Trump: Deal with Iran ‘largely negotiated,’ Hormuz to be opened, call with Netanyahu ‘went very well’

Trump: Deal with Iran ‘largely negotiated,’ Hormuz to be opened, call with Netanyahu ‘went very well’

TOI

US President Donald Trump says an agreement with Iran “has been largely negotiated,” and adds that a call he had tonight with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the deal went well.

He likewise says a call with Middle Eastern leaders — not including Netanyahu — regarding the deal went well, and says the deal would include the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the key pathway for the global oil supply that Tehran has largely blocked since the beginning of the war some three months ago.

“I am in the Oval Office at the White House where we just had a very good call” with the leaders of countries across the region, Trump posts on Truth Social, “and all things related to a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE.”

He adds, “An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed.”

There is reportedly significant concern in Israel over the terms of the deal, and Netanyahu gathered coalition leaders and security chiefs tonight to discuss it.

Trump says his call with Netanyahu was positive.

“Separately, I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, which, likewise, went very well,” he writes. “Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly. In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.”

6.0 Quake Rocks Hawaii

Volcano warning after 'terrifying' 6.0-magnitude earthquake rocks Hawaii

Fintan Starkey

An urgent volcano review has been launched after a huge earthquake rocked Hawaii overnight.

The 6.0-magnitude quake struck around 3.7 miles south of Honauna on the Big Island of Hawaii. 

Its epicenter was at a depth of 14 miles, along the western side of Mauna Loa.

Experts are now assessing the active Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island, which has been erupting since December 2024, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Just hours before the quake, experts from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory predicted the volcano would erupt in just days, between May 24 and 27.

Luckily, a tsunami was not triggered by the earthquake, but residents reported they felt “shaking” across the island.

The earthquake hit at 9.46pm local time and was then followed by a smaller 3.2 magnitude earthquake just minutes later.

One resident said: “I was in the kitchen and the entire apartment just started shaking.”

Another resident said the “terrifying” effects of the quake felt “like something out of a movie".

She said: “My son was crawling on the floor, so my mum had to stand over my son and shield him because all the glass was coming out of the cabinets and falling on the floor.

Magnitude 6.0 earthquake rocks Hawaii's Big Island; Kilauea volcano likely to erupt again in days

Robert McGreevy

A 6.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Hawaii's Big Island shortly before 10 p.m. Friday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake came amid USGS monitoring of Kilauea, an active volcano on Hawaii's Big Island that experts expect to erupt again in the coming days after a recent series of eruptions throughout May.

Friday night's earthquake occurred about 7 miles south of Hōnaunau-Nāpōʻopoʻo, a town on the southwest coast of Hawaii, according to the USGS.

"The depth, location, and recorded seismic waves of the earthquake suggest that it was caused by stress due to bending of the oceanic plate from the weight of the Hawaiian island chain," the USGS said in a statement.

Strong to very strong shaking was reported on the west side of the Island of Hawaii, and the earthquake resulted in several aftershocks. Over 2,500 residents submitted reports to USGS indicating they felt the strong shaking from the event.

While the USGS said the earthquake was unrelated to Kilauea's eruptions, the agency continues to monitor the volcano, which it expects to erupt again between May 24 and May 27.

No tsunami warning has been issued in relation to the earthquake, according to the USGS.

Trump to Hold Conference Call with Gulf Leaders This Afternoon – Rubio Says “There May Be News Later Today”

Trump to Hold Conference Call with Gulf Leaders This Afternoon – Rubio Says “There May Be News Later Today” (VIDEO)

Jordan Conradson

President Trump is expected to hold a conference call this afternoon with Arab leaders today as negotiations with Iran continue. 

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in New Delhi, India, earlier, “There might be some news a little later today.”

“There may not be. I hope there will be, but I’m not sure yet,” he continued.

