Day 74: All you need to know about US-Israel war on Iran

This live blog follows updates for Day 74 of the US-Israel war on Iran. For a recap of Day 73, go here.

• UK, France ministers to hold Hormuz meeting 
• Trump rejects 'unacceptable' Iranian terms for ending war
• US plan ‘meant Iran’s surrender to Trump’s greed’: Iranian state media
• Trump says US-Iran ceasefire on 'life support'
• Trump to suspend US gas tax as Iran war spikes prices

US President Trump claims ‘not long’ before Iran war ends
Published: May 12, 2026 | 20:35 GMT | by AFP/Web Desk

Leaving Washington on Tuesday for a trip delayed by his war, US President Trump said he expected a "long talk" with counterpart Xi Jinping about Iran, according to AFP.

But he also downplayed disagreements over Iran, saying that Xi has been "relatively good, to be honest with you."

"I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other. We'll win it peacefully or otherwise," Trump told reporters as he left the White House.

“As soon as this war is over, which will not be long, you’re going to see oil prices drop and you’re going to see a stock market … go through the roof,” President Trump told reporters, according to Al Jazeera.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson condemns 'war of aggression', urges global action

Published: May 12, 2026 | 22:03 GMT | by Web Desk

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a post on X on Wednesday that the United States and Israel launched “this war of aggression” against Iran on “28 February 2026” while Tehran and Washington were “engaged in diplomatic negotiations.” 

The spokesperson described the conflict as “not merely a war over land, resources, or geopolitics,” but as a struggle that would determine “the very meaning of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ in our time and for future.”

The post accused the US and Israel of violating “every law of war and basic human decency,” while portraying Iran as “a proud people who defend their homeland and human dignity relying solely on their own strength and resolve.” 

Calling on people around the world to act, the spokesperson said “silence is complicity with evil” and urged them to “stand on the right side of history.”

Norway's deputy foreign minister holds talks with Iranian FM

Published: May 12, 2026 | 21:49 GMT | by Web Desk

Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Kravik, who is on an official visit to Tehran, met with the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran for talks, Iranian state-run IRNA news agency shared the news in a post on X on Tuesday.

Qatari PM, Saudi FM discuss regional developments 

Published: May 12, 2026 | 21:43 GMT | by Web Desk

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani received a phone call from Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al-Saud, said a post shared on X on Wednesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar.

"During the call, they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them, developments in the region, particularly those related to the ceasefire between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and efforts aimed at de-escalation in a way that contributes to strengthening security and stability in the region," the post said.

The Qatari prime minister also stressed the need for all parties to respond to ongoing mediation efforts in a way that opens the door to addressing the root causes of the crisis through peaceful means and dialogue, and leads to reaching a sustainable agreement that prevents the recurrence of escalation, it added.

Lebanon says 13 killed in Israeli strikes in the south

Published: May 12, 2026 | 21:35 GMT | by AFP

Israeli strikes killed 13 people in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, including a soldier, a child and two rescue workers, the health ministry said.

"A strike on the city of Nabatieh left five dead, including two Civil Defense rescuers," the ministry said, while another strike in around Jebchit left four dead "including a soldier and a Syrian national" and a third strike in Bint Jbeil killed "four civilians, including a child and a woman".

US President Trump claims ‘not long’ before Iran war ends

Published: May 12, 2026 | 20:35 GMT | by AFP/Web Desk

Leaving Washington on Tuesday on a trip that was delayed by his war, US President Trump said he expected a "long talk" with counterpart Xi Jinping about Iran, according to AFP.

But he also played down disagreements on Iran, saying that Xi has been "relatively good, to be honest with you".

"I don't think we need any help with Iran. We'll win it one way or the other. We'll win it peacefully or otherwise," Trump told reporters as he left the White House. 

“As soon as this war is over, which will not be long, you’re going to see oil prices drop and you’re going to see a stock market … go through the roof,” President Trump told reporters, according to Al Jazeera.

Pentagon says US cost of Iran war nearing $29 billion
Published: May 12, 2026 | 14:49 GMT | by AFP

The Pentagon said Tuesday the cost of the war with Iran had climbed to nearly $29 billion, as President Donald Trump faced mounting scrutiny over the conflict and its impact on military readiness.

The new figure, revealed by the Defense Department during a budget hearing on Capitol Hill, is about $4 billion higher than the estimate offered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth two weeks ago.

