The United Arab Emirates reported it responded to missile and drone strikes on Friday, a development that further tested a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States. There were no immediate reports of damage in the UAE, and the country’s Defense Ministry warned residents not to approach or touch any debris from intercepted munitions.
Earlier the U.S. military said it had intercepted attacks targeting three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and carried out retaliatory strikes against Iranian military facilities responsible for those attacks. U.S. Central Command described the response as self-defense, saying personnel and assets remain ready to protect American forces while stressing it does not seek escalation.
The incidents came as negotiators from Iran and the United States — with Pakistan acting as a mediator — continue to discuss proposals aimed at ending the war. Tehran said it was reviewing the latest U.S. proposals delivered via Pakistan. The two sides have avoided a return to full-scale conflict since a ceasefire took effect on April 8, but exchanges of fire and military activity have continued.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump downplayed the exchanges in public comments, calling U.S. strikes a minor blow and saying the ceasefire is holding while suggesting a deal could arrive soon. He reiterated warnings that Iran would face severe consequences if it declined a settlement that would allow oil and gas shipments disrupted by the fighting to resume.
Iranian state media reported clashes between Iranian forces and what it termed the enemy on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, and said loud explosions and defensive fire were heard over western Tehran late Thursday.
Pakistan’s foreign minister spoke by phone with Iran’s deputy foreign minister as Islamabad pressed for a negotiated settlement. Pakistani officials expressed hope an agreement would be reached soon; Pakistan has hosted in-person talks that have so far failed to produce a final deal. Pakistani leaders say they remain in continuous contact with both sides to extend the ceasefire and end the war.
Separately, U.S. officials said direct talks between Israel and Lebanon are scheduled to resume in Washington on May 14 and 15.
Maritime and regional security concerns have intensified. Shipping data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported Iran has created a government body, called the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, to vet vessels seeking passage through the Strait of Hormuz and to collect fees. The authority reportedly sent application forms to ships seeking transit, formalizing an ad hoc system Iran has used during the conflict to control which ships pass and to impose taxes on some cargoes.
The move has raised alarms about freedom of navigation in a critical waterway that handles a large share of global oil shipments. Hundreds of commercial vessels remain anchored in the Persian Gulf, waiting to transit to open waters. Maritime law experts say demands to vet or tax transiting ships violate international law, pointing to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which calls for allowing peaceful passage through territorial waters.
A Chinese-crewed tanker registered in the Marshall Islands was attacked near the strait this week, the first such incident since the war began. There were no reported casualties. A tanker that transited the strait in mid-April later delivered about 1 million barrels of crude to a refinery off South Korea, underscoring how shipping routes and energy supplies are being rerouted or delayed.
Iran has effectively restricted access through the strait while the United States has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, contributing to spikes in fuel prices and broader worries about the global economy. The United States and Gulf partners have pushed for a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Iran’s chokehold on the strait and threatening sanctions; a previous resolution was vetoed by Russia and China.
The United States has also warned it could sanction companies that pay tolls to Iran for passage. For now, both sides and their mediators continue diplomatic engagement even as limited strikes, interceptions, and new Iranian regulations around the Strait of Hormuz keep tensions high and shipping risks elevated.