4:38 p.m. – United States announces strike on two Iranian oil tankers
The American army announced that it had “Neutralization”by shooting at them, two Iranian-flagged ships which were trying to reach an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman, « en violation du blocus américain en cours ».
An American plane “neutralized the two tankers by firing precision munitions into their funnelsâ€preventing them from entering Iran, declared on X the American command for the region (Centcom).
An Iranian media outlet claimed that “Sporadic clashes” took place between the armed forces of the Islamic Republic and the American navy in the Strait of Hormuz, despite the ceasefire officially in force.
“For the past hour, sporadic clashes have taken place between Iranian armed forces and American ships in the Strait of Hormuzâ€indicated the Fars agency, without further details immediately.
Shortly before, the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the United States of “flagrant violation” of the ceasefire, after previous exchanges of strikes between the belligerents.
3:42 p.m. – Iran denounces “blatant violation” of ceasefire
The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Friday accused the United States of “flagrant violation” of the ceasefire, after exchanges of strikes between the belligerents. “The action taken last night constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the ceasefire. However, the country’s defense forces inflicted a heavy blow on the enemy and repulsed their attacks with all their might.”said the ministry spokesperson.
The United States said it had “Targeted Iranian military installations” Thursday after several of their ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump, however, assured that the truce in force for a month still held.
3:20 p.m. –Head of the Lebanese delegation goes to Washington
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun gave his directives to the head of the Lebanese delegation to peace negotiations with Israel scheduled for next week in Washington, the presidency announced. The first two sessions of these discussions intended to lead to a peace agreement were held in the United States at the level of the ambassadors of the two countries, still in a state of war.
Joseph Aoun received Simon Karam, a seasoned diplomat, and « lui a donné ses directives » before the meeting scheduled for May 14, according to a press release from the presidency. The Lebanese ambassador to Washington, the deputy charge d’affaires and “Un militaire” will be part of the delegation, said this source.
“Lebanon expects three essential objectives from these negotiations: to consolidate the ceasefire, obtain the withdrawal of Israel (…) and extend the full sovereignty of the State on the national territoryâ€declared the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Youssef Raggi, in a press release.
14 h 44 – Washington juge « inacceptable » que l’Iran contrôle le détroit
The head of American diplomacy judges « inacceptable » that Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, commenting on a report that Tehran has created a special authority responsible for approving passages through this strategic waterway.
“Iran now claims to own an international waterway and have the right to control it… This is an unacceptable situation that they are trying to normalize.”declared Marco Rubio during a visit to Rome.
2:30 p.m. – Rubio says he expects a response from Iran during the day
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he expected an Iranian response later today to US proposals for a settlement of the conflict.
“We are expecting a response from them during the day… I sincerely hope that it will be a serious offer.”Marco Rubio told journalists during a visit to Rome.
1:56 p.m. – Four dead in Lebanon in Israeli strike
An Israeli strike on the village of Toura, in southern Lebanon, left four dead, including two women, despite the truce, the Health Ministry announced.
On La Croix today
Israel is carrying out strikes on several localities in southern Lebanon on Friday, after evacuation orders for seven villages, according to the National Information Agency (ANI, official) and AFP correspondents. A rescue worker was killed in a strike this morning.
1:34 p.m. – Warning sirens in northern Israel
Air raid sirens sounded in several towns in Israel’s northern coastal region, from the Lebanese border to the outskirts of Haifa, following gunfire from Lebanon, according to the army Israeli.
Following the activation of the sirens, “Several shots were detected in the direction of Israeli territory”indicates a military press release. “The Israeli Air Force intercepted one shot, and the others fell in the open. No injuries were reported »adds the text without further details.
This is the first time since the start of the uneasy truce in the fighting between the Israeli army and the Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah on April 17 that the sirens have been triggered so deep in Israeli territory. The incident comes after Israel said it killed a senior military commander of the Shiite movement in a strike in Beirut on Wednesday evening.
1:05 p.m. – Iran creates agency to charge for passage to Hormuz
Iran has created a new government agency ““responsible for approving vessel transits and collecting passage fees through the Strait of Hormuz,” rapporte le journal spécialisé Lloyd’s List.
