War, latest news. Media: 'Idf kills Lebanese rescuer'. Iran, US attacks but for Trump it's still truce

British Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer acknowledged as 'very tough' the defeat suffered by his party in the local elections, which became clear from the first partial count of the results and with the count still in progress. A result that 'hurts', he said, praising the commitment of Labour's activists and taking 'responsibility' for the defeat upon himself, without 'looking for scapegoats'. This defeat,' he added, 'does not weaken my determination to deliver the change promised' by the government.

A Lebanese Civil Defence rescuer was killed by an Israeli airstrike in the south of the country. The news, reported by the Lebanese Civil Defence, was picked up by international media, including Al-Jazeera and Iran International, on X. The attack reportedly took place with a drone against a truck along a road in Kfarchouba.

Israeli artillery is shelling the outskirts of al-Mansouri and Byout el-Saiyad, in the south of the country, extending fire as far as the coast of al-Mansouri-Hamra. This was reported by the Lebanese national news agency Nna, as picked up by Al-Jazeera. The shelling reportedly came from positions south of Tyre. At dawn, an Israeli force supported by several military vehicles attempted to advance towards Byout el-Saiyad. The advance was supported by heavy artillery shelling, with attack helicopters engaged in reconnaissance operations in the area. Last night, a warning attack had targeted Lebanese Red Cross and Lebanese Army medical teams on their way to the municipality of Zibqin, according to NNA. The medical teams were trying to recover bodies and evacuate the wounded following an earlier raid, but were forced to retreat under Israeli fire, NNA said. In addition, a powerful explosion was caused by Israeli forces in the town of al-Khiam.

The Global Sumud Flotilla accused the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) of "severe physical and sexual violence and systematic humiliation" against activists intercepted and captured in late April in international waters off Crete.

In a note, the Global Sumud Flotilla stated that 'at least four participants were sexually assaulted'. Testimonies then revealed "deliberate deprivation of warm clothes, shoes and socks, as well as a lack of adequate food, water and blankets", and a "medical neglect" that led to several cases of hyperthermia and hypothermia. "These incidents are not described as isolated cases, but rather as part of a broader pattern of treatment aimed at dehumanising those who stand by the Palestinian people," the organisation said. A total of 179 activists were captured by Israeli forces and handed over to the Greek authorities. Two activists, Saif Abukeshek and Thiago Ávila, were instead taken to Israel, where they are now being held in Shikma prison.

Iran's central military command accused the US of violating the ceasefire with attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the attacks on US forces were in retaliation. The US 'targeted an Iranian oil tanker moving from Iranian coastal waters in the Jask region to the Strait of Hormuz, as well as another ship entering the Strait of Hormuz opposite the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates,' the central military command said in a statement quoted by state television.

- US President Donald Trump declared that the ceasefire was still in force after the clash with Iran, which he called a mere 'trifle', and that negotiations for a peace agreement were continuing.

"They joked with us today," Trump told the press during a surprise visit to the Lincoln Memorial shortly after the US military confirmed attacks on Iranian military sites. "We wiped them out. They joked, I call it a trifle," he added.

The UAE's Ministry of Defence announced that the country's air defences were 'actively engaged' in a missile and drone attack in the early hours of Friday, as the fragile ceasefire in the war with Iran was again put to the test.

The Ministry advised residents not to approach, photograph or touch "debris or fragments that have fallen as a result of successful air interceptions". Last night, the US military had claimed to have intercepted Iranian attacks against three navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday night and to have 'struck Iranian military installations responsible for the attacks against US forces'.

I told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio 'to tell the Pope in a very polite way and with great respect that Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon. So when he stands up for them. I also told him to tell the Pope also that Iran killed 42,000 innocent protesters who were not armed. Tell the Pope that." Donald Trump said this, according to US media reports.

"In the future we will hit them with much more force and much more violence if they do not sign their Agreement, and quickly." That's Donald Trump's message to the Iranians after three American ships came under "enemy fire" and responded to the attacks in "self-defence". "The Iranian attackers were completely destroyed, along with numerous small vessels used to replace their navy, which is now totally decapitated," Trump explained, stressing that "missiles and drones" were launched against the American ships. A 'normal country would have allowed these destroyers to pass, but Iran is not a normal country. It is led by madmen who, if they had the opportunity to use a nuclear weapon, would do so without hesitation,' Trump remarked. 'But they never will. We will hit them with much more force and much more violence in the future if they do not sign their agreement quickly. Our three destroyers will now rejoin our naval blockade, which constitutes a real wall of steel'.

Further reading

Iran risks becoming Trump's Alcatraz

07 May 2026

The raids against Iran in response to their attacks are just a 'tap'. Donald Trump told Abc, stressing that the ceasefire is still in place.

News from the Middle East war front on 7 May