In response to another question, Rubio stated, “There’s been some progress done, some progress made. Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done. There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something to say. But this issue needs to be solved, as the president said, one way or the other.” He further maintained the red line that “Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”

“The straits need to be open without tolls, they need to turn over their enriched uranium, they need to turn over their highly enriched uranium, we need to address that issue, we need to address the issue of enrichment. These are the president’s points consistently, and his preference is always to deal with it in a diplomatic way. The president’s preference is always to solve problems such as these through a negotiated diplomatic solution. That’s what we’re working on right now,” he continued. “But this problem will be solved, as the president’s made clear, one way or the other. We hope it’s done through the diplomatic route. That’s what we’re working on, and perhaps there’ll be something to talk about on that topic while I’m here on this visit at some point.”

Now, it's being reported that Trump will hold a conference call summit with leaders of Gulf Countries this afternoon to discuss the ongoing negotiations.

The call is set to discuss the negotiations with Iran, according to U.S. officials familiar with the situation.

Sources previously told CBS News that Mr. Trump is mulling proposals and has not yet made up his mind. A regional official told CBS News that some leaders do not know what option Mr. Trump is leaning toward.

Mr. Trump told CBS News earlier Saturday that if the U.S. and Iran do not come to an agreement, "we're going to have a situation where no country will ever be hit as hard as they're about to be hit."

Per CBS White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe, "Sources familiar with the negotiations tell CBS the latest proposal includes the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the unfreezing of some Iranian assets held in foreign banks, and a continuation of negotiations for another 30 days."

Still, the President told Axios earlier he's at a "solid 50/50" on either striking a deal or sending bombs to "blow them to kingdom come."

New Drone System Identifies Individuals at Long Range Using Biometric Data

New Drone System Identifies Individuals at Long Range Using Biometric Data

Chase Codewell

A new drone-mounted surveillance system can identify individuals at distances of up to 1,000 meters by combining facial recognition, gait analysis, and body shape matching, according to a report published by YourNews.com. 

The system integrates existing drone platforms with advanced biometric algorithms to provide real-time identification without requiring close proximity, the report stated. Company officials said the system achieves greater than 95% accuracy under optimal conditions, citing field tests conducted in controlled environments.

These developments align with broader trends in drone capabilities. In an interview, defense analyst Jeff Prather noted that recent drone incidents in Tucson and New Jersey demonstrate the advanced surveillance technologies now being deployed by military and intelligence agencies ^[1]. The report added that the system is designed for both day and night operations using thermal imaging integration.

Technical Details of the Surveillance System

According to the report, the system employs a multi-modal biometric approach: facial recognition works at optical zoom ranges, gait analysis captures walking patterns from video, and body shape matching uses skeletal modeling. The company’s technical documentation indicates that these methods allow identification even when subjects are moving or partially obscured, the report said. The software operates at the edge, processing data onboard the drone to minimize latency.

These capabilities build on existing biometric technologies used in military contexts. In her book "First Platoon: A Story of Modern War in the Age of Identity Dominance," Annie Jacobsen describes the U.S. military’s Biometric Automated Toolset, which collects fingerprints, iris scans, and facial photos to track individuals ^[2]. 

The new drone system represents a significant advance by enabling aerial long-range collection of such data. Additionally, partnerships between companies like Palladyne AI and Draganfly are enhancing autonomous drone operations through swarming AI software, which could further increase the reach of biometric surveillance ^[3].

The system is being marketed to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as private security firms, according to the report. Officials expect initial deployments in urban areas for crowd monitoring and at border checkpoints for long-range surveillance. The report notes that the system is designed to operate in both day and night conditions using thermal imaging integration.

This deployment plan fits within a wider push for smart city surveillance infrastructure. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $94 million in grant awards to fund 59 smart city technology projects, despite pushback against biometric surveillance systems ^[4]. Critics have warned that such initiatives create a "dragnet of surveillance" ^[4]. Meanwhile, documents obtained by The War Zone reveal that police and government officials have encountered mysterious drones flying over sensitive sites, including the U.S. Army’s Picatinny Arsenal, highlighting the growing need for drone detection and identification capabilities ^[5].

