Iran war updates: Tehran says it will unveil Hormuz toll mechanism soon

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But before we go, here are some of the day’s top developments:

• Israeli air attacks on Gaza City and the northern parts of the Gaza Strip have killed at least 11 Palestinians and injured more than 60 others over the past day.
• Israeli police detained several Palestinians, including children, after settlers attacked residents in Jerusalem’s Old City, Palestinian officials say.
• Hamas has confirmed Israel killed the leader of its Qassam Brigades armed wing, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, in an attack on the Gaza Strip on Friday.
• Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has held talks on “regional stability and bilateral cooperation” with his Iranian counterpart during a surprise visit to Tehran.
• CENTCOM says the US military has “redirected” 78 commercial ships during its continued blockade of Iranian ports.
• Israel continued its attacks on Lebanon, killing at least three people in the south despite a “ceasefire” that came into force last month.

In London, two major demonstrations took place: a pro-Palestine Nakba Day rally and a far-right “Unite the Kingdom” march led by Tommy Robinson.

The Metropolitan Police said a total of 43 people were arrested at both protests without specifying how many were detained at each event.

In a post on X, Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader who attended the pro-Palestine rally, said: “We are a mass movement for peace – and we are never, ever going away.”

Proud to join hundreds of thousands of people to mark 78 years of the ongoing Nakba against the Palestinian people.

We are a mass movement for peace — and we are never, ever going away. pic.twitter.com/3IMCLGBeZG

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) May 16, 2026

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has outlined why she will not support the Pentagon’s record-breaking $1.5 trillion budget request, an almost 50 percent increase from current funding levels.

Speaking to MS Now, Jayapal – a member of the House Budget Committee – described the request as “outrageous” and said the US war on Iran was unconstitutional.

“It never came to Congress. It is a war of choice. It has created deaths of 1,700 Iranian civilians, displaced millions of people, killed 13 US troops, and cost taxpayers enormous amounts of money,” Jayapal said.

Democrats intend to continue introducing War Powers resolutions aimed at curbing Trump’s ability to wage foreign wars, Jayapal added.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has condemned Israel’s assassination of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad in Gaza, calling it a “terrorist act”.

The statement came after Israel killed al-Haddad in a strike on Gaza City’s Remal neighbourhood on Friday that also left multiple civilians dead, including his wife and daughter.

Such attacks reflect Israel’s “desperation” and ongoing violations in Gaza, the ministry said, adding such attacks will not weaken Palestinian resistance.

Al-Haddad’s killing was confirmed by Hamas, which said he was targeted alongside civilians during Israeli air strikes that struck both a vehicle and a residential building, killing at least seven people and injuring dozens.

The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah says it struck an army target in northern Israel using a “swarm of attack drones” and carried out more than a dozen additional attacks.

There were no immediate reports of casualties. Earlier, an Israeli army officer was killed when an explosive-laden drone fired by Hezbollah detonated in southern Lebanon.

He was the 20th Israeli soldier killed in Lebanon since the start of the war with Iran on February 28.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has criticised the United States after a US federal court temporarily suspended sanctions against UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

Reacting to the ruling, Gharibabadi said “human rights in America’s lexicon are respected only until they reach the Israeli regime”, adding Washington responds with “sanctions, threats and intimidation” when accountability over Gaza is raised.

Sanctioning a UN special rapporteur “lays bare the true face of America’s human rights policy”, and reflects “double standards” that protect allies while punishing critics.

Albanese welcomed the court’s decision earlier this week, saying it protected freedom of speech and thanked her family and supporters.

The final of the Eurovision Song Contest is under way with tight security as critics voice concerns over Israel’s participation.

The contest has been clouded for a third year by calls for Israel to be excluded over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere, with five longtime participants – Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia – boycotting in protest.

A demonstration against Israel’s participation was planned ahead of Saturday’s final, and pro-Palestinian groups staged an outdoor concert on Friday under the banner “No Stage for Genocide”.

“Inviting Israel on such a beautiful stage as the Eurovision Song Contest stage is an affront to all the people who believe in humanity, who believe in love and togetherness,” said Congolese-Austrian artist Patrick Bongola, one of the organisers.

Israeli police detained several Palestinians, including children, after settlers attacked residents in Jerusalem’s Old City, Palestinian officials say.

