A U.S. fighter jet on Wednesday fired on an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman as it tried to breach the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports, the U.S. military said.
The attack occurred as Iran and the U.S. are officially in a ceasefire and as the two countries seemed to be approaching an agreement to end the war. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran with a new wave of bombing if a deal is not reached that includes opening the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Hours after he threatened to bomb Iran into submission, Trump said they want to make a deal and “we’ll see if we get there.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick appeared before a House committee for a closed-door interview over his contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the years after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. Lutnick has given contradictory statements about his relationship with Epstein but says he has done nothing wrong.
So far, lawmakers emerged from the private interview with vastly different assessments of Lutnick’s answers. The committee chairman, GOP Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, said Lutnick had been “forthcoming” in describing limited interactions with Epstein.
Democrats accused Lutnick of lying and evading their questions.
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Lutnick is departing Capitol Hill
The commerce secretary has left the room where he was being interviewed by the House Oversight Committee on his previous contacts with Jeffrey Epstein.
The interview lasted just over four hours, but that’s relatively short by the standards of the committee. Lawmakers have kept some interviewees for hours as they try to wear them down with relentless questions.
So far, lawmakers emerged from the private interview with vastly different assessments of Lutnick’s answers. The committee chairman, GOP Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, said Lutnick had been “forthcoming” in describing limited interactions with Epstein.
Democrats accused Lutnick of lying and evading their questions.
Lutnick interview is not being recorded on video
The commerce secretary’s interview with lawmakers will be released via transcript, but not video. The committee has video recorded depositions for others, including former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state.
Democrats slammed that decision and said it allowed Lutnick to escape the same level of scrutiny that has been applied to others.
But the committee’s Republican chair. Rep. James Comer countered that it makes the committee’s investigation easier when subjects like Lutnick voluntarily sit down for an interview, rather than resist the committee’s requests and potential subpoenas.
“Nobody wants to be videoed. If you come in, you work with us, then you know, you might not have to be videoed,” he said.
Trump says deal with Iran is ‘very possible’
Hours after he threatened to bomb Iran into submission, Trump said they want to make a deal and “we’ll see if we get there.”
“We’ve had very good talks over the last 24 hours and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after he summoned them to see the UFC fighters he’d been meeting with.
“This is very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” the president said.
Israeli strikes kill five across Gaza, hospitals say
Five Palestinians were killed in separate Israeli strikes across Gaza on Wednesday, including incidents near the so-called “Yellow Line,” a boundary dividing Israeli-controlled areas from the rest of the enclave, local health officials said.
One person was killed in Khan Younis when a strike hit a car, according to Nasser Hospital. In Gaza City, three people, including a 16-year-old, were killed earlier in the day when a strike hit an area where residents had been setting up tents, Al Ahli Hospital said. A fifth fatality was reported later in Gaza City after a strike hit a street about 200 meters from the Yellow Line, the same hospital added.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
At Al-Ahli hospital, relatives wept over bodies laid out on hospital beds, some clinging to each other in grief as they said their final goodbyes.
At the strike site in Khan Younis, smoke billowed as people ran in panic.
The deaths come amid a fragile ceasefire that has largely reduced heavy fighting but has not stopped near-daily Israeli fire. Israeli forces have carried out repeated airstrikes and frequently fire on Palestinians near military- held zones, killing at least 837 Palestinians, including at least 226 children and 179 women, according to Gaza health officials.
Democrats accuse Lutnick of evading their questions about contact with Epstein
Democratic lawmakers who are questioning Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick behind closed doors emerged from the room saying that Lutnick is refusing to acknowledge that he made misleading statements in the past about his contacts with Jeffrey Epstein.
“He was evasive, nervous. He was dishonest,” said Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia. “He would not admit to lying, which he clearly did.”
The lawmakers said that the public should be able to observe Lutnick’s demeanor as he was answering questions, but the Republican-controlled committee is not video recording the interview.
The Republican committee chair, Rep. James Comer, said that the lack of video kept with the committee’s practice for voluntary interviews and that a transcription of the interview will be released later.
Iran’s foreign ministry says Tehran is still examining the latest US ceasefire proposal
The ministry’s spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told state media Wednesday that Iran had already “strongly rejected” proposals that the Axios news outlet reported the US had put forward for the agreement with Iran.
Axios had reported earlier that the deal included Iran agreeing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment.
Israel strikes Beirut suburbs for first time since ceasefire was announced
Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs Wednesday for the first time since a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group was announced on April 17.
Fighting has continued since then in southern Lebanon.
The last attacks in Beirut were before that, on April 8, when a series of massive Israeli strikes, including in central Beirut, killed more than 350 people.
A statement released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Wednesday’s strike, which came without warning, targeted a commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force. Hezbollah did not immediately comment.
US military fires on Iranian-flagged oil tanker in Gulf of Oman
An American fighter jet shot out the rudder of an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday as it tried to breach the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports, the American military said in a social media post.
