The U.S. navy fired on an Iranian oil tanker Wednesday (Could 6, 2026) as U.S. President Donald Trump sought to stress Tehran into reaching a deal to finish the conflict. The Islamic Republic mentioned it was reviewing the most recent American proposals.
A fighter jet shot out the rudder of the tanker within the Gulf of Oman because it tried to breach the American blockade of Iran’s ports, U.S. Central Command mentioned in a social media publish.
The assault occurred as Iran and the U.S. are formally in a ceasefire. Mr. Trump threatened Tehran with a brand new wave of bombing if a deal is just not reached that features opening the essential Strait of Hormuz.
Mr. Trump posted on social media that the two-month conflict may quickly finish and that oil and pure gasoline shipments disrupted by the battle may restart. However he mentioned that relies on Iran accepting a reported settlement that the president didn’t element.
Iran-Israel conflict: Comply with updates on Could 6, 2026
“In the event that they don’t agree, the bombing begins,” Mr. Trump wrote.
In the meantime, Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs for the primary time since a ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group was introduced April 17. Combating has continued since then in southern Lebanon.
The final strikes in Beirut have been on April 8, when a collection of huge Israeli assaults killed greater than 350 individuals. Greater than 2,500 have died in Lebanon since preventing started March 2, two days after Israel and the U.S. launched the conflict on Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace mentioned Wednesday’s (Could 6, 2026) strike, which got here with out warning, focused a commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan Pressure. Hezbollah didn’t instantly remark.
Mr. Trump insisted Wednesday (Could 6, 2026) that Iranian officers wish to finish the conflict.
“We’re coping with those who wish to make a deal very a lot, and we’ll see whether or not or not they’ll make a deal that’s passable to us,” the president mentioned.
He recommended, each on the White Home and on social media, that the U.S. may finally power a settlement.
“In the event that they don’t agree, the bombing begins,” Mr. Trump mentioned on social media, “and it will likely be, sadly, at a a lot larger stage and depth than it was earlier than.”
The White Home believes it’s close to an settlement with Iran on a one-page memorandum to finish the conflict, in keeping with reporting by Axios. There isn’t any deal but, however provisions embrace a moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment, lifting of U.S. sanctions, distribution of frozen Iranian funds and opening the strait for ships.
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to questions concerning the attainable settlement.
A spokesman for the Iranian Overseas Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, informed state TV that Tehran had “strongly rejected” U.S. proposals reported by Axios, however that it was nonetheless analyzing the most recent proposed settlement.
A shaky ceasefire between the U.S. and Tehran has largely held because it started April 8. Pakistan hosted in-person talks final month between the 2 nations, however they failed to succeed in an settlement.
Mr. Trump sought to extend stress on Tehran the day after he suspended a short-lived U.S. effort to power open a protected passage for industrial ships by way of the strait. The waterway was an important passage for oil and gasoline provides, fertilizer and different petroleum merchandise earlier than the conflict.
Solely two American-flagged service provider ships are recognized to have handed by way of the U.S.-guarded route after it opened Monday (Could 4, 2026). The U.S. navy mentioned it sank six Iranian small boats threatening civilian ships.
Iran’s efficient closure of the strait has despatched gas costs skyrocketing, rattled the worldwide financial system and put monumental financial stress on nations, together with main powers similar to China.
China’s Overseas Minister known as for a complete ceasefire Wednesday (Could 6, 2026) after assembly in Beijing with Iran’s prime envoy. Wang Yi mentioned his nation was “deeply distressed” by the battle, which started February 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes towards Iran.
China’s shut financial and political ties to Tehran give it a singular place of affect. The Trump administration is urgent China to make use of that relationship to induce the Islamic Republic to open the strait.
Iranian Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi’s go to to China got here forward of a deliberate journey by Mr. Trump to Beijing.
Mr. Trump is scheduled to attend a high-profile summit on Could 14 and 15 with Chinese language President Xi Jinping. Mr. Trump was the final U.S. president to go to China in 2017.
“We consider {that a} complete ceasefire is urgently wanted, {that a} resumption of hostilities is just not acceptable,” Mr. Wang mentioned in a video of the assembly.
The Chinese language Overseas Minister mentioned the battle “has not solely brought on critical losses to the Iranian individuals, but in addition had a extreme impression on regional and international peace.”
Mr. Araghchi informed Iranian state TV that his go to included discussions of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran.
Mr. Trump has demanded a serious rollback of Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
An announcement revealed on the Chinese language Overseas Ministry’s web site mentioned China values Iran’s pledge to not pursue nuclear weapons whereas affirming its “authentic proper to the peaceable use of nuclear power.”
Lots of of service provider ships stay bottled up within the Persian Gulf, unable to succeed in the open sea with out passing by way of the Strait of Hormuz.
A cargo container ship operated by the CMA CGM Group was broken, and a number of crew members have been wounded when it got here beneath assault whereas transiting the strait Tuesday (Could 5, 2026), the French delivery firm mentioned. It mentioned the injured crew members have been taken off the ship and obtained medical remedy.
Oil costs and delivery won’t probably return to regular till the chance of assaults within the strait has receded, mentioned Kaho Yu, head of power and sources in danger intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft.
“Refiners, shippers and commodity merchants will stay cautious till there may be clearer proof that Hormuz disruptions won’t re-escalate,” he mentioned.
Amongst them is Hapag-Lloyd, one of many world’s largest delivery corporations. It mentioned in an announcement that the strait’s shutdown is costing it round $60 million per week, with rising gas and insurance coverage prices hitting significantly laborious. The corporate mentioned alternate routes to different harbors or over land are restricted.
The spot worth of Brent crude oil, the worldwide customary, fell to round $100 per barrel Wednesday (Could 6, 2026), easing considerably from large worth jumps earlier within the week. Crude bought for roughly $70 a barrel earlier than the conflict started.