On The Hour – May 10, 2026 | U.S. IS WAITING FOR IRAN RESPONSE ON DEAL WHILE TENSIONS RISE

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]Welcome back to ILV on the hour. I'm Lidar Lazi coming to you live from Israel with all of the latest news from across the region. It's currently 7 a.m.

[00:00:10]in New York and 2 p.m. in Tel Aviv. Here are this hour's top headlines. Iranian officials on Sunday have yet to give their response to the US proposal aimed at ending the war and instead are threatening the United States that any US attack on Iranian oil tankers and commercial vessels will be met with a heavy attack against US bases and enemy ships in the region. This after the Islamic regime forces reportedly struck a ship on Sunday off the coast of Qatar.

[00:00:39]And Iranian lawmakers are now saying they are drafting a bill that would formalize Iran's management of the Strait of Hormuz and would restrict passage to hostage hostile vessels. This in violation of international law.

[00:00:54]Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington is prepared to launch a more expansive military operation in the Straight of Hormuz if talks with Iran fail, warning of a new phase he called Project Freedom Plus. Speaking to reporters, Trump said, "We may go back to Project Freedom if things don't happen, but it would be Project Freedom Plus without elaborating on what the additional measures would be." Trump also suggested growing frustration with the pace of negotiations, saying, "We'll find out soon enough when asked whether Iran was delaying the talks." The comments come just days after Trump announced a pause in Operation Project Freedom, the US mission escorting commercial shipping through the straight of Hormuz, and reports of pressure from Saudi Arabia and other regional players to avoid further escalation. And meanwhile, Qatar is reportedly taking on a central mediation role in the Iran talks at the request of the United States as Washington continues to wait for Tahran's response to the latest proposal. Earlier in the weekend, US and Iranian naval forces clashed in the Strait of Hormuz. The United States said it attacked military sites in retaliation for unprovoked Iranian attacks. The strikes came amid a tenuous month-old ceasefire and official statements that the two countries were discussing a plan to reopen the strait and end the American blockade on Iranian ports. US Central Command said two empty Iranian flag tankers were struck and a third vessel was disabled, adding that all three ships were prevented from reaching Iran. Sentcom also said more than 70 tankers are currently being blocked from entering or leaving Iranian ports, describing the effort as part of the ongoing pressure campaign.

[00:02:40]Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that despite the incidents, the ceasefire would continue and claimed the US was responding to Iranian aggression. Let's take a listen.

[00:02:51]>> If you fire at a US Navy ship, what are we supposed to do? Say, "Oh, there's a ceasefire. We're not going to shoot down your drone." That's a stupid question.

[00:02:57]That's a stupid position to take. Of course, we fired back at them. They were shooting at us. That's what I would expect to do. Only stupid countries don't shoot back when you're shot at.

[00:03:05]And we're not a stupid country.

[00:03:08]And at this hour, as I said, the US is still waiting on the Iranian response.

[00:03:14]And moving on to the northern front, the Israeli Air Force carried out widespread strikes across southern Lebanon, targeting Kzbala rocket launchers, weapon storage sites, and other terror infrastructure. The IDF says more than 85 Kzbala targets were hit over 24-hour period, including an underground weapons production facility. The military says the strikes targeted rocket launcher, storage facilities, and operatives involved in planning attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops. The army also says operations are continuing south of the forward defense line, having destroyed more than 200 terror sites, eliminated about 90 terrorists, and seized over 1,000 weapons, including RPGs, anti-tank missiles, explosives, machine guns, and rifles. Meanwhile, Kazbala over the weekend launched a new wave of rocket and drone attacks toward northern Israel and IDF troops in southern Lebanon, wounding a number of people. The terror group says the attacks were in retaliation for the targeted killing of a senior Rodwan force commander in Beirut last week.

[00:04:17]Sirens sounded across the western Galilee and Hifa Bay area after rockets were fired from Lebanon. The IDF said one rocket was intercepted while others landed in open areas with no civilian casualties reported. Kazbala also claimed responsibility for the drone swarm targeting an Israeli military base on Mount Meon and another base south of Niharia.

[00:04:40]And all of this as Israel Lebanon talks are set to continue this week with the United States hosting a new round of talks between Israeli and Lebanon officials in DC. The State Department says it will host a third round and on Friday and on Thursday in Washington and this is the first time that the talks began last month that military representatives from both countries are expected to join the discussions alongside diplomats in what officials describe as an effort to advance more concrete steps toward disarming Kbala.

