explainer
As Israel’s attacks on Lebanon continue despite the extension of the ceasefire, the threat of a renewed US attack on Iran looms.
Published May 18, 2026
US President Donald Trump has warned Iran that “the clock is ticking” on reaching a deal to end the war, amid reports that the US and Israel may be planning airstrikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.
“For Iran, the clock is ticking. If we don’t move quickly, there will be nothing left,” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social. “Time is of the essence!”
Iranian Defense Ministry Spokesman Reza Tarainik said Sunday that the military is “fully prepared” to counter new aggression from the United States and Israel.
Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that it had intercepted three drones, a day after a drone attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, Israel continues to bombard Lebanon despite once again extending the ceasefire.
As the US and Israel’s war against Iran continues into its 80th day, here’s what we know.
in iran
Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Tehran’s Expediency Council and former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said the Iranian military was ready for further confrontation and warned the United States to lift the blockade of Iranian ports. Rezaei warned in an interview on state television. Tarainik said Iran’s military is “well prepared for possible new attacks against the country by the United States and the Israeli regime.”
war diplomacy
Mikhail Ulyanov, Russia’s special envoy to international organizations in Vienna, suggested on X-Post that Iran would appoint a special envoy to Moscow, similar to the deal between Iran and China. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of France’s left-wing party La France Ansemeuse, accused “European complicity” in the US and Israeli attack on Iran in an X-Post article that sparked a wider regional war.
on the bay
The New York Times reported that Israeli forces operated two “secret” outposts in the deserts of western Iraq, killing a shepherd and a soldier in an attempt to hide one of them near the town of al-Nukaib. After a drone attack on a nuclear facility caused a fire, the UAE Ministry of Defense announced that two other drones were “successfully” disposed of after being launched from the “western border.” He did not elaborate. According to the Abu Dhabi Media Office, the drone breached the UAE’s defenses and crashed into a generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah nuclear power plant. The safety level of radioactive materials was not affected, and no one was injured. The United Arab Emirates’ federal nuclear regulator later confirmed that the plant had not released any radioactive material from the attack and remained safe. Saudi Arabia announced that the three intercepted drones had entered Iraq’s airspace and warned that it would take necessary operational measures to respond to any attempts to violate Iraq’s sovereignty and security.
in the US
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former U.S. congresswoman and one-time ally of President Trump, warned in a post on X that any attempt to send U.S. troops to Iran would spark what she described as a “political revolution.” In an interview with NBC, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham called on President Trump to “hurt” Iran, including by launching attacks on its energy facilities, until the country agrees to U.S. terms on its nuclear program. The United States and Israel attacked civilian targets multiple times during the war against Iran. Attacks on civilian facilities are considered war crimes under international law.
in israel
Israel’s Channel 13 reported that dozens of US cargo planes loaded with ammunition from German bases landed in Tel Aviv. Israeli media reported that the military is preparing for new hostilities with Iran. Public broadcaster Kan quoted unnamed security officials as saying that Israel would join the new US attack and target Iran’s energy infrastructure.
in lebanon
Israeli military offensives continue in southern Lebanon, with Israel ordering the evacuation of four towns and villages and attacking two of them. Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hit newspaper reported from Tire, Lebanon, that strikes in moving vehicles were also reported in As-Zurariya, while another attack in Tire Deba resulted in significant casualties.
world market
Oil prices rose again on Monday due to the impasse in peace efforts between Iran and the United States. That pushed the price of global benchmark Brent crude oil to about $111 a barrel, near its highest level in recent weeks.
