One of the new Love Island contestants is Jasmine Muller, who previously dated former Arsenal star Hector Bellerin, and who has said she would be open to dating a footballer again
20:00, 28 May 2026Updated 21:13, 01 Jun 2026
Jasmine on Love Island(Image: ITV)
The World Cup may be right around the corner, but things will be kicking off in a different way for ex-WAG Jasmine Muller. The 27-year-old Love Island star from Dubai used to date former Arsenal player Hector Bellerin.
Though the two broke up, she doesn’t seem burned by the WAG lifestyle or the relationship and has said that she is open to dating a footballer again. “I’m open to getting to know everyone,” she said. “If I like you, I like you, so I’m not put off from dating footballers.”
Jasmine and Hector dated in 2021. “That relationship was so long ago, I don’t think about it anymore. It was a very healthy and lovely relationship and I suppose it did prepare me a little for high profile things but my main preparation has come from my mum and my sister and my friends. I have a huge support network.”
Back in 2021, the two were first revealed to be dating on TikTok, where Jasmine now has 57,000 followers. The two posted pics together and Jasmine was often seen in Spain, where Hector is from.
Now that she’s heading to Majorca, Jasmine has been very clear that she is open to meeting anyone – as long as they aren’t insecure. “My biggest ick is an insecure man,” she warned. “I’m quite a secure woman so I can’t date an insecure man.”
She added: “Honestly, how would he deal with me? That’s the real question. I don’t think insecure men could handle me. I pick up on insecurity straight away, and it just wouldn’t end well. By the end of it, he’d probably hate me.”
Jasmine has described her type on paper as “objectively hot”. If she finds him, she’d going “straight for the goal”. “Life is too short to play it sage, that’s boring,” she said. “You don’t go on Love Island to play it safe.”
As well as finding the fully secure love of her life, Jasmine is hoping to keep up the legacy left by Shakira Khan from series 12. Shakira was in the OG line up as well and was hugely popular, coming second on the show with her partner Harry Cooksley. Speaking after the show, Shakira revealed that one of the reasons she wanted to do it was because she wanted to be the representation for Asian women that she never had growing up.
“Being a fellow brown girl, it was lovely to see her be so honest,” Jasmine said when asked which Islanders she took as inspiration. “I hope I can do that for other brown girls.”
She’s hoping not to be drawn into drama in the same way Shakira was, but can’t deny that she is hoping to be a bit of a peacekeeper on the show. “I’m always involved in everyone’s business. I’m basically the auntie of the group. Everyone literally calls me ‘Jasmine Auntie.'”
Jasmine admits that has some draw backs though. “I’m so used to being there for other people that putting my issues first is a new thing. But I just think of what my Mum would say and what she would tell me to do. She’s so supportive, she even zipped up my suitcase to come here!”
Love Island returns Monday 1st June at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX
Chelsea have had a long-term interest in McCabe, who was a fan of the club as a child. They held off competition to sign her from WSL champions Manchester City.
An approach was made by Chelsea for McCabe in 2015, but McCabe opted to join Arsenal. They reportedly attempted again in 2023, but their bid was rejected.
She was offered a contract renewal by Arsenal in April but decided to pursue other opportunities, with Chelsea and City having made their interest known.
McCabe played a key role as Arsenal won the Champions League in 2025 and she also has an FA Cup, three League Cups and one Champions Cup medal.
On the international scene, McCabe has made 105 appearances for the Republic of Ireland, netting 34 goals, and led them to their first World Cup in 2023.
She was the first Irish woman to receive a nomination for the Ballon d’Or awards in 2023, and the first player male or female from her nation since Roy Keane in 2000.
Now McCabe can look forward to joining a club who have been one of Arsenal’s biggest rivals – a side that she helped knock out of the Champions League quarter-finals in April.
During the second leg of that European tie, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor was sent off as she vented her anger at a hair pull on Alyssa Thompson by McCabe.
McCabe’s arrival boosts a Chelsea squad bruised from missing out on the WSL title in the season just ended, and who are still chasing an elusive Champions League trophy.
Her addition to the squad is welcome given clubs are pursuing England left-back Niamh Charles, with Manchester City favourites to sign her.
England full-back Lucy Bronze is also out of contract with Chelsea this summer and has yet to confirm whether she has agreed an extension.
Arsenal are fresh from Champions League final heartbreak but there is no time to wallow.
Sunday’s Premier League title celebrations in north London may have refocused minds on next season’s missions, when they will aim to stay at the top of the English game and go a step further in Europe.