[00:05:14]The negotiations are part of a broader US-backed effort to stabilize the northern front following months of crossber fighting between Israel and the Iranianbacked terror group.

[00:05:26]And in other news, a new report claims Israel established a secret military outpost inside Iraq to support its air campaign against Iran and even carried out air strikes to prevent Iraqi forces from discovering the base. According to the Wall Street Journal, citing senior US officials and other sources, Israel built the covert facility in the Iraqi Desert shortly before the war with Iran with Washington's knowledge. The base reportedly housed special forces, served as a logistics hub for the Air Force, and included rescue teams ready to recover any downed Israeli pilots. No Israeli pilots were shot down during the war, though the report says Israel assisted in securing the rescue of the downed US F-15 near Ace Fahan.

[00:06:13]The Journal reports the secret base was nearly exposed in early March after a local Shepherd reported unusual helicopter activity. Iraqi security forces were sent to investigate and according to the report, Israel responded with air strikes to drive the Iraqi forces away before the facility could be discovered. Iraq later said one of its soldiers was killed in the incident.

[00:06:37]And joining us now with more on all of the latest developments in the region is Avi Melamed, an expert on the Middle East. Avi, thank you so much for joining us.

[00:06:49]>> Thank you for having me. So, so many developments in the region uh in the last few days, but first I want to address this uh report in the Wall Street Journal of a secret Israeli base in Iraq. I mean, this really is extraordinary, I think, up there with the beepers operation and the like. I mean, what do you make of this report and what goes into an operation like this opening a base in the heart of enemy territory?

[00:07:18]Well, again, based upon the reports in the foreign press, this is a site that was temporarily established in the western part of Iraq in a desert area which is relatively not populated. And according to the reports, the major mission of dead sites, as I understand it, was actually to create some sort of a hub, particularly for the purpose of rescue efforts if in case an Israeli jet is being shot and you need to to save the pilot. It makes sense in in that regard. But beyond that, I wouldn't say exactly what could be additional uh purposes of something like that given its location and given the fact that in the end of the day there is this chance or hazard of some sort of a friction with a local Iraqi forces as reportedly almost happened if something like that is being exposed. So assuming that this report is accurate, I would say that it seems to be like logic that the major purpose of that site was indeed in the context of being involved in operation of rescue if needed. And as we know up until now, that was not the case.

[00:08:27]>> And let's get back now to Iran. And you know, the United States is still waiting for the regime's response to its proposal to essentially end the war, but the rhetoric and the threats are increasing on both sides ahead of uh the awaited Iranian response. So, what is your analysis of the situation first of all? And second of all, you know, we heard Marco Rubio uh saying that a response was already expected on Friday.

[00:08:56]Today, Sunday, still no response. Why is Iran drogging this out?

[00:09:04]>> Well, I think Lar it has to do with the I would say the wider picture and this is what I've been calling for a long period of time this poker game uh that we seem that all along since the beginning of the war. So right now we are in that another phase of such a of such a game because we can see constantly for the last couple of days this push and shaft that goes in between the United States and the Iranian the whole area of the street of Horos. U the Iranians are posing their blockade and the Americans are posing the siege on the blockade and in between you got this friction sort of speaking between the two the two parties. I think that there is another interesting component to bring in which is quite recent I would say that I think may add a different um element to this poker game and these are the more and more incoming reports that arguing that Mushab who is allegedly the new supreme leader of Iran apparently alive but it's not clear to what extent he's communicating the most recent thing coming out in that regards is that there has been reportedly some new instructions coming from to the team to the current team the Iranian team who who runs or guide let's put it this way the current policy of the Iranian visa va crisis I don't know to say necessarily if himself is involved but the fact that there is such a report and apparently that report is valid I think could indicate that in the end of the day the Iranian are doing constantly what we whole evaluation of the situation and maybe and this is very big maybe now they are kind of like um assessing a new approach visav v the recent American ad administration offer and when you look from the American administration offer you could see that in the same period of time there is this change of rhetoric as you mentioned before by President Trump talks about freedom or freedom plus phase so I think that we see here some interactive sort of speaking exchange of messages between between the administration and between the Iranians which I think could indicate maybe a new phase in this poker game that we mentioned earlier.