A crossing point through which a fifth of the world’s hydrocarbons usually transit, Hormuz has become a major source of tensions since the start of the war in the Middle East, triggered by the Israeli-American attack against Iran on February 28. Several incidents have taken place there in recent days, at a time when Washington is seeking to conclude an agreement with Tehran to put a lasting end to the war and obtain a resumption of traffic in Hormuz.
11am 59am – A soldier reports to Iran
Iran said it had diverted a US-sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian oil to its shores, although the reason for the move was unclear.
“The navy of the Islamic Republicithat Iran, during a specially planned operation in the Arabian Sea, boarded the offending tanker My Oceani, carrying a cargo of oil belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran »indicated the army in a press release relayed by state television.
She said the ship had been redirected to the southern coast of Iran after searching for “Attending the porter and disrupting Iran’s oil exports”without giving further details.
10:03 am – Arrival in Korea of a first oil tanker passing through Hormuz
An oil tanker having crossed the Strait of Hormuz has arrived in South Korea, becoming the first boat of its type to reach this Asian peninsula by this strategic route since it was blocked in the context of the war in the Middle East.
This ship, l’Odesacrossed the Strait of Hormuz on April 17, declared an anonymous source, during a brief lull in the blockade. The arrival of the ship flying the Maltese flag and carrying a million barrels of crude oil, almost half of this country’s daily consumption, should help to ease Seoul’s concerns.
9:56 a.m. – Iraq rejects US accusations
Baghdad has rejected American accusations against the Iraqi deputy oil minister according to which he passed off black gold from Iran as Iraqi hydrocarbons to help Tehran circumvent American sanctions. The Iraqi Ministry of Oil « dément les accusations » and reminds “the importance of transparency to address all accusations based on evidence and factsâ€the official INA news agency reported Thursday evening.
The United States imposed sanctions on Ali Maarij al-Bahadli on Thursday, ruling that he had “abused his government functions to divert Iraqi oil in favor of the Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies”. The spokesperson for the US State Department indicated that “As part of a plot to circumvent sanctions, Iranian oil was fraudulently mixed with Iraqi oil and sold for the benefit of Iran.”.
8:24 a.m. – Rescue worker killed by Israeli strike in Lebanon
An Israeli strike killed a new rescuer in southern Lebanon, civil defense announced in a press release, the day after the death of an ambulance driver from the Islamic Health Committee, affiliated with the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement.
According to civil defense, the rescuer “Was targeted by an Israeli strike on the road between Rachaya and Kfarchouba”despite the truce in force.
The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated on Wednesday that it had “verified 152 attacks against health structures, which left 103 dead and 241 injured†in Lebanon since the start of the war on March 2.
7:30 a.m. – United Arab Emirates activates its air defense
The United Arab Emirates’ air defense took action against drones and missiles fired from Iran, its defense ministry announced, while a truce has officially been in force since April 8 between the United States and Iran.
“UAE air defenses are engaged in combat against missile and drone attacks from Iran.”wrote the Emirati ministry in a press release on X. “The Ministry of Defense confirms that the noises heard in various parts of the country are due to the interception by the UAE air defense systems of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.”added the same source.
7:00 a.m. Trump says ceasefire still in effect
Donald Trump affirmed that the ceasefire with Iran was still in force despite the attack on three American ships earlier in the day. “They played with us today. We swept them away. They played. I call it a trifle”declared the American president to journalists.
These exchanges of fire come at a time when Washington is still awaiting a response from Tehran to its latest proposal to put a lasting end to the war.
RECAP – The essential news of the night
The Iranian military command accused the American army of having violated the ceasefire in force by attacking ships near the Strait of Hormuz, according to a press release relayed by state television. The command of the armed forces also accuses the United States of having carried out strikes on the south of Iran “in cooperation with other countries in the regionâ€.
Iran opened fire in retaliation à “The attack on an Iranian oil tanker by the American army”said state television, shortly after reporting explosions on the Iranian island of Qeshm located in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli strikes have at least 12 dead Thursday in southern Lebanonaccording to the Ministry of Health, Israel continuing its attacks against the pro-Iranian movement Hezbollah despite the ceasefire.
The United States and Gulf countries have called the UN Security Council I demand that Iran be arrested « d’empêcher » navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while a draft resolution to this effect is threatened with veto.