Hegseth and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were testifying on a $1.5 trillion budget request for 2027 alongside Pentagon finance chief Jules Hurst III when they were asked for an update on the war's price tag.

"At the time of testimony ... it was $25 billion dollars," Hurst told lawmakers, referring to Hegseth's April 29 estimate.

"But the joint staff team and the comptroller team are constantly looking at that estimate, and so now we think it's closer to 29," he said – citing updated "repair and replacement of equipment costs" and broader operational expenses.

Pressed on when Congress would receive a fuller accounting of the war's costs, Hegseth said the administration would request "whatever we think we need" separately from the main Pentagon budget, but did not say when that supplemental request would arrive.

The testimony came as a fragile US-Iran ceasefire appeared increasingly shaky, with Trump warning Monday that the truce was on "life support" after rejecting Tehran's latest peace proposal.

US consumer inflation hits three-year high
Published: May 12, 2026 | 14:35 GMT | by AFP

Consumer inflation in the United States hit a three-year high in April, with the economic fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran rippling through the world's largest economy.

The consumer price index rose 3.8% year-on-year, up from March's 3.3% figure, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Tuesday.

Affordability has been a key political concern for US President Donald Trump, and the stubbornly high prices – fueled by energy costs and roiled supply chains due to the war, as well as new US tariffs – will put pressure on his Republican Party ahead of November's midterm elections.

Lebanon says Israeli strike kills two civil defense personnel

Published: May 12, 2026 | 14:02 GMT | by AFP

Lebanon's civil defense agency said two of its personnel were killed in an Israeli strike on Tuesday while they were on duty in the country's south.

The personnel were killed in "an Israeli airstrike that targeted them while they were carrying out a rescue mission" after a previous strike in the city of Nabatieh, a civil defense statement said.

Before the announcement, Lebanon's Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine told a press conference on Tuesday that 108 emergency and health workers had been killed and 249 others wounded in Israeli strikes since the war erupted between Hezbollah and Israel on March 2.

Lebanon says Israeli strikes have killed 380 since truce
Published: May 12, 2026 | 13:32 GMT | by AFP

Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed 380 people since a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war began on April 17, Lebanon's Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine told a press conference on Tuesday.

The overall toll in Israeli strikes since Israel started its bombardment on March 2 has reached 2,882 people, including 279 women and 200 children, he added.

Since the ceasefire, "380 people have been killed and 1,122 wounded," Nassereddine said.

A ministry official told AFP that the toll includes 39 women and 22 children.

Qatar FM says visited US to support efforts to end Iran war

Published: May 12, 2026 | 13:07 GMT | by AFP

Qatar's premier and foreign minister on Tuesday said his recent visit to Washington sought to bolster mediation efforts seeking to end the US-Iran war.

"The visit focused primarily on supporting the Pakistani diplomatic efforts and ensuring a positive response to these efforts to reach a solution as quickly as possible," Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said during a press conference in Doha with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Turkiye, Qatar back Pakistan’s mediation efforts during Hormuz crisis

Published: May 12, 2026 | 12:57 GMT | by Web Desk

Turkiye and Qatar reiterated their support for Pakistan’s mediation efforts to end the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Speaking at a joint conference at Doha, Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani backed Pakistan’s role as the mediator.

"Everyone wants peace, but Israel responds to it through violence and expansionism. It is now a global problem," Fidan emphasized during the conference.

Qatar says Iran should not use Hormuz to 'blackmail' Gulf

Published: May 12, 2026 | 12:01 GMT | by AFP

Iran should not use the Strait of Hormuz, which it has blocked since the start of the Middle East war, as a means to blackmail Gulf states, Qatar's top diplomat and premier said on Tuesday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was speaking during a press conference in Doha with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan -- close allies who have emerged as key intermediaries in the Iran-US talks alongside mediator Pakistan.

"Iran should not use this strait as a weapon to pressure or to blackmail the Gulf countries," the Qatari minister said.

Fidan also said the strait must not be "used as a weapon", according to an Arabic translation of his Turkish comments.

UN condemns child death toll from Israel's West Bank operations

Published: May 12, 2026 | 09:50 GMT | by AFP

The United Nations condemned on Tuesday the toll from "escalating" Israeli military operations and settler attacks in the occupied West Bank on children, with 70 Palestinian children killed since the start of 2025.

