Bahrain arrested 41 individuals allegedly connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, officials announced. The arrests were reported by the state news agency after Bahrain’s interior minister made the announcement on Saturday. Authorities claim the individuals have ties to the IRGC, a branch of Iran's armed forces.
Regional Tensions Escalate
The U.S.- and Israeli-led war against Iran began in late February, according to reports. Amid escalating regional tensions, an Iranian official detailed injuries sustained by Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. Reports indicated Mojtaba Khamenei suffered injuries to his kneecap and back, and his wife was killed in the strike that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Separately, officials said six people were declared missing and several others wounded following a U.S. Strike on Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and companies. These entities are accused of assisting Iran's weapons program, according to the Treasury Department.
International Relations and Diplomacy
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated on Saturday that Europe remains committed to preserving NATO, despite growing tensions with the United States regarding the conflict in Iran. Merz said, "We are really willing to keep this alliance alive for the future," emphasizing the need for "unity of purpose" within the alliance. In response to criticism, President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. Troops from Germany and canceled a planned deployment of Tomahawk missiles. Elsewhere, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met in Washington to discuss de-escalating the war in Iran.
Meanwhile, the IDF reported locating an explosive drone launched by Hezbollah in northern Israel, with no injuries reported from the incident. The IDF further stated it struck more than 85 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon over the past day and issued evacuation warnings for nine communities in southern Lebanon.
Humanitarian Aid and Activist Detentions
Gaza aid flotilla activists Thiago Ávila and Saif Abu Keshek are scheduled for release from Israeli detention on Saturday, to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation. Israel's Shin Bet security service informed the Israeli legal rights group Adalah of the decision. The two activists had been held for over a week since their detention by the Israeli navy on April 30 while aboard a vessel carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Adalah stated that both men were held in solitary confinement under harsh conditions. The activists have been on hunger strike since their detention, with Abu Keshek also stopping water intake on May 5. Attorney Hadeel Abu Saleh argued that their detention aboard a ship flying the Italian flag constituted a violation of international law. Italy had previously condemned the activists' arrest.
Settlement and Domestic Issues
Israel approved the resettlement of Sa-Nur in the West Bank on Wednesday, including plans for 126 permanent homes. Settlers reportedly forced Palestinians to exhume a body buried near the settlement on Friday. Elsewhere, approximately 2,000 people protested Israel's participation in the Venice Biennale. Protesters also demonstrated against neglect in handling crime in Arab communities. British police charged Adam Bedoui, 20, and Abdelkader Amir Bousloub, 21, with religiously aggravated harassment offenses.
