AJ
Friday May 8 recap during the US/Israel Iran tensions includes more information that was published throughout the day in relation to the ‘love tap’ that took place between Iran and the US, while further exchanges of fire were reported on Friday afternoon around several areas of Iran; the UAE were warned by Iran after suspected involvement in recent US attacks; Israel pushed for President Trump to target energy infrastructure, claiming it would decimate Iran in 24 hours and other news from around the world that are suffering from the consequences of the tensions.
Overnight ‘love tap’ between Iran and the US:
Fox News reported that the US had launched strikes on empty Iranian vessels attempting to break the blockade on Friday morning: “These were Very Large Crude Carriers, massive empty ships trying to make it back to Iran, attempting to run the blockade,” they said, despite TankerTrackers.com proving that at least three vessels made it past.
The IRGC Navy announced early on Friday that its elite forces opened fire on US military destroyers in response to a ceasefire violation and an aggressive act by the US military against an Iranian oil tanker near the country’s southern port of Jask, saying that the retaliatory attacks followed the US military destroyers’ approach toward the Strait of Hormuz, adding that during a highly coordinated operation, the IRGC fired upon the destroyers using a variety of anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as explosive warhead drones, and according to the IRGC Navy, intelligence monitoring shows that the US military sustained significant damage, leading three ships to hastily flee the Strait of Hormuz.
Irib News announced the Iranian Navy had seized the Barbados-flagged tanker Ocean Koi operating in the Sea of Oman, accusing it of attempting to disrupt oil exports and harm Iran’s interests, with Tankertrackers.com reporting that the tanker, now named Jin Li (IMO 9255933) had transported Iranian hydrocarbons on at least 16 occasions since 2021, half directly from Iranian ports and half via ship to ship transfers, and the Shanghai-based vessel had been subject to sanctions by the US Treasury on 25 February 2026 for its involvement.
The Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the aggressive actions of the US Army against 2 oil tankers belonging to Iran near Bandar Jask and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the attacks on several points in the coastal areas overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, which took place late Thursday and early Friday, May 8, which were met with a powerful response and a ‘heavy slap’ from the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, claiming the ‘aggressors’ failed to achieve their illegitimate goals.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took to X stating that every time there was a diplomatic solution on the table and close to a deal, the US chooses reckless military adventures that jeopardise it, questioning whether it was a crude pressure tactic, or the result of another spoiler tricking the President into another quagmire, adding that whatever the reasons are, the results are the same – the Iranians never bow to pressure.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said that the US action last night was a flagrant violation of international law and the ceasefire: “The country’s defenders dealt them a heavy blow and repelled their malice with full force,” he said, adding that Iran’s armed forces remained fully prepared and monitoring the situation, and would respond with precision and power wherever necessary, while noting that the proposal from the US in relation to the negotiations was still under review and a final result would be announced when a decision was reached.
Tasnim News reported that a cargo boat near the waters of Minab County in southern Iran was hit and caught fire during what officials described as ‘aggressive US actions’ last night in the Strait of Hormuz and the Makran Sea, causing ten of the 15 sailors onboard to be injured and taken to hospital, while five were reported missing, and search and rescue operations later recovered the body of one missing person, declared deceased at the scene.
Fires were reported along the coast of Oman on Friday morning, the proposed safe passage by the US for vessels to cross through the Strait, according to Tasnim News, citing satellite images, as several other sources reported floating fires in the same area, and coincided with the alerts that were announced by the UAE in the morning.
Large plumes of smoke were seen rising from near Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, and the UAE Ministry of Defence announced dealing with a combined missile and drone attack in the early hours of the morning.
Reports of explosions were reported near the Sirik Pier and in the city of Sirik near the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian media outlets including Tasnim News, Irib News and Fars News Agency reported that strikes had targeted the IRGC Navy base in Bandar Khamir, Hormozgan Province, the Qeshm island shipbuilding complex, the IRGC coordination building at Bahman Pier on Qeshm Island, the Sirik missile site, and Bandar Abbas air base.
Tasnim News Agency reported that clashes in the Persian Gulf had temporarily stopped but could resume, citing a military source, who said that after US forces carried out hostile actions against Iranian tankers, Iran’s Navy responded with fire, but the exchange had since subsided, however, if the Americans attempted to enter the Gulf again or harass Iranian vessels, they will receive a decisive response, and the possibility of further clashes remained.
Following the exchange of fire, CNN reported that a radio message from the IRGC had been transmitted to ships in the vicinity, warning them to maintain a 10-mile distance from American warships: “For your safety, because sometimes we have to teach the Yankees a lesson with ‘missiles and drones,'” the message said.
Kan News reported that during the exchange of fire, the UAE also reportedly struck Iranian infrastructure during the escalation, noting that last week, Israel was informed President Trump was leaning towards renewed military action against Iran, including possible strikes on energy infrastructure, before ultimately backing away under pressure from Gulf states and following pushback from Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff amid ongoing negotiations.
