Here's the latest
• Strikes on Iran: US forces targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for launching attacks against warships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command. In its statement, the military said US forces do “not seek escalation.” A spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces said the airstrikes hit civilian areas.
• US threat: President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that American forces destroyed Iranian attackers and warned “we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently” if Iran doesn’t sign a deal soon. He told ABC News the ceasefire is still in effect and the strikes were “just a love tap.”
• Tensions at sea: Tehran has laid out new rules for ships seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz, according to a document seen by CNN. Over the past 48 hours, commercial vessel traffic through the waterway has dropped to one of its lowest points ever, according to data reviewed by CNN.
Trump says ceasefire still in effect, calls US strikes on Iran facilities “just a love tap"
President Donald Trump on Thursday said the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect following an exchange of fire.
“The ceasefire is going. It’s in effect, ” Trump told ABC News’ Rachel Scott in a phone interview, describing the strikes as “just a love tap.”
The US military carried out strikes on Iranian military facilities it said were responsible for attacks on American warships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s remarks come after a spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces earlier today claimed that the US violated the ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker heading toward the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump warns Iran to sign a deal "fast" after attacks on US destroyers in Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump said Thursday that American forces destroyed Iranian attackers targeting three US Navy destroyers as they transited through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that “we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently” if Iran doesn’t sign a deal soon.
“Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire. There was no damage done to the three Destroyers, but great damage done to the Iranian attackers,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
“They were completely destroyed along with numerous small boats, which are being used to take the place of their fully decapitated Navy,” Trump added.
“Missiles were shot at our Destroyers, and were easily knocked down. Likewise, drones came, and were incinerated while in the air,” Trump continued. “Likewise, drones came, and were incinerated while in the air. They dropped ever so beautifully down to the Ocean, very much like a butterfly dropping to its grave!”
The president warned Iran against escalating tensions further, writing that “if they had the chance to use a Nuclear Weapon, they would do it, without question — But they’ll never have that opportunity and, just like we knocked them out again today, we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”
Trump’s post came after United States Central Command said US forces struck Iranian military facilities responsible for launching what it described as “unprovoked” missile, drone and small boat attacks against American warships transiting the strait.
US and Iran exchanged fire around the Strait of Hormuz. Here's what happened
As the US awaits Iran’s response to its latest proposal to end the war, the two countries exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Here’s what we know right now:
- Iran accused the United States of carrying out attacks on its territory after semi-official media outlets reported explosions Thursday night. A spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces then said US airstrikes hit civilian areas along the coasts of Qeshm Island, Bandar Khamir and Sirik.
- Iran responded with “reciprocal action” by attacking US military vessels east of the strait and south of the port of Chabahar, the spokesperson said in a video address carried by state media.
- US Central Command said US forces targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for launching a series of “unprovoked” missile, drone and small boat attacks against American warships transiting the Strait. It said, “No US assets were struck.”
- In its statement, US Central Command added that US forces do “not seek escalation,” but that military is “ready to protect American forces.”
- Iranian state media reported the situation is “back to normal now” and there have been no reports so far of civilian casualties, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Other news to note:
- President Donald Trump said he spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who confirmed the call, and said they were united in that “Iran must never possess a nuclear weapon.”
- Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Thursday the war with Iran will cause “more damage” than the US president realizes after the two leaders met in Washington, DC.
- Iran’s attempts to force shippers to comply with a new protocol for transiting the Strait of Hormuz will affect not just the Middle East region but the “entire world,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said.
CNN’s Billy Stockwell, Zachary Cohen, Alejandra Jaramillo, Mitchell McCluskey, Alessandra Freitas and Hira Humayun contributed reporting to this post.
Situation in Iran coastal cities "back to normal" after exchange of fire, state media says
The situation has settled down now after US and Iranian forces exchanged fire in and along the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian state media.
There have been no reports so far of civilian casualties, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said citing a state media reporter in the country’s southern Hormozgan province which is home to the Iranian coast and islands along the strait.
US forces strike military facilities in Iran as countries exchange fire
US forces targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for launching a series of “unprovoked” missile, drone and small boat attacks against American warships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, US Central Command said on Thursday.
“U.S. forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defense strikes as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman, May 7,” CENTCOM said in a press release.
The Iranian facilities targeted by US forces included “missile and drone launch sites, command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes,” according to CENTCOM.
