Attacks on Vessels
A cargo ship caught fire off Qatar's coast Sunday after being hit by an unknown projectile, according to the British military. This is the latest in a series of attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf since a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran went into effect one month ago. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported the attack happened 23 nautical miles (43 kilometers) northeast of Doha, Qatar's capital.
The strike caused a small fire that was extinguished, and there were no reported casualties. No details were given about the ship's owner or origin, and no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Also on Sunday, the United Arab Emirates said it intercepted two Iranian drones launched toward the country.
Iranian Warnings
Iran's Revolutionary Guard navy reiterated its warning that any attack on Iranian oil tankers or commercial vessels would be met with a "heavy assault" on one of the U.S. bases in the region and enemy ships. On Friday, the U.S. struck two Iranian oil tankers after claiming the vessels were trying to breach its blockade of Iranian ports. Iran army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia said ships from countries siding with the U.S. in imposing sanctions on Iran would face difficulties crossing the Strait of Hormuz.
Diplomatic Efforts
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is expecting a response from Iran to its proposals for an interim deal to end the conflict in the Middle East. Rubio said he hopes it’s a "serious offer" that "can put us into a serious process of negotiation." President Donald Trump said he expected a response from Iran soon, stating, "I'm getting a letter supposedly tonight."
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has been in contact with the U.S. and Iran "day and night" in an effort to extend the ceasefire and reach a peace deal. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani urged both the U.S. and Iran to engage in mediation efforts during a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance in Washington.
Regional Impact
Kuwait detected several hostile drones in its airspace overnight. Saudi oil company Aramco reported a 25.5% increase in first-quarter profit compared with the same period a year earlier. The gains followed a spike in oil and gas prices amid the war between the U.S., Israel, and Iran. Quarterly net income rose to 120.13 billion Saudi riyals ($32.04 billion), up from 95.68 billion riyals ($25.51 billion) in the first quarter of 2025.
Escalation in Lebanon
Israel carried out deadly airstrikes in Lebanon on Saturday despite a US-brokered ceasefire reached last month. Three Israeli drone strikes on vehicles just south of Beirut killed four people, while a series of airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 13, according to state media and the Health Ministry. The Israeli military told residents of nine villages in southern Lebanon to leave the area.
Looming Deadline
President Trump has reiterated threats to resume full-scale bombing if Iran doesn't accept an agreement to reopen the strait and roll back its nuclear program. The U.N. nuclear agency says Iran has more than 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity. The majority of Iran's highly enriched uranium is likely still at its Isfahan nuclear complex, the head of the U.N. nuclear agency told The Associated Press last month.
With tensions high, the United Kingdom said it was sending the warship HMS Dragon to the Middle East as part of a multinational effort preparing to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The HMS Dragon was sent to the Eastern Mediterranean in March to help defend Cyprus.
Hantavirus Outbreak
Separately, passengers began disembarking on Sunday from the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was hit by a hantavirus outbreak. The ship is anchored near Tenerife, where Spanish health authorities plan to test and evacuate passengers to their home countries. Three passengers have died, but health officials stress that the risk to global public health is low. Seventeen Americans are aboard the MV Hondius, and the U.S. government is planning to transfer them to a military base in Nebraska for quarantine and monitoring.
As the U.S. Treasury Department announces sanctions on 10 entities it accuses of supporting Iran's arms procurement, all eyes remain on whether Iran will accept a deal to de-escalate the conflict and prevent further attacks on international shipping.
The sources also report that the World Health Organization identified the virus aboard the MV Hondius as the Andes strain of hantavirus, which can be severe.