[00:11:27]But yet, you know, nearly every security expert, every Iran expert that we've heard here on ILV and internationally for the past few weeks has basically said the same thing that the Iranian regime cannot be trusted to uphold any agreement. We've seen them violating past agreements. I mean, this is why we are where we are today, why we have this problem of the enriched uranium. So why is President Trump so convinced that an agreement with this regime is the best path forward? And you know we've spoken about the Iranian side, we've spoken about the American side. How does Israel view these negotiations as well?

[00:12:12]>> Well, if I try to look from President Trump perspectives, there are two I would say segments that are built in with this whole equation. One is that there is understanding that in the end of the day this regime is not going to collapse only because of use of military power. This is one thing and the other thing is that we have to remember that in the end of the day President Trump needs to walk away with very substantial and tangible achievement. The pressure in that regard is increasing given the fact that it is approaching midterm elections in the states. We are dealing with the crisis of the oil price and so on and so on. So from President Trump perspective, it's very clear that he needs in the end of the day to make sure that he can walk away with a tangible agreement or a tangible achievement that basically could allow him to to to announce triumph if you want to wish to to describe it describe it this this way. I think Israel find itself in a much more even challenging situation because as I have been noticed long time ago, Israel basically have to synchronize and subscribe its strategic geostrategic interest to the ones of the current administration of Trump administration and the regional players.

[00:13:30]And in the end of the day, as I mentioned it very clearly, there may be a similarity between the strategic interest, but they are not identical.

[00:13:39]And when you look at it from the Israeli perspective, I think that both in the Libanese arena as well as in the Iranian arena, we could see right now that Israel basically has to subscribe its immediate and long-term interests at the alter or to subscribe it to the priorities in calculation of the American administration. In that regard, I think that Israel find itself in a very challenging position. Mhm. And you know, you also mentioned uh Lebanon and and I want to, you know, transition now to the northern front because uh the same uh essentially for Lebanon, as you said, the United States has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, even though we see continuously firing into Israel, attacking IDF troops and violating the ceasefire. Now, we see this also with Hamas in Gaza, by the way, and we've been here before. You know, during the ceasefire, the terrorists usually take the opportunity to regroup, to grow stronger, and then more Israeli lives are ultimately put at risk. I mean, so what is your analysis on this front? You know, we we hear that uh there's supposed to be another round of diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon at the Thursday and Friday this week. So what is the solution that the US and Lebanon are providing here uh you know to Israel to essentially disarm Kazbala? Is there even a solution that they're offering?

[00:15:07]>> Well leader as you probably know the Libanese government formally announced that it ordered the Libanese army to prepare a plan to disarm Hezbollah.

[00:15:15]Nobody has illusion illusions about it.

[00:15:17]Nobody's going in Lebanon to disarm the Hezbollah. In the end of the day, and I have to reiterate it, we need to find a formula that in the end of the day will create a new situation where the Hezbollah is not any longer able to continue and to dictate as it has been doing so unfortunately so far to dictate its its agenda or the Iranian agenda. In that regard, we do have today some ingredients that are different from let's say before October 7 and before the war with Iran. And so there are potentially more supporting conditions for such a move in the Libanese arena that in the end of the day and again will not lead to the disarmament of the Hezbollah but will create a situation where the Hezbollah will be less able to continue to dictate its radical agenda.

[00:16:07]I think that by the way in that regard it's interesting to see that from the Hezbollah perspective the Hezbollah that is finding itself under a lot of military pressure but also under a lot of political pressure inside Lebanon across the board. The Lebanese are basically demanding to disarm and to end the situation where he defi define or decides war and peace for the Libanese. The Hezbollah at the same time is starting to monetize in a way this card of the continuing punches with Israel because he's more and more playing the card of I am defending the Libanese soil. Therefore, my weapon is essential which is something that by the way he did before the but now you kind of like re reiterate that that that card in its possession. And and one other thing interesting about the Hezbollah is that the leader of the Hezbollah openly admitted that the organization had more than 5,000 casualties and dozens of thousands of people injured which is quite interest because relatively speaking the organization was quite careful not to provide too many details. I guess this is something that has to do with the message the PR message that the Hezbollah is trying to convey internally to the Libanese.

[00:17:25]basically saying, "I'm not the bad guy right here. I'm the good one. I'm defending Lebanon and see I'm sacrificing my people to that end." Not that is changing very much the current mood in Lebanon. But still, the Hezbollah is continuing to market that PR. And one last thing I would say in the context of the Israeli Libanese discussions, negotiations, talks.