“Iranian forces launched multiple missiles, drones and small boats as USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), and USS Mason (DDG 87) transited the international sea passage. No US assets were struck,” the CENTCOM statement added.
An Iranian state media report said that commercial facilities at the Bahman Pier on Qeshm Island had been targeted in an exchange of fire between Iranian security forces and “the enemy.”
In its statement US Central Command said that the US forces do “not seek escalation” but that the military is “ready to protect American forces.”
Iran accuses US of striking port cities and oil tankers
Iran accused the United States of carrying out attacks on its territory after semi-official media outlets reported explosions Thursday night.
A spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces said US airstrikes hit civilian areas along the coasts of Qeshm Island, Bandar Khamir and Sirik.
He also claimed that the US violated the ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker heading toward the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran responded with “reciprocal action” by attacking U.S. military vessels east of the strait and south of the port of Chabahar, the spokesperson said in a video address carried by state media.
Earlier, Iran’s Mehr News Agency said explosions were heard in the Bandar Abbas and Qeshm area but added that “no official bodies have commented on the cause of these sounds.”
The semi-official Tasnim News Agency speculated, citing unnamed sources, that the United Arab Emirates could be behind the attack on Qeshm but said this was not confirmed.
CNN has asked US Central Command and the United Arab Emirates for comment.
Meanwhile, Nour News, an outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said a passenger pier on Qeshm Island was reportedly hit. Iran’s Fars News Agency also reported that residents in Bandar Abbas heard sounds resembling explosions from various parts of the city.
What happened during the meeting between Marco Rubio and Pope Leo XIV
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV today, at a time when the war with Iran has contributed to a historic period of tension between Washington and the Vatican.
It marked the second meeting between the Chicago-born pope and Rubio, who is a devout Catholic. The pope usually meets with heads of state or government, so it was a significant diplomatic gesture for him to meet formally with Rubio.
Here’s the context: US President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked the pontiff for his disapproval of the US war against Iran. On Monday, Trump said the pope was “endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people” and claimed Leo is happy with Iran having a nuclear weapon.
On Tuesday, Leo said people are free to criticize him, although they should “do so with the truth,” and that “the mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel and peace.” He also said the church has for years “spoken out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt on that point.”
Here’s what to know about the meeting:
- The topics: A Vatican spokesman said the discussions between Rubio and Leo covered the Middle East, including Iran and Lebanon, conflicts in Africa, and the situation facing the Cuban population. The US State Department said in a readout that the two discussed “the situation in the Middle East and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere.”
- The sentiment: The Holy See press office described the conversation as cordial, adding “the shared commitment to cultivate good bilateral relations … was renewed.” The State Department said the meeting “underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.”
- The gifts: Rubio, who acknowledged that Leo is a “baseball guy,” gifted the pope a small crystal football with the seal of the State Department. The pontiff gave Rubio a pen made from olive wood, which he noted is the plant of peace.
Trump says EU chief agrees Iran "can never have a nuclear weapon"
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about Iran and ongoing trade negotiations with the European Union — warning tariffs could increase if the bloc does not fulfill certain commitments.
“We discussed many topics, including that we are completely united that Iran can never have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, adding that it was a “great call.”
Iran is still reviewing “messages” from the US via Pakistani mediators and has not yet finalized its response to a US proposal to end the war.
Trump also said he pressed von der Leyen on trade commitments tied to what he described as a “Historic Trade Deal” reached in Turnberry last year.
“I’ve been waiting patiently for the EU to fulfill their side of the Historic Trade Deal we agreed in Turnberry, Scotland, the largest Trade Deal, ever! A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!” Trump continued.
The president said he agreed to give the European Union until the United States’ 250th anniversary before raising tariffs “to much higher levels.” It’s unclear under what authority Trump could impose such duties given a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated his tariffs policy earlier this year.
Von der Leyen confirmed the call with Trump later Thursday, saying the pair discussed the situation in the Middle East and are united that “Iran must never posses a nuclear weapon.”
“We also discussed the EU–U.S. trade deal. We remain fully committed, on both sides, to its implementation. Good progress is being made towards tariff reduction by early July,” she posted on X.
War with Iran will cause “more damage” than Trump realizes, Brazil’s Lula says
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva argued that the war in Iran will cause “more damage” than US President Donald Trump realizes after the two leaders met in Washington, DC, on Thursday.
