The Pentagon’s top budget official told Congress the Defence Department now believes the cost of Operation Epic Fury is “closer to USD 29 (billion).”
Jules Hurst, the Pentagon comptroller, told Congress in testimony Tuesday, May 12, that the estimate has climbed from the USD 25 billion he provided lawmakers nearly two weeks ago “because of updated repair and replacement of equipment … and also just general operational costs.”
Hegseth says ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite exchange of fire
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said “it’s evident” the ceasefire remains in effect in response to questions from lawmakers on Tuesday.
“Cease fire means the fire is ceasing and we know that has occurred while negotiations occur,” Hegseth said even as the US military said it intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz last week.
Hegseth also said restarting military escorts of merchant shipping known as Project Freedom “could always recommence should the commander in chief want us to.”
In response to lawmakers arguing the US military is facing issues in replenishing the bombs and missiles it has expended in the war with Iran, Hegseth said the Pentagon is “well aware of all those dynamics.”
“The munitions issue has been foolishly and unhelpfully overstated,” Hegseth claimed before adding “we know exactly what we have, we have plenty of what we need.”
The comments come just days after Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly told “Face the Nation” on Sunday that it’s “shocking how deep we have gone into these magazines.”
Hegseth fired back on social media, saying Kelly was “blabbing on TV (falsely & dumbly) about a *CLASSIFIED* Pentagon briefing he received.”
Kuwait accuses Iran of sending armed IRGC team to attack nation
Kuwait accused Iran on Tuesday, May 12, of sending an armed paramilitary Revolutionary Guard team to attack an island in the Middle East nation home to a China-funded port project, just before US President Donald Trump travels to Beijing for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Iran didn’t immediately acknowledge the allegation by Kuwait, which came under repeated attack by Iran in the war and even during the shaky ceasefire still holding in the region. However, the allegation and ongoing attacks throughout the region have threatened to tip the region back into open warfare.
The accusation came as the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, said that Israel sent Iron Dome anti-missile batteries and personnel to operate them to the United Arab Emirates to defend the country during the war as well.
That underlined the growing defence relationship between Israel and the UAE, countries long suspicious of Iran. It also represents the first publicly acknowledged deployment of Israel’s military to the Emirates, a federation of seven sheikdoms on the Arabian Peninsula home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The narrow Strait of Hormuz remains in Tehran’s chokehold, and negotiations between the US and Iran appear at a standstill for the moment — also raising the risk of the conflict breaking out again.
Kuwait alleges Iran planned an attack
Kuwait said that a team of six armed members of the Guard tried to infiltrate Bubiyan Island in the northwest corner of the Persian Gulf near Iraq and Iran.
It accused the team of planning to carry out “hostile acts.”
Kuwait said that it detained four of the men, while two escaped. Kuwait, which said one of its security officials had been wounded in the attack.
Bubiyan Island is home to Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, which is under construction as part of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative. That project also came under attack during the war by Iran.
Trump is travelling this week to China for a summit with Xi, during which Iran will likely be a topic. Beijing has long been a buyer of sanctioned Iranian crude oil and has been hurt by the Strait’s closure, which has sparked a global energy crisis.
US consumer prices jump as Iran war sends energy prices rapidly higher
US consumer prices climbed sharply again last month as the 10-week war with Iran pushed energy prices higher.
The Labour Department’s consumer price index rose 3.8 per cent from April 2025, according to data released Tuesday. On a month-to-month basis, April prices rose 0.6 per cent from March as gasoline prices rose 5.4 per cent during the month; the month-over-month gain was down from 0.9 per cent increase from February to March.
West Asia crisis likely to dominate BRICS foreign ministers meeting in New Delhi this week
The escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on the global energy supply chain are expected to dominate deliberations at a two-day meeting of BRICS foreign ministers to be hosted by India this week.
While Tehran has informed New Delhi that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to attend the May 14-15 conclave, sources suggest his plans could change if the situation in the region changes dramatically.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will skip the meeting as his presence is required in Beijing for US President Donald Trump’s three-day state visit, which coincides with the BRICS gathering.
Chinese Ambassador to India Xi Feihong will attend the meeting on Wang’s behalf, Beijing announced on Tuesday. Foreign ministers of several BRICS member states, including Russia’s Sergey Lavrov, have already confirmed their participation, the sources said.
The BRICS foreign ministers will also call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hegseth is facing new round of questioning from Congress on Iran war
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth will face a new round of questioning from lawmakers over the Iran war on Tuesday, including some Republicans who have expressed concerns over the length of the conflict and its lack of congressional approval.
The powerful House and Senate subcommittees that oversee defence spending are holding back-to-back hearings to review the Trump administration’s 2027 military budget proposal, which calls for a historic allocation of USD 1.5 trillion. But the discussions are expected to veer into the handling of a war that appears locked in a stalemate, as higher fuel prices pose political problems for Republicans in the midterm congressional elections.
President Donald Trump is facing increasing pressure from the economic shocks of Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor where 20 per cent of the world’s oil normally flows.