[00:17:47]Interesting enough, as you mentioned before, Lidal, the participation of military representatives. Why is it interesting?

[00:17:54]>> Because Israel and Lebanon has a ceasefire agreement from 1948. Um, but there are a couple of locations along the Israeli Lebanese border that are somewhat controversial. One of the most well-known one is a place called the Shabbah farm which is a group of neglected abandoned agricultural farms that the Hisbah has been constantly arguing that this is a Libanese territory that was occupied by Israel and therefore the Hezbollah is using the card of the Shabarm as an excuse for the resistance for the continuation of the fight against Israel. By the way, I would say as an historical fact, the Shama actually were part of Syria, not part of Lebanon. So, it's interesting to see that there is participation of an officers or military personnel from the side. Maybe one of the things that will be discussed there will be the story of the Shabam and that will be very interesting to follow. If that thing is going to be presented in the discussion, I think it will be very interesting to look at it in the context of the whole wider inner Libanese political arena.

[00:19:04]>> Absolutely. And so now uh the world is waiting for the Iranian response and of course we will continue to follow the expected talks between Israel and Lebanon later this week. So diplomacy seems to be the way forward uh right now. Avi Meamemed, thank you so much for joining us today and for your analysis.

[00:19:25]>> Thank you for having me. Have a good day.

[00:19:29]>> And turning now to Gaza where the IDF continues to confront ceasefire violations and a precise strike aimed at removing an immediate threat. The IDF and Shinbet say they destroyed a bomb-making site and weapons storage facility in the northern Gaza Strip.

[00:19:44]According to the military, the site had been recently used by kamas to manufacture explosives and store additional weapons intended for attacks against IDF forces operating in the yellow line area and against Israeli civilians. The IDF said steps were taken prior to the strike to minimize harm to civilians, including the evacuation of the target area, the use of precise munitions, and aerial surveillance. And meanwhile, the Trump administration is advancing a major new phase of its post-war Gaza plan as the US-led Board of Peace received its largest funding transfer yet and moves ahead with plans to build a new Palestinian security force. President Donald Trump has signed an order promoting the sale of American Arms and Defense Services to the Board of Peace, the international body overseeing Gaza's post-war restructuring. Now, the move comes as the United Arab Emirates transferred $100 million to fund the training of a new Palestinian police force for Gaza, according to US and Middle Eastern officials. The payment is the largest contribution so far to the Board of Peace, which announced $17 billion in international pledges earlier this year.

[00:21:00]Now, the new force is expected to operate under a Palestinian technocratic body known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which is intended to eventually replace kamas rule in the strip. Now, officials say recruits will be trained in Egypt and Jordan with an Emirati security firm tasked with rebuilding a force of about 27,000 officers. The plan is part of the broader US-led effort to phase out Hamas and eventually the IDF from Gaza while establishing new governing and security structures. At the same time, the Board of Peace is working to create an international stabilization force for Gaza. Though implementation remains dependent on efforts to pressure Hamas into accepting a disarmament framework, which so far has had very little success.

[00:21:56]And joining us now with more on the southern front is Avid Schwarzman, a resident of Kfar Aza, one of the hardest hit Kibbutim in southern Israel on October 7th. Avid, thank you so much for joining us.

[00:22:13]>> Sure. Thank you. Thank you for having me. So we haven't, you know, heard much about Gaza communities lately in the news because of course the focus has in recent months shifted to Iran and to the northern communities, but we know that Gaza is very much still an active front.

[00:22:29]So first of all, you know, can you tell us it's been nearly 3 years uh since the October 7th terror attacks. I mean, how is the community in Kfal Aza? Have most people returned home? What can you tell us about life today in Karaza?

[00:22:46]>> Well, um first of all, uh most of the community is now living and staying um for at least for a couple more months in Kibut, not not far from about 20 minutes drive from there. Um and yes, most of the most of the residents of the kibuts are not living in the kibbuts yet. Uh the kibut is still being rebuilt and uh being uh renovated and um and it it's not it's still it's not ready in uh you know in in in top shape and in uh 100% uh to take in all of its formal uh inhabitants and residents.