The presidents discussed an array of issues during the bilateral meeting, including security and trade.
“I think the invasion of Iran will cause more damage than he thinks,” Lula said at a news conference that followed the meeting.
He added that Trump “thinks the war in Iran is over.”
Lula said he offered to mediate any diplomatic talks and help resolve the conflict.
Trump said in a social media post that the meeting with the Brazilian president “went very well.” Trump added that the two sides plan to continue talks in the coming months.
The Brazilian president said he handed Trump a copy of the 2010 nuclear agreement brokered by Brazil and Turkey with Iran, arguing the deal was “much better” than later efforts pursued by the US.
Iran's new system to control Strait of Hormuz will affect "entire world," Waltz says
Iran’s attempts to force shippers to comply with a new protocol for transiting the Strait of Hormuz will affect not just the Middle East region but the “entire world,” according to US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz.
“That doesn’t just affect this region. It affects the entire world,” he added.
The US representative made the comments at a press conference to discuss a draft UN Security Council resolution, backed by the US in conjunction with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar. It “requires Iran to cease attacks, mining and tolling” in the strait, CNN has reported. Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the draft resolution poses a “real test for the UN.”
In opposition to the resolution, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has written to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UN member states and others, calling the draft “one-sided and incomplete.”
The latest on US-Iran diplomatic efforts and the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has not yet finalized its response to a proposal from the United States to end the war, saying that it is still reviewing “messages” from the Americans through Pakistani mediators, according to Iranian media.
Meanwhile, Iran has laid out a set of new rules for ships seeking to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
If you’re just joining us, here are the top headlines:
- Diplomatic efforts: Iran is expected to reply to mediators today regarding the United States’ proposed deal, a regional source told CNN. Both sides are believed to be advancing toward an agreement.
- Iran’s new rules for the Strait of Hormuz: A document titled “Vessel Information Declaration,” which CNN has seen, contains more than 40 questions which transiting vessels must complete. These questions include country of origin, destination country and other details.
- Tense situation in the Strait: No new incidents have been reported over the past 24 hours in the Strait of Hormuz, according to maritime authorities, and shipping traffic has dropped to near-zero. But the security situation in the region remains volatile and Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc warned the increased cost of disruption to global shipping would need to be passed on to customers.
- Cost of oil: Oil prices are falling today on signs that the US and Iran are moving closer to a deal that may reopen the Strait. Meanwhile, Shell reported a $1.3 billion jump in profits, driven in part by wild swings in oil prices triggered by the war and higher prices for gasoline and jet fuel.
- Top Iran officials meet: Iran’s president said he held a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with the country’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, according to local media. It marks the first in-person meeting between the two. Khamenei has not been seen publicly since he was named the supreme leader in March.
- Conflict in Lebanon: Israel said a senior Hezbollah commander was killed in a strike in Beirut on Wednesday. Hezbollah has yet to confirm the alleged killing. The strikes come in the midst of a shaky ceasefire. The third round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is set for next Thursday and Friday in Washington, DC, according to a State Department official and an Israeli source.
- A holy meeting: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pope Leo XIV discussed “the situation in the Middle East,” conflicts in Africa and the situation facing the population in Cuba, according to a readout from the State Department and a Vatican spokesperson. US President Donald Trump repeatedly lashed out at the pontiff over his opposition to the Iran war.
From CNN’s Hanna Ziady, Tal Shalev, Sarah Tamimi, Eleni Giokos, Nadeen Ebrahim, Aida Karimi, Sana Noor Haq, Lauren Kent, Jennifer Hansler, Billy Stockwell, Aileen Graef, Victoria Butenko, Svitlana Vlasova, Michelle Velez and Maisie Linford contributed reporting to this post.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz drops to near-zero
Over the past 48 hours, commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to one of its lowest points ever, according to data from MarineTraffic reviewed by CNN. The public dataset does not show any vessels transiting between the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf over the past 48 hours.
GPS interference remains prevalent: Several shipping vessels appear to cross the strait, but at least four of them are apparently broadcasting false locations either on land or atop shallow sandbars where it would be extremely hazardous for cargo vessels to operate. GPS “spoofing” can also be seen off the coasts of Sharjah and Dibba al-Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, where multiple ships simultaneously converge on the same location.