The attack occurred as Iran and the U.S. are officially in a ceasefire and as the two countries appear to be moving closer to an initial agreement to end the war. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to pressure Tehran with threats of a new wave of bombing if a deal is not reached.
American forces issued multiple warnings and informed the ship it was violating the blockade, U.S. Central Command said in its post.
Trump says question is whether Iran can make a deal ‘that’s satisfactory to us’
The president insisted that Iranian officials want an agreement to end the war, suggesting as he did previously over social media that U.S. actions could ultimately force a settlement.
“We’re dealing with people that want to make a deal very much, and we’ll see whether or not they can make a deal that’s satisfactory to us,” Trump said at a Mother’s Day lunch at the White House.
The president added: “And if they don’t agree, they’ll end up agreeing shortly thereafter.”
Trump called the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz a “wall of steel,” as both countries jockey to use the stoppage in oil and natural gas shipments as a way to pressure the other side.
AP source: Office of Virginia Senate leader searched by FBI as part of corruption probe
The FBI searched the Virginia state Senate leader’s office on Wednesday as part of a corruption investigation, a person familiar with the matter said.
The search at Virginia Sen. L. Louise Lucas's district office in Portsmouth comes after the Democrat helped lead the state's recent redistricting effort.
The FBI said only that it was conducting a court-authorized search warrant in Portsmouth. The person who confirmed the FBI’s search was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
A message seeking comment was left on a cellphone for Lucas.
Amid a national, state-by-state partisan redistricting fight, Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment on April 21 authorizing new U.S. House districts. Backed by Democrats, the plan could help the party win up to four additional seats.
Lucas has been a vocal leader of the effort.
The state Supreme Court let the referendum proceed but has yet to rule whether the effort is legal. The court is considering an appeal of a lower court judge's ruling that the amendment is invalid because lawmakers violated procedural requirements.
—By Eric Tucker and Jennifer Peltz
UAE urges UN to take action against Iran if it keeps blocking shipping and attacking neighbors
Mohamed Abushahab, the United Arab Emirates’ U.N. ambassador, said the Security Council must “compel Iran’s compliance” with its March resolution demanding that Tehran stop attacking its Gulf neighbors and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
He told reporters Wednesday that Iran attacked the UAE on May 4 -- while a ceasefire is in place -- with 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones which resulted in a fire on critical energy infrastructure in the Fujairah oil industry zone.
The United States and its Gulf allies including the UAE have circulated a new Security Council resolution threatening Iran with sanctions or other measures if it doesn’t stop attacks and open the critically important strait, where about 20% of the world’s crude oil had transited.
The proposed resolution was drafted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter which can be enforced militarily. A watered-down resolution aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz, which was stripped of Chapter 7 language, was vetoed by Russia and China hours before Washington and Tehran announced a temporary ceasefire in early April.
The UAE’s Abushahab was asked whether he thought Russia and China would agree to the new draft under Chapter 7. “Not only is it possible, but it’s necessary,” he replied.
GOP chair of oversight panel says Lutnick was not ‘truthful’ about Epstein ties
Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters as he entered the closed-door interview that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had in the past not been “100% truthful” about whether he had ever visited Epstein’s infamous private island.
Lutnick said on a podcast last year that he had decided to “never be in the room” with Epstein following a 2005 tour of Epstein’s home that disturbed Lutnick and his wife. But the release of case files on Epstein showed that Lutnick had kept in contact with Epstein and met up with him a couple of times in 2011 and 2012.
Under questioning from Democrats during an unrelated hearing earlier this year, Lutnick said he had visited Epstein’s private island with his family in 2012 for lunch.
AP-NORC poll: Many Americans have conflicting views on birthright citizenship
This poll comes as the Supreme Court weighs President Trump’s efforts to restrict birthright citizenship.
The AP-NORC poll finds about two-thirds of U.S. adults say automatic citizenship should be granted to all children born in the country. Most Democrats and independents back that view, but Republicans are more doubtful: just 44% support birthright citizenship.
The poll also shows that some people are conflicted, saying in general that they support birthright citizenship but also that they oppose it in some specific circumstances.
For instance, the poll found about three-quarters of U.S. adults say they support automatic citizenship for children born to parents who are in the country legally on work visas, while only about half support it for those born to parents who are in the country illegally.
Trump’s commerce secretary arrives for interview in congressional Epstein investigation
Howard Lutnick is answering questions from House lawmakers today about his relationship with his former neighbor, Jeffrey Epstein.
The commerce secretary is the highest-ranking official in the Trump administration, besides Trump himself, to appear in the Epstein case files.
Lutnick has said he barely knew Epstein and has welcomed the closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee, but his story on his interactions with Epstein has changed. He met with Epstein a couple times and exchanged emails with the financier, even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction in Florida for soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
French navy moving to support shipping through the strait
France’s aircraft carrier strike group is moving south of the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea in preparation for a potential future mission as part of a French-British plan for the Strait of Hormuz, a senior French military spokesman told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The repositioning of the nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle puts France’s only carrier closer to the Persian Gulf chokepoint where Iran has effectively halted commercial traffic since early March. The French effort is distinct from the U.S. “Project Freedom” mission launched Sunday and paused by Trump on Tuesday evening.