Defeat by Paris St-Germain in Budapest on Saturday night came only on penalties, but Arsenal‘s limitations against opposition of the highest class were evident before the spot-kicks.
The Gunners had less than 25% of possession, and Kai Havertz’s early opening goal was their only shot on target in 120 minutes of football.
After the game, PSG midfielder Joao Neves said Luis Enrique’s side had been “the only one who wanted to play”.
Former Arsenal defender and Premier League winner Matthew Upson told BBC Sport that Havertz’s early goal killed the game in one sense.
“Had it been 0-0 throughout the first half, I think you might have seen a slight difference in Arsenal, but once you get that goal naturally you just slightly slip into protection mode,” Upson said.
“Every team does it and obviously PSG then dominated the ball, but the possession stats are pretty scary really for a final with two teams who are the best around. To have a 75-25% difference in possession is almost unheard of really in a Champions League final.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described PSG as “the best team in the world”.
He said it was their prowess that dictated Arsenal‘s style.
He also hinted that his side could look to emulate the French side’s style of play in the future.
“What they are able to do with the ball, with individual actions, I haven’t seen it,” Arteta said.
“It’s not the plan to play in certain areas when you don’t have the ball, but they force you to do that.”
So does the Spaniard need to refine his style for next season to push Arsenal to the next level, build up their possession numbers, and keep challengers at bay?
Or will we see more of the same Premier League title-winning formula from the Gunners?
Arsenal will celebrate their Premier League title win on Sunday in front of their supporters in north London.
“If you’d offered them at the start of the season – that they would win the Premier League title and lose the Champions League final by a penalty kick, then it is not a bad season, it is a great season and I mean a really great season,” Pat Nevin told BBC Sport.
“Let’s remember they have lost tonight but they are the Premier League winners,” Onouha added.
“They have got their parade to look forward to and I don’t think there will be any fewer people turning up tomorrow just because they have lost the Champions League final.
“I think the club is in a great position, the manager has been there for many years now and he has a bunch of players who are still very very hungry, even though they have been successful.”
The review of the Arsenal squad will come in the summer but this team has progressed so much from the one that Arteta took over in 2019.
Bukayo Saka is the last player left from that squad and Arteta said it has been a “joy” to share this season with his players and staff.
Arsenal have looked at how they could generate money in the coming transfer window by potential player sales.
There is also a group of exciting youngsters, including 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly – who started in Budapest – Ethan Nwaneri, 19, and 16-year-olds Max Dowman and Marli Salmon who could emerge as first-team regulars in the coming seasons.
“It is cruel for Arsenal fans, but it is inevitable that this club win the Champions League,” European football expert Julien Laurens said on 5 Live.
“Mikel Arteta will see the positives because that is the kind of guy he is. Arsenal are getting closer and closer.”
And for Arteta, despite the pain, says he is ready to celebrate what has been a big step for his Arsenal side.
“I already know how they [the fans] feel about the team. I want to thank them for everything they’ve done for us throughout the season.”
“Difficult moments like this, they’ve been with us. It’s been a joy to see the reaction they’ve had when we’ve been able to win a league after 22 years.
“It hurts a lot for them not to win it today because I can’t even imagine what would have happened.
“We all had a huge desire to win it and tomorrow we’ll have a great day, I’m sure.”
Similarly, the Sunday Telegraph is dominated by an image of an emotional Gabriel, and reads: “Arsenal’s Champions League dream dies”. It leads with a story accusing UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of “watering down” checks on welfare benefits claimants, as new rules come into effect this week which will allow people to receive a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for four years after their initial assessment, and then a further six years after a review. The paper says claimants face reviews as often as every nine months under the current system. It writes that officials are warning that urgent changes to the welfare assessment system are needed, with the record number of people claiming PIPs costing the British taxpayer £26bn a year.
Champions League analysts Nedum Onuoha and Pat Nevin look at how Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was able to beat Arsenal’s plan to stifle him to become influential in the second half of the Champions League final.
BUDAPEST, Hungary — Winning the Champions League was so nice, Paris Saint-Germain had to do it twice.
PSG became back-to-back European champion by beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in a dramatic final in Budapest that ended 1-1 after extra time on Saturday.
“It’s incredible,” captain Marquinhos said. “From the very first day of this season, the coach said it’s hard to win, and winning twice is even more difficult. So we all had to get back to work. That was the mentality.”
