Iran-US war latest: Trump warns Tehran ‘clock is ticking’ as drone strikes UAE nuclear plant

Donald Trump has warned Tehran that the “clock is ticking” and threatened consequences if its leaders do not act quickly.

"For ⁠Iran, the ‌Clock is Ticking, ‌and they better ‌get moving, FAST, ⁠or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME ‌IS ​OF ‌THE ESSENCE!," the US president wrote ⁠in a ‌Truth ​Social ‌post.

Trump warned that if Tehran failed to reach a peace agreement with the US, it would face "a very bad time”.

Trump’s warning follows a drone strike that sparked a ⁠fire at an electrical generator at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi.

No injuries were reported, radiological safety levels were unaffected and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirmed the plant's essential systems are operating normally.

Meanwhile, Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, warned: “Our armed forces’ fingers are on the trigger, while diplomacy is also continuing.”Stocks fall and oil prices gain after Trump warns the Iran 'clock is ticking'

Asian stocks mostly retreated and oil prices jumped on Monday after US president Donald Trump warned Tehran that the “clock is ticking” as US-Iran negotiations over a permanent end to the war stall.

US futures fell more than 0.6 per cent.

Markets in Japan and South Korea pulled further back from their records. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.9 per cent to 60,843.09, a decline led by technology-related stocks, after it reached all-time intraday high levels last week above 63,000.

The yield on the 10-year Japanese government bond surged to 2.8 per cent, its highest level since the late 1990s, part of a shift toward higher yields as the Bank of Japan gradually raises interest rates and higher energy costs raise expectations of rising inflation. That’s up from around 2.55 per cent just one week ago.

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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 06:45US planes loaded with ammunition land in Israel - report

Dozens of US cargo planes carrying ammunition from bases in Germany have landed in Tel Aviv, Al Jazeera reported, citing Israel's Channel 13.

The planes landed as Israel said it was coordinating with the US about a possible resumption of attacks, said two people familiar with the situation, including an Israeli military officer.

Speaking to his cabinet yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu said “our eyes are also open” when it comes to Iran, and “we are prepared for any scenario".

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 06:25Cuba stockpiling drones from Russia and Iran – report

Cuba has reportedly spent recent years stockpiling more than 300 military drones from Russia and Iran and has discussed striking U.S. targets if relations continue to deteriorate, as President Donald Trump blockades the island and flirts with plans to “take” it over.

U.S. intelligence sources told Axios that while they don’t believe any threat is imminent, the acquisition effort has ramped up in the last month, as Cuba has sought to learn how Iran has used its large drone program to repel U.S. forces in the ongoing war.

Military advisers from Tehran have been in Havana recently, the officials said.

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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 06:15Fishing boats sit idle along the Strait of Hormuz

Fishing boats sit idle on May 17, 2026 along the Strait of Hormuz (Getty)

Fishing boats sit idle on May 17, 2026 along the Strait of Hormuz (Getty)

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 06:00Canada condemns drone attacks on UAE nuclear plant

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney condemned the drone attacks targeting the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates.

Carney warned that attacks on civilian nuclear facilities pose serious risks to human life and the environment.

Earlier in the day, India said it was "deeply concerned at the attack targeting the Barakah nuclear facility in the UAE".

The foreign ministry added: "Such actions are unacceptable and represent a dangerous escalation. We urgently call for restraint and a return to dialogue and diplomacy."

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 05:55Iran allows Malaysian energy giant’s ship to sail through Strait of Hormuz

A support vessel owned by Malaysian firm Vantris Energy, formerly Sapura Energy, has successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz, LSEG shipping data showed on Friday.

This marks the fourth Malaysian-linked ship to navigate the crucial waterway since the US-Iran conflict began in late February, severely impacting global energy supplies.

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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 05:40Israel preparing for possible resumption of attacks on Iran

Israel is coordinating with the US about a possible resumption of attacks, said two people familiar with the situation, including an Israeli military officer.

Speaking to his cabinet yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu said “our eyes are also open” when it comes to Iran, and “we are prepared for any scenario".

On Iranian state TV, presenters on at least two channels appeared armed during live programs.

One of them, Hossein Hosseini, received basic firearms training from a masked member of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Hosseini mimed firing a shot at the flag of the UAE.

On another channel, Mobina Nasiri said a weapon had been sent to her from a gathering in Tehran’s Vanak Square. “From this platform, I declare that I am ready to sacrifice my life for this country,” she said.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 05:20How Iran could fight a shadow war with US for months

Iran has enough missile capability to continue fighting should Donald Trump choose to resume the war, US and Nato intelligence has assessed – and experts say it has several more cards up its sleeve.

The US president has repeatedly claimed that American forces have comprehensively destroyed Iran’s military, including its missile capabilities and navy, during six weeks of conflict before a ceasefire was agreed.

Intelligence agencies have warned that Iran still has access to most of its missiles and underground facilities, sources told The Independent, casting doubt over President Trump’s dubious claims that Iran has been “decimated” by the war.

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Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 05:00Top Iranian official warns US to end siege of Iranian ports

A member of Iran’s Expediency Council has warned the US to lift its blockade of Iranian ports "before the Sea of Oman becomes your graveyard".

Mohsen Rezaei said the US blockade was an “act of war” and said confronting it was Iran’s right.

“The longer they prolong the naval blockade of Iran, the greater the damage to countries around the world will be,” he said.

“It is America that must prove itself now,” he said. “Our armed forces have their finger on the trigger – and at the same time, diplomacy continues.”

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 04:42Recap: Brics ministers fail to issue joint statement over Middle East conflict

A two-day meeting of foreign ministers from the Brics nations concluded in New Delhi without a joint statement because of “differing views among some members” on the situation in the Middle East, host India said.

The differences highlighted the challenge of maintaining unity within the bloc as it seeks to expand its influence.

The Indian statement said members expressed “their respective national positions and shared a range of perspectives” on issues including sovereignty, maritime security and the protection of civilian infrastructure and civilian lives in the Middle East.

It also included a footnote saying that “a member had reservations” about parts of sections dealing with Gaza and security in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Brics includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, ‌Ethiopia, ⁠Egypt, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar18 May 2026 04:41