An explosion has been reported at the Bahman Pier in the Qeshm island of Iran during an exchange of fire between Iranian armed forces and enemy troops.
The Bahman Pier in the Qeshm island of Iran came under attack late on Thursday night during a fierce exchange of fire between Iranian armed forces and enemy units operating near the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported.
According to Fars News Agency, portions of the commercial area at the vital Bahman pier on Qeshm Island were struck and partially damaged amid the confrontation.
The incident occurred as Iranian soldiers responded decisively to hostile actions in the strategic waterway, forcing the aggressors to retreat after sustaining losses.
Several explosion sounds were also heard near the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas.
Fars news agency said residents in Bandar Abbas heard multiple sounds resembling explosions from areas near the city.
Fox News reported that the US military carried out attacks on the ports of Qeshm and Bandar Abbas, but stressed that these attacks do not mean the start of war.
The attack on the Bahman Qeshm pier — a key commercial and passenger facility that has already been targeted multiple times during the ongoing war — has sparked widespread reactions across regional media.
While the Israeli regime’s i24NEWS network rushed to quote an Israeli source claiming “Israel has no connection whatsoever to tonight’s events in Iran,” other reports, including from sources within the regime itself, have pointed directly to UAE fighter jets carrying out the bombing.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency highlighted clear indications of hostile involvement by the UAE, describing the UAE government as acting as a mere proxy and tool in the hands of the Zionist regime.
“Signs of a treacherous Emirati action against the Bahman Qeshm pier have been observed,” Tasnim reported, adding that if confirmed, “the UAE will pay a heavy price for its hostile move.”
Iranian officials have long warned that certain Persian Gulf Arab states, fooled by the Zionist entity’s false promises and US backing, are being dragged into reckless adventures that threaten the security and stability of the entire region.
Iran, however, remains fully prepared to defend its territorial integrity and the sovereignty of its waters in the Persian Gulf.
Fars News Agency noted that a detailed investigation into the precise dimensions of the incident and verification of all circulating claims is still underway.
No casualties have been reported from the strike on the civilian-oriented commercial pier, underscoring the precision of Iranian defensive measures even under direct provocation.
Israeli security forces at the site of a Hezbollah missile strike on a house in Kiryat Shmona, near the Lebanese border, on April 1, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
Mounting fears over Iranian intelligence capabilities and growing espionage inside Israeli occupied territories have pushed the regime to impose tighter censorship measures and disable critical missile-tracking systems, leaving northern communities "operationally blind" and abandoned, according to reports.
The Israeli army recently blocked access to a security alert system previously used by emergency responders and local officials in northern Israel to track missile impact zones, Israel's Ynet newspaper and website reported on Thursday.
The decision stems from fears that Iranian intelligence could infiltrate the regime's rocket-tracking system and use the information to improve the precision of future strikes against the occupying entity, it added.
The move comes despite continuing tensions along the Lebanese border, where Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon and responses by the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement have persisted even after a temporary ceasefire.
The restrictions have intensified frustration and panic among northern Israeli officials, who say the army's decision has left them unable to respond effectively during attacks, with Assaf Langleben, head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council, warning of "operational blindness" caused by the shutdown.
"It is absurd that Hezbollah knows where it is firing, so at least we should also know and be able to deal with the incidents and the responses we are required to provide," he stressed.
Kiryat Shmona mayor Avichai Stern also lambasted the decision, saying that "leaving us without [the system] means abandoning even more lives in an area where most residents already lack protection."
"Now we are also not being given the ability to go out, rescue and save them during fire," he further said.
'We operated like blind mice'
Israeli security officials in northern settlements described scenes of confusion and helplessness during recent missile alerts, with one official confessing that when sirens sounded, "we operated like blind mice."
"When I don't have this tool, I don't know where to run. We are ahead of another round, Hezbollah will again target our homes, and our residents will pay the price," the official warned.
Another security officer criticized the army's response, saying that "no one talks to us, explains, or thinks they owe us answers. They simply cut us off."
"In the army, instead of dealing with how to handle and prevent leaks, they chose the easiest solution and shut everyone out" and that "they irresponsibly chose to punish us," he added.
The crisis reflects deepening Israeli concerns over Iran's growing intelligence reach inside the occupied territories.
Israeli authorities have sharply tightened military censorship since the 12-day war against Iran back in June last year, banning international and local media outlets alike from revealing precise missile strike locations or damage to strategic facilities.
Furthermore, espionage fears have also surged, with Israeli reports indicating that dozens of settlers have been charged in recent years with spying for the Islamic Republic as Iranian intelligence is reportedly recruiting Israelis through financial incentives to photograph sensitive sites and assist in operations inside the occupying entity.
Israeli media revealed this week that Iran has obtained highly sensitive information linked to the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), one of Israel's most important security think tanks connected to both the army and Tel Aviv University.
Reports say Iranian intelligence gathered personal data on researchers – including former senior Israeli security officials – as well as details of confidential meetings between INSS figures and the Israeli military, further fueling alarm inside Israel's security establishment.
Trump has no cards - Max with Judge Napolitano The Grayzone May 7, 2026
Max joins Judge Andrew Napolitano's Judging Freedom to discuss the failure of Trump's Project Freedom and more.
Transcript
Hi everyone, Judge Andrew Napolitano here for Judging Freedom. Today is Thursday, May 7th, 2026. Max Blumenthal is with us now. Max, I want to start with President Trump in the Oval Office yesterday with eight and nineyear-old school children. And my friends, this is a little difficult to watch, but Max uh will analyze it for us. Here's the president talking violence and trash to children. They don't have any guns. So you could have 200,000 people protesting and have five or six sick people with guns and when they start shooting them right between the eyes and you see a guy fall and another one fall and you have no guns and all of a sudden a woman dropped dead with a bullet right there. Always right there and another woman dropped and then the word started to spread and then there was panic and then they ran and you know we can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon. You might be too young for this. I don't know if I want. They probably know. They They probably know better than most people. But you can't let a bunch of lunatics have a nuclear weapon. The president Trump, there's never been a man that deserves a Nobel. He ended eight wars, including India, Pakistan, which would have been a nuclear war. Eight of them. And I called everybody in, Gary, and I said, "You know what? We just broke every record. And now we're going to take a hit because we have to make a journey down to Iran to take the nuclear weapon. They would have had a nuclear weapon in within two weeks. Remember, we sent that beautiful B2 bomber in and we uh we blew up their nuclear potential. It was obliterated. For those that are not aware, we would have had a ran an Iran with a nuclear weapon and maybe we wouldn't all be here, right? And uh thank you very much. And Bryson, thank you very much. You really took this and brought it to a level. It's true. Biden and President Obama decided that it wasn't important. And they they're so wrong. Thank you very much everybody. Can he control himself? Well, there's so much there. He says that four to five sick people who with sniper rifles killed 40,000 protesters. So he kind of explodes the the lie of 30 to 40,000 protesters killed on a January 8th and 9th. And at the same time, Trump