Iran war live: Trump threatens Tehran; Saudi, UAE report drone attacks

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leading figure of France’s left-wing La France Insoumise party, has condemned “European complicity” in the US–Israeli strikes on Iran, which triggered a wider regional war.

In a post on X, Melenchon said: “Trump and Netanyahu’s crude threats to destroy Iran are only possible thanks to European complicity. The world’s peace is reduced to the interests of Trump and Netanyahu’s colonialism.”

The politician, who is contending the 2027 presidential elections, urged voters to end “France’s alignment with these criminals” and “break the leash” during the vote.

We are seeing a new round of very sharp and threatening language from Trump, who said on his Truth Social that the clock is ticking for Iran and that it must move fast or face consequences.

These types of statements are being received here with a very clear message of defiance, rather than concessions.

The Iranian spokesman for the armed forces, speaking to journalists on Sunday afternoon, said any new round of confrontations would only lead to what he described as a new round of crushing and severe blows to the US. He went on to say that if there is any new aggression against his country, that would only be met with what he called a new offensive and unexpected scenarios against the US assets and bases in the region.

So, the tone from both sides right now is increasingly hardening.

But from Tehran’s perspective, this is very much a deterrence posture, signalling readiness rather than compromise. At the same time, we are seeing that the diplomatic window is narrowing further and further as the rhetoric from both sides continues to escalate.

Yemen’s Houthi-aligned military leadership has reaffirmed its support for Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, pledging continued backing following the reported killing of a senior Hamas commander.

In a condolence message on Telegram, Yusuf Hassan al-Madani described the death of commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad as a major loss for the Palestinian movement and the wider region.

Al-Madani said the Houthis would continue what he called joint efforts with Hamas and allied factions “until victory is achieved”.

Russia’s envoy to international organisations in Vienna has suggested that Iran appoint a special envoy to Moscow, similar to Tehran’s arrangement with China.

In a post on X, Mikhail Ulyanov, who tends to be outspoken on X, quote-tweeted a report noting the appointment of Iran’s powerful parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, as a special envoy to China.

Ulyanov wrote: “Isn’t it equally relevant to consider something similar in relations with Russia?”

In Bandar Abbas, one of the region’s key commercial hubs, both businesses and customers are feeling the impact as restrictions and uncertainty affect supply chains, prices, and demand.

Fishermen and market traders say falling sales and rising costs are making it harder to sustain livelihoods, while consumers face fewer goods and higher prices.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical global shipping route for energy and trade, making the economic fallout of the standoff reach far beyond the region.

Watch our video report below:

• Trump has warned Iran that the “clock is ticking” for a peace deal, saying, “They better get moving”, or “there won’t be anything left of them”.
• Saudi Arabia says it destroyed three drones launched from Iraq and warns of the “right to respond at the right time”.
• The United Arab Emirates says a drone hit near the Barakah nuclear power plant in Al Dhafra and caused a fire in an electrical generator.
• Israel continues its bombardment of Lebanon, despite another “ceasefire” extension, killing a Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander and his 17-year-old daughter in an attack on eastern Baalbek.
• An Israeli law that imposes the death penalty for Palestinians accused of deadly attacks has been extended to the occupied West Bank via a military order.
• Israeli forces have killed at least eight Palestinians across Gaza, including three aid workers at a charity kitchen in central Deir el-Balah.

Hello, and welcome to our live coverage of the ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran.

Stay with us for the latest news and analysis from across the Middle East and beyond.

You can find our updates from Sunday, May 17, here.