It’s important to note that this dataset only shows ships broadcasting their locations; vessels that have “gone dark” or are actively being affected by GPS interference may not appear or may be misrepresented.
In recent weeks, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped significantly as Iran’s military has targeted commercial interests in the region.
81% of Americans are feeling financial pain at the gas pump — and most blame Trump
The vast majority of Americans say they are feeling financial pressure from the historic spike in gasoline prices.
According to an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll released on Wednesday, more than 8 in 10 Americans say they are experiencing either a major (33%) or minor strain (48%) on their household budget from fuel prices.
Only 19% indicated they felt no strain at all from gas prices.
The national average for regular gas has increased 15 days in a row, climbing on Thursday to $4.56 a gallon, according to AAA. That’s up sharply from $2.98 a gallon before the war in the Middle East started.
The poll, conducted April 27 to April 30, found that 63% of Americans place a great deal or good amount of blame on President Donald Trump for high gas prices. That includes 89% of Democrats, 32% of Republicans and 63% of independents.
Only 37% of the public placed little or no blame on Trump.
The average price of gas is now at or above $4 a gallon in 47 US states, led by California ($6.16), Washington ($5.75), Hawaii ($5.66) and Oregon ($5.33).
The three states with the biggest one-year increases in gas prices per gallon were all won by Trump in the 2024 election: Ohio (+$1.71 more expensive than a year ago), Michigan (+$1.64) and Alaska (+$1.61).
No incidents reported in Strait of Hormuz over past 24 hours, UKMTO says
No new incidents have been reported over the past 24 hours in the Strait of Hormuz, according to maritime authorities, as Iran presses ahead with efforts to formalize its authority over the crucial waterway.
While the security situation in the region remains “volatile” — with an ongoing threat to commercial shipping — no incidents have been reported in the Persian Gulf or Gulf of Oman since yesterday at 4 p.m. UTC, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center reported Thursday.
Remember: At the beginning of this week, US President Donald Trump announced the start of Project Freedom to guide vessels through the strait, only to pause it within 48 hours at the request of Pakistani mediators.
Despite the lull in reported incidents, Tehran has not stopped its attempts to force shippers to comply with a new protocol for transiting the strait, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically flows.
Iran has laid out a set of new rules for vessels seeking to transit the waterway, according to a document seen by CNN.
You can read more about the country’s maritime rules here.
UN condemns Israeli attacks on healthcare in Lebanon, as death toll surpasses 2,700
Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed 2,727 people and injured 8,438 others since March 2, the country’s Ministry of Public Health said today, as another round of ambassador-level talks are set to take place next week against the backdrop of a delicate truce between Israel and Lebanon.
Overnight, Israel launched a wave of strikes that hit “approximately 20 Hezbollah infrastructure sites” in the south, the military said in a statement, warning that forces would “operate against threats.” Iranian-backed group Hezbollah claimed five attacks on Israeli army posts on Thursday.
Both Israel and Hezbollah have accused each other of violating a ceasefire agreement brokered last month between Israel and Lebanon — when the White House ordered a truce to come into effect at midnight local time on April 17.
Since then, the Israeli military has repeatedly bombed parts of Lebanon. On Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces renewed evacuation calls for three villages north of the Litani River, outside an occupied zone in the south where the military says it is targeting attacks.
The United Nations condemned Israeli strikes on medical centers and paramedics, warning that such attacks “undermine people’s access to care and place both patients and frontline responders at risk.” Health care facilities have been attacked at least 151 times, the World Health Organization reported on Wednesday.
Washington will host a third round of talks between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors next week, according to a State Department official and an Israeli source. So far, Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has refused to engage in face-to-face ceasefire discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stipulating an end to Israeli attacks on the country.
CNN’s Dana Karni contributed reporting.
Maersk CEO tells CNN it must pass on cost of Iran war to customers
Maersk CEO Vincent Clerc warned today that the increased cost of disruption to global shipping would need to be passed on to customers, telling CNN’s Richard Quest he expects expenses to increase “by half a billion dollars a month from April” due to higher energy costs and disruption.
The company plans “to pass this cost on, because otherwise this is completely unsustainable,” the head of the Danish shipping and logistics company said.
