Major ground op imminent?; 'Profitable' blockade crumbles; Europe pushed to brink  - IRAN WAR NEWS - 2-May-2026 (updated)

UPDATE 1

Israel is making Palestinians disappear in more ways than one | Middle East Eye

Reports of missing children and 'evaporated' bodies reveal a widening pattern of erasure in Gaza, where entire families are killed, lost under rubble or reduced to biological traces

What exactly is white phosphorus and why is it controversial? | Middle East Eye

Israel has used the deadly munition extensively in Lebanon and Gaza amid condemnation from human rights monitors

[...]

White phosphorus causes serious bodily harm, including suffocation, in closed spaces such as tunnels.

Prolonged exposure to the airways can result in nausea, burning, fluid buildup in the lungs and extreme thirst.

White phosphorus is also sticky, clinging to skin and clothes, generating temperatures of up to 2,500C and burning through flesh to the bone, causing excruciating injuries.

Sometimes wounds will smoke or phosphoric acid will appear. White phosphorus can also poison organs if it gets into the bloodstream, causing death.

Those exposed are treated by removing the burning substance and covering the wounds to prevent reignition (white phosphorus can reignite, even if it appears extinguished).

INTEL Roundtable w/ Johnson & McGovern - Weekly Wrap 1-May - YouTube

Trump unpredictable. Yet Larry and I are asked to predict if Iran war will resume this week. I lean toward NO, based on Putin's recent warning and Trump's dodging the 60-day deadline. Larry leans toward YES, as still more weapons/troops arrive in the area.

Mark Levin is a "Constitutional Grifter" calling for censorship of American citizens | Redacted - YouTube

So Mark Levin has built an entire career selling America the language of liberty. His show is literally called Life, Liberty & Levin. That's the brand right. Life. Liberty. Constitution. The Founding fathers. Limited government. Free speech. The Bill of Rights. Keep the government out of my life. That's the show.

But apparently now we're seeing what happens when the speech being protected is speech Mark Levin doesn't like. Speech that goes against is warmongering support of Israel's wars in Lebanon, Gaza and Iran.

Hezbollah Shoots Down Another Israeli Hermes 450 Using Hybrid Iranian Interceptor (Video)

Hezbollah on May 2 shared video footage showing its fighters shooting down a Hermes 450 combat drone of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) over southern Lebanon using what appears to be an Iranian-made jet-powered interceptor.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene - "MAGA is Dead. Where Do We Go From Here?" - YouTube

END UPDATES

Trump Tells Congress Iran Hostilities Terminated, US Force Posture Still Being Updated

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that hostilities against Iran, which began on February 28, have terminated, though the Pentagon continues to update its military posture in the region as the threat remains.

[...]

"Accordingly, the Department of War continues to update its force posture in the AOR [area of responsibility] in select countries, as necessary and appropriate, to address Iranian and Iranian proxy forces' threats and to protect the United States and its allies and partners," the letter added.

War 'likely' to resume, says Iran's military headquarters | Middle East Eye

Iran's military headquarters has released a statement saying the resumption of war between the US and Iran is "likely as evidence shows the US is not committed" to any agreement or treaty.

The Iranians believe they have shown enough flexibility before the war began, during talks held in Islamabad and then during the ceasefire, Al Jazeera reported.

Tehran does not believe this has been reciprocated by Washington and now expects war to continue.

Professor Marandi: 'I think the chances for conflict are very high' - YouTube

In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Professor Marandi said he believes the chances of "conflict are very high," noting that the United States did not deploy additional troops to the region after the 39-day Ramadan war merely to "sit there and do nothing."

Addressing the messages exchanged between Iran and the United States, Marandi pointed out that such communication is not new, as it has been ongoing for decades, but has intensified in recent months and weeks due to the war.

He added that while Iran may present new proposals, it will not allow its sovereignty to be undermined. Professor Marandi explained that unless the United States comes to terms with the reality on several issues, including Iran's peaceful nuclear program and its control of the Strait of Hormuz, "siege warfare" will continue, and "military conflict" is likely in the coming days or weeks.

Iran war: What's happening on day 64 as Trump rejects Tehran's proposal | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera

United States President Donald Trump has voiced frustration with Iran's latest peace proposal, saying "they're asking for things I can't agree to", and cautioning against ending the conflict too early, only for tensions to resurface "in three more years".

At the same time, Washington has warned that ships paying tolls or fees to Iran to transit the Strait of Hormuz could face US sanctions, signalling a tougher stance on maritime activity linked to Tehran.

Meanwhile, a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll shows 61 percent of Americans believe Trump's use of military force against Iran was a mistake.