in a previous uh disclosure, unintentional disclosure, said that, you know, the US has armed the Kurds and that they were involved in these so-called protests, which were actually regime change riots aimed at toppling the government of Iran. And here we are over 40, you know, after 40 days of warfare imposed on Iran and Trump has failed to achieve any military objectives. leading up to February 28th when Trump went in with Israel to attempt to decapitate the Iranian government and its entire leadership with Trump convinced after a situation room meeting with Netanyahu where the Israeli prime minister sat at the head of the table and Trump sat to the side that these decapitation strikes would lead to a capitulation of the Islamic Republic. public and the protests returning to the streets and overwhelming the government and the IRGC and taking control. After all of that, he has failed to achieve any military or political objective stated at the outset. And before February 28th, Trump had failed to make offer any explanation to the American public for why this needed to take place. You know, in the past, we'd have George W. Bush telling us about, you know, we need to uh we we need to stop WMD. We found yellow cake there. They would deploy a series of lies about mushroom clouds, looming mushroom clouds. Now there's nothing. So now after all of these failures, 40 days and then a ceasefire and then the US extending the ceasefire unilaterally after Iranian negotiators simply failed to turn up in Islamabad because they understand that these negotiations are cover for more warfare and are essentially a joke. Donald Trump is making the case to random school kids that Iran will kill them in two weeks and that we're facing a new Cuban missile crisis. That's his case to the American public trying to scare random school kids and it's not working. The public is completely o done with this war. Donald Trump is unable to continue the war and at the same time he's unable to move away from the war for various reasons. And and so that's that helps set the backdrop I think for the massive failure of project freedom. Oh, but Max, it's two different wars. They changed the name from Epic Fury to Project Freedom. That restarts the clock. Let's see. Epic Fury lasted six weeks. Project Fur Freedom. Did it even last six hours? Epic Fury began as Epstein Fury and ended as Epic fail. It was a complete failure. The Washington Post is now reporting what we all knew which is that Iran has decimated US military bases across the region. The Washington Post reports as those of us who were you know for example following this more closely that o around 230 military assets sites bunkers billion dollar radar systems were destroyed. most of them in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia at the key bases. Alu date air base is has also lost its major radar systems. The um Washington Post just reported today citing a CIA source that Iran still has 75% of its ballistic missile stocks and its capacity to fire them. I suspect that's an underestimate. And so returning to war would mean the further destruction of US bases. It would create an even larger wedge between the US and its the Gulf vassel states that it depends on and which were the lynch pin of the so-called Abraham Accords, the Epstein Accords. We now know that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait both refused to provide the US with overflight access or basing rights or basing access when Trump launched Project Freedom. That's a signal of how badly Epic Fury was an epic fail. Project Freedom is launched. The US fail announces that it's going to guide boats through the straight of Hormuz. No shipping companies agree. No insurers will abide by this policy. It's absurd on its face. The US claims or Trump claims that the US Navy will provide uh tankers with the locations of Iranian mines even though Iran has lost the location of its own of many of its own mines. No mention of the likelihood of drones or missiles incoming on those ships. A South Korean tanker was hit and that was pretty much the end of Project Freedom. the US attempted to send some destroyers or some other ships through and they faced warning shots from Iran. Trump declares that Iran's navy is totally obliterated, that Iran's military is obliterated, and that um even more crucially that his naval blockade of Iranian ports has utterly decimated Iran's economy. And the CIA comes out today via the Washington Post and said that Iran can hold on for at least three to four months under US naval siege as the global economy spirals and fertilizer is failing to arrive to US farmers in the heartland in Trump's base. Donald Trump during a spree of uh posting AI slop throughout the night published a photograph, an AI photo of himself holding five or I think six Uno cards, which actually means he's losing according to the rules of UNO and declared he has all the cards. He has absolutely no cards to play because he's clearly afraid to go back to war and see the decimation of US bases, the uh unraveling of the US Gulf vessel states which are literally facing destabilization uh economic collapse. Dubai is at 10% occupancy of its hotels. Yet he can't not go to war because of pressure from the Israelis and his own inability to simply accept failure. And so he's stuck in this frozen policy which is devastating the global economy. So Trump says he has all the cards. He actually has no cards. And for someone who spent a lifetime in the sleazy culture of casinos, Trump casino, he should know when to fold him. It doesn't. Are people finally starting to ask why Israel can have nuclear weapons and Iran can't? 39 House Democrats have now asked that question. This is a real turning point. Just the fact that anyone has dared put this forward. Let me uh pull up this letter. This is a letter uh signed by mostly the progressive caucus of the Democrats. The most prominent one would be Wim Castro. It's under his name. Um and then you'll see all the familiar names of the more progressive Democrats. And it does raise questions about why uh something like 150 Democrats in the House won't sign this letter because it seems kind of like a no-brainer. But the letter declares that the US should end its policy of recognizing Israel's strategic ambiguity about its nuclear program at the Deona Negv nuclear facility which is completely unregulated and thanks to US diplomatic cover can exist without IAEA inspections. And the reason is the US is now waging a war side by side with Israel against Iran in order to supposedly prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons. The reason Iran has a nuclear program with breakout capacity is because it has faced regime change warfare from Israel, a secret or ambiguous nuclear power. So this letter makes perfect sense. It's time for the US to acknowledge that it's waging war with a fellow nuclear power that the UK has been involved in this war and it is also a nuclear power. And you know there's a certain irony here which is that the US actually helped Iran develop its nuclear program through Eisenhower's atoms for peace. Iran's nuclear program didn't begin under the Islamic Republic. It began under Sha Muhammad Resa Palvi. I actually visited the nuclear reactor in Thran that Palvi developed for civilian purposes and now it's a source of concern. Israel at the time actually was helping train Iranian nuclear physicists and scientists. So now it's a source of concern because Israel's worried because it would be a deterrent against a regime change war. So this letter, you know, rips the cover off Israel's hypocrisy. It mentions Morai Venunu who other than Julian Assange and a few other figures is one of the bravest whistleblowers in history. He was a technician with special security clearance at the NEGV nuclear facility in the 1970s who exposed to the international media that Israel had a secret nuclear program that the United States and France had helped develop. Israel then hunted Venunu, has hunted and him and tortured him for his entire life since then. The Mossad captured him after drugging him, I think deploying a honey trap, brought him back to Israel, convicted him, sentenced him to uh, you know, 20 years or or a lifetime in prison where he was held in solitary confinement for 11 years. I actually met with his brother years ago when I was in Israel and his brother told me that the solitary confinement had uh devastated Venoo's mental state. He was basically being murdered in real time by Israel through solitary confinement and torture as the price of exposing this program. Well, now there's no hiding it anymore. It's under official congressional letterhead. One incident that I wish that Wen Castro and the House Democrats had mentioned is the NUME scandal in which uh nuclear material was stolen. high in highlyenriched uranium was stolen from the new plant uh which is new the nuclear materials and equipment corporation in Apollo Pennsylvania uh through an operation run by Rafa Tan who was one of the leaders of the Mossad at the time a key figure in stealing nuclear secrets from the US in many arenas and this