Middle East crude to join a coalition to police the Strait of Hormuz, where about one-fifth of the world's traded oil normally flows.

The gas tax provides more than USD 23 billion per year in revenue for federal highway and public transit programs.

Iran on Monday rejected the latest US proposal, with the Iranian Embassy in India saying Tehran’s response reflected the “fundamental rights of the Iranian nation”.

In a statement posted on X, the embassy said accepting the proposal would have amounted to “Tehran’s submission to Trump’s excessive demands”.
The remarks came amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran over efforts to end the conflict in the region.

US President Donald Trump on Monday accused Iran of repeatedly changing its position during negotiations, saying Tehran initially agreed with Washington’s proposals before later reversing its stance.

US President Donald Trump said the fragile US-Iran ceasefire was “on life support” after rejecting Tehran’s latest response to a US-backed peace proposal aimed at ending hostilities in the region.

Natalie A Baker, the US chargé d’affaires in Pakistan, on Monday held talks with Pakistan deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar on the evolving regional situation and bilateral ties, according to Pakistan’s foreign office.

The foreign office said Baker met Dar to discuss the “evolving regional situation and the broader Pakistan-US bilateral relationship”.

During the meeting, Dar highlighted Pakistan’s role in facilitating communication between the US and Iran and expressed hope that ongoing diplomatic efforts would contribute to peace and stability in the region and beyond.

The talks came a day after Pakistan confirmed it had received Iran’s response to a US peace proposal linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. US President Donald Trump is learnt to have rejected Tehran’s response, calling it “totally unacceptable”.

Lebanese leaders on Monday urged the United States to pressure Israel to stop its attacks on Lebanon, as Israeli air strikes continued despite the truce in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

According to Lebanese authorities, the overall death toll from Israeli strikes since March 2 has risen to 2,869 people, including dozens killed after the truce came into effect on April 17.

Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam separately met US ambassador Michel Issa ahead of a third direct meeting between Lebanese and Israeli representatives scheduled to take place in Washington later this week.

The talks are expected to be held on Thursday and Friday amid continuing tensions along the border.

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday said the government does not see a truce in the ongoing Middle East conflict anytime soon and urged citizens to make efforts to help preserve India’s foreign exchange reserves.

Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry Annual Business Summit in New Delhi, the Union minister said the global situation remained uncertain because of the conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran.

“We are living in very turbulent times. For no fault of ours, for a war which is there between two different countries in our neighbourhood, the entire world is getting affected by it,” Vaishnaw said.

“But since the war is now still going on, and yesterday's developments, we all know that a truce is still far away, looking kind of difficult,” he added.
His remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to help the country tackle challenges arising from the conflict by using fuel judiciously and taking steps to conserve foreign exchange “by any means”.

Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday said Tehran had sought an end to the war in the region and the release of frozen Iranian assets in its response to the latest US proposal, AP reported.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran had not asked for concessions from Washington.

“We did not demand any concessions. The only thing we demanded was Iran's legitimate rights,” Baqaei said.

According to him, Iran’s demands included “an end to the war in the region”, lifting the US naval blockade and the “release of assets belonging to the Iranian people, which have for years been unjustly trapped in foreign banks”.

The remarks came a day after Donald Trump rejected Iran’s response to the US proposal aimed at ending hostilities, calling it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” in a post on Truth Social.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran faces multiple possible paths in dealing with ongoing regional tensions, including negotiations conducted with "dignity" and "authority," while stressing that the country's military gains should be reinforced through diplomacy, ANI reported citing Iranian state media.

Iran said on Monday that it had executed a man convicted of spying for Israel and the United States, amid a series of executions during the ongoing conflict with both countries.

“Erfan Shakourzadeh... was hanged for collaborating with the US intelligence service and the Mossad spy service,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said.

The report did not specify when he was executed or arrested, but stated that he had worked at one of Iran’s “scientific organisations active in the satellite field.”

An Israeli air strike on the town of Abba in southern Lebanon killed two people and injured five others, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Israeli warplanes also carried out fresh strikes on the nearby town of Kfar Remman, marking the second round of attacks on the area in less than an hour.

Responding to a question on US president Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to China, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the trip was a matter for Washington, while noting that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had visited Beijing last week and conveyed Tehran’s position.