The Iranian Army issued a statement on Friday evening claiming that their operations on Thursday night against American destroyers included the launch of 8 cruise missiles and 24 drones, claiming they hit the American destroyers with a cruise missile and three drones, which resulted in fires breaking out on them, Sabereen News reported.
News from Iran:
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the proposal from the USA was still under review and a decision would be given in due time, stating that Iran don’t accept deadlines set by ‘some American politicians,’ that Iran do their work on their time and do not care about deadlines or time limits.
Baghaei later took to X to point out the USA’s ’embarrasing contradiction in claiming to try to resolve the nuclear issue while simultaneously threatening a nuclear attack, as he referred to Stanley Kubrick’s famous film: “Dr Strangelove: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.”
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the undisputed policy of Iran is to develop friendly relations based on mutual respects and on the basis of common interests, in a post on X, adding that there is no place for colonial and exploitative policies in the future wolrd.
Three empty Iranian oil tankers passed through the blockade in the past two days, Tankertrackers.com added, stating they were from the National Iranian Oil Company (NITC), travelling through Pakistan’s exclusive economic zone, and then managed to break through the blockade to reach Iran – each of these 3 tankers can carry around 5 million barrels of crude oil in total.
Bloomberg reported that Iran have expanded trade with China to break the US blockade, using their rail lines to counter the effects at the ports, as Tasnim News reported the number of trains travelling from China to Iran has increased from one train per week pre war to one train every three days since the blockade.
Iran’s ambassador to China told ISNA the false news of Iran attacking a Chinese oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was published with the aim of influencing the achievements of the recent trip of Iran’s foreign minister to Beijing, noting relations between Beijing and Tehran will expand and deepen after the war, and considering the position that China holds for Iran and other countries in the Persian Gulf region, Beijing could act as a guarantor of any agreement.
Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively paralyzed for 48 hours due to Iranian and US blockades, along with Iranian and US strikes, which brought traffic to a complete standstill, with no major commercial vessels passing through the waterway in the previous 24 hours, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency, claiming the shutdown was due to the strikes early on Friday morning, however, some ship captains also told sources that they were struggling to apply for permits for travel from Iran and were unsure how the new process to pass through the vital waterway currently worked.
Head of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Ebrahim Azizi told Tasnim News that a plan for a legal regime for the Strait of Hormuz was being prepared, following multiple meetings held with relevant bodies including the foreign minister and the Ports and Maritime Organisation, with the plans set to be presented and approved in parliament as soon as it convenes, becoming a permanent and deterrent law: “US actions are doomed to fail, and the Islamic Republic stands firm and wise in preserving national interests and security,’ he said.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi spoke with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan to discuss the latest regional developments, along with possible outcomes of the proposal put forward by the United States, stating that the recent adventurous moves by the US in the Persian Gulf and some rhetoric by US officials were weakening the diplomatic process and deepening the Iranian nation’s distrust towards US intentions.
Araghchi also shared a call with British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper, exchanging views on the latest international and regional developments, ongoing discussions in relation to the proposals, and the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Head of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev reported that the situation at Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran is generally calm, with no attacks on the facilities around the plant observed, while Unit 1 of the plant continued to operate at full capacity, adding that Rosatom were ready to quickly and fully return its staff to Iran if there is no risk of a return to military action.
At least 6 nuclear sites in Iran were attacked during the war, along with three other sites potentially related to nuclear activities, reported Israeli N12, quoting a report by nuclear expert David Albright and research institute ISIS, stating that the findings showed the attacks significantly extended the time required to reach a nuclear weapon, and also increased the likelihood of failure if Iran attempted to do so.
The war against Iran will likely end with the withdrawal of the United States, reported Al Jazeera, noting that any escalation of tensions would destroy the regions oil and gas infrastructure, while Iran can impose costs that the United States are unable to pay, while claiming the cost of Iran’s ballistic missiles are a fraction of the cost of American interceptor missiles, adding that the Iranian drones cost $20,000 compared to an American interceptor at approximately $4 million.
At least 50% of government employees in the Hormozgan province have started remote work after orders were given from the Deputy Governor, stating that from Saturday May 9, the province’s offices would operate with a 50% presence of employees and 50% remote work, as the working hours of all executive agencies were changed from 8am to 1pm, and the new operations were set to continue until further notice.
Attack In Iraq:
Residents of the Kurdistan region of Iraq reported hearing the sounds of drones over several areas, including Haji Omeran towards Soran, Choman and Khalifan, as eyewitnesses claimed sighting at least four drones.
Aircraft were heard and captured on video soon after, flying with its afterburner engaged on route to intercept a drone, as residents report seeing the jet chasing the drone over the Soran and Zarrat areas, and later there were explosions reported in Erbil province in northern Iraq which came from a drone attack on the headquarters of Iranian opposition parties.