Here is what we know:

In Iran

• Fourteen soldiers were killed on Friday during operations to defuse unexploded ordnance in the northwestern Zanjan province, local media reported.
• Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei urged his people to wage economic battle and "disappoint" its enemies, as the war with the US and Israel and years of sanctions take a toll.
• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said it would enforce "new rules" over waters near its coast, aiming to turn them into a "source of security and prosperity" for the region.

War diplomacy

• The US Department of State imposed new measures on entities linked to Iranian petroleum exports, including China-based Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal, accusing it of importing millions of barrels of sanctioned crude and enabling billions in revenue for Tehran. Beijing rejected the move as unlawful "unilateral sanctions".
• The State Department said it cleared more than $8.6bn in military sales to Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

In the US

• Trump said he was unhappy with Iran's new proposal for peace talks, which Iran's state news agency IRNA said was delivered via mediator Pakistan. "They're asking for things that I can't agree to," he said.
• Analyst Sultan Barakat said Iran and the US are "really desperate" to end the war in a way that allows them to "save face".
• Trump told top US lawmakers that hostilities in Iran had ended, after coming under pressure from Congress to seek authorisation for the conflict as it headed into its third month.
• The US Treasury Department slapped new sanctions on three Iranian foreign currency exchange firms to try to stem the flow of Tehran's "financial lifelines".
• The USS Gerald R Ford left the Middle East after taking part in operations against Iran, a US official said, according to reports. Two other aircraft carriers - the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George HW Bush - are among 20 US ships still in the region.
• Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said US military capability "has not changed" as Washington returns to its typical posture of two carrier groups.
• "The Ford carrier group had left the United States last June, and its deployment has been extended twice. The crew and the ship are tired, so the United States is sending the group home," he added.

In Lebanon

• Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health said 12 people were killed on Friday in Israeli strikes on the country's south, including in a town where Israel's army had issued a forced displacement order despite a ceasefire.
• Lebanon's parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, said Israel is using the ceasefire as cover to intensify attacks.

May 1: Irans resilience pays off with major strategic gains as US pressure tactics fail

On the military front, Washington suffered a symbolic blow as the USS Gerald R. Ford, its largest and most expensive carrier, was forced to withdraw from West Asia after a record deployment marked by rising vulnerabilities.

Meanwhile, political fallout in the US and Europe intensified as polls showed a majority of Americans view the war against Iran as a mistake. European leaders openly criticised Washington's strategy, and US President Donald Trump faced increasing scrutiny over a weapons deal tied to his own sons.

Oil markets surged as the crisis deepened, reflecting global recognition that Iran now holds decisive leverage in both the region and the Strait of Hormuz.

Key developments on day 63 of the war, the twenty-fourth day of the ceasefire:

• Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, vowed that the Iranian nation will defeat the enemy in the cultural and economic spheres as well, following the victory on the military battlefield.
• Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the US war secretary's attempt to portray the massacre of children in Minab as an "unfortunate incident," reiterating that the missile strike was "a heinous war crime." On Wednesday, Pete Hegseth described the deadly strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School as an "unfortunate incident".
• Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi said that the Islamic Republic is open to diplomacy in case the United States drops its excessive demands and stops using the language of threats against the country.
• Iranian Foreign Minister called on the international community to hold the United States and the Israeli regime accountable for their 40-day war of aggression against Iran, warning that the resulting insecurity in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is a direct consequence of their illegal actions.
• Araghchi said the Pentagon is lying about the financial toll of the war on Iran, noting that the aggression has directly cost the United States $100 billion so far, four times the official estimate.
• Iran said shifting positions of the US negotiators, lack of coordination in decision-making in Washington, and total collapse of trust between the parties are among the main obstacles to reaching an agreement to end the war.
• Iran's judiciary chief, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei, said that the United States cannot impose its demands at the negotiating table after failing to achieve its objectives through military aggression and threats.
• Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejected Washington's justification for the aggression it launched against the Iranian nation, dismissing US claims of self-defence. Questioning the premise of Washington's military actions, Baghaei asked, "'Self-defence' against what? Was there any 'armed attack' by Iran to justify 'self-defence'?"
• The Iranian ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, renewed the call for holding to account the Arab states complicit in the unjustified US-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic.
• The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest and most expensive aircraft carrier ever built by the United States, has been forced to withdraw from West Asia after 309 days of continuous deployment in support of the unprovoked US terrorist war against Iran.
• The US Air Force signed a weapons procurement deal with Powerus, a company backed by the sons of Donald Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr, raising conflict-of-interest concerns in the country's political circles, Bloomberg reported.
• A recent poll found that most Americans believe that using the US military against Iran was a mistake and that the war will make things worse in the United States. According to an ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted using Ipsos' Knowledge Panel, about 6 in 10 Americans say that it was a mistake to go to war against Iran.
• Trump said he may pull US troops from Italy and Spain due to their opposition to the war on Iran, a day after proposing a similar reduction in Germany.
• For War Powers Resolution purposes, the US war on Iran, which began in February, has now "terminated," a senior US administration official said.
• Germany's vice chancellor, Lars Klingbeil, criticized Trump over his anti-Iran strategy and called on him to end the war of aggression as quickly as possible.
• Israel admitted its failure to counter Hezbollah's drones, stressing that the aircraft has become one of the most significant challenges facing invading Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.
• Oil prices soared to four-year highs, with the US crude benchmark Brent for June delivery spiking more than 7 percent to $126.41, while West Texas Intermediate was up 3.4 percent to $110.31, before later paring gains.

