🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "President Trump returned from China on Friday facing major decisions on Iran, as his top aides have drafted plans for a return to military strikes if Mr. Trump decides to try to break the impasse with more bombs.

Mr. Trump has yet to make a decision on his next steps, the aides say.

Two Middle East officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters, said the United States and Israel are engaged in intense preparations — the largest since the cease-fire took effect — for the possible resumption of attacks against Iran as early as next week.

If Mr. Trump decides to resume military strikes, options include more aggressive bombing runs at Iranian military and infrastructure targets, U.S. officials said.

Another option would put Special Operations troops on the ground to go after nuclear material buried deep underground, they said. Several hundred Special Operations forces arrived in the Middle East in March in a deployment meant to give Mr. Trump that option, the officials said." - New York Times.

🇱🇧🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡️- "We need, and we have the right plans, to encourage emigration from Gaza, to promote emigration in the West Bank, to settle in Lebanon.

We must not be afraid in the face of all the pressures, all the enemies, all the wicked.

We are in a period of divine assistance.

We are in a period of the beginning of redemption, and we simply need to keep going and keep going without stopping.

Don't stop in Lebanon, Gaza, and Judea and Samaria" - Ben-Gvir, Israeli National Security Minister.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- "Earlier today, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, a senior member of Kata’ib Hizballah, a U.S. designated foreign terrorist organization, was charged with six counts of terrorism-related offenses for his activities as an operative of Kata’ib Hizballah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi was transferred into U.S. custody overseas and transported to the United States.

ADIC Barnacle: 'In the span of just three months, Mohammad Al-Saadi allegedly directed 18 terrorist attacks throughout Europe—including against United States citizens and interests—and planned to conduct a similar attack here in our country. The FBI New York’s Joint Terrorism Task Force maintains its unwavering resolve to hold accountable leaders of foreign terrorist organizations who utilize mass fear and suffering to further their anti-American agenda.'" - Federal Bureau of Investigation.

🇺🇸⚡️- The Supreme Court has rejected a Virginia congressional map redistricting effort. If allowed, this redistricting would have netted Democrats 4 additional seats under 2024 voting patterns, giving them control of 10 of 11 districts.

🇺🇸🇨🇳⚡️- "All I can say is that was a great success, We made great deals, We did great trade deals, we have a great relationship. A lot of things have happened and you'll be hearing about them but that was a tremendous success. I think it really was a historic moment." - President Trump on his trip to China.

🇺🇸🇳🇬⚡️- "Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second in command of ISIS globally, thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing. He will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans. With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation. GOD BLESS AMERICA! President DONALD J. TRUMP" - President Trump via Truth Social.

🇦🇷🇧🇴⚡️- "At the request of the Bolivian government, and in light of the situation that has led to shortages of food and essential goods in several cities in the neighboring country, the government of the Argentine Republic has decided to offer its assistance by dispatching an Argentine Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft to establish airlifts for the transport of food.

This humanitarian and temporary contribution, coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense, comes at a promising time for bilateral relations since the inauguration of President Rodrigo Paz Pereira, with the hope that, with the commitment of all political and social actors involved, the situation will be resolved promptly." - Pablo Quirno, Argentina Minister of Foreign Affairs.

🇺🇸🇨🇳🇹🇼⚡️- Reporter: "President Xi probably liked that you haven't approved the weapons for Taiwan"

President Trump: "i would say 'like' is too strong a word, because he thinks i could do it with a signing of my signature, unlike Biden who couldn't sign his signature, no I'm holding that in abeyance, it depends on china, its a very good negotiating chip for us frankly. its a lot of weapons, its $12 billion dollars."

🇷🇺🇨🇴⚡️- The Colombian Military using anti-drone technology reportedly detected signals consistent with those from a Russian Orlan-10 surveillance drone in the Valle del Cauca region of western Colombia.

The drone was detected in a region where groups from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN), both illegal guerrilla groups, are known to operate, and authorities have recently reported several attacks from drones equipped with explosives from both groups.

Local intelligence agencies say there is no confirmation that FARC has access to the Orlan-10, or similar platforms, but they are working to confirm the accuracy of the signals detected.

ELN and FARC have previously been involved in unofficial smuggling of Russian weapons through intermediaries in Syria and Russian black market sales.

🇺🇸🇳🇬⚡️- Notably in the context of the elimination of the second in command of ISIS, an aircraft used by US Special Operations Command has been active over Nigeria since yesterday, indicating movement of personnel or equipment used by US Special Operations in/out of Nigeria, which may mean that US ground forces were involved instead of an assassination strike.

In February, roughly 200 US troops were sent to Nigeria to assist a small team of US military officers already working with Nigerian Armed Forces, although Nigerian officials are adamant these 200 troops would not be involved in combat and are for "technical and training personnel" only.

🇱🇧🇮🇱⚡️- The Lebanese Ministry of Health reports that last night Israel air striked a health centre in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon. The strike killed six people, including three paramedics, and critically injured a fourth paramedic.

🇺🇸🇨🇳🇹🇼⚡️- "Regarding recent comments made by United States President Donald Trump during a media interview, Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) stated on May 16 that the office has noted multiple reaffirmations from the US side, including President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that the consistent US policy and position toward Taiwan remain unchanged.

As is widely known, China’s escalating military threat is the sole destabilizing factor within the Indo-Pacific region, including the Taiwan Strait. This threat is also the primary reason why countries along the first island chain are actively collaborating with the US to strengthen their defense capabilities, and Taiwan cannot and will not be an exception.

Our nation appreciates President Trump's longstanding, continuous support for security in the Taiwan Strait, including the ongoing provision of various advanced equipment to our country, with the scale and monetary value of these sales repeatedly reaching historic highs." - Office of the President of Taiwan.

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡️- "A senior Israeli official who spoke with N12 estimates: “A resumption of fighting is imminent” | According to him, Israel is preparing for the possibility of “days to weeks of fighting,” as the Americans understand that the negotiations are not moving toward a breakthrough. In Jerusalem, they are awaiting Trump’s decision, with the assessment being that the picture will become clearer within about 24 hours" - N12, Israeli Media.

🇸🇸🇪🇬⚡- Juba has asked Egypt to close its military base in Pagak, Upper Nile region of northeast South Sudan. President Kiir has also asked Cairo to withdraw its troops from the country.

The base was located near the Ethiopian-Sudanese border, and comes amid a serious escalation of relations between Addis Ababa and Khartoum, as well as the CFA 'alliance' states and Cairo.

🇱🇧🇮🇱⚡️- "The IDF has begun attacking infrastructure of the Hezbollah terrorist organization in several areas in southern Lebanon." - Israeli Defence Force.

🇸🇴⚡- The three days presidential talks in Mogadishu collapsed. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, whose mandate expired yesterday and seeks an extension, was objected to by the Puntland-led opposition bloc.

🇵🇰 - In the past 7 days, at least 38 Pakistani security forces have been killed in targeted attacks and assassinations in the disputed regions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

🇵🇸🇮🇱⚡- Israel confirms the assassination of 'Abu Suhaib' (Izz al-Din al-Haddad) in the Gaza Strip last night.

Abu Suhaib was the most senior remaining member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.

🇵🇸🇮🇱 - "Izz al-Din al-Haddad, Commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, was martyred in an Israeli raid on Gaza City yesterday evening," - A Hamas source tells al-Jazeera.