During the attack, an American Air Force Bombardier E-11 aircraft was seen flying over Iraq on flight tracking platforms, specifically the Al-Samawah desert, after a rout that had started from the Kharj base in the west of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and the aircraft are known as military platforms specialised in supporting communications and data linkage between air and ground units, used by the American forces in operational areas to enhance communication and manage aerial tasks, such as intercepting drones.
News from the USA:
Centcom reported on Friday in an operational overview that more than 70 Iranian oil tankers were currently being prevented by the US forces from entering or leaving Iranian ports, adding that the commercial vessels carried more than 166 million barrels of Iranian oil with a combined value exceeding $13 billion.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Iran’s attempts to control the Strait of Hormuz and charge tolls for passage unacceptable, while claiming the US were expecting an offer from Iran today: “I hope it’s a serious offer – I really do,” he said, and described the US clash with Iran yesterday defensive, arguing that only stupid countries don’t fire back after being fired upon.
Centcom reported on Friday afternoon that American forces had disabled three Iranian-flagged tankers in the Gulf of Oman this week as part of enforcement measures linked to the ongoing blockade, noting that Super Hornets targeted the MT Sea Star III and MT Sevda on Thursday with precision munitions, while the MT Hasna was reportedly disabled Tuesday after a US fighter jet fired rounds at its rudder.
Another video released by Centcom showed several destroyers operating in the Middle East as part of the blockade, as the they claimed that they had now turned around 57 commercial vessels, while multiple other ships had been disabled to prevent them leaving Iranian ports.
US Vice President JD Vance met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to discuss negotiations with Iran, as a US official told Axios that Qatar remained a key backchannel between Washington and Tehran in the ongoing negotiations to end the war, reported Axios, noting that the Qatari PM stressed the need for all parties to respond positively to mediation efforts to achieve a comprehensive agreement for lasting peace, while Axios claimed a US official added that Qatar not only downed Iranian fighter jets during the war, but retaliated against Iran with its own strikes on Iranian targets.
President Trump is ‘bored’ with the war against Iran and wants it to end quickly as it drags on much longer than expected, with fuel prices rising, polls worsening, and Republicans worried about the political fallout ahead of the midterms, the Atlantic reported.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a second set of sanctions against Iran in 24 hours against Iran-related non-proliferation sanctions, designating multiple individuals and entities in China, Belarus, Hong Kong and the UAE for their involvement in supplying Iran’s weapons programmes, among them a Belarus-based firm linked to a sanctioned Iranian technology cooperation, along with Chinese companies tied to Iranian electronic and insulation firms, noting that all property and interests of designated persons in the US have been blocked.
Other News:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved an emergency weapons deal worth more than $25 billion to Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, Bloomberg and the NYT reported, claiming the package included large numbers of Patriot missile interceptors, although deliveries could take years due to limited US production capacity, as the State Department commented the countries had successfully deployed US defence systems to defend their territory and people, and this emergency action sent a clear message the US stood with its partners.
Kpler Institute wrote that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would mean the beginning of an improvement for Middle Eastern refineries, but it didn’t mean an immediate return to the pre-war situation, stating that oil refining volume in the region dropped to around 6 million barrels per day in April, around 3 million less than the previous year, which is expected to remain below pre-war levels for months.
Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger spoke with the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi on Friday, agreeing that the Iranian nuclear issue could only be resolved through democracy: “The prerequisites for a sustainable agreement include ‘strong international monitoring,’ reliable verification, and technical expertise in key nuclear matters, adding that Vienna is always available as a venue for negotiations, ISNA and Alsaa_plus reported.
British Airways have suffered a 2 billion euro loss, as the CEO warned if the conflict resumed in the Persian Gulf, the airline’s aircraft fuel costs would increase by two billion euros, while aviation analysts Cirium announced more than 13,000 flights were cancelled from April 10 to April 21.
English TV Host Piers Morgan pointed out that $25 billion had been spent on the war against Iran in the past 9 weeks, identifying Israel as the main beneficiary of these tensions, adding that while peace talks focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear restrictions, rising inflation and gasoline prices have fuelled public dissastisfaction.
Chinese Foreign Ministry said there are Chinese on board a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker that was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, stating they were extremely concerned about the large number of ships affected by the tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Diet Coke is running short in India after the Iran war disrupted aluminium shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters: “Since Diet Coke in India is only sold in cans, delays have forced Coca-Cola distributors to ration supplies and delay orders,” adding that the Gulf produced around 9% of the world’s aluminium.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani spoke after meeting with Marco Rubio on Friday, saying that he reiterated Italy’s full support for diplomacy as the only way to prevent further escalation of tensions in the Middle East and to ensure freedom of international navigation, adding that if possible, Italy are ready to participate in a multilateral naval initiative in the Strait of Hormuz, with a defensive nature, to guarantee freedom of navigation.