"Children are paying an intolerable price for escalating military operations and settler attacks across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem," UN children's agency spokesman James Elder told reporters.

Since the start of 2025, when Israel began a large-scale military operation in the West Bank, "at least one Palestinian child has been killed on average every single week," with another 850 children having been injured during that period.

"Most of those killed or wounded were done by live ammunition," he said.

Israeli forces were responsible for 93% of the deaths, Elder said, highlighting that the scaled-up military operations had come amid "historic levels of settler attacks."

Israeli strike in southern Lebanon’s Tyre district leaves several injured
Published: May 12, 2026 | 09:05 GMT | by Web Desk

An Israeli drone dropped a bomb on a pickup truck in the town of Mansouri in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, causing multiple injuries, according to the National News Agency.

Earlier, Israeli air strikes in the same district killed at least six people and wounded seven others.

Israeli drone strike kills three in southern Lebanon’s Doueir

Published: May 12, 2026 | 08:35 GMT | by Web Desk

An Israeli drone strike hit a vehicle in Doueir’s town square in southern Lebanon, killing three people, Al Jazeera reported, citing Lebanon’s National News Agency.

The report said that the car was carrying a person wounded in an earlier attack to a hospital in Nabatieh when it was targeted.

The victims were identified as Ali Yassin, Abbas Hayek and Youssef Khreibani.

Israel strikes town in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh region

Published: May 12, 2026 | 08:20 GMT | by Web Desk

Israel carried out four consecutive air strikes on Jebchit, a town in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh region.

Al Jazeera reported that the air raids were followed by artillery shelling, including strikes near a mosque in the town, citing Lebanon’s National News Agency.

Earlier, Israeli warplanes killed at least six people and wounded seven others in the Tyre district.

Israel moves to develop suicide drones in response to Hezbollah

Published: May 12, 2026 | 07:48 GMT | by Web Desk

Israel is setting up a military facility to manufacture a new fleet of suicide drones, responding to the growing threat posed by Hezbollah’s explosive UAVs, according to a report citing Israel’s Army Radio.

The Israeli Army Radio said Hezbollah’s drones have created a serious strategic challenge for Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and along the northern border, and since the ceasefire, they have caused multiple military and civilian casualties.

Oil climbs but markets shrug off US-Iran deadlock

Published: May 12, 2026 | 07:08 GMT | by AFP

Oil prices climbed on Tuesday as US-Iran talks stalled, while markets were mixed as traders appeared to shrug off uncertainty over the 10-week-old war.

The impasse, which leaves the vital Strait of Hormuz mostly closed to oil tanker traffic, unnerved global energy markets.

The international benchmark Brent crude price jumped 1% to $105 a barrel during Tuesday morning trading in Asia, while the benchmark US oil contract, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), also rose 1% to $99 a barrel.

Precious metals also rose, with silver surging more than 8% to $87 an ounce, capping weeks of rising prices.

But markets were mostly subdued, as analysts reported that traders are in a wait-and-see mode as the 10-week war drags on.

UAE attacked Iran last month: WSJ

Published: May 12, 2026 | 02:00 GMT | by AFP

The United Arab Emirates carried out attacks on Iran early last month, sources told the Wall Street Journal, revealing previously unknown participation in the war by the Gulf country.

In an article on Monday, the American newspaper said the UAE's attacks targeted a refinery located on Iran's Lavan Island and took place "around the time" US President Donald Trump was "announcing a cease-fire in the war" after a five-week air strike campaign.

The US has quietly welcomed the Emirati strikes and any other Gulf states that want to join the fight, the paper reported, citing one unnamed source.

AFP has not been able to independently verify the reported Emirati attacks. The Journal did not specify a date or time.

However, the morning of April 8, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB said: "missile and drone attacks on the Emirates and Kuwait have taken place a few hours after the targeting of Lavan island oil facilities in Iran."

Iran criticizes US-proposed UN Hormuz draft, warns of 'flawed' outcome

Published: May 12, 2026 | 00:40 GMT | by Web Desk

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on Tuesday criticized reported US-led efforts to draft a UN Security Council resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, accusing Washington of trying to "shift the terms of the issue".

In a post on X, he said any proposal that ignored "aggression, siege, threats of force, and Iran’s legitimate rights" would be "flawed, biased, political, and doomed to failure."

He said "freedom of navigation" was a respected legal principle, but warned it could not be interpreted "selectively, politically, and detached from the United Nations Charter."