entire incident was covered up by James Jesus angle who was a double agent for the CIA and Mossad and was the head of the CIA's Israel account while he simultaneously ran its uh counter intelligence operations. It's time to understand how Israel obtained its nuclear capa and weapons capacity not only through secret cooperation with the US and and and dipl and um diplomatic cover from the US but actually by stealing America's nuclear secrets also in uh stealing data from the Los Alamos facility. This is what Americans need to know and that Israel has the delivery mechanism that Iran doesn't have. The Jericho 2 and three missiles. These are intercontinental ballistic missiles in which Israel can enact the Samson option and strike targets in Western Europe and even in the United States if it chooses to do so. Israel has used nuclear blackmail against the United States in the 1973 war when Israel was facing what it thought was existential doom after Egyptian forces uh were able to uh cross the Sinai Peninsula and devastate Israeli tank columns and Syria was advancing. There was pressure on Nixon and Kissinger to authorize a massive shipment of weapons. And according to Jonathan Pard, the Israeli spy who penetrated US naval intelligence and is now an Israeli politician and friends with the US ambassador Mike Huckabe. According to an interview with Jonathan Pard recently, the Israeli uh Israeli intelligence took the US ambassador to an airfield in the Negv desert, presented them with an Israeli jet with a nuclear weapon strapped to it and said, "We are going to deploy a nuclear weapon on Egypt unless you authorize this shipment of weapons." So nuclear blackmail, nuclear theft, and the torture of whistleblowers is the source of Israel's nuclear weapons program. And it's now out in the open, and it's time for the US public to pressure their lawmakers to add their names to this letter. What uh provoked these 33 or 39, I forget what the number was, Democrats to write this? I think just disgusted with the overall policy and the the uh the the space they now have, the political latitude they now have to say things that were once forbidden in Congress and in public in US life about Israel. And this dastardly special relationship in which the US is protecting a secret nuclear power while going to war to prevent another country from ever getting a nuclear weapon when it does not even have a weapons program. the Democratic Party base is now solidly opposed to the special relationship with Israel to the point where, you know, Rahm Emanuel, someone who lost his finger in a kitchen accident in while um involved in a junior IDF program one summer, who's uh himself and his talent agent brother are fully dedicated to basically salvaging the relationship with Israel, now have to offer this insidious plan to have Israel pay for its own weapons in order to protect the overall relationship. The Democratic Party base support for Israel like of Democratic voters is in single digits. Most Democrats actually now support Palestine over Israel according to pollsters. So, and and the mask is completely off with Trump waging this war alongside Israel. As Pete Hegset said, all Iranians are going to see are the stars and stripes and the star of David in the sky. So, so they can say this now without any consequence. And in fact, their voters will reward them. The reason that so many Democrats didn't sign this is because they're the ones who answered to the donor class. I wonder if these Democrats are aware are are aware of I'm segueing here, Max, people in the White House making money off of insider trading on the basis of Trump's manipulations of the market. Yes, this and this goes back to our discussion of Project Freedom, which lasted about . It was a complete failure. But for Trump and his cronies, Trump Incorporated, it was a giant success because we saw as Trump wrapped up Project Freedom, suddenly something like seven traders placed massive pu um um shorts on oil and they were betting on the price of oil going down. Seven not not seven uh but a series of traders. Okay. after the oil shorts came in. Axios reported that uh the US and Iran are close to a deal and that they're reviewing a two-page memorandum from the US, which I I could have told you right right out of the gate that that was a complete lie and I would know it was a complete lie because of who was on that by line. That a that article was authored by Barack Ravid who is Axios's main reporter on Israel Palestine affairs on the Middle East and is based in Washington but is a veteran of Israel's unit 8200 intelligence unit is a Israeli former Israeli reserveist and he is the main stenographer and water carrier for Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump. In the last 19 days, Barack Ravid has put forward five false stories claiming the US and Iran were close to a deal or that the that the uh conflict was winding down. And each time bets would come in or oil shorts to generate insider trading profits for Trump cronies. There appears to be coordination here between Ravi and his employers at Axios and the Trump administration to make money for Trump incorporated off this war while lying to the public. Every time those stories come out, Iranian officials shoot them down as they did this time. Uh Muhammad Galibbaf, the Iranian parliamentary speaker called Axios fosios, like falsios. uh in two occasions Ravid has planted stories or published planted stories to make the case for war with Iran. So you're looking at a corruption ring in which at least $2.8 8 billion dollars of insider trading profits have been generated through the planting of false stories with Barack Ravid and in other sources in order to manipulate markets while Trump loses the war and devastates the global economy and massively harms the economic future of everyday Americans who have to pay for higher fuel prices, especially poor, you know, the working poor. The DOJ claims they're investigating these $2.8 billion dollars of insider trades. It's going to be the biggest cover up we've ever seen. Uh they're in on it as well. But this is a also a scandal involving one of the most corrupt, discredited reporters on the planet, Barack Ravid. And if you look at his Twitter timeline, his Twitter X timeline, he's having a meltdown right now. uh he because he's finally been exposed, but it's also Jared Kushner, Steve Whitoff, and Donald Trump. And one other point I should mention, how you could easily dismiss any talk of Trump uh making a deal. Well, Jared Kushner and Steve Whit, we know where their alliances lie. They're essentially Israeli assets. And the Iranian negotiating team knows that. The head of the National Security Committee for Iran's Parliament just told our reporter at the Grey Zone, Wyatt Reid, in an exclusive interview that the Iranians have no trust in Witoff or Kushner for that reason. And they've just added a new figure to their team, Nick Stewart from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, which is an Israeli cutout in Washington that is devised Trump's entire policy, including his naval blockade, Project Freedom. Nick Stewart in comments that I published on a panel with Elliot Abrams and uh another figure on the panel is the secretariat for uh Crown Prince Reza Palvi. Nick Stewart said that he's opposed to any negotiations with Iran at all, including its reformist leadership, which is very inclined to make a deal with the US because they're all part of a totalitarian regime that needs to be top. Wait, wait a minute. He's opposed to negotiations and he's a part of the Witoff Kushner negotiating team. Jared Kushner just appointed Nick Stewart to advise Steve Witoff on the Straight of Hormuz and these issues. The that's the that's the cover story. The real reason is to freeze out JD Vance and make sure that there will not be any deal uh according to the objectives of Israel which all of these figures serve. Again, the foundation for the defense of democracies is Israel's main think tank in Washington, and it has devised Trump's entire policy while freezing out any rational minds from the Trump administration. Wow. Do you have two more minutes to uh talk to us about the freedom of speech in the UK? I got more than two minutes if you do. Yes. Uh, yeah. I mean, there are two incidents in the UK, and I'll try to sum them up in two minutes that highlight Well, I just meant that metaphorically. You can take as much time as you want, Max. Okay. Um, yeah, I don't I didn't know if you had another guest. Um, there are two incidents in the UK that highlight how the rights of British citizens have been corroded to the point of no return by a completely sold out and occupied political leadership led by at least ostensibly led by PM Kir Starmer. The first is this uh unusual stabbing incident in which a demonstrably mentally ill man who is a Muslim immigrant to the UK reportedly stabbed two Jews. And I say reportedly because this is all the British media reported were stabbed two Jews in the Golders Green neighborhood of London which is a Jewish majority area of London. It was said to be this terrible anti-semitic attack. It