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes fired the last of his team’s penalties over the bar to hand PSG the shootout win.
The French giant is only the second team to retain the trophy in the modern era after all-time king of Europe Real Madrid.
Luis Enrique became a three-time winner as a coach and has molded a team that is simply too good even for the best the continent has to offer. That includes an Arsenal team that won the Premier League last week and topped the first stage of the Champions League with a perfect winning record, finishing 10 points and 10 places ahead of PSG.
That mattered little in Puskas Arena as PSG reaffirmed its status as the dominant force in European soccer.
“It’s even more special because we knew before the match how difficult it would be,” Luis Enrique said. “I think it’s deserved over the course of the whole season, even if the final was very closely contested.”
After demolishing Inter Milan 5-0 in last year’s final, PSG endured a tougher foe as Arsenal sat deep and relied on the best defense in the competition.
PSG dominated possession but created little after going behind to a Kai Havertz goal in the sixth minute. It took an Ousmane Dembélé penalty in the 65th to level the score and take the final to extra time for the first time in 10 years.
PSG coach in elite company
By going back to back, Luis Enrique achieved what his good friend Pep Guardiola could not after winning Champions Leagues at Barcelona and Manchester City. Luis Enrique joined Carlo Ancelotti, Bob Paisley, Zinedine Zidane and Guardiola in an elite group of coaches with at least three European Cups.
The next target will be to emulate Madrid’s three in a row under Zidane from 2016-18. And with a starting lineup in Budapest with an average age of less than 24, Luis Enrique has built a team that has the potential to dominate for years.
“It’s crazy, it’s crazy. We’re going to enjoy it first, and after we’re going to work and work again because we want more. We are really hungry. We are a young team, and we know we are really ambitious. So next season we have to go again,” Désiré Doué told broadcaster TNT Sports.
Having waited 22 years to get its hands back on the Premier League trophy, Arsenal’s wait in Europe goes on.
This was its 226th game in the European Cup or Champions League without lifting the trophy. No other team has played so many without being champion.
“First of all you have to go through that pain, digest it and then turn it into fuel and improve and reach a different level because it will demand a different level with the quality that is around Europe,” manager Mikel Arteta said.
“I want to congratulate PSG because they are, in my opinion, the best team in the world. What they are able to do with the ball, individual actions, I haven’t seen it (before).”
Paris Saint-Germain held their nerve in a cagey Champions League final to retain the title by beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties as Saturday’s nail-biting showdown ended 1-1 after extra time, cementing the French side’s status among Europe’s modern greats.
Arsenal defender Gabriel blasted his spot kick over Matvey Safonov’s crossbar at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, his miss confirming PSG as the first club to retain the trophy since Real Madrid completed their three-year reign from 2016 to 2018.
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Long dismissed as glamorous underachievers despite vast resources, the Ligue 1 champions have now forged a dynasty under Luis Enrique, marrying attacking brilliance with resilience to establish themselves as the dominant force in European football.
“It’s stronger than last year because we knew before the match just how difficult it would be to play against Arsenal,” said Enrique, whose side had thrashed Inter Milan 5-0 a year ago to claim Europe’s elite trophy for the first time.
“As a club and a city, it’s incredible to win, and I think we deserved it over the course of the season. The final was a real battle,” added the Spanish coach.
The outcome left Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice devastated but proud as his side finished their European campaign without losing a match, aside from the shootout defeat in the final.
“It’s gutting. It’s devastating to lose a Champions League final on penalties,” he said. “But we try to take a lot of perspective from how far we’ve come as a group.
“An incredible season. Given it absolutely everything up until this point. We took the game to penalties. It’s a lottery.”
Eleven days after celebrating their first Premier League title in 22 years, Arsenal looked set for a maiden triumph on Europe’s biggest stage after Kai Havertz’s sixth-minute opener and a first hour spent smothering PSG’s vaunted attack.
However, the final in the Hungarian capital became chaotic, once PSG’s Ousmane Dembele equalised with a penalty in the 65th minute, the pace turning frantic before exhaustion took the match to a shootout.
Under Enrique, PSG have won the six shootouts they have contested, with the 56-year-old winning 12 of the 13 one-off club finals as coach.
After brushing aside Premier League opposition on their way to the final by eliminating Chelsea and Liverpool, PSG were facing a much sterner test against an Arsenal team playing their second Champions League final after losing to Barcelona in 2006.
Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead when Marquinhos’ clearance bounced off Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard into the path of Havertz, who raced into the box and fired into the roof of the net.
He is the fourth player to score in two different European Cup or Champions League finals with two different clubs.
It was the nightmare scenario for PSG – trailing so early against the best defence in the competition.
Arsenal lived up to their reputation as the best team without the ball and looked perfectly content with the script, doubling up on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and suffocating the usual danger posed by the Georgian magician on the left flank.
PSG’s Fabian Ruiz was unable to impose his usual rhythm in midfield and, despite monopolising possession for long spells, the French side struggled to carve out clear-cut chances.
By half-time, PSG had attacked 32 times, Arsenal three.
Arsenal, however, were flirting with the boundaries with their challenges and Cristhian Mosquera brought down Kvaratskhelia in the area, with Dembele converting the penalty to equalise with his eighth goal in the competition.
The momentum had shifted.
Jurrien Timber and Viktor Gyokeres replaced Mosquera and Martin Odegaard. Arsenal had a more attacking mindset but were exposed to PSG’s counter attacks and at the end of one of them, Kvaratskhelia sped into the box, only for his left-footed effort to crash onto the outside of David Raya’s post.
After controlling the tempo in the first half, Arsenal played into PSG’s hands as the pace increased significantly, giving too much space to Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola, who replaced the Georgian winger with seven minutes remaining.
In the 89th minute, PSG came close to giving the final an abrupt end as Vitinha’s shot grazed the top of the net. Barcola also shot over the bar after a counter attack, with what would have been the last kick of the game.
With both teams having run out of steam, extra time was a cautious affair and when referee Daniel Siebert blew his whistle, Arsenal had only managed one shot on target.
Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze missed his penalty before Raya saved Nuno Mendes’ attempt. Gabriel had to score to keep the Gunners’ hopes alive but, facing PSG’s end, he fired over.
The French side were left to celebrate being European champions once again, with extra-time substitute Lucas Beraldo’s goal in the shootout proving to be the winner.
Al Jazeera runs you through this season’s UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.
Published On 28 May 202628 May 2026
Europe’s premier club competition concludes on Saturday when the final of the UEFA Champions League is played.
From qualifying to a comprehensive league phase and then the drama of the knockouts, the tournament now comes down to two teams.
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Al Jazeera runs you through the top 10 things you need to know about the showpiece event for European football’s governing body, UEFA.
Who is playing in the Champions League final?
This year’s final will be contested by English Premier League club Arsenal, who overcame Atletico Madrid in the semifinals, and French giants Paris Saint-Germain, who defeated Bayern Munich in their last-four clash.
Who is the defending Champions League winner?
PSG are the defending champions, having lifted the tournament for the first time last season.
The French club beat Inter Milan in the final with an incredible 5-0 scoreline that humiliated the Italian Serie A club in Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
Desire Doue scored twice to cement his place as one of the biggest names in the game, even at the tender age of 19.
Achraf Hakimi was also on the scoresheet alongside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Senny Mayulu. Incredibly Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele missed out on netting a goal despite being one of the star names en route to the final.
Who is the favourite to win this year’s final?
PSG are the heavy favourites to defend their crown, but Arsenal are being tipped as one of the rising forces in European football.
The Gunners have never won Europe’s most prized footballing trophy but have just ended a 22-year wait to lift the Premier League.
Who are PSG’s key players for the Champions League final?
Doue and Dembele remain the key figures for PSG although the latter is an injury doubt for the final.
Hakimi is also one of the most recognisable players in the Parisians’ ranks, but he is the major concern for the match, having missed both legs of the semifinal and the last four Ligue 1 games of the season because of an injury.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia tops PSG’s scoring charts across all competitions this season by one goal ahead of Dembele, who has 18. Bradley Barcelo has 13 strikes to his name while Doue has 12.
At the back, PSG are lead by Brazilian international Marquinhos.
Who are Arsenal’s key players for the Champions League final?
Declan Rice is seen as the heart of Arsenal’s team, not least as the England midfielder operates in the centre of the park.
Viktor Gyokeres has grown into the role of leading the line in attack, and the Swedish international has returned 19 goals in his debut season for the North Londoners.
The two players that are often regarded as having the magical touches for the Gunners, though, are England internationals Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, who have netted 10 and 7 times, respectively.
Much like PSG, Arsenal have a Brazilian powerhouse at the back in the form of Gabriel Magalhaes.
Where is the Champions League final being played?
The final is being staged at Puskas Stadium in the Hungarian capital, Budapest.