New Report Reveals Most U.S. Middle East Bases Were Damaged By Iran

An investigation published by CNN on May 1 found that at least 16 United States military facilities across eight countries in the Middle East were damaged in Iranian strikes during the war.

According to an investigation, some of the facilities targeted in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Iraq are currently unusable.

[...]

Iranian strikes targets included advanced aircraft, among them the U.S. E-3 Sentry airborne early warning and control, known as "the eyes of the United States in the Gulf," which was destroyed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia; critical communications equipment, including facilities destroyed at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait; and radar systems, such as those damaged at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

[...]

Other American facilities hit in the Iranian strikes included Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which was struck in two separate attacks, Naval Support Activity Bahrain and Camp Buehring in Kuwait.

CNN attributed the accuracy of the strikes to the 2024 secretly Iranian purchase of a Chinese TEE-014 satellite - a major upgrade over the satellites the Islamic Republic had used until then. The satellite gave it the ability to view American facilities with remarkable precision.

Larry Johnson & Col. Wilkerson: It's Over: Iran Just Wiped Out Trump's Blockade - War IMMINENT

US-Iran conflict at day 60: Potential renewed strikes debated amid War Powers Resolution questions. Naval blockade deemed ineffective as Iran maintains oil exports. War costs estimated $25-50B amid US debt concerns. Iranian leadership shows unity; public support grows. Israel faces challenges in Lebanon as Hezbollah employs FPV drones. Russia warns against US ground operations in Iran. UAE exits OPEC/GCC amid regional shifts. Speakers highlight global economic instability, European military decline, and escalation risks. Emphasis on diplomatic solutions over continued military action, questioning strategic objectives and long-term consequences of current Middle East policies.

US blockade crumbles as Iran turns to overland routes

Pakistan formally activated a new transit corridor through Iran on Friday, announcing that the inaugural shipment including frozen meat bound for Tashkent, Uzbekistan had been dispatched via the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Iranian overland routes.

The country designated six transit routes, including multiple key corridors connecting ports and border points inside Pakistan, forming a wide network for overland trade into Iran in a bid to bypass the maritime trade routes in the Persian Gulf.

Hezbollah video "Remember Well" shows repeated Israeli defeats - Yemen Press Agency

BEIRUT, May 02 (YPA) - The Islamic resistance in Lebanon (Hezbollah) published a video, titled "Remember Well", shows how the history of Resistance against the Israeli occupation in South Lebanon is repeating itself.

Two men convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad executed in northwestern Iran

The death sentences of Yaghoub Karimpour and Nasser Bekrzadeh were carried out on Saturday morning after their convictions were upheld by the Supreme Court of Iran and finalized through the legal process.

Israeli airstrikes kill 12 more civilians in southern Lebanon amid continued ceasefire violations

Israeli forces have carried out a series of airstrikes targeting multiple areas in Lebanon's Nabatieh governorate, killing a dozen civilians and marking continued violations of a ceasefire agreement that has been in place since April 17.

Israeli army detains 10 Palestinians, including 5 children, in West Bank raids - Middle East Monitor

Sources told Anadolu that Israeli soldiers arrested five children while they were collecting wild plants south of Hebron, following incitement by Israeli occupiers.

The children were taken to an unknown location, with no immediate information available about their condition.

In the central West Bank, Israeli soldiers published a photo showing several young men following their arrest in the village of Burqa, east of Ramallah, an Anadolu correspondent reported. The image showed five detainees, with no further details provided.

Israeli forces also raided the town of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, and the town of Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, without reports of additional arrests or injuries.