was it led to Kier Starmer delivering a national address in which he placed the blame firmly and solidly on pro Palestine marches and those who march he said are complicit in this and must be criminalized and punished for make stating phrases like globalize the inif suggesting that he would apply uh 14 years in prison for anyone who said this not mentioned by Starmer the Metropolitan Police buried this information was that that same man first of all had nothing to do with the Palestine solidarity movement and earlier in the day had stabbed a Muslim man who lived in his flat and back in 2008 he had attacked police officers and he was a subject of surveillance according to Britain's prevent program which is a counter radicalization program that obviously failed so this Actually, this this supposed terror attack looks more like a random attack by a mentally ill man. And then British media proceeded to blame that attack on Iran through a group that doesn't exist anywhere except on Telegram called Ashab Alyamin al-Islamea. It's a telegram channel that takes credit for any attack in a Jewish area, even um you know, a car burglary in a Jewish area, uh arson, anything that happens, it takes credit and says we are part of the Iranian resistance. Who would be behind such a telegram channel? Who would benefit from blaming all of these attacks on Iran? It would be obviously Israel. And you know, as we have explained at the Greyzone through a print investigation authored by Wyatt Reed, it looks very clearly like an Israeli intelligence operation to to take credit for these random attacks and blame it all on Iran. And then you have like the British Telegraph, Times of London, and now Kier Starmer himself echoing that blame and blaming Iran, claiming that these are ideologically motivated attacks in order to shut down this whatever's left of the speech rights of British citizens to shut down the Palestine solidarity movement on behalf of Israel because the British establishment is fearing a loss of control. The second incident is the case of the Filton six. these activists for Palestine Action who were put on trial for uh attempting to shut down and occupy a factory belonging to the Israeli state-owned weapons company Elbbit Systems. It has these factories all across the UK and Palestine Action which is a direct action group, anti-genocide group, has successfully shut down Elbit systems factories that are have been directly involved in the Gaza genocide and now the Iran war. And so this trial was a complete stitchup as we reported at the Greyzone as we previously discussed. and the verdict came in. Many of these defendants of these six, I think four of the six now face lengthy prison terms, one faces prison term for grievous bodily harm. Yet the jury was not allowed to know in this case that the judge can sentence them for terrorism in order to prescribe this entire group as a terrorist group. The defendants were not allowed to mention what the target of their activism was, which is Elbit systems. They were not allowed to use the term genocide or discuss the situation in Gaza in court. And British citizens outside the court were arrested for holding signs of advising jurors of their rights under a law that's actually enshrined in British law called jury equity. that they have the right to acquit defendants based on their conscience. So you saw scores of British citizens holding signs advising jurors of their rights and being arrested outside the courtroom. That's how much Israel and Israeli influence in the UK has corroded and shredded the rights of British citizens in a country that doesn't have a first amendment like we have. And I should mention, this is kind of like breaking news. The judge in that trial, Judge Jeremy Johnson, who is a former barristister for the MI6 and Metropolitan Police, was just promoted like hours after the verdict. Oh my god. So, it was very clear that the fix was in. And the reason why I think it's important to talk about this judge, I mean, on a program called judging freedom, where you're so concerned with the constitutional rights of Americans, is if you look at the UK, that's where I think the part of our leadership that is bought and paid for by the Israel lobby, that's where they want to take our country. And all we have to stop them is the Constitution. Well, this program today could be called the gray zone on judging freedom because you have just been the Energizer uh Bunny with your articulate recitation of these uh incredible tales uh that mainstream media doesn't want to cover at all. Max, thank you very much. Uh time does not permit me to go through the details of what you've talked about, but this audience is enormous and will grow exponentially uh because of your unbelievable grasp and brilliant articulation of all of these uh all of these events. Thank you, my dear man. All the best. My best to your family as well. We look forward to seeing you again. Thanks a lot, Judge. Thanks for giving me the time. Sure. He really is unbelievable with his grasp of facts and ability to articulate them in such a compelling way. Uh tomorrow the end of the week and at the end of the day at 4 in the afternoon with Larry Johnson and Ray McGovern your intelligence community round table. Judge Napalitano for judging freedom.
Trump accused of ceasefire violation amidst reports of explosions in Iran | Janta Ka Reporter Janta Ka Reporter May 7, 2026
Iran has accused the US of violating the peace deal after the American military reportedly hit an Iranian oil tanker off the coast of Oman. This came on a day the Iranian media reported that the Islamic Republic had activated its air defence system in Bandar Abbas and Queshm island. It's not clear if the conflict between Iran and the US has resumed, but Trump is believed to have released a new peace proposal which is completely different to what was reported yesterday. Rifat Jawaid sums up the day's events with his sharp commentary.
Transcript
There are reports of drone attacks and sounds of explosions in Iran's Bandar Ababas and Kesham Island. It's not clear if this is a start of a fresh war between Iran and the US. Meanwhile, the stalemate over the Iran peace deal continues as the deranged occupant of the White House fails to decide what he wants from this conflict. He has now set new demands for Iran to end the conflict. Iran has said that the state of Hormuz will only return to normal after sanctions against the Islamic Republic are lifted. In the UK, progenocide Kammer awaits his political demise as people vote in the local body elections. While in Gaza, Israeli terrorist murder a journalist on the day his only daughter was born. But BBC Radio 5 live presenter comes to Israel's defense after a top British expert calls the aggression against Iran a war of 1 minutechoice. This will be the broad focus of my video tonight. Also in this video, an emotional speech from a well-known Palestinian activist in Birmingham as he faces terrorism charges by the UK government. So please stay tuned. There are reports of drone attacks and sounds of explosions in Bandar Ababas in the state of Hormuz and Kasham Island. Iran's IRIB broadcaster reported that Iranian air defenses had been activated in western Thran. The Mahan news agency also reported that Iranian air defenses were countering hostile targets. Their words, not mine. This came after the US military targeted an Iranian oil tanker off the coast of Oman. In response, Iran too fired missiles in the direction of US targets. This despite the fact that yesterday we were told that the US had agreed to end the conflict if Iran agreed to Trump's one-page memorandum. 2 minutesThis included Iran being allowed to enrich uranium after a gap of 5 years in exchange for the lifting of sanctions and release of billions of dollars in frozen funds. This was set to pave the way for the lifting of blockades of the state of Hormos by both Iran and the US. But today, Trump appears to have changed his mind once again as broadcast by his favorite channel Fox News on the American proposal to end the war with Iran. The Wall Street Journal reports the US proposal includes Iran handing over all enriched material, a 20-year ban on enrichment, a declaration that Iran doesn't seek nuclear weapons, Iran dismantling key nuclear facilities, inspections if violations do occur, and a ban on underground nuclear work. Iran's foreign ministry says the regime is still examining the memorandum, but a response is expected in the hours or days ahead. And Iran's president Masoud Peskian says he recently spoke with Iran's new supreme leader Mustaba Hamayi. I think Trump announces such fake deals every week to keep the oil prices in the international market in check. What Iran should do is to actively issue its rebuttals so that Trump doesn't succeed in his game. The only way Trump will consider ending this conflict quickly is if oil prices spiral out of control and they have catastrophic impact on Americans. By quickly issuing a denial each time Trump talks about a potential deal, Iran would be able to prevent the Israeli lap dog from manipulating the international oil market.