[00:23:30]>> And you know we saw of course what happened in on October 7th. We know that you know since then essentially as you just said uh you know the kibuts members have been living uh not in the kibbuts you mean you've been transferred from place to place uh now many have returned you said 20 minutes away still in the southern envelope uh how is the feeling today I mean do most people want to return home have you seen people deciding they don't want to live uh on the border of Gaza anymore I mean what is the feeling among the community today >> well the feeling among the community is uh you know as a as a pluralistic community we have a lot of uh a lot of uh notions and a lot of ideas on how uh we will we will go back we'll go back home I mean uh if you'll take uh me for an in for an instance so my daughter was one year old on October 7th and she's now nearly 3 years far away from home she she doesn't know even how uh her her home of her kibbutz looks like. So that's one. And we have members of the community uh that will want to stay here in Wulama for one more year that will want to um to see how and when they will go back to the kibuts. We have a lot of family that want to go back and we have couple of family that did uh come back to the kibuts already and now their life center is in the kibuts. Um and I think that most of the kibuts that now stays in Wukama will start uh it's moving back home in this summer and I guess it will take about a year but I think that in the grand scale of things I think that most of the members of the kibuts want to go back home it's very difficult and uh I can personally understand each and everyone who will not be able to go back to the kibbutz Uh but I think that a lot of people here are already so much time away from home that they want to go back to their home to the kibuts to the fields um and you know to the to the way of life that we had prior to to the massacre on October 7th. But >> yeah, >> we do hear a lot of uh um concerning reports about what happening on the other side of the fence. And um I got to tell you that we are not we we do not feel safe. And I think that 100% of the members of the kibbut or maybe 99.9% from the members of the kibbutz and the residents uh will say that we want to go back and we want to feel safe. We didn't feel safe for more than 20 years. We want to feel safe now. Okay. We've been through the most horrific thing that you can think of. Okay. So I think that now you owe us the the the safety and I don't know how the IDF or the Israeli government how seriously do they take it?

[00:26:44]>> I mean we we do we are seeing Hamas rearming. We're seeing Hamas regrouping.

[00:26:50]Are you hopeful at all for the board of peace? you know, do you believe that it will actually be able to bring security uh to bring peace uh you know, between Israel and Gaza?

[00:27:02]>> Well, I I don't think I I No, I'm I'm sorry for being so cynical, but I don't think that peace even a peace between the the leaders of of nations uh can bring can bring peace between the the people. And we have here a very uh very uh unique situation where uh the October 7 events created a full rift I think between the Palestinian society and the Israeli society and this is even a bigger bigger problem I think that before we're starting to deal with Gaza. I hope that they will be able in the peace council, they will be able to find a way to uh disarm Hamas, hopefully to exile whatever leaders it has and um and you know and and both people will be will live in peace on both sides of the fence. But unfortunately, I'm a little bit skeptical about it.

[00:28:10]>> Yeah. And if you could send a message today to the international community, if you could ask something of them, what would that message be?

[00:28:22]>> I think that um Israeli Israel as a as a member of the family of nations and uh I think that uh our legitimacy to be here is not in question. Although there are a lot of questions about it, I don't believe it. But I think that um they should start to understand that until Israel will not feel safe, the the the the whole idea of the of the Israelis will not, you know, I don't know how to explain it. I'll try do it in another way. uh Israelis are now I think in a state of uh of a trauma or PTSD which means that every single um you are very hype and you are very sensitive to everything. So I think that the the first uh directive of the peace council is needs to bring Israel some sort of a of security of course with Israel being involved in it because >> because if we will not feel safe even you know even on the on the border uh kibbutim I don't eventually the people in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will not be safe either. So the and and the Israeli people will not be safe and which means that the whole Middle East will not be safe because Israel will act like a wounded animal. Sorry for the and I think that right now that we get the the reports about another uh another kite or another uh balloon that's falling in the in the fields of the Gaza envelope. Uh I think that this is uh terrible news for us. And if you want us to go back to our home, we need to feel safe. And unfortunately, the the last two and a half years didn't bring us uh any s any any feeling of uh of safety.

[00:30:28]>> Yeah. So, still a lot of work to be done uh by Israel, by the international community and restoring that sense of security to the residents of southern Israel. We're still quite a ways away.

[00:30:42]Vidul Schwarzman, thank you so much for joining us today uh and for sharing your story. Thank you so much.

[00:30:50]>> And with that, that's a wrap for this edition of ILV on the hour, broadcasting live from Israel and the entire Middle East. We're bringing you the latest news of the region. I'm Lear Lazi. Thank you so much for watching.