DIRECT. War in the Middle East: Donald Trump says he will discuss Iran with Xi Jinping during his visit to China, before contradicting himself

#MIDDLE_EAST A little earlier in the evening, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office assured that the Israeli Prime Minister had gone to the Emirates, in the midst of an Israeli-American military operation, and that he had met Emirati President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. No other details were mentioned.

#MIDDLE_EAST The United Arab Emirates denies having received a secret visit from Benjamin Netanyahu or an Israeli military delegation during the war between the United States and Iran. “The United Arab Emirates reaffirms that its relations with Israel are public and conducted within the framework of the Abraham Accords, recognized and officially declared”said the Emirati Foreign Ministry, “and are not based on opaque or unofficial arrangements”.

#MIDDLE_EAST Lebanese authorities announced that 10 more people were killed today in Israeli strikes in the south of the country. “Three children and two women” were killed in the town of Arab Salim, while another child was killed in a strike in Harouf, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. Three other people, “including two children”were killed in Roumin. This brings the day’s total to 22 deaths.

#MIDDLE_EAST The Israeli army has intensified its strikes in Lebanon. Four targeted cars south of Beirut, killing 12 people according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, despite the truce in progress since April 17. These strikes were carried out on more than 30 separate locations, according to the official ANI agency, come as Lebanon and Israel are due to begin a new session of talks under the auspices of the United States tomorrow in Washington, despite opposition from the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement.

#MIDDLE_EAST Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates during his country’s war with Iran, his office announced. He was received there by the Emirati President, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Yesterday, the United States ambassador to Israel said that the Jewish state had sent anti-aircraft defense systems to the Emirates during the conflict, as well as personnel responsible for operating them. The press release does not confirm this information. But he assures that the visit “led to a historic breakthrough in relations” between the two countries.

#MIDDLE_EAST Téhéran dit “have the right to retaliate” after the arrest of four Iranians by Kuwait. “This illegal act occurred near an island used by the United States to attack Iran”says Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Kuwait announced yesterday the arrest of four people in early May, while they were trying to enter the country by sea. These men had “avoué” belong to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and were intended to infiltrate the island of Bubiyan, according to Kuwait, which Iran denies.

#MIDDLE_EAST More than 10,000 homes have been destroyed (5,386) or damaged (5,246) in Lebanon since the ceasefire between pro-Iranian Hezbollah and Israel came into force. This assessment was communicated by the director of the National Council for Scientific Research, Chadi Abdallah, during a press conference. Despite the truce, Israel continues its massive strikes, particularly on southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah continues to claim attacks against Israeli targets.

It’s after 6 p.m., here’s a new update on the news:

#MIDDLE_EAST The International Energy Agency (IEA) warns of the melting of oil reserves. “More than ten weeks after the start of the Middle East war, growing supply losses in the Strait of Hormuz are depleting global oil stocks at a record pace”underlines the IEA in its monthly report on the oil markets.