Israel attacks killed 380 in Lebanon since ‘ceasefire’
Israeli attacks and artillery fire have killed 380 people in Lebanon since the ceasefire was announced on April 17, the Health Ministry said.
Iran’s internet blackout enters 74th day
A near-total nationwide internet blackout has entered its 74th day and lasted for more than 1,752 hours, the monitoring group NetBlocks said.
“Since 28 February 2026, the world has seen advances in science and technology. Meanwhile, Iran’s regime has been arresting and executing technologists,” it said.
An Iranian government spokesperson earlier on Tuesday assured that internet access would return to normal after the US-Israel war on Iran comes to an end.
Iran threatens 90 pc uranium enrichment if attacked again
Amid reports that Trump was greatly dissatisfied with Tehran’s “stupid proposal” to Washington’s ceasefire proposal, Iranian Parliamentary Commission spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei, on Tuesday said that one of their responses in the event of another attack, “could be 90 per cent enrichment.”
“We will review it in the parliament,” he wrote on X.
According to officials, Tehran’s proposal included some nuclear concessions. However, the stalled diplomacy and recent sporadic exchanges of fire could tip the Middle East back into open warfare and prolong the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict. Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil and gas shipments, and America is blockading Iranian ports.
Iran’s proposal included far-reaching demands
Iran’s proposal asked that the US recognise its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, formalising its control over the international waterway. Iran has effectively closed the strait since the start of the war, allowing only a small number of ships to pass and charging tolls.
But experts say such an arrangement would likely violate international law that provides for freedom of navigation. That proposal is also likely to be widely rejected by the international community. The strait was open to international traffic before the war.
Iran is also demanding war reparations from the US, the lifting of international sanctions, the unfreezing of Iranian assets held abroad and an end to the war between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah, according to Iranian state TV.
“We did not demand any concessions — the only thing we demanded was Iran’s legitimate rights,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Monday. “The American side still insists on its one-sided views and unreasonable demands.”
Israel sent Iron Dome batteries, personnel to UAE to defend country: US ambassador
Israel sent Iron Dome anti-missile batteries and personnel to operate them to the United Arab Emirates to defend the country during the Iran war, the US ambassador to the country said on Tuesday.
Mike Huckabee made the comment on stage at an event in Tel Aviv, Israel.
“I’d like to say a word of appreciation for United Arab Emirates, the first Abraham Accords member,” Huckabee said at the Tel Aviv Conference. “Just look at the benefits. Israel just sent them Iron Dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.”
The United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, diplomatically recognised Israel in 2020.
The UAE did not immediately respond to a request for comment over the acknowledgment by Huckabee, though it underlined the growing defence relationship between the countries, long suspicious of Iran.
Huckabee urges other Gulf states to recognise Israel
Huckabee added that he was “very optimistic” that additional countries in the region will soon join the Abraham Accords, the 2020 diplomatic recognition deal that also included the Gulf Arab kingdom of Bahrain, for formal relations with Israel.
However, many Arab states remain incensed by Israel’s wide-ranging military campaigns after Hamas’ 2023 attack on the country, which has seen the Gaza Strip levelled and Iran’s allies attacked across the wider Mideast. Israel now controls territory in Lebanon and Syria as well.
Huckabee, in his remarks, also sought to shore up US support for the recent war, suggesting that “Israel is the appetiser, America has always been the entrée” for Iran’s theocracy.
“The Gulf states now understand they will have to make a choice — is it more likely they will be attacked by Iran or Israel?” Huckabee asked. “They see that Israel helped us, and Iran attacked us. Israel is not trying to take over your land, and is not sending missiles to you.”
Bahrain sentences two dozen over alleged Iran ties
Prosecutors in Bahrain said at least two dozen people were handed prison sentences on charges including espionage and conspiring with Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. They said three were sentenced to life. Others received shorter Iran-related sentences.
Bahrain, an island nation ruled by a Sunni Muslim monarchy with a Shiite-majority population, has sentenced dozens on Iran-related charges since the start of the war. Prosecutors and the Interior Ministry have alleged that Iran maintains cells that carry out espionage and help identify targets there. Rights groups say the island nation has widened a crackdown on dissidents during the war, as well as on Shiites.
Israel bombs Lebanon’s Nabatieh with 4 strikes
With four consecutive air strikes, Israel has bombed Jebchit town in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh region. The air attacks were quickly followed by artillery shelling that targeted the town, the National News Agency reported.
The Israeli military also launched strikes in an area surrounding the mosque in Jebchit, it added.
Lebanon’s health ministry said at least 2,869 people had been killed and more than 8,700 injured since violence escalated in March, including hundreds killed after the truce formally took effect in April.
Oil Minister Hardeep Puri dispels any fuel supply concerns
Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday assured that there is no fuel supply issue and said the government has ramped up LPG production from 35,000-36,000 tonnes/day to 54,000 tonnes amid the West Asia conflict.