Clerc said Maersk owes “a great debt of gratitude” to the US military for safely escorting one of its vessels through the Strait of Hormuz under “Project Freedom” earlier this week. But he made clear the situation remains critical. Maersk still has six ships stranded in the Persian Gulf, and Clerc said they will stay there “until either another Project Freedom or a political resolution” allows for the safe passage through the vital waterway.
He added that the shipping giant’s more than “6,000 colleagues in the affected countries,” including seafarers, are safe and that “everybody is in good spirits” despite the ongoing uncertainty.
“We’re looking at an extra cost bill of half a billion dollars a month that we’re going to face basically from April and for as long as this lasts,” Clerc told CNN. “Obviously this is a significant amount, and there is something that we can do on cost mitigation, which we will do, but the rest of it is really commercial conversations with customers about having to pass this cost on.”
Correction: A previous version of this post misstated the number of Maersk ships stranded in the Persian Gulf. It is six.
Israel-Lebanon truce is "a ceasefire by name only," according to analyst
Following yesterday’s strike in Beirut, Firas Maksad, the managing director for the Middle East at Eurasia Group, says the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel is “a ceasefire by name only.”
Maksad, speaking from Beirut, said that despite Israel’s efforts, “Hezbollah is looking like it’s in a better place. The Lebanese government and the Lebanese president, less so.”
Lebanon and Israel are set to hold another round of talks in Washington next week, but Maksad says Beirut remains in a difficult position politically. “They are incapable politically from standing shoulder to shoulder, let alone shaking hands with the Israeli prime minister, as Israel continues to occupy and bomb Lebanese territory,” he said.
Watch more in the video above.
US Iran envoys to meet Ukrainian negotiator seeking to revive talks sidelined by Iran war
Top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov will meet with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Miami today to try to revive efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, which have been sidelined by the war in Iran.
“The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine will hold a series of meetings today with envoys of the President of the United States. We have defined the key tasks,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X.
Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed the meeting is with Witkoff and Kushner, both of whom are the key negotiators to try to end the war in Iran. The US and Ukrainian representatives last met in late March in Miami. Witkoff and Kushner also met with Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a top Kremlin envoy, earlier in March in Miami.
In Thursday’s talks, Umerov intends to focus on the “reinvigoration of the diplomatic process,” Zelensky said.
A White House official confirmed the meeting but did not provide further details on the agenda.
Narges Mohammadi in “severe pain” as Iranian authorities withhold needed treatment, family says
Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi remains in an “unstable physical condition,” her family said Thursday, warning that authorities’ further delay of medical intervention could inflict “irreparable life-threatening risks.”
Mohammadi struggled with “chest pain, palpitations, intense anxiety” and “extreme pressure” after she was taken from prison to a hospital on Tuesday, according to the Narges Foundation, which is run by her family. “She has repeatedly experienced severe pain in her chest, back, and arms,” the foundation said in a statement.
A storied human rights activist, Mohammadi has been a political prisoner for the better part of two decades. She has long campaigned against the death penalty and solitary confinement and has rallied for gender equality in Iran, pushing ahead with her advocacy behind bars.
The Iranian regime has repeatedly arrested and detained Mohammadi over her anti-government activism. In February, she was sentenced to more than seven years in prison. A month later, she had a heart attack before authorities brought her to a cardiac care unit in the northwestern city of Zanjan.
Her family called for “immediate medical intervention” and her transfer to the capital, Tehran. She likely has Prinzmetal angina, a condition caused by “spasm or constriction of the coronary arteries” that can cause “oxygen deficiency” and trigger a plethora of heart-related maladies, the foundation added, citing an initial assessment by her medical team.
On Thursday, France’s Foreign Ministry called on Tehran to “take every measure necessary for her recovery.” It added in a post on X: “France stands by the Iranian people, who must be able to exercise their fundamental rights and freely choose their identity.”
Iran still reviewing US messages via Pakistan, Foreign Ministry says
Iran is still reviewing “messages” from the United States via Pakistani mediation and has not yet finalized its response to a US proposal to end the war, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said, according to Iranian semi-official media.
Tehran is expected to hand over its reply to mediators about the US proposal on Thursday, a regional source previously told CNN.
Both sides are understood to be advancing toward an agreement.
The one-page US proposal sought to declare an end to the war while triggering a 30-day negotiation period to resolve sticking points, including on nuclear issues, frozen Iranian assets and security in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a regional source familiar with the negotiations.