Trump's latest U-turn came on a day when we learned that Saudi Arabia had refused to let Americans use its soil for Project Freedom. The details are damning. According to Dropite News, Trump's decision to abruptly end his Project Freedom came after two Gulf allies, namely Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, cut the US military's access to its bases. Topsite News quoted NBC to report that Saudi Arabia suspended US access to Prince Sultan air base and Saudi airspace after Trump announced the operation without properly coordinating with Gulf allies. A call between Trump and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman reportedly failed to resolve the dispute. Qatar too was contacted only after the operation had already begun while Oman was not coordinated with until after Trump's announcement. American broadcaster Alex Jones too said pretty much the same. NBC News is reporting my sources confirm that Saudi Arabia 3 days ago told Trump, "You can't use our bases anymore. This war is over." And now that's been confirmed again. Israel struck first, drugg us into it. US intelligence, even the IDF told Trump it wasn't going to work. But the MSAD and Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump it was going to 5 minuteswork and fed him a bill of lies. They wanted to drag us into a full war with Iran to pledge the whole region into conflict, believing that once we were fully committed, the US would win the war, even if it took 5 years, and that Israel will be the new hegeimon in the region. So Saudi Arabia has been trying to war with Israel for years. finally understood this was a larger trap to bring down the entire Middle East itself and stood up to it. This is CO 2.0 designed to shut down civilization. So this is great news. The problem is will Israel stage a false flag attack? Set off a nuke and say Iran did it? Attack the US and say Iran did it? Shoot surface air missiles at Trump's Air Force One and claim Iran did it? They've been pre-programming all of that. So we're at a very dangerous juncture right now because Netanyahu has already been indicted and convicted. He knows that if he can't keep this war going, he's done. That's why he funded Hamas. That's why Israel created Hamas. Now they've set up Hamas. They're getting rid of Hamas, but they stood down on October 7th. So all the false flags, all the disinformation, it's coming to a close. Israel is now the most unpopular country in the world according to Gallup poll. And they're trying to double down controlling our foreign policy. But to all the neocons tried to bully the American people, try to tell us we were wrong. We were right. And you were wrong. So, looks like Saudi Arabia just ended the war. According to all the calculus, that's what's happening. But Israel may do a hailmary and stage some big event very, very soon. Maybe political assassinations here in the United States for control. You've had the head of the ADL say a month ago, we use the same energy Israel used killing Hamas with pagers against Americans that say Israel got us into this war when Israel openly got us into this war. And we're seeing, you know, open calls for censorship by Mark Levin and uh Laura Loomer and all the rest of them and calls for nuclear weapons to be used. This is total insanity. And thank God because enough of us like myself, Tucker Carlson, many others put pressure on Trump. He backed off from quote destroying all of Iran forever in one day. Destroying their whole civilization 7 minutesin one day, never to return. On BBC Radio 5 Live this morning, presenter Rachel Burden once again pulled up something remarkable which is not journalism by any stretch of imagination. Her conduct raises serious questions on the influence of the settler colony on the BBC as a whole. This is not the BBC I worked in. Of course, the BBC was always pro-Israel and anti-Muslims, but things were never this bad. So the BBC radio 5 Live invited a prominent British conflict negotiator Oliver Mcturnanon to discuss the ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran. Mturnon rightly termed the illegal attack on Iran by the US and the settler colony of Israel a war of choice. This was unacceptable for this BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Rachel Burden who was quick to defend Israel by saying Israel would say it was facing existential threat from Iran. I'm not making this up. Listen to this for yourself. Well, let's speak now to Oliver McTinan who's a conflict negotiator and director of Forward Thinking. That's a charity which specializes in conflict prevention and resolution. Morning Oliver. Good morning, Rachel. I don't know if you've been able to take a look at all at any of the fairly sketchy details of this proposed peace plan, but is there anything here, do you think, to build on? Well, I think the whole context is deeply worrying because it isn't an ambiance, you might say, in which you can reach a durable agreement. The best I think that can come out of this is an agreement on a permanent ceasefire in order to create a context in which real negotiations can go on and out of it an agreement that will last the test of time. Yeah. And and one of the curious elements to this negotiation is that Donald Trump has said he doesn't want to send his negotiators to Pakistan. It's hard to know how you can negotiate when you don't have people face to face. How challenging does that make it? It's very challenging and even more so is this constant constant um commentary that Donald Trump is giving. Um I think what we have to remind ourselves always when talking about this war, it is a war of choice. the Americans and the um Israelis decided to launch this war in the midst of talks that were told told by the Omani foreign minister who was then the negotiator that these talks were progressing very well and the next thing we have this allout assault now I think from an Iranian perspective it's important we're starting from a zero trust level so they will be terribly suspicious and Trump's running commentary you might say the good cop bad cop in one voice. The threats coming with the hopes it's it's it's not at all creating, as I say, the ambiance in which you can have real negotiations and hope for a durable agreement. Absolutely. And you say it's a war of choice. Many people would agree with you. The Israeli government would say that they were facing an existential threat from Iran and its proxies um and particularly with the nuclear threat as well. And and that is surely got to be to be key here. But we know from past experience that negotiations reaching agreement on the nuclear issue can take years. Now this raises many questions on the editorial standards of the BBC as a whole and more crucially the intellectual bankruptcy of this presenter who I know has had a fairly good editorial mind. What changed that she allowed her editorial judgment to be enslaved by a rogue settler colony? What's the compulsion? And why must any compulsion be good enough for one to let his or her editorial integrity suffer from moral bankruptcy and editorial dishonesty? When did Israel face an existential threat from Iran? How come we never knew about this? Also, did you notice one more thing? The expert accused both the US and the settler colony of launching a war of choice against Iran. But Rachel Burden quickly came to defend only Israel and not the US. Do you still need any more evidence of this rogue organization called the BBC being in a firm grip of Israeli control? Why should we British taxpayers fund this rogue organization anymore? The same organization shamelessly defended the Israeli genocide in Gaza by constantly running the line that Israel would deny its committing a genocide. This despite the fact that the war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu has systematically destroyed entire Gaza by slaughtering hundreds of thousands of innocent and unarmed Palestinians. That was good. Such is their urge to keep murdering innocent civilians that these Israeli human devils have continued to slaughter innocent Palestinians despite signing a ceasefire deal in October last year. What's the justification now for people like Rachel Burden? I wonder how people like her managed to sleep at night. This is what Rachel and people of her ilk have defended since October 2023. Can you forget this moment when Israeli terrorists starved millions to death for months? And when they finally organized the food supply, they killed hungry Palestinians as they rushed to get the food. You see the underneath and if this is not enough for people like Rachel Burden to develop editorial integrity then she should watch this video. This is Kifaya Karim from Palestinian NGO, Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling, also known as WC LSAC. We have interviewed over 75 women who were detained in separate centers, detention centers in Gaz, the West Bank, and Jerusalem police stations. All the women say the same thing about sexual violence, including rape, um sexual torture, sexual humiliation, and degradation. uh all of these documentation that came from different women in different geographic areas has proved to us over and over again that it's systematic. It's not isolated incidents. It's not a lone wolf committing that uh women in Hebrin. One woman in Hebrin said that she was for example raped with an inspection device. We have the same testimony from Gaz. We have also committed by female soldiers, Israeli female soldiers. uh being committed by different brigades in different areas has led us to believe that it's systematic. It's widespread. It's not isolated. At least we have people like Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez who has not shied away from showing his moral compass on Gaza and Iran. Today he honored lovely Francesca Albanese with the order of civil merit award. He wrote and I quote, "Public responsibility also entails the moral obligation not to look the other way. It is an honor to award the order of civil merit to a voice that upholds the conscience of the world." Franchesca Albanese, United Nations special in the occupied Palestinian territory. End quote. Hopefully, we will have better news tomorrow as we learn about the outcome of local body polls in the UK where millions of voters today cast their votes. These elections would decide the future of genocide loving Labor Prime Minister Kamar as his party is expected to face a complete annihilation. The Green Party headed by Zach Pollansky is expected to do considerably well. I will have more details tomorrow on the outcome of these polls. I will now leave you with this incredibly emotional video of pro Palestinian activist Majit Freeman who is facing terrorism charges by the UK government. Today was the day when the trial into his terrorism case concluded. The jury will return next week to deliver its verdict. If convicted, he faces a long time in jail. This is because of his social media activities on Twitter and Instagram between 2023 and 2024. He's accused of supporting Hamas, which is a proscribed organization by the pro-Israeli UK government. Majid broke down after the conclusion of his trial. Watch his emotional speech here to all the speakers, to all the brothers and sisters who have been coming out and to everyone who has been making dua for me. I'm actually annoyed with a few of them because um they came late afternoon. Mhm. Yeah. When I didn't want them to actually come because the day is done. The day is done. We never got a verdict. They spent hours of their time getting to the court. Allah accept it from them. Me, we're going into the weekend now. I can just ask you to make dua that Allah accepts our efforts. Inshallah whatever we did inshallah it's for the sake of Allah and that's the main thing inshallah in the eyes of Allah that he accepts our efforts and if he accept our efforts then no matter what verdict we get from the courts next We've all won and that's what counts regardless of even the courts might even come back inshallah they're not guilty if Allah doesn't accept our efforts then what's the point so we just need to make dua I ask you all to make dua Allah accepts my efforts your efforts all of our efforts there's a lot of cases going on that are not getting the publicity that it deserves like I did last week or earlier this week when people are going through tests. It's not just them. The circle around them are also struggling. So, we should try and reach out to them. We should not be ashamed of speaking up for the oppressed. It's actually an honor to speak up for the oppressed. We should be proud of it. And if they're going to take us to court for that, then so be it. I don't wish for any of you to be taken or dragged through the courts for sometime this is part of the package. It is what it is. We might think we're going through hard times. If you just take a step back a little bit and put things into perspective, we're still very very privileged compared to what our brothers and sisters in Gaza are going through. We're not even going through a fra fraction of what they're going through. So just want to wrap it up with that and say let's not forget the marts. We will honor all our martyrs. We honor all our martrs. All our brothers, sons and daughters. All our brothers, sons and daughters. We will honor all our martrs. We honor all our mart. All our brothers, sons and daughters. All our brothers and daughters. That's it from me. Thank you very much for your support of this platform and our journalism. If you haven't subscribed to my channel, please do so because that's one of the many ways you can support independent journalism. God bless you all.