The stadium – named in honour of the country’s most famous footballer, Ferenc Puskas – was rebuilt in 2017, and construction was completed for its reopening in 2019. It has the capacity for 67,215 spectators.
What trophies have Arsenal and PSG already won this season?
Arsenal sealed their first league title since 2004 when Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles” went unbeaten all season. The campaign went to the penultimate match when Manchester City’s failure to win at Bournemouth meant the North Londoners could no longer be caught. The Gunners also reached the final of the League Cup, but they were defeated by City.
PSG finished six points clear of Lens in the French league, beating their nearest challengers in the penultimate round to secure the trophy.
It is their fifth consecutive league title and their 12th in 14 seasons, taking their overall tally to 14 Ligue 1 crowns.
When is the Champions League final, and what time is kickoff?
The match is being played on Saturday and will kick off at 6pm (17:00 GMT).
Will the Champions League final be free to watch?
No. The UEFA Champions League is part of a subscription package across the world, as sold by the continent’s governing body.
How can I follow the Champions League final?
Al Jazeera Sport will bring you our comprehensive build-up before kickoff from 2pm (13:00 GMT) on Saturday before our text commentary stream of the match.
After Arsenal‘s first league title for more than two decades was confirmed, tens of thousands of supporters rushed to Emirates Stadium to celebrate.
“I knew we were a sleeping giant that we needed to awaken in some way.” Kroenke said.
“We haven’t had a team, a squad like this in the social media age. Social media evolved and the Twittersphere and everything else around it.
“The instantaneous information, the ‘Banter Era’ – I’m aware of all this. I turned 46 last week.
“I’ve grown up around this and I’ve seen it all from my own perspective. I think that’s what I’m so proud to see. There was almost a time when you were a closeted Arsenal fan.”
But this success does not mean the end of the journey for Kroenke and his vision for the club, with the Gunners playing Paris-St Germain in the Champions League final on Saturday.
“I think I can think back and say that our stated goal was winning the Premier League, because if you can put yourself in contention for the Premier League, you’re in contention for everything else.” Kroenke said.
“Should we get a great result on Saturday, it’s not going to change or affect who we are. When you win something, the sun’s still going to come up the next day.
“You’ve got to get back to work and there are many teams trying to gain on you, including some historically great ones around the Premier League.
“So, we’re going to look to strengthen because we know that teams around us are going to get better. If you’re not trying to continually evolve and improve, you’re standing still.”
Some of the numbers for individual players are eye-catching.
Les Parisiens’ club captain Marquinhos has started 14 of those European games – the same number of total appearances he made in the league (11 starts, three as a substitute).
From 13 February to 19 April, the decorated Brazil defender didn’t see a single minute of league action, remaining an unused sub in seven successive games. He played every minute of the holders’ six Champions League fixtures in that timeframe.
Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele completed 90 minutes in the league only once in 22 appearances. Fellow forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia played for the duration just twice in 28 matches.
On 12 May, Dembele controversially won the Ligue 1 player-of-the-season award for the second year in a row, registering 10 goals and seven assists.
He started a mere 11 league games (nine at the time of the award), featuring in 22 out of a possible 34 overall, although a succession of injury problems did cause him to miss 10 of those.
Luis Enrique’s policy of rotation – he used 28 players in league fixtures versus Arteta’s 25 – did come at some cost, albeit not a telling one.
Three of their six league defeats – against Marseille in September, Monaco in November and Lyon in April – came immediately after Champions League ties.
Midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery played more league minutes than anyone else in the PSG squad with 2,453. Six Arsenal players clocked up more than that.
The notion that England’s top flight is the best in Europe is not purely down to Anglocentric bias; Uefa’s association club coefficients rank the Premier League as the continent’s top division, with Ligue 1 fifth.
It should be said that PSG played a mammoth 58 games last season en route to a superb four-trophy haul that included a maiden Champions League success in which they overcame Arsenal 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-final. The Ligue 1 campaign is also four games shorter than the Premier League’s, owing to its 18-team format.
Regardless, Arsenal’s key players have undoubtedly been putting a shift in. Goalkeeper David Raya had played every minute of the season until he was rested on the final day against Crystal Palace with the title already in the bag.
Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel and Martin Zubimendi have also started at least 30 league games for the north London club, something only Zaire-Emery can say for their opponents (the Gunners’ Jurrien Timber, who has been injured since mid-March and remains a huge doubt for the final, still managed more minutes than him).
