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Issued on: 08/05/2026 – 01:12Modified: 08/05/2026 – 09:28
A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse at the industrial area of Sharjah City in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, March 1, 2026. © Altaf Qadri, AP
The United Arab Emirates on Friday said it was responding to missile and drone attacks launched by Iran, hours after the US and the Islamic republic traded fire, further straining a fragile ceasefire. Iran and the US are trading blows as their negotiators are seeking a deal to end the fighting, but so far they’ve avoided a return to all-out fighting. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates.
08/05/2026 – 08:17What we know about the latest exchange of fire between the US and Iran
US President Donald Trump insisted the ceasefire with Iran was still in place Thursday, despite an exchange of fire with Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz. The US and Iran offered conflicting views of the event – as both nations claimed to have been targeted first. FRANCE 24’s Reza Sayah reports from Tehran.
08/05/2026 – 05:05UAE says responding to missiles, drone attacks from Iran
The United Arab Emirates said Friday its air defences engaged missiles and drones coming from Iran, hours after the United States and the Islamic republic traded fire and strained a fragile truce.
“UAE air defences are currently engaging missile and drone attacks originating from Iran,” the defence ministry said on X, adding that interception sounds were heard “across various parts of the country”.
08/05/2026 – 02:39Trump dismisses Iran attacks as ‘a trifle’ and says ceasefire remains in place
President Donald Trump dismissed Iran’s attacks on three American warships on Thursday as “a trifle”, saying he considered the ceasefire still active.
Asked during a visit to see renovations of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool if the Iran ceasefire was still on despite the attacks, Trump said: “Yeah it is. They trifled with us today. We blew them away. They trifled. I call that a trifle.”
08/05/2026 – 02:05Trump says US to receive Qatar-gifted Boeing 747
President Donald Trump on Thursday told reporters that the United States will receive a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar to join the Air Force One fleet by the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4, confirming a Reuters exclusive.
08/05/2026 – 02:04Trump says US is negotiating with Iran
08/05/2026 – 01:20Trump says ceasefire with Iran is still in place
US President Donald Trump told ABC News on Thursday that the ceasefire with Iran remained in place despite new strikes, according to an ABC reporter on X.
08/05/2026 – 01:16Trump threatens more Iran strikes if deal not signed ‘fast!’
“We’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!” said US President Donald Trump.
08/05/2026 – 01:15Trump says ‘great damage’ done to Iranian attackers
President Donald Trump said on Thursday three US Navy destroyers transited out of the Strait of Hormuz under fire, adding that the American destroyers were not damaged but “great damage was done to Iranian attackers”.
“Three World Class American Destroyers just transited, very successfully, out of the Strait of Hormuz, under fire. There was no damage done to the three Destroyers, but great damage done to the Iranian attackers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“They were completely destroyed along with numerous small boats,” he said.
08/05/2026 – 01:14US and Iran trade blame after Strait of Hormuz clashes threaten ceasefire
The US military said it carried out strikes on Iranian military targets on Thursday after an attack on three American destroyers in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran accused Washington of striking first.
The violence threatened to unravel a fragile truce in effect since April 8 that brought an end to weeks of US-Israeli attacks on the Islamic republic, which has retaliated with strikes across the Middle East and by blocking the strait, a vital route for oil and gas shipments.
“Iranian forces launched multiple missiles, drones and small boats” at the three US warships, but none were hit, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X, adding that it “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible”.
08/05/2026 – 01:09
Welcome to the FRANCE 24 liveblog covering events in the Middle East. Click here to catch up on what happened yesterday.
• Around 1,500 ships are trapped in the Gulf due to the conflict in Iran, said the secretary general of the UN‘s International Maritime Organization.
• At least 12 people, including two children and a paramedic, have been killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes, the Lebanese health ministry reported.
• Israel and Lebanon are set to hold talks in Washington next week.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)