According to official Palestinian data, Israeli army and occupier attacks in the West Bank since Oct. 2023 killed at least 1,155 Palestinians, injured around 11,750 others, and led to the arrest of nearly 22,000 people.

"Greater Israel": How Netanyahu and Trump Are Burying the Jewish State Alive

The pursuit of biblical mirages and tactical deals with conscience are leading Israel to total international isolation, economic strangulation, and a real threat to its existence.

China blocks US sanctions against refineries accused of buying Iranian oil | Middle East Eye

China's commerce ministry said on Saturday it had issued an injunction to block US sanctions imposed on five Chinese refiners accused of purchasing Iranian oil, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Spirit Airlines shuts down, cancels all flights over fuel crisis

Low-cost US carrier Spirit Airlines has decided to cancel all of its flights as it purportedly started an "orderly wind-down of operations," after a potential White House bailout fell through and rescue talks collapsed.

Oil prices now determined by Trump's mood - Fico - RT Business News

Global crude oil prices rise and fall depending on whether US President Donald Trump got enough sleep, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said in a sarcastic remark. His comment came after oil rose to a four-year high amid reports that the US military would brief Trump on options related to the Iran conflict.

Trump calls US naval blockade of Strait of Hormuz 'a very profitable business' - Middle East Monitor

President Donald Trump described on Friday the US Navy's seizure of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz as "a very profitable business," boasting that Washington had taken over Iranian cargo and oil as part of its blockade, Anadolu Agency reports.

[...]

Defending the blockade, Trump argued that Iran had used "the Hormuz Strait as a weapon for many, many years, they said they'll close it. So, they closed it, then I closed it on them."

12bytes: Reminder: Passage through the Hormuz Strait was free and open before Trump and Bibi started this war.

US approves possible military sales to Qatar, Kuwait, UAE - Middle East Monitor

The agency approved the possible sale of Patriot Air and Missile Defense replenishment services and related equipment to Qatar for $4.01 billion.

It also approved the potential sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) to Qatar for $992 million, and to the UAE for $147.6 million.

Separately, it green-lighted the possible sale of Integrated Battle Command System to Kuwait for $2.5 billion.

The US has reported delays in arms deliveries due to Iran - FT

The United States has informed its European allies, including the UK, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia, of delays in arms deliveries due to depleted stocks resulting from the war against Iran.

The Next Forever War Will Be In The U.S.

Texas congressional candidate and anti-war veteran Greg Stoker claims that Israel is conducting espionage to steal F-35 fighter jet technology, aiming to manufacture the jet themselves rather than purchase it from the U.S. He argues this exposes the official narrative of the US-Israel alliance as propaganda. The discussion covers the long-standing American political obsession with Iran, which Stoker asserts is nonsensical and influenced by Israeli interests.

IN OTHER NEWS...

Germany's Self-Destruct Pact: Merz Pushes Europe to the Brink

Germany is in crisis. Friedrich Merz and the CDU are pushing Germany toward confrontation with Russia, slashing social services to fund a massive military buildup, and picking fights with both the United States and China - all while Germany's industrial economy collapses to 2008 financial crisis levels. Alexander Mercouris and Alex Christoforou of The Duran break down how Germany is abandoning the very foundations it was built on, why the CDU is united behind this self-destructive course, and whether stoking fear of Russia is the establishment's last desperate move to block the AfD from taking power. Is Germany heading toward a complete political and economic breakdown?

EU fantasy to weaken Russia. Energy strikes continue

Europe's €90 billion loan to Ukraine is not what it appears - and Alex Christoforou and Alexander Mercouris of The Duran break down exactly why. Germany is set to funnel €20 billion directly to Kyiv in what looks less like a loan and more like a financial sleight of hand, all while German citizens endure austerity cuts at home. Meanwhile, Ukraine's long-promised EU membership is hitting a wall of resistance from existing member states - raising a devastating question: was that promise ever real? The Duran traces this deception all the way back to 2013, when the EU dangled membership as bait to rupture the Ukraine-Russia relationship, not to genuinely integrate Ukraine into Europe. As the front lines grind on and drone strikes hit Russian infrastructure, one question remains: has Ukraine been fighting a decade-long conflict for a future it was never actually going to receive?

U.S Intelligence Fingerprints Can Be Seen in Death of Nirvana Singer Kurt Cobain-Like with Jeffrey Epstein's Blackmail Network - CovertAction Magazine

This past year, an unofficial private sector team of forensic scientists that put fresh eyes on Cobain's autopsy and the crime scene material concluded that Cobain's death actually resulted from a homicide. A Utah investigator who also recently reviewed the case says he has new evidence that shows that Kurt Cobain was murdered.