Channel 12 Israel said that a message had been conveyed to the US advocating for a decisive shift in objective by Israeli officials, in a report that says the officials are urging the US to prioritise the destruction of Iran’s energy infrastructure as the primary decision to move on from the current stalement, noting that the Israeli position suggests such an operation could be completed within a 24-hour time window, and the rationale behind the strategy is that the rapid and total neutralisation of Iran’s energy sector would effectively cripple its economy, leaving the government with no choice but to enter negotiations in a submissive state (which hasn’t happened in Gaza or Lebanon, but Israel claim they can do it in Iran within one day).
An Israeli citizen and three soldiers have been arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran, following the suspects documenting train stations, shopping centres, security cameras and the Israeli Air Force technical school where some of them had studied, according to Israeli security forces, claiming some of the suspects approached Iranian contacts on their own initiative, while others were involved in vandalism as part of their connection, Channel 14 Israel reported.
Axios reporter Barak Ravid wasn’t happy with recent posts, which the journalist claims were created by Iranian State TV and it’s bots to influence accounts on social media, adding that the regime was allegedly pushing a propaganda campaign.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held discussions with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud to discuss the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, as both sides expressed their rejection to a return of escalation and the need to continue diplomatic contacts to reach a sustainable agreement, stressing the importance of restoring freedom of navigation to its pre-war February level, while Lavrov said the importance of resuming efforts aimed at normalising relations between Iran and the Gulf states in a comprehensive manner, adding that the Russian side confirmed its readiness to assist, taking into account the interests of all parties involved, Al Mayadeen reported.
Saudi Arabia denied the reopening of its airspace to US Forces, a Saudi source told Al Arabia, as Riyadh stressed its determination to reduce tensions and announced its support for Pakistan’s efforts to reach an agreement that could end the war, but the source told Al Arabia, referring to the news from the WSJ about the opening of Saudi airspace to the US: “Some parties, for suspicious reasons, are trying to present a misleading image of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s position.”
Riyadh Air was on the verge of launching during the conflict with Iran and the blockades of the Strait, which is now causing the airline a major obstacle, while conflicts in the Persian Gulf have disrupted flight routes and jeopardised the Saudi Kingdom’s dream of becoming an aviation hub, Tasnim News reported.
The Head of the Hajj and Pilgrimage Organisation has said that despite Saudi Arabia unable to help with flights this year, more than 17,500 Iranian pilgrims had still made the journey and have entered the Holy Land so far.
Turkey and Kuwait signed a defence cooperation agreement during a visit on May 7, according to KUNA, stating Kuwait’s Defence Ministry signed a letter of intent with Turkey’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB) on May 7 to strengthen cooperation in defence industries, logistics systems, technical coordination and the exchange of expertise, which was signed in Turkey by Kuwait Defence Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah and SSB President Dr Haluk Gorgun during the minister’s official visit.
UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan spoke with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, where Lavrov emphasised that supporting the US-Iran talks to prevent the resumption of hostilities was essential, while also discussing developments in the Strait of Hormuz.
A UAE Air Force C-17A made a trip to Ankara to load military equipment before making a return flight from Turkey to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
UAE’s Ministry of Defence said that they had engaged two ballistic missiles and three drones that were launched from Iran on May 8, resulting in three injuries, which coincided with the morning reports of alerts and explosions reported by Iranian media, adding that since the beginning of the war, Iran has fired a total of 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles, and 2263 drones towards the UAE, which led to 230 injured and 13 people dying overall.
Iranian state media has warned that the UAE will “pay the price” if the country is found to have committed “hostile actions” in connection with explosions at Bahman Pier in the early hours of Friday morning.
Stable and continuous operations in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah to contain threats from the west of the country were no longer an exception and the same logic could soon be applied towards the UAE, reported Fars News, claiming the turning of the cities of the UAE into operational nests for Mossad, platforms for cyber attacks and command bases for American and Israeli officers had shown that Abu Dhabi had moved beyond being a passive partner for the enemy.
Iranian lawmaker and member of Iran’s parliamentary National Security Committee, Ali Khezrian, warned on Friday that Tehran now viewed the UAE as a ‘hostile base’ for ‘enemies,’ similar to the Kurdistan region of Iraq, accusing the UAE of taking direct military action against Iran in the recent war, including the use of fighter jets with flags removed: “Iran’s security equation regarding the Kurdistan Region will now also include the UAE,” he said, adding: “At any moment, if the Islamic Republic senses an enemy base in the UAE, just as it attacks enemy bases in Erbil, it will take action and strike it,” warning that Tehran no longer considered the Emirates a neighbour, and that the label of ‘hostile base’ had been etched onto the country.
