A file image of U.S. President Donald Trump.
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Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday (May 8, 2026) that he was expecting Iran’s response to Washington’s latest proposal on a deal to end the Middle East war by “tonight.” “I’m getting a letter supposedly tonight, so we’ll see how that goes,” Trump told reporters outside the White House.
Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed at least five people on Friday, while Hezbollah fired rockets on northern Israel without inflicting any casualties.
Also read: U.S. imposes sanctions on 10 individuals, companies for aiding Iran’s weapons sector
A U.S. fighter jet disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers to enforce a port blockade on Friday, prompting retaliatory attacks and rattling a shaky truce as Tehran weighed Washington’s latest proposal to end the West Asia war. Iranian officials accused the United States of violating the ceasefire with the tanker strikes and hampering diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday (May 8) slammed Iranian efforts to control the Strait of Hormuz, following a report that Tehran has created an authority to approve transit through the vital waterway.
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May 09, 2026 07:30
U.S. imposes sanctions on 10 individuals, companies for aiding Iran’s weapons sector
The U.S. Treasury on Friday announced sanctions against 10 individuals and companies, including several in China and Hong Kong, for aiding efforts by Iran’s military to secure weapons and raw materials used to build Tehran’s Shahed drones.
The Treasury move, first reported by Reuters, comes days before U.S. President Donald Trump plans to travel to China for a meeting with President Xi Jinping and as efforts to end the war with Iran have stalled.
Read more:
U.S. imposes sanctions on 10 individuals, companies for aiding Iran’s weapons sector
U.S. sanctions 10 individuals and companies for supporting Iran's weapons sector, aiming to curb military capabilities and illicit commerce.
May 09, 2026 07:30
U.S. fire on Iran tankers sparks reprisals as deal hangs in balance
A U.S. fighter jet disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers to enforce a port blockade on Friday, prompting retaliatory attacks and rattling a shaky truce as Tehran weighed Washington’s latest proposal to end the West Asia war.
Iranian officials accused the United States of violating the ceasefire with the tanker strikes and hampering diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
Read more:
U.S. fire on Iran tankers sparks reprisals as deal hangs in balance
U.S. strikes on Iranian tankers escalate tensions, jeopardizing ceasefire and diplomatic efforts amid ongoing conflict in West Asia.
May 09, 2026 07:30
Trump says expecting Iran response to latest proposal soon
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he was expecting Iran’s response to Washington’s latest proposal on a deal to ending the Middle East war by “tonight.”
“I’m getting a letter supposedly tonight, so we’ll see how that goes,” Trump told reporters outside the White House.
-AFP
Published - May 09, 2026 07:30 am IST
