IRAN WAR: Ship reported seized off UAE coast is heading toward Iran

Here's the latest in the Iran war on Thursday

Published May 14, 2026  •  2 minute read

Two men sit in a small boat on the water as a mix of bulk carriers, cargo ships, and service vessels line the horizon in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Monday, April 27, 2026. Photo by Razieh Poudat /AP

A ship anchored off the east coast of the United Arab Emirates has been seized and is heading toward Iranian waters, the British military said on Thursday.

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The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said it received reports that the vessel was taken by unauthorized personnel while anchored 70 kilometres northeast of the UAE port of Fujairah, near the Strait of Hormuz.

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The seizure comes as U.S. President Donald Trump was meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on a much-anticipated visit to Beijing. The leaders’ talks are expected to focus on the war with Iran, which has seriously disrupted trade in oil, gas and other products and rattled the global economy.

It happened hours after Israel said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had quietly visited the UAE, though the UAE swiftly denied that any secret visit had occurred.

Here’s the latest on the Iran war on Thursday:

Ship seized off UAE is Iran bound

A ship anchored off the east coast of the United Arab Emirates was seized and was slated to head towards Iran.

The Gulf nation normalized relations with Israel in 2020. Iran has criticized that agreement and has repeatedly suggested over the years that Israel maintained a military and intelligence presence in the UAE.

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Israeli leaders have made occasional visits to the UAE in recent years after normalizing relations.

UKMTO did not name the ship and said it is investigating. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the seizure.

3 Israelis injured by Hezbollah drone

A Hezbollah drone exploded inside Israel, injuring three civilians, two of them severely, according to the Israeli military and hospitals.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded near-constant fire across the border despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on April 17.

Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold another round of direct talks in Washington on Thursday, as the Trump administration pushes for a breakthrough between the two neighbours that have been in a state of war since Israel was created in 1948.

The United Nations has also accused Hezbollah of drone strikes near its peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ message to both sides is that they must observe the ceasefire and stop all attacks, U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said.

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Lebanon, Israel to hold new talks as ceasefire nears end

Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to hold new peace talks in Washington starting Thursday, as their latest ceasefire nears its end.

On the eve of the negotiations, Lebanon’s health ministry said that 22 people, including eight children, were killed on Wednesday as Israel intensified airstrikes.

The attacks pounded about 40 locations in Lebanon’s south and east, according to the country’s state-run National News Agency (NNA).

The two nations last met on April 23 at the White House, where U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-week extension of the ceasefire and expressed optimism about a historic agreement.

Trump at the time made the bold prediction that, within the latest ceasefire period, he would welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to Washington for a historic first summit between the countries.

The summit did not happen, with Aoun saying a security deal needed to be in place and Israeli attacks needed to end before such a landmark meeting.

The ceasefire, which went into effect on April 17, had been extended through Sunday.

– With files from AFP and The Associated Press

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