“China is fully aware that this was a war of necessity. It was a war imposed on Iran. It was not an emergency incident yet it is a continuation of unilateral actions of the United States which continues to violate international laws and regulations,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said.

“To China, stability and security in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Far East are of top priority, and the Chinese would seize the opportunity to warn of any incalculable measures or unlawful acts by the United States which would continue to undermine not only the regional security and stability but the global economic security,” he added.

Esmail Baghaei criticised US sanctions imposed on an Iraqi minister over alleged links with Iran, describing the move as “an act of bullying”.

“Each and every country should act responsibly and with good governance. They should pay respect to other countries’ sovereignty. It is the right of the Iraqi people and officials to take whatever position is in their interests,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, as cited by Al Jazeera.

Speaking on Iran-UAE relations, Esmail Baghaei said Tehran was aware that Iranian citizens had been “harassed” in the United Arab Emirates over the past week.

“We have handed down clear instructions to our embassies and consulates in Dubai, and here we are closely monitoring the situation in the UAE. Any action required within our power, we wouldn’t falter or hesitate in order to serve our people,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said, as cited by Al Jazeera.

Addressing reports that European nations could deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz amid concerns over rising energy prices, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran had warned European countries against aligning with what he described as “the US and Israeli hubris acts”.

“They should refrain from making any move that would undermine their interests. As I’ve said, this war is not only unethical but it is also unlawful. The US and Israel started their aggression against Iran; these European countries shouldn’t be fooled in order to get into this matter,” Baghaei said.

Baghaei further added that “Any intervention in the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf would bring about further complications. They would rather exacerbate the prices, we look forward to the world countries to act responsibly.”

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran would respond according to the situation, stressing that both military action and diplomacy remained options for Tehran.

“Whenever we are forced to fight, we will fight, and whenever there is room for diplomacy, we will seize that opportunity,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson said.

“However, diplomacy has its own rules,” Baghaei added. “The decision will be based on our national interests, and Iran has proven that we are keen on safeguarding our people’s interests.”

Iran has defended its proposal to end the war with the United States and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling the offer “legitimate” and “generous.” Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran’s demands include an end to the war, lifting the US blockade, release of frozen Iranian assets, and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. He also said Iran’s proposal included broader regional security measures, including Lebanon. The remarks come after Donald Trump rejected Tehran’s response, accusing the US of maintaining “unreasonable and one-sided demands.”

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the United States continues to put forward “unreasonable demands” and asserted that Iran’s response to US president Donald Trump’s proposal, which Tehran sent to Pakistan on Sunday, “was not excessive," as cited by Al Jazeera.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said regional stability and security had been “undermined” during a press conference held after US president Donald Trump rejected Tehran’s response to the US proposal.

South Korea's presidential Blue House on Monday strongly condemned an attack on a cargo vessel operated by a South Korean shipping company in the Strait of Hormuz and said Seoul would decide on further action once the source of the attack was identified.

A senior Blue House official told reporters that South Korean experts had carried out an initial forensic examination of damage to the left rear section of the vessel. The attack had triggered a fire in the ship’s engine room.

Avichay Adraee, IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson on Monday issued a fresh evacuation warning for residents in parts of southern Lebanon, urging people in nine areas to leave ahead of possible Israeli strikes, as cited by Al Jazeera.

The warning covered Ar-Rihan in Jezzine district, Jarjouaa, Kfar Reman, al-Numairiyah, Arab Salim, al-Jumayjimah, Machghara, Qlayaa in Western Bekaa, and Harouf.

Efforts to secure a peace deal are being complicated by active military tensions across several fronts, including Iran, the Gulf, and Lebanon. Even if direct U.S.-Iran negotiations progress, unresolved fighting involving Israel and Tehran-backed groups threatens to keep the wider regional conflict alive.

According to Bloomberg report, growing electronic disruption in the Gulf, with dozens of vessels appearing inland or moving at impossible speeds on ship-tracking systems. Analysts say signal jamming is likely linked to heightened military activity after recent Iranian attacks, making it harder to monitor shipping through the already disrupted Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said a man executed on Monday had passed classified scientific information to US and Israeli intelligence services. Judiciary-linked Mizan identified him as Erfan Shakourzadeh, who reportedly worked at an organisation linked to satellite activities.

