Iran-US war latest: Tehran threatens to expand war beyond the Middle East if Trump attacks again

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Iran-US war latest: Tehran threatens to expand war beyond the Middle East if Trump attacks again

President Donald Trump warned ‘another big hit’ if a deal was not reached

Iran has warned that it will expand war “beyond the region” if the US and Israel launch attacks on the country again.

“If aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will extend beyond the region this time,” the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried on state media on Wednesday.

Tehran has said its military has learned from previous US-Israeli attacks and warned that renewed strikes would result in "many more surprises" for Donald Trump.

The remarks from foreign minister Abbas Araghchi came as US vice president JD Vance said he was “not certain” about a peace deal with Tehran and warned the American military was “locked and loaded” for a resumption of the war.

In a White House briefing on Tuesday, Vance said “a lot of good progress has been made” in negotiations with Tehran in recent days, but added: “You never know until you know, right?”

Earlier, president Donald Trump stated that he could order “another big hit” on the country. He claimed that he was “an hour away” from ordering a fresh volley of strikes on Iran in order to force Tehran to agree a deal, after he had reviewed the latest peace terms.

Pakistani interior minister headed to Tehran to meet officials, says Tasnim agency

Pakistan’s interior minister is on his way to Tehran, Iran’s capital, to meet with officials, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

The trip is presumably in a bid to continue discussions about the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel, which appears to have reached a deadlock.

Maira Butt20 May 2026 10:40

Iran warns conflict will 'extend beyond the region' if war starts up again

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have warned that the war will extend “beyond the region” if the US and Israel launch attacks on Iran again in a statement released on Wednesday.

Maira Butt20 May 2026 10:18

Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon kill 19, including children and women, officials say

Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed at least 19 people, including four women and three children, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said, the latest in near-daily attacks from both sides that have not stopped despite the fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war.

Israel’s military did not immediately comment on the casualties or specific incidents, but said that between Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon, it had targeted more than 25 sites of Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

The Israel-Hezbollah latest fighting began on March 2 with the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group firing rockets at Israel, two days after the United States and Israel attacked Iran.

Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon kill 19, including children and women, officials say

Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon have killed at least 19 people, including four women and three children

Maira Butt20 May 2026 09:45

Senate advances measure to end Iran war as Bill Cassidy flips vote

A growing number of Republicans defied President Donald Trump on Tuesday as the Senate advanced legislation seeking to compel his administration to withdraw from the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Since President Trump ordered an attack on Iran at the end of February, Democrats have repeatedly forced votes on war powers resolutions. These measures would require him to either gain congressional approval for the military engagement or withdraw troops. Republicans had previously managed to block such proposals.

However, a crucial shift occurred when Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, fresh from a primary election loss in which President Trump endorsed his opponent, switched his vote.

Senate advances measure to end Iran war as Bill Cassidy flips vote

Since President Trump ordered an attack on Iran at the end of February, Democrats have repeatedly forced votes on war powers resolutions

Maira Butt20 May 2026 09:37

UK quietly eases Russian oil sanctions as fuel costs surge amid Iran war

The UK government has been accused of leaving Ukrainians “very let down” after it relaxed its sanctions on Russian crude oil.

The UK had previously announced that it would block Russian oil refined in other nations in a bid to “further restrict the flow of funds to the Kremlin”.

But the government has now shifted its stance, announcing on Wednesday that it will permit the import of jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries amid surging fuel costs.

The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:

UK quietly eases Russian oil sanctions as fuel costs surge

Kemi Badenoch has labelled the move ‘insane’

Maira Butt20 May 2026 09:21

US forces continue 'total enforcement' of blockade against Iran

As peace talks appear deadlocked, the United States Central Command has reiterated that a blockade of Iranian ports continues.

It claimed that 89 commercial vessels have been redirected as a result.

“CENTCOM forces continue total enforcement of the U.S. blockade against Iran, stopping the flow of commerce into and out of Iranian ports,” read a statement on X on Wednesday.

“89 commercial vessels have been redirected to ensure compliance.”

Maira Butt20 May 2026 08:55

US forces continue 'total enforcement' of blockade against Iran

As peace talks appear deadlocked, the United States Central Command has reiterated that a blockade of Iranian ports continues.

It claimed that 89 commercial vessels have been redirected as a result.

“CENTCOM forces continue total enforcement of the U.S. blockade against Iran, stopping the flow of commerce into and out of Iranian ports,” read a statement on X on Wednesday.

“89 commercial vessels have been redirected to ensure compliance.”

Maira Butt20 May 2026 08:50

US forces continue 'total enforcement' of blockade against Iran

As peace talks appear deadlocked, the United States Central Command has reiterated that a blockade of Iranian ports continues.

It claimed that 89 commercial vessels have been redirected as a result.

“CENTCOM forces continue total enforcement of the U.S. blockade against Iran, stopping the flow of commerce into and out of Iranian ports,” read a statement on X on Wednesday.

“89 commercial vessels have been redirected to ensure compliance.”

Maira Butt20 May 2026 08:50

Analysis: Trump called a sudden, urgent press conference. What followed was a fever dream

Every president addresses a crisis differently. While mired deep in the Vietnam War escalation, Lyndon B. Johnson spoke about America being “guardians at the gate” with a sense of reluctant obligation. After 9/11, George W Bush spoke of terrorists shaking the foundations of buildings but never “shaking the foundation of America.”

Both of those leaders used their rhetoric to justify doing very bad, wrong things, but they at least did the very bad, wrong things while pretending to have a sense of decorum. People hearing their speeches felt that they were taking a situation seriously and attempting to make sense of it.

And then there’s Donald J Trump, who today — just as he issued more threats to Iran — called an impromptu press conference that played out more like the world’s worst fever dream. Was it about the Middle East, or Cuba, or perhaps developments with China after last week’s state visit with Xi Jinping? Like hell it was! It was, of course, about the ballroom.

Holly Baxter reports:

Trump called a sudden, urgent press conference. What followed was a fever dream

With big Florida retiree energy, Trump shouted over the sound of drills and power saws about the construction of his new ballroom for over an hour as the Middle East crisis deepened and his approval hit rock bottom, writes Holly Baxter

Maira Butt20 May 2026 08:34

South Korea accuses Israel of ‘abducting’ citizens

South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has criticised Israel this morning after Tel Aviv intercepted Gaza-bound flotilla vessels carrying South Korean nationals and took them to Israel.

Lee told his cabinet today that Israel’s actions were “way out of line” and questioned whether South Korea could allow Tel Aviv to arrest Koreans without protest.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 May 2026 08:07