UAE says intercepts 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, 4 drones
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Monday that its air defence systems intercepted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles and four drones launched from Iran, which it said resulted in three moderate injuries.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said in a statement that the total number of projectiles intercepted since the beginning of Iranian attacks on the UAE has reached 549 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,260 drones.
The total number of casualties from these attacks reached 227 injuries of multiple nationalities, while the death toll stands at 13, it said.
Iran has no plan to target UAE, Fujairah oil facilities -- media
Iran has no plan to target the United Arab Emirates (UAE), state-run IRIB news agency reported on Monday, citing a senior military source.
The source's remarks came as the UAE's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday that Iranian missiles and drones struck civilian sites. Later, the UAE's Fujairah Media Office said that a fire erupted at the Fujairah Oil Industrial Zone following an Iranian attack, injuring three people.
Citing another military source, the IRIB said that Iran had no pre-designed plan to attack the oil facilities, blaming instead "U.S. military adventurism" for creating "a passage for ships to illegally pass through the forbidden passages of the Strait of Hormuz."
U.S. military launches effort to guide ships out of Strait of Hormuz
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Sunday that its forces will begin implementing President Donald Trump's "Project Freedom" by guiding ships out of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
"The mission, directed by the President, will support merchant vessels seeking to freely transit through the essential international trade corridor," CENTCOM said in a statement on X.
U.S. military support for the effort will include guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members, the statement said.
U.S. Navy frigate hit by 2 missiles after ignoring Iran's warning
The Navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps on Monday hit with two missiles a U.S. Navy frigate that sought to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
The U.S. frigate, which had set sail near Iran's southern port city of Jask to cross the Strait of Hormuz "in violation of the traffic and shipping security," was hit after ignoring the Iranian naval forces' warning, Fars cited local sources as saying.
It added that after being struck, the frigate was forced to retreat and flee from the region.
U.S. military sinks 6 Iranian small boats in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military has sunk six Iranian small boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Brad Cooper, chief of U.S. Central Command, said Monday.
The Iranian boats were struck by U.S. Apache and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, Cooper told a news conference.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States will begin guiding ships out of the Strait of Hormuz on Monday morning, Middle East time.
Cooper dismissed that there are "escorts" of commercial ships by the U.S. Navy in the strait, but said the Pentagon offers "multiple layers" of protection for them.
Iran says U.S. response to Tehran's 14-point peace proposal difficult to accept
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday that the U.S. response to Tehran's 14-point peace proposal is difficult to assess, citing Washington's history of "making unrealistic demands."
Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, speaking at his weekly news conference in Tehran, confirmed Iran had received the U.S. reply through Pakistan, which has been serving as a mediator, but declined to share specifics.
"The U.S. message was received through Pakistan," Baghaei said. "Given the U.S. practice of making excessive and unreasonable demands, it is not easy to review this response."
3 killed by Israeli fire in Gaza amid threats of renewed operations
Three Palestinians were killed on Monday by Israeli fire in incidents in the Gaza Strip, amid reports that Israel military officials were pushing for renewed operations.
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense in Gaza, told Xinhua that one person was killed when an Israeli drone fired a missile at a group of Palestinians in southern Gaza City.
In a separate incident, a young man was killed and several others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike targeting the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip. A third Palestinian was killed by Israeli gunfire in the Atatra area in the northern Gaza Strip, according to Basal.
Russia declares May 8-9 Victory Day truce
Russia's Defense Ministry on Monday declared a ceasefire on May 8-9 in honor of the Victory Day celebration, voicing hope that the Ukrainian side will follow suit.
The truce was declared in accordance with a decision by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the ministry said, adding that Russian forces would take all necessary measures to ensure security during the commemorative events.
The ministry also warned that any attempts to disrupt the celebrations marking the 81st anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War would trigger a "massive missile strike" on central Kiev.
Ukraine's ceasefire offer "serious proposal" to end crisis
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Monday described the Ukrainian ceasefire offer to Russia as "a serious proposal" to end the crisis and turn to diplomacy.
"If Moscow is prepared to end hostilities, it can do so already tomorrow night. Ukraine is ready: at midnight from May 5th to May 6th," Sybiha wrote on X.
"Peace cannot wait until 'parades' and 'celebrations,'" he stressed.■