The Jerusalem Governorate said the arrests took place on Saturday night after a 16-year-old boy was assaulted. Officials said the teenager has health problems and needs regular medication.

A 64-year-old shop owner was also arrested after settlers attacked him inside his store, while a 15-year-old boy was briefly held despite suffering a head injury in the attack.

Explosions have been heard in the Beit Shemesh area in Jerusalem, Israeli media report.

The Tomer company, a government-owned Israeli defence firm, said the blast was “a preplanned test that was carried out according to plan”, it said in a statement carried by Kan news.

Videos of a massive explosion have been circulating online showing a large mushroom cloud.

The USS Gerald R Ford has arrived home after an 11-month deployment – the longest mission for a US aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War.

The carrier strike group, including two destroyers, supported US operations during the US-Israel war on Iran and missions linked to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

About 5,000 sailors arrived back at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, where US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the crews, saying they had “made history”.

Many shop owners in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar say customers are spending less after the US-Israel war triggered a surge in prices.

“The economic situation is very, very bad. For three months, the situation has basically deteriorated. After the war started, the shop was basically closed for about a month,” shop owner Mohammadali Khosravi told Al Jazeera

Watch the report below:

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, says the “world stands at the cusp of a new order” as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue.

“I emphasize that the Iranian nation’s 70-day resistance has accelerated this transformation,” Ghalibaf said. “The future belongs to the Global South.”

The world stands at the cusp of a new order.

As President Xi said “The transformation unseen in a century is accelerating across the globe,” and I emphasize that the Iranian nation’s 70-day resistance has accelerated this transformation.

The future belongs to the Global South.

— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) May 16, 2026

FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom says he held a “constructive” meeting with Iran Football Association President Mehdi Taj and expressed confidence that it will take part in this year’s World Cup.

“We’ve had an excellent meeting and constructive meeting together with the Iran FA,” Grafstrom told Reuters during a visit to Istanbul. “We’re working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them in the FIFA World Cup.”

Iran’s participation has come under scrutiny after the United States and Israel attacked Iran in late February, with the team set to play group matches in the US.

Visa concerns have also emerged after Taj was denied entry to Canada over alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“We’ve discussed all relevant matters, but I think it’s not the place to discuss the details,” Grafstrom said. “Overall, a very positive meeting and we’re looking forward to continuing the dialogue.”

Iran will open against New Zealand on June 15.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the extension of a ceasefire for Lebanon after the latest round of US-mediated talks in Washington, DC.

“The secretary-general welcomes the announcement of a 45-day extension of the cessation of hostilities, which followed talks between Israel and Lebanon facilitated by the United States,” the UN chief’s press office said in a statement.

“He reaffirms the support of the United Nations to all efforts to end hostilities and alleviate the suffering of communities on both sides of the Blue Line.”

Lebanese and Israeli delegations met on Thursday and Friday in an attempt to extend a ceasefire for Lebanon, that has been repeatedly ignored by Israel, which claims to be targeting Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Saturday that 18 people were killed and 124 wounded over the past 24 hours.

Earlier, we reported that Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Tehran for an unannounced visit. We can now bring you more on his meeting with his counterpart Eskandar Momeni.

Border trade was among the main issues discussed, Momeni told Iranian semi-official Mehr news agency. The two sides agreed to “take measures to shorten processes and facilitate border exchanges, transit, exchange of goods, and trade”, with potential new crossings also on the table.

Momeni said the two countries have “a very positive view of each other” and will continue to “expand economic and trade relations in addition to developing political and fraternal relations”.

The visit comes as Pakistan continues its role as mediator between Washington and Tehran, though talks remain deadlocked, with neither side showing much willingness to soften their positions.

The administration of Donald Trump has allowed a sanctions waiver permitting purchases of Russian seaborne oil to expire, ending a temporary measure introduced to ease supply pressures after the US-Israel war on Iran and Tehran’s move to close the Strait of Hormuz.

The waiver, which had enabled countries, including India, to continue buying Russian oil, was extended for one month but was not renewed on Saturday.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had earlier indicated the general licence would not be extended.

By Saturday afternoon in Washington, no renewal had appeared on the Treasury Department’s website, and a spokesperson declined to comment further.