TOP STORIES
“US operations during Operation Epic Fury have severely ‘degraded’ Iran’s Navy to the point it could take a decade for Tehran to build it back up, the head of US Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, told lawmakers today. Cooper also said that the operations have been successful in effectively cutting Iran off from being able to provide weapons and support to its proxy partners in the region, such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.”
U.S. No Longer Using High-End Munitions on Iran’s Drones, Central Command Leader Says | CBS News
“Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads U.S. Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that American forces have stopped using high-end munitions to shoot down Iran's drones. . . . Cooper says the U.S. military is now using lower-cost munitions. The admiral said Iran only has 10% of its drones left.”
China Will Work Behind the Scenes to Help Reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Bessent Says | CNBC
“China will use its influence on Iran to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC in an interview Thursday. . . . No oil has been loaded at [Iran’s] main export terminal, Kharg Island, in the past three days, Bessent said. The U.S. believes Iran’s storage tanks are full, he said. ‘None of the ships are getting out, none are coming in, so they’re not able to store oil on the water,’ according to the Treasury secretary. ‘They’re going to start shutting down the production. We can see that’s happening from satellite photos.’”
UANI IN THE NEWS
“Iran’s push to charge merchant shippers for passage through the Strait of Hormuz under threat of violence could spread to other parts of the world, maritime experts said this week. . . . [T]here are still Iranian ships getting through. United Against Nuclear Iran tracked MT Huge (IMO: 9357183) in the South China Sea on Wednesday. It left Chabahar, Iran, on April 14.”
MMEA Flags Iranian-Linked Oil Transfers near Malaysian Waters | Free Malaysia Today
“US-based advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) said satellite imagery has shown 42 ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian oil conducted in the EOPL area since Feb 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran, starting a war in the Middle East. UANI adviser Charlie Brown said Malaysia’s ‘inaction’ is facilitating the business model by Iran and China and ‘dark fleet actors,’ warning that Malaysia is becoming ‘a facilitator rather than merely a transit point’ for illicit activity.”
MILITARY MATTERS & STRAIT OF HORMUZ CRISIS
“The top U.S. military commander in the Middle East conceded that Iran still maintains a ‘very moderate if not small capability to continue strikes’ in the region amid questions from lawmakers Thursday. In response to questions from Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads U.S. Central Command, also said the U.S. has the military power to permanently reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, when Slotkin pressed on why Cooper hasn’t done so, especially amid rising gas prices rising for Americans, Cooper deferred to policymakers amid ongoing peace negotiations.”
Centcom Chief Disputes Reports Iran Retains 70% of Prewar Missile Stocks | Wall Street Journal
“Adm. Brad Cooper, the chief of U.S. Central Command, knocked down news reports that Iran retains 70% to 75% of its prewar missiles and launchers as ‘not accurate.’”
Pentagon Official: Iran Still Threatens Strait of Hormuz | Politico
“A top Pentagon official conceded Thursday that Iran remains a threat in the Strait of Hormuz despite the Trump administration’s insistence it has devastated the country’s military capabilities. Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads the operations in the region, told lawmakers that Iran’s warnings continue to scare off commercial ships—despite U.S. military dominance in the region.”
A Top Commander Is Criticized for Dismissing Reports of Civilian Deaths in Iran | New York Times
“The senior officer overseeing U.S. combat operations in Iran told senators on Thursday that the destruction of an Iranian school, which Iranian officials said killed 175 people, may have been caused by a U.S. bomb and was the only civilian casualty event he knew of in a campaign of more than 13,600 strikes. . . . Senators greeted Admiral Cooper’s claims with deep skepticism, and a human rights group that investigates civilian casualties in war called it ‘ridiculous.’”
U.S. Forces Redirected 70 Vessels, “Disabled” 4 | CBS News
“U.S. forces have redirected 70 commercial vessels amid the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, according to U.S. Central Command. It has ‘disabled’ another four ‘to ensure compliance,’ CENTCOM said in a post on X Thursday.”
South Korea Dispatches Team to Investigate Attack on Ship near Strait of Hormuz | CBS News
“South Korea has dispatched a technical team to Dubai to investigate an attack on a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz, according to Chosun Biz. The Namu, run by HMM co., was struck by an unidentified missile on May 4 that exploded and left a seven-meter-deep gash in the ship's stern.”
DIPLOMACY
Trump Says He and Chinese President XI Jinping Feel ‘Very Similar on Iran' | ABC News
President Trump: “‘We [he and Xi] did discuss Iran. We feel very similar in Iran. We want that to end. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the [Strait of Hormuz] opened. We’re closing it now. They closed it, and we closed it on top of them, but we want the straits open, and we want them to get it ended, because it’s a crazy thing.”
Iran Has ‘No Trust’ in the US, Will Negotiate Only If It Is Serious, Araqchi Says | Reuters
“Tehran has ‘no trust’ in the U.S. and is interested in negotiating with Washington only if it is serious, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday, as talks on ending the war remained on hold. All vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz except those at war with Tehran, Araqchi told reporters in New Delhi during a visit to attend the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting, adding that vessels wanting to transit should coordinate with its navy.”
TERRORISM & INTELLIGENCE
Iran Parliament Working on Bill That Proposes €50M Reward for Killing Trump | Iran International
“Iran's parliament is reviewing a bill that requires the government to pay €50 million to any individual or entity that kills US President Donald Trump in retaliation for the killing of Iran's leader and commanders, a senior lawmaker said on Thursday.”
“The FBI is offering $200,000 for information that could lead to the arrest of a former Air Force intelligence specialist who was charged in 2019 with spying for Iran. In an announcement Thursday, the FBI said it is still trying to locate Monica Witt, who it believes defected to Iran in 2013. The agency said it believes she ‘likely continues to support (Iran’s) nefarious activities.’”
Honduras Officially Recognizes Hamas and the IRGC as Terrorist Groups | i24
“The official account of the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Honduras has released a statement, officially recognizing Hamas and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as terrorist entities.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
“U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he will make a decision over the next few days about lifting sanctions on Chinese oil companies that buy Iranian oil.”
Fuel Shortages and Rationing Push Iranians Into Gasoline Black Market | Iran International
“Fuel shortages and tighter rationing are pushing drivers across Iran into a growing gasoline black market, with citizens describing long lines at gas stations and sharply inflated prices in messages sent to Iran International.”
Cut Off Hong Kong’s Support for Iran | Mark Clifford in the Wall Street Journal
“The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on four Hong Kong oil-trading companies Monday for selling oil for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to China. The move was a bold signal from President Trump to Xi Jinping, coming a day before their summit in Beijing. Treasury’s Operation Economic Fury was a welcome opening move. It tells Beijing that Washington is serious about shutting down Iranian oil sales and the much-needed cash they provide Tehran. But there’s much more to do.”
GULF STATES, ISRAEL & IRAN
Saudi Arabia Floats Middle Eastern Non-Aggression Pact with Iran | Financial Times
“Saudi Arabia has discussed the idea of a non-aggression pact between Middle East states and Iran as part of talks with allies on how to manage regional tensions once the US-Israeli war with the Islamic republic ends, diplomats said.”