Real-time News

On May 18th, according to Al Jazeera, Iran stated that Trump's threatening rhetoric and pressure tactics are unacceptable and insisted that the United States should engage with Iran on the basis of mutual respect. Tehran responded to Washington's escalating rhetoric with the same determination, demonstrating the same level of readiness and military preparedness on both sides. Iran stated that it is prepared for any form of escalation, whether the situation is in the Strait of Hormuz or on its territory. Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi stated that Iran's preparations are "currently" over 100%.

According to Axios, US President Trump stated that he still believes Iran wants a deal and that he is awaiting an updated proposal from Iran, hoping it will be better than the one presented a few days ago. He declined to give a specific timeframe for negotiations with Iran.

Saudi Foreign Ministry statement: Saudi Arabia condemns the drone attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates.

According to the UAE's national news agency, following the drone attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant, the UAE Foreign Minister spoke by phone with several regional counterparts, including the Saudi Foreign Minister.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: We also discussed Ukraine's European integration process. We are ready to launch the relevant negotiating groups, and we discussed the specific timetable and necessary communication arrangements.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: I briefed him on our recent contacts with European leaders and the United States. We agreed that Europe must participate in the negotiations.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: I spoke with European Council President Costa. We discussed in detail the prospects for the negotiation process aimed at achieving peace in Ukraine and throughout Europe.

The Lithuanian National Crisis Management Center reported that a suspected Ukrainian military drone crashed in Lithuania.

According to Nikkei: Japan will formulate guidelines for using Anthropic's Mythos for cyber defense.

According to Saudi media Alhadath, Israeli media reports that the list of targets for strikes against Iran includes locations that Washington refused to target in the previous round of operations.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, citing official sources, said that if Trump approves the resumption of hostilities (with Iran), a joint attack will be launched.

May 18 - According to the China Earthquake Networks Center, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Liunan District, Liuzhou City, Guangxi Province (24.38°N, 109.26°E) at 00:21 on May 18, 2026, with a focal depth of 8 kilometers. The China Earthquake Administration has activated a Level III emergency response.

On May 18th, it was learned that the Israeli military warned again on the evening of May 17th that it faces a manpower shortage of approximately 12,000 personnel, including 7,000 combat troops, due to the immense pressure placed on its standing and reserve forces by multi-front warfare in recent years. The Israeli military stated that unless the government addresses the personnel shortage through legislation, this gap will only widen further due to the reduction of conscription in early 2027.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen: It is a pleasure to meet with the Swedish Prime Minister and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gothenburg. The agreements we have reached mark the beginning of a new era in our relationship.

May 18th - According to a report by the Financial Times citing sources, the UK and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are close to finalizing a long-awaited free trade agreement after years of negotiations. Since 2022, the UK has been negotiating a free trade agreement with GCC member states—including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. One source indicated that the two sides will reach an agreement in principle within days, and GCC Secretary-General Jassim Boudawi is expected to visit London this week. A British official told the newspaper that negotiations are in their later stages; a British government spokesperson also stated that negotiations are ongoing and a government priority.

According to Saudi media outlet Alhadath, Trump told Israeli media, "Iran should be afraid and wary of me."

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have killed one Palestinian and injured several others.