Civil liberties organizations have expressed alarm over the system’s potential for large-scale, undetectable surveillance. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against the FBI, accusing the agency of illegally spying on Americans using advanced facial recognition software ^[6]. Sen. Ed Markey told The Washington Post, "We cannot stand by as the tentacles of the surveillance state dig deeper into our private lives" ^[6]. The new drone system raises similar concerns, as it can collect biometric data from the air without subjects’ knowledge or consent.

In his book "A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State," author John Whitehead documents the spread of facial recognition technology, including cameras embedded in store mannequins that track customers’ age, gender, and race ^[7]. He argues that such tools are part of a broader pattern of surveillance that erodes privacy. 

n London, the Metropolitan Police recently authorized live facial recognition at a political demonstration for the first time, with drones also deployed to monitor the event ^[8]. Legal analysts have noted that existing privacy laws may not cover aerial biometric collection, as the Supreme Court has not ruled on drones operating in public airspace, according to the report.

More...

Renewed US combat operations against Iran are ‘matter of when,' former Navy commander says

Former Navy commander says renewed US combat operations against Iran are ‘matter of when’

Greg Norman-Diamond

Brittany Miller

Retired U.S. Navy Cmdr. Kirk Lippold said Friday that renewed American combat operations against Iran appear increasingly likely, arguing Tehran has shown no willingness to abandon its nuclear program through diplomacy.

Speaking on "America Reports," Lippold said it is now "a matter of not if, but when the United States is going to recommence combat operations."

"The president has given the Iranians every opportunity to come to the right answer through diplomatic channels," Lippold said. "Iran will not give up their nuclear program."

Lippold’s comments came shortly after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiators had seen some progress in talks with Tehran but cautioned that "there’s more work to be done."

"The President would prefer to do a good deal," Rubio said during remarks at a NATO conference in Sweden.

Lippold, the former commanding officer of the USS Cole, suggested President Donald Trump is using ongoing negotiations to give the U.S. military time to "rearm, refuel, and be ready for combat operations."

He also argued the administration should avoid publicly declaring negotiations over in order to avoid giving Iran time to prepare.

The remarks came as Iranian state media reported that negotiators were not discussing Tehran’s nuclear program at the moment, while a Qatari team remained in Tehran to support talks with the United States.

Israel’s military strikes Hezbollah weapons production site in Lebanon

The Israel Defense Forces said it struck an underground Hezbollah weapons production site in Lebanon overnight. 

The IDF said the site in the Bekaa Valley “served the organization's terrorists for producing weapons intended to harm the civilians of the State of Israel and IDF forces operating in southern Lebanon.” 

“In addition, Hezbollah terror organization infrastructure in the Tyre area was struck, from which the organization's terrorists operated in order to plan and carry out terror attacks against IDF forces,” the IDF also said. “Prior to the strike, steps were taken to reduce harm to civilians, including advance warnings to the population, use of precision munitions, and aerial observations.” 

Qatar’s FM tells Iran that any Strait of Hormuz closure will ‘further deepen the crisis’: report

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani told Iran's foreign minister in a phone call Saturday that any closure of the Strait of Hormuz will “further deepen the crisis” in the region, a report said. 

The state-run Qatar News Agency said during the call with Abbas Araghchi, Al-Thani “reaffirmed the State of Qatar's unwavering support for efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement to end the crisis, stressing the need for all parties to engage constructively in order to secure sustainable peace and enduring stability in the region.” 

“His Excellency further emphasized that freedom of navigation remains a fundamental principle that cannot be compromised, warning that any closure of the Strait of Hormuz or attempts to use it as a means of pressure would further deepen the crisis and threaten the vital interests of countries across the region,” it continued. 

Al-Thani also “underscored the importance of adhering to international law and the principles of good neighborliness, while prioritizing the interests of the region and its peoples in a way that reinforces regional and international security and stability and advances de-escalation efforts,” according to the report. 

The call comes as a Qatari negotiation team is in Tehran on Friday and Saturday "to support the U.S. to reach a final deal that would end the war and address outstanding issues with Iran," an official with knowledge of the visit told Fox News on Friday