Nearly 90 Ships Forced To Change Course So Far, Says US Central Command
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for American forces in the Middle East, says that US forces have forced 89 ships to change course since the implementation of the maritime blockade against Iran.
In a post published on X on May 19, CENTCOM stressed that it is continuing to enforce the blockade, preventing the flow of trade to and from Iranian ports.
The United States began the naval blockade of Iranian ports on April 13 after face-to-face negotiations with Iran in Pakistan failed.
Those talks were held several days after a cease-fire was established in Islamabad. The two sides subsequently exchanged competing proposals, but the negotiations have failed to produce a result.
Since the beginning of the war, the Iranian government has closed the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over energy security and maritime transportation in the region.
Bill Cassidy, one of the four Republican senators who backed the resolution last night aiming to increase congressional oversight of US military action against Iran, had this to say about why he voted in favor of the move.
The Louisiana senator had voted against similar measures in the past, but changed his position after losing his state's Republican primary without Trump's backing.
US Senate Advances War Powers Resolution
Good morning. We'll start the live blog today with this quick rundown of developments in Washington while we were away:
The US Senate voted to advance a resolution on May 19 aimed at limiting US President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran unless he gains congressional authorization.
This was the eighth time Senate Democrats have attempted to push through the motion and succeeded as four Republicans decided to support it while others did not vote. The result in the procedural vote was a 50-47 approval.
The move came amid repeated indications from Trump on May 18 and May 19 that he is seriously weighing further strikes against Iran.
The measure would still need to be approved in further votes in the Senate and House of Representatives, and even then could face a presidential veto.
It is aimed at preventing Trump from ordering further strikes under the 1973 War Powers Act.
That legislation says presidents need congressional authorization for sending the armed forces into combat beyond 60 days.
Supporters of the motion say this deadline has expired, because the US and Israeli airstrikes were first launched on Iran on February 28.
The Trump administration argues that hostilities have already stopped, because of the cease-fire in place since April 8.
We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.
Vance: US 'Locked And Loaded' But Still Pursuing A Diplomatic Deal
Echoing US President Donald Trump's warning to Iran that his country is "locked and loaded," Vice President JD Vance told reporters at the White House on May 19 that they would not go for a deal that allows Iran to have nuclear weapon.
Vance argued that nuclear weapon with Iran means leading the region into an arms race that would make the world less safe.
He added that the United States is still pursuing a diplomatic deal but "it takes two to tango."
Referring to the off-again-on-again negotiations between the two sides, Vance talked of "a lot of progress," adding that they believe the Iranians also want to make a deal.
He said his country retains Option B of restarting the military campaign to "achieve America's objectives," but the president does not want that.
Earlier in the day, Trump had also said he may launch new military strikes on Iran in the coming days if diplomatic efforts fail to result in an agreement with Tehran.
Asked how much more time he would give Iran to agree to a deal, Trump said "two or three days."
"Maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, maybe early next week," he said, adding that the timeline was limited because "we can't let them [Iran] have nuclear weapons."
Trump announced a temporary cease-fire on April 8. He said this was extended indefinitely on May 22, following what Trump said was a request from Pakistan, which is mediating in the conflict.
UAE Says Drone That Hit Barakah Nuclear Plant Launched From Iraq
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) says the drones that struck the Barakah nuclear power plant on May 17 were launched from Iraqi territory. The UAE Defense Ministry wrote on X that two drones were intercepted while a third one had hit a generator near the Barakah power plant.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted and destroyed three drones fired from Iraq in its airspace on the same day.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) is widely accused of backing Iraqi militias, many of which are believed to operate under the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Iraq's umbrella group for Iran-backed Shi'ite militias. Iraqi officials have condemned the attack on the UAE facility.
Since the start of US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Iran has reportedly launched hundreds of missiles and drones toward the UAE, causing damage to infrastructure and casualties.
Meanwhile, Iran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported on May 19, citing unnamed officials, that Israel had carried out the attack on the Barakah plant. The claim could not be independently verified.
Three drones were launched at the UAE on May 17; two were intercepted, while one struck a power generator at the Barakah nuclear plant near the Saudi-Qatar border.
As Trump Pauses Iran Attack, CSIS Analyst Mark Cancian Says US Searching For An 'Exit'
WASHINGTON -- After US President Donald Trump said he is postponing potential strikes on Iran, questions are mounting over whether Washington and Tehran are edging closer to a deal or simply buying time before a wider regional confrontation.
In an interview with RFE/RL, Mark Cancian, senior adviser with the Defense and Security Department at Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Trump administration is focused on finding an "exit" from the crisis -- even as major disagreements remain over sanctions, nuclear restrictions, and Iran's claims over the Strait of Hormuz.
Cancian argued that while many of Iran's reported demands are nonstarters, there are signs both sides may be narrowing differences on a possible nuclear arrangement and maritime de-escalation.
To read the full interview, click here.
Mass Weddings Amid Military Gear: Iran Pushes Patriotism Imagery
The public spectacle of hundreds of couples marrying in Tehran surrounded by armored vehicles and antiaircraft guns on May 18 demonstrates a new level of patriotic messaging from the country amid a fragile cease-fire with the US and Israel.
The Iranian regime's "Janfada," or self-sacrifice, program has also involved organized displays of children and women learning to assemble assault rifles while the conflict drags into its third month.
CENTCOM Calls Investigation Of Minab School Strike 'Complex'
Without giving a timeline for the release of the investigation into the Minab school attack in Iran, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on May 19 that the findings would be made public once the inquiry is complete.
Brad Cooper made the remarks while testifying before Congress and responding to questions from Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.
The Minab school in Iran's Hormozgan Province was hit by missile strikes on February 28, the first day of US-Israeli attack on Iran.
Cooper said the US military's investigation into the strike was "complex," citing the school's location near what he described as "an active Iranian cruise missile site."
He also said that the Pentagon would release the results of the investigation once it was completed.
"So the answer is 'No.' We do not accept responsibility for what we have clearly done," Smith replied.
Iranian officials said at least 168 people -- mostly schoolchildren -- were killed in the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School.
Subsequent media investigations by outlets including NPR, Reuters, The Guardian, and The New York Times reported evidence suggesting the school was struck during US precision attacks targeting nearby IRGC facilities.
Analysts noted that the school had once been part of a wider complex belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) but had been separated from the military compound for years and showed clear markings identifying it as a civilian school.
The Pentagon has said for weeks that it is investigating how the strike occurred and whether outdated targeting data may have contributed to the incident.
Trump Says US May Launch New Strikes On Iran In Coming Days
- By RFE/RL
US President Donald Trump has said he may launch new military strikes on Iran in the coming days if diplomatic efforts fail to result in an agreement with Tehran.
Speaking at the construction site for the new White House ballroom on May 19, Trump also said he had previously been just an hour away from authorizing a strike on Iran before deciding to postpone the attack.
On May 18, Trump said in a Truth Social post that the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates had urged him to hold off on the attack because "a deal will be made."
Asked how much more time he would give Iran to agree to a deal, Trump said "two or three days."
"Maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, maybe early next week," he said, adding that the timeline was limited because "we can't let them [Iran] have nuclear weapons."
Trump announced a temporary cease-fire on April 8. He said this was extended indefinitely on May 22, following what Trump said was a request from Pakistan, which is mediating in the conflict.