Iran live updates: Israel, Hezbollah exchange attacks as Trump mulls Iran offer

DAVID BRENNAN, MEREDITH DELISO and JON HAWORTHSun, May 3, 2026 at 8:26 AM UTC

539

President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.

Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.

Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of the blockade until Iran's proposal is submitted and discussions are concluded "one way or the other."

Latest Developments

May 3, 4:26 AMIDF orders evacuation of 11 south Lebanon towns, villages

Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Avichay Adraee on Sunday ordered the residents of 11 Lebanese towns and villages to immediately evacuate their homes, saying the IDF was planning to act "forcefully" against alleged Hezbollah targets in the affected areas.Adraee said residents of Al-Duwayr, Arab Salim, Al-Sharqiya, Jibshit, Braashit, Sarafand, Dounin, Briqa, Qaaqaiya Al-Jisr, Al-Qasiba and Kafra Sir should leave the settlements until further notice.More than 1 million people have been internationally displaced in Lebanon by Israeli airstrikes, ground operations and evacuation orders, according to recent United Nations data.

-/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: This photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Marjayoun shows smoke rising from the site of Israeli airstrikes that targeted the village of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, on May 3, 2026.

May 3, 3:35 AMIDF says it hit 120 Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon

The Israel Defense Forces said in a post to X on Saturday that it struck 120 alleged Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon during weekend attacks, among which it claimed were 70 military-use structures and around 50 other infrastructure targets.

-/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Mayfadoun in the Nabatieh district on May 2, 2026.

In a statement posted to Telegram on Saturday, Hezbollah claimed five new attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.

May 2, 7:23 PMTrump says he's reviewing new Iranian peace plan, but 'can't imagine' it's acceptable

Trump told reporters Saturday that he had not yet reviewed the new Iranian peace offer but would be doing so later.“They told me about the concept of the deal. They're going to give me the exact wording now,” he added.

Matt Rourke/AP - PHOTO: Donald Trump

Shortly later, the president confirmed on his social media platform that he was reviewing the plan."I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can’t imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years," he wrote in the post.-ABC News' Isabella Murray

May 2, 7:08 PMIranian press reveals new details of what it says is Tehran's peace proposal

Iranian media reportedly revealed some details Saturday on the government's new peace proposal sent through Pakistani mediators last Thursday. Semi-official news agencies Fars and Tasnim reported Tehran submitted a 14-point counterproposal to the U.S.'s nine-point proposal. The agencies claimed the U.S. requested a two-month ceasefire but Iran says issues should be resolved within 30 days. Some of the Iranian demands included a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iran’s surroundings, the lifting the naval blockade and a new mechanism for the Strait, lifting sanctions and ending the war on all fronts including Lebanon, according to the news agencies. The U.S. has not commented on the specific details of their negotiations with Iran. -ABC News' Claire Bower

May 2, 4:44 PMUS fast-tracks $8.6 billion in arms sales to Middle East partners

Advertisement

The U.S. has approved $8.6 billion worth of arms for Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar and Israel -- sidestepping Congress by invoking emergency powers, according to notices published by the State Department.The State Department notified Congress it was using its authorities for the sales, including $4 billion worth of Patriot missile interceptors for Qatar.

Sgt. David Rincon/US Army, Files - PHOTO: A MIM-104 Patriot Surface-to-Air Missile System assigned to the Fort Bliss, Texas-based 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade fires as part of a bi-lateral live-fire exercise at McGregor Range, N.M., May 11, 2024.

Since the outset of the war in Iran, the administration has used the authority for billions of dollars' worth of sales to the UAE, Israel and Kuwait.Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the administration was "using the veneer of an emergency declaration to push through sales with no urgent nexus to current conflicts."-ABC News' Chris Boccia

May 2, 5:47 AMSenior Iranian military official says war with US will 'likely' resume

Iran’s armed forces say it is "likely" the U.S.-Israel war on the country will resume as "evidence shows the US is not committed to any agreements or treaties.""The actions and statements of U.S. officials are primarily media-driven aimed first at preventing a drop in oil prices and second at extricating themselves from the mess they have created," Mohammad Jafar Asadi, deputy of the military headquarters, said in a statement carried by Iran’s Fars news agency.

Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA/Shutterstock - PHOTO: Iran Army members wave national flags as they stand in front of a poster of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during a rally in Tehran, Iran, April 29, 2026.

"The armed forces are fully prepared for any new adventures or foolishness from the Americans."-ABC News's Lama Hasan

May 1, 3:44 PMTreasury warns ships that pay toll to Iran could face US sanctions

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a warning to shippers on Friday that fulfilling any demand for an Iranian toll in exchange for passage through the Strait of Hormuz risks exposure to U.S. sanctions."OFAC is issuing this alert to warn U.S. and non-U.S. persons about the sanctions risks of making these payments to, or soliciting guarantees from, the Iranian regime for safe passage. These risks exist regardless of payment method," its alert said.

Stringer/Reuters - PHOTO: Ships and boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, May 1, 2026.

Demands to pay a toll could come in a variety of ways, including "fiat currency, digital assets, offsets, informal swaps, or other in-kind payments," such as charitable donations to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the alert said.The OFAC also reiterated that the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect.The alert comes as shipping traffic through the critical shipping channel remains at a virtual standstill and the indefinite ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran drags on without a clear resolution to the war -- or a full reopening of the strait -- in sight.-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr

May 1, 2:49 PMTrump sends War Powers letters to Congress President Donald Trump has sent letters alerting Congress that he "will continue to direct United States Armed Forces consistent with my responsibilities and pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive."

Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Shutterstock - PHOTO: President Donald Trump departs the White House, May 1, 2026 in Washington.

Despite facing the 60-day deadline under the War Powers Act, the president is not asking Congress for authorization, rather providing an update to the posture of U.S. forces in the region. Echoing Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth, the president noted that he ordered a two-week ceasefire on April 7 that has since been extended. "On April 7, 2026, I ordered a 2-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has since been extended," Trump wrote. "There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated." Trump also stressed that he ordered Operation Epic Fury "consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests at home and abroad, and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests."

May 1, 1:36 PM45 ships turned back during blockade: CENTCOM

So far, 45 commercial vessels have been directed to turn around or return to port as part of the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, U.S. Central Command said Friday.

U.S. Central Command - PHOTO: U.S. Marines aboard USS New Orleans stand watch in the Arabian Sea during naval blockade operations against Iran, April 30, 2026.

May 1, 12:56 PMTrump says he's 'not happy' after Iran talks

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he departs the White House in Washington, May 1, 2026.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he is "not happy" after recent talks with Iran. "We just had a conversation with Iran. Let's see what happens. But I would say that I am not happy," Trump told reporters before departing the White House. Trump said the Iranian leadership is "very disjointed" and "argumentative with each other." "They come back -- one says one thing, one says another. They're very confused," he said, adding that he's "not satisfied" with what's been offered.

Click here to read the rest of the blog.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Breaking”