According to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has indeed been conducting strikes against Iran. Per the report, these strikes included the those on Iran’s refinery on Lavan Island soon after the announcement of the nominal ceasefire. Additionally, the U.S. was reportedly not only aware of their involvement, but ‘quietly welcomed’ the UAE and potentially other Gulf nations in joining offensive actions against Iran. To date, the UAE has been inundated by disproportionately more Iranian missiles and drones than any of their Gulf neighbors and has consistently said that they reserve the right to deter Iranian attacks by any means possible.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hosted South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back in Washington at the Pentagon today. Per a Department of War release on the meeting, areas of discussion included increased burden-sharing with South Korea and other Indo-Pacific allies and the upcoming Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue, set to take place later this week.

U.S. Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby was also present at today’s meeting at the Pentagon with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back.

The incarceration of Hong Kong media personality and politician Jimmy Lai and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan will be among the topics U.S. President Donald J. Trump will discuss during his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week in Beijing, China.

Kellie Meyer of NewsNation spoke with U.S. President Donald J. Trump on the potential for U.S. action against Iran before his visit to China this week and President Trump declined to comment on the matter, saying “I’m not going to talk to you about that, obviously.”

This comes amidst reports from Axios that the administration is mulling a limited strike campaign against 25% of identified Iranian targets that have not been struck yet, in an effort to coerce Iranian decision-makers into negotiating on their nuclear program.

According to a release from the Japanese Joint Staff, fighter jets of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force’s Southwestern Air Defense Force were scrambled to deal with a suspected intrusion in Japanese airspace by what was likely Chinese aircraft.

Japan has been the recipient of both naval and aerial coercion from both Russia and China this year. Such events, oftentimes joint Sino-Russian efforts follow the Japanese prime minister’s past comments showing solidarity with Taiwan and increasing moves by the Japanese to expand their force posture in the local region in response to Chinese coercive measures in the region.

New reporting from CBS News indicates that the United States and Ukraine are working towards mutually agreeable terms on a new defense deal that would allow Ukraine to export defense and military technology to the U.S. in addition to entering into agreements with American companies to manufacture drones. This builds on the assistance that Ukraine has provided to the U.S. and allies during Operation Epic Fury.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that since the commencement of the U.S. naval blockade of Iran 30 days ago, CENTCOM has redirected 65 commercial vessels in addition to disabling 4.

In a notable announcement, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced that he plans to hold some level of talks with Cuban decision-makers at a yet unspecified time and date.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) conducted an armed infiltration against Kuwait’s Bubiyan Island that ended in the injury of one member of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces.
More to come.

According to reports from a number of news outlets, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) attack against Kuwait’s Bubiyan Island was an attempt to target U.S. forces and satellite infrastructure on the Island. In the engagement, Kuwaiti forces captured four IRGC members, which included two Guard naval captains, a Guard naval lieutenant, and a Guard army lieutenant.

Following the foiled IRGC attack against Kuwait’s Bubiyan Island, similar to wording from the United Arab Emirates following the resumption of Iranian strikes on the Gulf nation, Kuwait has said that “the State of Kuwait reserves its full and inherent right to self-defense in accordance with Article (51) of the United Nations Charter, and to take such measures as it deems appropriate to defend its sovereignty and protect its people and residents on its territories, in accordance with international law.”

Fox News confirms that among other tech and industry CEOs traveling to China with U.S. President Donald J. Trump, Space X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk will also be traveling to China with President Trump.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump is set to leave the White House soon for Joint Base Andrews for his trip to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China.

Speaking to press outside the White House, U.S. President Trump said both he and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, are looking forward to the meeting in Beijing, China and that he has spoken to President Xi in preparation for the meeting.

Speaking to press outside the White House, U.S. President Donald J. Trump said that Chinese President Xi Jinping will come to the U.S. for a state visit later this year.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump had two key messages for embattled UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer: Open up oil in the North Sea and deal with the UK’s immigration problem.

According to Reuters, citing both Iranian and Western officials, the Saudi Arabian Air Force conducted retaliatory strikes on Iran, following Iranian strikes on their oil, civilian, and military infrastructure in late March. Per the report, citing a Western official, the strikes were characterized as “tit-for-tat strikes in retaliation for when Saudi [Arabia] was hit.” This follows recent revelations that the United Arab Emirates also carried out retaliatory strikes before and after the nominal ceasefire, following the vast majority of Iranian drone and missile strikes across the Gulf region being directed at them. This now makes two Gulf nations that have retaliated directly for Iranian strikes against the Gulf.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump boards Air Force One as he leaves for his trip to Beijing, China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.