Iran says U.S. proposal still under review. President Donald Trump discusses a deal with Iran. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait cut U.S. base access in backlash over Strait of Hormuz plan. U.S. forces disable Iranian tanker in Gulf of Oman. Iran formalizes Strait of Hormuz control with new maritime authority. Israeli strikes kill seven early Thursday. Attacks on southern Lebanon kill 13. Image of Israeli soldier defacing statue of the Virgin Mary sparks outrage. Israeli strikes kill eight Palestinians on Wednesday. Israel destroys vineyards in one of Palestine's main grape-producing regions to expand settler road. Sky News looks into the disappearance of Alakad family in 2023. Hamas Gaza chief son killed in Israeli strike, fourth son killed by Israel. MSF: Israel's deliberate restriction of aid in Gaza severely impacted pregnant women and newborns. Tuesday’s primary results set fall matchups. Homan hints at "ongoing discussions" about legal status for undocumented Americans and dreamers. Adam Hamawy gets an interesting endorsement. Chris Rabb gets a major ad buy in his Philadelphia congressional race. Rutgers calls off graduation speech because speaker had criticized Israel. Federal judge unseals purported Epstein suicide note. Commerce Secretary Lutnick admits visiting Epstein’s island to Congress. FBI searches Virginia Senate leader's office and cannabis shop. Syria claims it foiled Hezbollah cell which plotted assassinations of its senior officials. North Korea declares itself permanently outside the NPT. Four killed in post-election riots in West Bengal. RSF accuses Burkina Faso of secretly detaining and abusing journalist for nearly two years. Mexico leads Latin America in journalist murders, report finds. Venezuela rejects World Court jurisdiction in border dispute with Guyana. Iraq’s oil sector in freefall. U.S. escalates drug pressure on Mexico, Colombia. Two former Chinese defense ministers sentenced to death in widening purge.
FROM DROP SITE: “We stopped classes and tried to flee”—Pakistan targets Afghan civilians in scorched-earth military campaign
Drop Site’s Jeremy Scahill breaks down the latest in the negotiations and diplomatic activity between the U.S. and Iran.
[x] Palestinian landowners inspect damaged grapevines in the Baqaa valley, east of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on May 7, 2026, after thousands were uprooted by Israeli authorities for the expansion of Route 60. The occupied West Bank has been gripped by almost daily violence since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, involving both Israeli troops and settlers. Photo by HAZEM BADER / AFP via Getty Images
Iran and Ceasefire
• Iran says U.S. proposal still under review: Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that a U.S. proposal to end the war is still under review. “The U.S. plan and proposal is still under review by Iran, and after finalizing its viewpoints, Iran will convey its views to key mediator in Pakistan,” Baghaei told the Iranian Student News Agency (ISNA). “The exchange of messages through the Pakistani mediator is ongoing, and reviews of the exchanged texts continue,” Baghaei later told state broadcaster IRIB. “Iran’s response to the U.S. views regarding our country’s 14-point proposal has not yet been conveyed to the Pakistani side.” • Trump discusses a deal with Iran: Following Wednesday’s news that the U.S. had drafted a memorandum of understanding which it sent to Iran, President Trump spoke with the media about the prospects of a deal. He reportedly told Fox News’ Bret Baier that he is “optimistic” about this deal and “thinks it’s going to lead to things.” Earlier reporting indicated that Washington had given Tehran 48 hours to decide on the deal. An Iranian official said the proposal, as first reported by Axios, was akin to an “American wish list.” • Saudi Arabia and Kuwait cut U.S. base access in retaliation over Strait of Hormuz plan: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait both suspended American basing and overflight access after President Donald Trump announced Project Freedom without coordinating with Gulf allies, forcing a pause of the operation, according to NBC News and reporting by Drop Site’s Ryan Grim. Saudi Arabia suspended U.S. access to Prince Sultan Air Base and Saudi airspace after being blindsided by the announcement, and a subsequent call between Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the dispute, NBC News reported. Kuwait similarly cut off access, basing, and overflight rights, a U.S. administration official confirmed to Drop Site. Qatar was contacted only after the operation had already begun, and Oman was not informed until after Trump’s public announcement. Without Saudi and Kuwaiti airspace, U.S. aircraft could not maintain the defensive umbrella required to protect ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, making the operational pause effectively unavoidable. o Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday praised Trump for pausing his “Project Freedom” operation to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz barely a day after it began. “I am grateful to President Donald Trump for his courageous leadership and timely announcement regarding the pause in Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz,” Sharif said in a social media post. • U.S. forces disable Iranian tanker in Gulf of Oman: U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that American forces fired on and disabled the rudder of the Iranian-flagged tanker M/T Hasna in the Gulf of Oman after the vessel allegedly attempted to evade Washington’s naval blockade on Iran. A U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln launched 20mm cannon fire at the crew after it ignored repeated warnings, according to CENTCOM. The tanker was traveling through international waters toward an Iranian port at the time of the strike. • Iran asks UN to reject sanctions: Iran’s mission to the UN called on member states to reject a draft Security Council resolution put forward by the U.S. and Gulf states that would impose additional sanctions on Iran. Iran asked states to, “act on the basis of logic, fairness and principle, not pressure, reject the draft, and refrain from supporting or co-sponsoring it.” • Iran formalizes Strait of Hormuz control with new maritime authority: Iran on Wednesday launched the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a new government body that institutionalizes Tehran’s wartime control over maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Ships seeking to transit the waterway must now obtain authorization through a permit system managed by the authority and follow mandatory “safe passage” instructions designating an Iran-approved corridor. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has warned that vessels straying outside the corridor will face a “firm response.” • Iran offers maritime services to hundreds of stranded ships in the Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization issued a message Wednesday to commercial ship commanders in the Strait of Hormuz, announcing that Iranian ports are fully prepared to provide maritime services, technical support, and medical assistance to vessels in the region. Hundreds of vessels remain clustered in regional waters amid the ongoing standoff with U.S. forces. • Araghchi’s visit to China: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday, with both sides issuing statements signaling increased strategic alignment and shared pressure on Washington to negotiate. Araghchi said the meeting was “constructive,” and said Iran “trusts China” to play an active role in ending the conflict and building a post-war regional framework. In his statement, Wang Yi said the region is at “a critical stage of whether the conflict could end,” warning that restarting the war “would be even more ill-advised.” China “supports Iran in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security,” his statement added. • Pezeshkian discusses war with Macron: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, outlining Tehran’s conditions for any diplomatic agreement. Pezeshkian said that the U.S. had “diverted the path of diplomacy towards threats, pressure, and sanctions” and blamed American actions for destabilizing the Strait. He said that Iran is seeking an end to the war and firm guarantees against future hostile actions before it commits to further negotiations. According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, Macron told Pezeshkian that France is ready to help advance negotiations and “supports lifting sanctions on Iran.” • Tehran governor says all ministries plan to resume full operations: The governor of Tehran Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said that all ministries, government organizations and executive agencies in Tehran province will operate at 100% capacity starting on Saturday, according to the Mehr news agency. Lebanon • Israeli strikes kill seven early Thursday: At least seven people were killed and several others injured in Israeli airstrikes and drone attacks across southern Lebanon on Thursday, according to the National News Agency. A direct strike targeted a civil defense team affiliated with the Islamic Health Society in Majdal Salem, leaving several responders injured. In Ain Baal, two Palestinians were killed in a strike on a vehicle, while a separate airstrike on a house in the same town killed one and wounded others. In Nabatieh, delivery worker Charbel Assaf was killed in an Israeli strike. Additional drone attacks targeted a car carrier truck near Mifdoun, killing one person, and a pickup truck near Habboush, where two more people were killed. • Wednesday attacks: o Strike on Beirut: Israel bombed Beirut on Wednesday for the first time since it agreed to a “ceasefire” with Lebanon last month. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video statement confirming the strike, saying it targeted the commander of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force. Hezbollah has not officially commented, though a source reportedly close to the group confirmed the killing to AFP. A senior Israeli official told Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, that the operation was coordinated with the United States, with Israel receiving a “green light” from Washington for a “surgical and targeted” strike. o Attacks on southern Lebanon kill 13: At least 13 people were killed and over 10 towns attacked in Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley on Wednesday, despite the U.S.-mediated ceasefire announced last month, according to Reuters. Two people were killed and another wounded in an Israeli strike on the town of Khirbet Selm in southern Lebanon, two more were killed in an Israeli strike on a car near Tyre, and five civilians were killed in Siksikiyah during an Israeli raid, which wounded 15 others. Strikes continued into the night, with 3 people killed and 7 wounded in an Israeli strike on Ansariyah, according to the National News Agency. • Image of Israeli soldier defacing statue of the Virgin Mary sparks outrage: The Israeli military says it will open an investigation after an image circulated online today showing an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in southern Lebanon. IDF spokesperson LTC Nadav Shoshani said the military views the incident “with utmost severity” and claimed the soldier’s conduct “completely deviates from the values expected of its personnel,” and that the image was taken “several weeks ago.” The incident comes amid a series of reported Israeli acts targeting Christian sites and symbols during the military’s ethnic cleansing operations in southern Lebanon. A monastery and convent school were partially destroyed during Israeli razing operations in Yaroun, and a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon was photographed being smashed by an Israeli soldier. Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel • Casualty count: Over the last 24 hours, nine Palestinians were killed—six in new attacks and three from wounds sustained in earlier attacks—and 39 were injured across Gaza. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 has risen to 72,628 killed, with 172,520 injured. Since October 11, the first full day of the so-called ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 846 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 2,418, while 769 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. • Strikes on Thursday: Three Palestinians were killed and several others injured on Thursday in Israeli drone strikes west of Gaza City, according to WAFA. • Eight Palestinians killed on Wednesday: o An Israeli strike in the Al-Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City killed two people and wounded several others, including the son of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya. o An Israeli drone struck the Zaytoun neighborhood southeast of Gaza City, killing four Palestinians, including a child, and wounding others, according to a statement by Al-Ahli Hospital. o Colonel Nasim al-Kalzani of the Palestinian Police was killed when an Israeli drone targeted his vehicle in the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis. Seventeen civilians were also wounded in the strike, according to Al Jazeera. o A Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire near the Kuwait roundabout south of Gaza City, and another died of wounds sustained in a previous strike near al-Jalaa intersection. • Israel destroys vineyards in one of Palestine’s main grape-producing regions to expand settler road: Israeli forces destroyed more than 200 dunums (nearly 50 acres) of farmland and uprooted thousands of fruit-bearing trees east of Hebron over the past three days, just before harvest season, according to Palestinian officials cited by the Palestinian Information Center. Bulldozers targeted vineyards and vegetable fields in the al-Baqa’a area under the pretext of expanding Route 60. Officials said the area is one of the West Bank’s main grape-producing regions, generating around 13,000 tons of grapes annually and supporting hundreds of families. Farmers said land was cleared without prior warning, with military seizure orders only delivered afterward. • Sky News looks into the disappearance of Alakad family in 2023: Sky News and a team of investigative lawyers published the results of their investigation into the disappearance of several members of the Alakad family from Khan Younis in 2023. The investigation centers on a photograph showing Huda Alakad and her 78-year-old mother Aisha, sitting in the back of an Israeli military vehicle surrounded by Israeli soldiers. Their family discovered the image nearly two years later and says that both women were never seen again. Investigators identified the Israeli soldiers in the photograph as members of the Golani Brigade’s 12th Battalion. Human rights lawyers involved in the investigation argue the case may amount to enforced disappearance, a crime against humanity. o Drop Site’s Ryan Grim had previously asked the Israeli military repeatedly for information on where the missing women were. “The women were released in the Gaza Strip in an area farther from the troops’ operational activity,” the military claimed. They have not been seen since. The IDF’s statement to Drop Site is here. Sky News’ full investigation is available here. • Hamas Gaza chief son killed in Israeli strike, fourth son killed by Israel: The son of Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas in Gaza, succumbed to wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Darraj neighborhood in Gaza City on Wednesday. Azzam is the fourth of Al-Hayya’s children to be killed in Israeli strikes. In an interview with Al-Jazeera, Al-Hayya said the attack was deliberate and political—“a continuation of the targeting of the Palestinian negotiating delegation.” Israel “wants to take what it wants through pressure, killing, and terror,” he said, suggesting the strike was designed to intimidate Hamas at a critical moment in negotiations. He placed responsibility squarely on Washington: “This places the mediators and guarantors—primarily the Americans, who guaranteed this—before their responsibilities.” He also said that Hamas was fully willing to move onto the next stage of the ceasefire, if the conditions of the first phase were met by Israel. • MSF: Israel’s deliberate restriction of aid in Gaza severely impacted pregnant women and newborns: A malnutrition crisis in Gaza created by Israel has had a devastating impact on pregnant and breastfeeding women, newborns, and infants under six months old, according to an analysis of medical data released today by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The group recorded higher levels of premature births and infant mortality, miscarriage, and malnourished children at four health facilities run or supported by MSF between late 2024 and early 2026. “The malnutrition crisis is entirely manufactured,” Mercè Rocaspana, an MSF medical adviser, said in a statement. “Before the war, malnutrition in Gaza was almost non-existent. For two and a half years, the systematic blockade to humanitarian aid and commercial goods, on top of insecurity, have severely restricted access to food and clean water.”
Saudi Arabia Stops US Military Support, Ends US Operation Freedom | Larry Johnson Neutrality Studies May 6, 2026
This is huge: Saudi Arabia puts an end to US "Operation Freedom" by banning the US from using Saudi Airspace or Bases. Is the Gulf finally going neutral?
Larry C. Johnson — former CIA analyst — breaks down why U.S. strategy is failing, why the blockade is largely theater, and why China and Russia are filling the vacuum. Plus: a live bombshell tip mid-interview that changes everything. Essential viewing for anyone trying to understand what's actually happening.
Iran Navy Attacks 3 U.S Warships; Missile Hellfire In Hormuz Unleashed To Avenge Bandar Abbas Strike Times Of India May 7, 2026
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it launched a massive retaliatory attack on three American destroyers using anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and suicide drones after accusing Washington of attacking an Iranian oil tanker near Jask and violating the ceasefire. According to Iran, the attack caused “significant damage” to US forces and forced American warships to retreat from the area. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) later confirmed that Iranian missiles, drones and fast boats targeted USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta and USS Mason as the destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz. However, CENTCOM insisted that all incoming threats were intercepted and that no US assets were hit.
The Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army announced that in response to the aggression of enemy American destroyers against Iranian oil tankers, it attacked them in regional waters using cruise missiles and combat drones.
In a statement regarding the maritime aggression of enemies in Iran's territorial waters, the Iranian Navy declared: "The Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran attacked American destroyers—which had violated the ceasefire and encroached upon Iranian oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and in territorial waters—using various missiles, combat drones, and rockets."
The statement emphasized: "Following this response, the aggressor American destroyers changed course and left the area."
Earlier, Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, had stated in this regard that the "aggressive, terrorist, and outlaw" US military, in violation of a ceasefire, targeted an Iranian oil tanker moving from Iran's coastal waters in the Jask region toward the Strait of Hormuz, as well as another ship entering the Strait of Hormuz opposite the UAE's Fujairah port. Simultaneously, in coordination with some regional countries, US forces carried out airstrikes on civilian areas along the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island.
Zolfaqari said that the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran immediately launched a counterattack, engaging US military vessels East of the Strait of Hormuz and South of Bandar Chabahar port, inflicting significant damage on them.
He added: "The criminal and aggressive America and its allied countries must know that the Islamic Republic of Iran, as in the past, will deliver a crushing response to any act of aggression or violation—powerfully and without the slightest hesitation."
Amid escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is activating alternative corridors—initiated years ago—by completing semi-finished railway and road transport projects with Pakistan and Turkey.
While the naval blockade and recent threats in the Strait of Hormuz disrupt the region's supply chain and trade, the Islamic Republic of Iran, relying on strategic plans launched years ago in the field of transport diplomacy, is activating a network of new land and rail corridors. The primary goal is to bypass unstable maritime routes and create secure highways connecting South Asia to Europe.
One of the most significant projects is the revival of the Islamabad–Tehran–Istanbul (ITI) railway corridor, also known as the ECO train.
This 6,500-kilometer route, suspended since 2022 due to floods and administrative issues, is now ready to be set back on track. Pakistan's Minister of Railways, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, has emphasized that regional instability, including recent wars in West Asia, was the main cause of the delay. However, cooperation with Iran to resolve the rail gauge difference at the Taftan border and to renovate the Quetta-Zahedan route is underway.
Meanwhile, important breakthroughs have occurred in the road transport sector. Pakistan's Ministry of Commerce issued an order allowing, under the 2008 transport agreement between the two countries, goods from third countries to transit through Gwadar, Karachi, and Port Qasim ports to Iran via the Gabd and Taftan borders.
This decision comes as Iran had for years conducted most of its imports through the UAE's Jebel Ali port—a route now deemed unstable due to the intensifying naval blockade and political shifts.
Pakistan's Gwadar Port has become a key node in this context. Experts believe that Gwadar Port, located 70 kilometers from the Iranian border, can complement Chabahar Port in bypassing the naval blockade and facilitating goods transit to Iran and Central Asian countries.
By connecting to the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), Iran is transforming into the beating heart of transit between South Asia and Europe. Overall, Iran's strategy to reduce dependence on volatile maritime routes and replace them with land and rail cooperation with Eastern and Western neighbors appears to be bearing fruit.
A Saudi official has denied reports that Riyadh opened its airspace for US military aggression against Iran, saying such claims are being circulated in the media for “suspicious reasons,” a report says.
A Saudi official told Al Arabiya on Thursday that Riyadh is pursuing de-escalation and supports Pakistan’s mediation efforts aimed at reaching an agreement to end the US-Israeli imposed war on Iran.
“The Kingdom did not allow the use of its airspace to support offensive military operations,” the source was quoted as saying on condition of anonymity.
“There are parties trying to give a misleading image of Saudi Arabia’s position for suspicious reasons,” claimed the official.
The report comes after the Wall Street Journal claimed that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait had lifted restrictions on US military use of their bases.
The two Arab states reportedly curbed the US military use of their territory after President Donald Trump launched the so-called “Project Freedom” aimed at breaking Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Less than 48 hours later, Trump said that the military operation was being suspended by “mutual agreement,” citing what he described as “great progress” toward a potential deal with Iran.
However, reports later said that Trump’s decision to retreat from the plan came following significant backlash from its close Persian Gulf ally, Saudi Arabia.
They said Riyadh communicated to Washington its unwillingness to permit the US military to operate aircraft from Prince Sultan Air Base as well as to traverse Saudi airspace for the controversial plan.
Trump personally reached out to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to mitigate the fallout, but the phone conversation failed to yield any resolution and prompted the president to temporarily halt the operation, two US officials told NBC News.
The US and Israel launched their war of aggression against Iran on February 28. The two enemies used the territories of the Persian Gulf states — Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan — for launching airstrikes against Iranian territory.
In some cases, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf directly participated in unlawful armed attacks against Iran.
During 40 days of intense fighting, Iran’s Armed Forces delivered a series of devastating strikes on enemy targets, effectively paralyzing the US and its air defense systems inside the Persian Gulf Arab states.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned that Washington’s regional allies need to be aware of the fact that the armed forces have so far “shown great restraint and exercised caution in selecting its targets for retaliation, out of respect for good neighborly relations.”
In response to any further aggression against the country from the airspace or territory of those countries, it said, the IRGC “will inflict such damage on the infrastructure of the US and its partners that they will be deprived of the region's oil and gas for years to come."
Tehran has constantly warned US allies in the region to discontinue their alignment and cooperation with the parties that are hostile towards Iran, saying the Islamic Republic reserves all rights to respond in kind.
Leader’s advisor compares Hormuz control to atomic bomb, vows Iran ‘will never lose’ waterway Friday, 08 May 2026 6:13 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 08 May 2026 6:13 PM ] https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2026/05/0 ... e-waterway
Mohammad Mokhber, a top advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution
A top advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, says Iran will never give up the Strait of Hormuz, comparing the strategic waterway to an “atomic bomb” with very great potentialities.
“The Strait of Hormuz is a capability equivalent to an atomic bomb,” Mohammad Mokhber said on Friday.
"When you hold a position from which you can influence the entire world economy with one decision, it is a very, very great capability," he added.
"We will never lose the Strait of Hormuz," he highlighted.
The comments come amid heightened tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which a significant share of the world’s energy trade passes.
Iran shut down the strait to its enemies and their allies after the unprovoked US‑Israeli aggression. Iranian authorities began enforcing much stricter controls last month following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a blockade targeting Iranian vessels and ports.
Tehran says the measures violate the terms of a Pakistan‑brokered ceasefire that took effect on April 8 and was later extended unilaterally by Washington.
Despite the blockade, shipping activity linked to Iranian crude appears to be continuing.
Elsewhere, Mokhber emphasized that the United Arab Emirates has been punished and will be further punished if it carries out any act of aggression against the Islamic Republic.
The UAE and a whole host of other regional states, including Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan, invariably allowed their respective territories to serve as launch pads for attacks on Iranian soil throughout the unprovoked aggression that lasted from February 28 until April 7.
Iran responded by launching waves of decisive and successful retaliation against sensitive and strategic American and Israeli targets throughout the region.
The reprisal took aim, among other things, against the American facilities inside these countries that would play an instrumental role in enabling the aggression.
Iranian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday called on the UAE to discontinue its alignment and cooperation with the parties that are hostile towards Iran.
Besides contributing to aggression against the Islamic Republic, the UAE's continued hosting of the adversaries' bases and equipment "carries dangerous consequences for regional peace and stability," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry additionally denounced Emirati rulers for accusing Iran of targeting the Arab country, underlining that the Islamic Republic's retaliatory measures are solely aimed at hostile targets inside the Emirates.