Iran has executed a man convicted of spying for the US CIA and Israel’s Mossad, according to the judiciary’s Mizan news outlet. The man, identified as Erfan Shakourzadeh, was accused of sharing classified scientific information linked to satellite activities with foreign intelligence agencies.

Iran has warned against any foreign military deployment in the Strait of Hormuz, saying outside interference in the strategic waterway would trigger an immediate response. The warning comes as Britain and France explore multinational security arrangements to restore trade flows. Tehran insists only Iran can guarantee security in the strait, setting up a new flashpoint in the broader conflict over maritime control and global energy supplies.

The United Kingdom and France will convene a multinational meeting of defence ministers to discuss military plans aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed, the British government said. British defence secretary John Healey will co-chair the meeting with French counterpart Catherine Vautrin, marking the first defence ministers’ gathering for the proposed multinational mission, according to a UK defence ministry statement.

More than 40 nations are expected to participate as international efforts intensify to address the ongoing disruption to one of the world’s most critical trade and energy routes.

The Israeli military is facing growing challenges in countering Hezbollah’s use of First Person View (FPV) drones, according to a report by The Jerusalem Post. The report said Hezbollah is deploying FPV drones guided manually through fibre optic cables, allowing them to evade Israeli electronic jamming systems designed to disrupt drone operations. The Jerusalem Post noted that Hezbollah recently released footage purportedly showing an FPV drone striking an Iron Dome battery near Israel’s northern border on Sunday.

According to news agency Reuters, three crude tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz over the past week and on Sunday with their tracking systems switched off, according to shipping data from Kpler and LSEG, highlighting growing efforts to keep Middle East oil exports moving amid fears of Iranian attacks.

Among them were two very large crude carriers (VLCCs) — Agios Fanourios I and Kiara M — each carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude, the data showed. The Agios Fanourios I, which had failed to cross the strait in at least two earlier attempts after loading Basrah Medium crude on April 17, successfully transited on Sunday and is now headed to Vietnam’s Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical facility, where it is expected to unload on May 26.

Washington and Israel insist Iran’s enrichment capabilities must be rolled back before any durable settlement can emerge. Netanyahu said diplomacy is the preferred way to remove enriched uranium but made clear military options remain open. International nuclear monitors continue tracking Iran’s stockpile, while Tehran sees outside demands as attacks on sovereignty. This unresolved nuclear standoff remains one of the most difficult barriers to any ceasefire breakthrough.

Middle East remains highly volatile after Iran signaled readiness for a prolonged confrontation. President Masoud Pezeshkian declared Tehran would “never bow down to the enemy” and promised to defend national interests with strength. Military officials also said forces remain on full readiness. Trump’s rejection of Iran’s peace response has only hardened positions on both sides. With diplomacy faltering and military posturing increasing, the risk of broader escalation remains high as global powers push urgently for a breakthrough.

The Israel-Iran War continues to expand beyond Iran’s borders as clashes involving Hezbollah persist in southern Lebanon despite a US-brokered ceasefire. Netanyahu warned that ending hostilities with Iran would not necessarily end fighting elsewhere. Hezbollah remains one of Tehran’s most significant regional allies, making Lebanon a major secondary front in the broader conflict. Continued violence there highlights how even successful diplomacy between Washington and Tehran may not be enough to fully stabilize the region or stop all active battle zones.

Gulf states remain tense after drone incidents near strategic shipping routes. The UAE said it intercepted two drones, Qatar condemned an attack on a cargo vessel as a “dangerous and unacceptable escalation,” and Kuwait said hostile drones entered its airspace. These developments show how rapidly the conflict is spilling across the region. With shipping through key waterways already disrupted, fresh drone threats are intensifying fears that the crisis could expand far beyond direct military confrontations between Iran, Israel, and the United States.

The US Iran War is expected to dominate discussions as Donald Trump heads to Beijing for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Washington is increasingly leaning on China to use its influence with Tehran as peace efforts falter. Rising oil prices and disrupted shipping routes have made the conflict a global economic concern. With diplomacy stalled after Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal, the Trump-Xi meeting could become a key moment in determining whether international mediation can break the deadlock and prevent wider escalation.