Speaking at the CII Annual Business Summit, Puri said there is no LPG supply issue and that the country has 69 days of crude oil, 45 days of LNG, and 45 days of LPG stock.
“LPG production has been ramped up from 35,000-36,000 tonnes/day to 54,000 tonnes amid the West Asia conflict,” he said.
The Oil Minister said PM Narendra Modi’s austerity appeal should be taken as a wake-up call and urged everyone to start thinking of “measures” to lessen fiscal strain from the West Asia conflict.
Modi on Sunday, May 10, called for judicious use of fuel, postponement of gold purchases and foreign travel, among other measures, to strengthen the economy.
Israel is planning production of suicide drones to retaliate against Hezbollah
Israel’s Army Radio reported that the nation is building a military factory to mass-produce suicide drones to counter Hezbollah’s explosive drones.
“Hezbollah’s explosive drones pose a strategic difficulty for (Israeli) forces in southern Lebanon and on the northern border, and since the ceasefire began, those drones have claimed the lives of many fighters and civilians in the area,” the Army Radio said.
The fibreoptic drones used by Hezbollah are immune to electronic jamming and invisible to radar, completely bypassing it. In recent weeks, the drones have tested Israel’s sophisticated radar system, and the low-cost attack drone pierced through Israel’s defence systems worth USD billions.
Pakistan parked Iranian planes on its airbases to escape US airstrikes: report
Pakistan, which is playing mediator to end the US-Iran war, allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields to shield them from American airstrikes, CBS News reported in Washington, quoting US officials.
The report also claimed that Iran had parked its civilian aircraft in neighbouring Afghanistan to protect it from US airstrikes.
Reacting to the report, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called for a complete re-evaluation of Pakistan’s role as a mediator to end the US-Iran war that broke out on February 28 and has been put on pause since April 8.
“If this reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of the role Pakistan is playing as mediator between Iran, the United States and other parties,” Graham, the Senator from South Carolina, said in a post on X.
“Given some of the prior statements by Pakistani defence officials towards Israel, I would not be shocked if this were true,” Graham said.
Iran keeps up its executions
Iran has executed a person affiliated with the Baloch armed group, Ansar al-Furqan, working from the country’s southeastern province of Sistan Baluchestan, reported the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Abdoljalil Shahbaksh, the suspected fighter, was convicted of armed rebellion against security forces and membership in a “terrorist group,” and the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence.
Iran has carried out a string of executions since nationwide protests swept the country in January. Activist groups have long accused Iran of carrying out closed-door trials during which defendants are unable to fully defend themselves. Iran’s judiciary chief has repeatedly said that Tehran would increase the speed with which it carried out hangings to fight back against its enemies at home and abroad.
Israel issues forced displacement notices in 4 villages, towns in Lebanon
The Israeli army has yet again issued forced displacement notices for multiple villages and towns in southern Lebanon while it continues its military actions despite the ongoing “ceasefire.”
The most recent attack targeted villages and towns of Arzoun, Tayr Debba, Bazouriyeh, and al-Haush. Residents were asked to flee before Israel initiated military action in the areas.
Pakistan still trying to negotiate a deal
Two regional diplomats familiar with the ongoing talks said that Pakistan was continuing its efforts to broker a compromise.
One of the diplomats said Pakistan was trying to arrange a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war and paving the way for a broader dialogue on issues where the two sides remain divided.
Pakistan had hoped to help finalise the memorandum last week, but the effort did not materialise, and mediators are still working on various proposals, the diplomat said.
The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the behind-the-scenes diplomacy, added that Islamabad is receiving support from other regional countries in its peace efforts.
Trump, Xi appear intent on keeping differences over Iran war from overshadowing China summit
Trump on Tuesday is set to leave for Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping after weeks of trying, and failing, to persuade the Chinese government to use its considerable leverage to prod Iran to agree to US terms to end the two-month-old war, or at the very least, reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has veered between venting that China, the world’s biggest buyer of Iranian oil, hasn’t done more to get the Islamic Republic in line, and acknowledging that Xi’s government helped de-escalate the conflict last month by nudging Tehran back to ceasefire talks when negotiations wobbled.
But ahead of the US leader’s high-stakes visit, the White House has set low expectations that Trump will be able to persuade Xi to change China’s posture.
Instead, the administration seems determined not to let differences on Iran overshadow efforts to make headway on other difficult matters in the complicated relationship, ranging from trade to further Chinese cooperation to block exports of fentanyl precursors.
UK sanctions Iranian entities accused of deploying criminal proxies
Organisations and individuals accused of enabling hostile Iranian activity, including in the form of criminal proxies on British soil, are among those hit with new UK sanctions.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the new measures on Monday come in response to Iranian action against global security and its use of criminal gangs to carry out threats overseas.
They are designed to target illicit finance flows which enable the Iranian regime to pursue destabilising action across West Asia, including the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which is disrupting the global economy and military strikes against the UK’s Gulf allies.
(With inputs from agencies)
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