“Going south of Suez is new for us,” said Col. Guillaume Vernet, spokesman for the French armed forces chief of staff.
The wider Hormuz coalition — drawn up by France, Britain and more than 50 nations — will not begin operating until the threat to shipping eases and the maritime industry is reassured enough to use the strait, Vernet said, adding that any operation would also require the agreement of neighboring countries.
An attack damaged a French-operated cargo ship and injured its crew, company says
A cargo container ship operated by the CMA CGM Group was damaged when it came under attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the French shipping company said Wednesday.
Multiple crew members were injured in the attack on the CMA CGM San Antonio, the company said without providing details. The injured crew were taken off the ship and are receiving medical treatment.
Trump is going to Beijing. Iran’s foreign minister got there ahead of him
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's visit comes ahead of Trump's planned high-profile summit on May 14 and 15 with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first such trip by a U.S. president since Trump visited in 2017.
In a televised interview Wednesday with Iran’s state media from Beijing, Araghchi said his discussions with Chinese officials included the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran. And he said Iran has attained “an elevated international standing,” having proven its capabilities and strength.
China’s Foreign Ministry said after the meeting that it values Iran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear weapons while affirming its “legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had expressed hope on Tuesday Beijing would reiterate the need for Iran to release its chokehold on the strait, its main source of leverage, as Trump demands a major rollback of its disputed nuclear program.
Trump’s Indiana wins show his power over GOP with more primaries and redistricting debates ahead
Five months ago, Trump was stinging from a political defeat as Republican state senators defied him on redistricting in Indiana. Now he has proved he can still punish wayward party members after the slate of challengers he endorsed defeated almost every one of those lawmakers.
The results will likely bolster Trump's confidence heading into upcoming Republican primaries where he wants more incumbents ousted, including Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
Indiana's primary results also ratchet up pressure on Republican lawmakers in other states to move aggressively to redraw congressional district boundaries in time for the November elections.
Shipper either loses millions or risks sanctions for paying Iranians for safe passage
Hamburg-based shipping company Hapag-Lloyd says the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is costing it around $60 million a week, in particular in costs for fuel and insurance, as it remains too risky to permit its ships to try getting through.
Insurance costs have shot up due to the risk of attack from Iranian drones and small boats. Alternate routes to safe harbors or overland are “limited in capacity and cannot completely replace the regular maritime routes through the region,” a company statement said.
The number of ships passing the strait has dwindled to a trickle. Iran has demanded that vessels go through a vetting process run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp that involves passing to the north near the Iranian cost, submitting information on crew and cargo, and in some cases paying. But paying the IRGC risks running afoul of sanctions from the US and the EU, which have designated it a terrorist organization.
Shipping industry and oil traders see no quick return to normal
Oil prices and shipping are unlikely to return to normal until it’s clear the risk of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz have receded, cautions Kaho Yu, head of energy and resources resources at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.
“Even with diplomatic engagement continuing, energy markets are unlikely to return quickly to pre-crisis assumptions,” he said. “Refiners, shippers, and commodity traders will remain cautious until there is clearer evidence that Hormuz disruptions will not re-escalate.”
Despite the Iran-China meeting’s emphasis on de-escalation, “Hormuz remains the real metric that will be watched,” he added. “Tanker traffic and energy flows over the coming weeks and months are likely to matter more than diplomatic language in assessing whether Beijing can translate influence with Tehran into practical stability.”
Poll: Most believe the US is no longer a great place for immigrants
About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say the United States is no longer a great place for immigrants, according to the AP-NORC poll.
Roughly 3 in 10 say the U.S. is a great place for immigrants, while about 1 in 10 say it never was. The belief that America is no longer great for immigrants is more common among Democrats and independents.
Nick Grivas, a 40-year-old Democrat from Massachusetts, said he worries that federal immigration policies could discourage new arrivals from investing in their communities, especially if they don’t believe they will be allowed to remain.
“You’re less willing to commit to the project if you don’t think that you’re gonna be able to stay,” he said.
White House says it believes an agreement with Iran is near
The White House believes it is nearing an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum to end the war, according to reporting by Axios.
There is not an agreement yet, but the provisions include a moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment, a lifting of U.S. sanctions and the distribution of frozen Iranian funds and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz for ships.
The White House did not respond to questions about the possible agreement.
Trump threatens Iran with bombing if it doesn’t reopen Strait of Hormuz
Trump posted on social media that the war with Iran could soon end and oil and natural gas shipments could restart. But that all depends on Iran accepting a reported agreement that the U.S. president did not detail.
“If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before,” Trump said.
Trump said that it was “perhaps a big assumption” that Iran would agree to the terms being offered by the United States.
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