New development in the Middle East conflict sent oil prices soaring after ceasefire diplomacy collapsed between Washington and Tehran. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries nearly a fifth of the world’s oil supply, remains one of the biggest flashpoints in the conflict. Trump’s rejection of Iran’s proposal has deepened fears of a prolonged standoff. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted planners initially underestimated the threat, saying, “It took a while for them to understand how big that risk is.” The continuing disruption is now driving global energy concerns.

The US Iran War entered another tense phase after Tehran formally responded to Washington’s ceasefire proposal with sweeping demands. Iranian media said the response included calls for compensation for war damages, removal of sanctions, release of frozen assets, and guarantees against future attacks. Tehran also insisted on maintaining sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Washington had hoped to first stop fighting before discussing broader issues, including Iran’s nuclear program. Trump’s swift rejection has pushed diplomatic efforts backward, increasing uncertainty over whether negotiations can resume soon.

Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium must be "taken out" before the US-Israeli war against Iran can be considered over, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told an American broadcaster Sunday.

"It's not over, because there's still nuclear material -- enriched uranium -- that has to be taken out of Iran. There's still enrichment sites that have to be dismantled," Netanyahu said in an interview that aired Sunday on the CBS News program "60 Minutes."

"You go in and you take it out," the Israeli leader said when asked how the uranium could be removed.

Netanyahu said US President Donald Trump had a similar position.

"I'm not going to talk about military means, but the president, what President Trump has said to me -- 'I want to go in there.'"

However, Netanyahu's statement was in contrast to Trump's public position.

Donald Trump used social media to launch a blistering attack on former US presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden while discussing the Iran crisis. Trump accused Obama of strengthening Tehran through past nuclear agreements and financial arrangements, claiming Iran had taken advantage of weak American leadership. He also accused Iran of funding attacks against US forces and destabilising the Middle East for decades. Trump’s remarks came as his administration continued reviewing Iran’s latest ceasefire response and debated further military options in the Gulf. The comments have added a domestic political dimension to the crisis, with Republicans supporting a tougher approach against Iran while critics warn that escalating rhetoric could push the region closer to a full-scale war involving multiple countries.

Iranian military officials said the country’s armed forces are on “full readiness” to protect nuclear facilities and uranium storage sites amid growing fears of possible US or Israeli attacks. Iranian military spokesperson Brig Gen Akrami Nia said authorities were concerned about infiltration operations or attempts to seize enriched uranium through military action. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran currently possesses more than 440 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent purity, close to weapons-grade level. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the conflict could not end unless Iran’s enriched uranium was removed from the country. Meanwhile, Russia has renewed its proposal to relocate Iran’s enriched uranium as part of a negotiated settlement. The nuclear issue remains one of the biggest obstacles in ongoing ceasefire and diplomatic talks.

Several incidents involving drones and commercial ships have added to fears that the ongoing conflict could destabilise the entire Gulf region. A drone attack caused a small fire aboard a vessel near Qatar, while the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted two drones that entered its airspace and blamed Iran for the intrusion. Kuwait also reported unidentified drones entering its airspace, though officials did not confirm their origin. In another incident, a South Korean-operated vessel anchored in the Strait of Hormuz was struck by two unidentified objects, causing an explosion and fire onboard. Maritime security agencies are investigating whether the attacks are linked to the broader Iran-US-Israel conflict. Shipping companies and oil markets remain on edge as fears grow over possible disruptions to global energy supplies through the Gulf.

Israeli warplanes launched fresh strikes across southern Lebanon, targeting locations the Israeli military described as Hezbollah infrastructure sites, including weapons storage facilities and command centres. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported casualties in multiple towns, including the death of a young girl, while Hezbollah claimed responsibility for more than 20 retaliatory attacks on Israeli military positions. The latest escalation has raised concerns that the conflict could expand further beyond Gaza and Iran into a larger regional confrontation. Despite previous ceasefire efforts brokered by international mediators, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has continued with both sides accusing each other of violating agreements. The Israeli military also issued evacuation warnings to residents in parts of southern Lebanon shortly before carrying out air raids, adding to fears of wider civilian displacement in border regions.