Of the 10 players with the most league minutes for either club this season, just two, Zaire-Emery and Illia Zabarnyi, play for the Paris outfit.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
With ground maneuver a huge risk thanks to the ubiquity of deadly aerial drones, Ukraine is increasingly relying on uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) to move supplies, rescue the wounded, shoot down drones, lay mines and even fight battles. As a result, the head of the country’s defense technology incubator has been tasked with ensuring that there are enough of these systems to meet the voracious demand.
These efforts are being closely watched. Five years into an existential fight, Ukraine has become a global leader in ground drone technology. Kyiv is deploying these systems at a scale and pace that even the most advanced militaries can’t come close to keeping up with.
In an exclusive hour-long interview earlier this month, Brave1 CEO Andrii Hrytseniuk spoke with us about how Ukraine is set to produce tens of thousands of UGVs this year, how they are being used, and the importance of artificial intelligence in increasing the efficiency of these robots in combat.
This is the second of a two part interview. The first part focused on Ukraine’s interceptor drones, which you can read here.
Some of the questions and answers have been edited for clarity.
Brave1 CEO Andrii Hrytseniuk. (Brave1)
Q: President Zelensky set a goal of producing 50,000 unmanned ground vehicles this year. How is that going? And how can you hit that target?
A: We are moving according to the plan that was announced by President Zelensky. And this is a very ambitious goal, but we feel pretty confident that we will be able to execute this plan and this task and the armed forces will get many times more drones than in previous years.
I held a Staff meeting. Three key issues.
First – UGVs. It is unmanned ground vehicles that are currently one of the most urgent needs of our Defense Forces, and production and supply must keep pace with demand. The volume of contracting for UGVs must be significantly higher…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 27, 2026
Q: How do you reach that goal?
A: On the frontline, we use only Ukrainian drones, maybe just a few international ones, but about 99% of the drones that are used on the battlefield are fully manufactured here in Ukraine, and this is the high priority area for us for the last two years. There are 280 Ukrainian companies, private companies, that are producing UGVs. And in total, there are 550 different models of UGV. This is a big variety, starting from small to very big UGVs. And there are different types of categories of ground vehicles.
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Q: What are some of those categories?
A: The first are those used for logistics. Their main purpose is to provide transportation in the gray zone, because it’s very dangerous on the last 10 to 15 kilometers from the front line, and there are a lot of drones used for transportation of goods, like construction materials, ammunition and provisions. It’s very risky for soldiers and our philosophy is that we should not risk our soldiers.
Everything that is possible to be done by drones has to be done by drones for transportation. In March, we performed 9,000 missions. In April, more than 10,000, so the implementation of logistics by drones is permanently increasing.
Ukraine’s ‘Khartia’ brigade turns to land drones to survive the drone-saturated frontline
Q: What are the other categories of UGVs?
A: The second category are special UGVs that are used for evacuation of wounded soldiers.
You can see an example of one of those rescue missions in the following video.
A Ukrainian robotic evacuation vehicle equipped with an armored capsule successfully rescued a wounded soldier from a frontline position.
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) May 22, 2026
The third one is combat UGVs. And we have more than 10 different models of combat UGVs. They are used for attacking Russian soldiers and hitting Russian armored vehicles. Also they are used as anti-drone aerial defense systems. We use combat UGVs to hit Shaheds, to hit FPV drones, including those using fiber optics and even small Russian planes.
A: We have different combat UGVs using 5.45mm, 5.56mm, 7.62mm and 12.7mm guns. And we have a variety of different grenade launchers, like the Mk19 and others.
Interesting use of Ukrainian UGV Droid TW-7.62 equipped with an FN MAG machine gun to shoot down FPV drones over Kramatorsk, Ukraine.
Q: Can you provide any details about what kinds of sensors these weapons use to engage drones?
A: I will not share the technical details, but I can tell you that combat UGVs without artificial intelligence do not work at appropriate effectiveness. All combat turrets that we are using have elements of artificial intelligence, and it allows them to be as effective as they are.
Q: How are the UGVs using AI to target drones?
A: First of all, this is machine vision. This is object recognition, identification, classification, tracking and providing recommendations for the operator on what to do.
Q: So basically, these systems acquire the target, determine how far away they are, at what altitude and speed and that they open fire on their own?
A: Yes. We are more advanced than Russia in combat turrets and combat UGVs, that’s why I would avoid sharing the technical details about how we are doing that.
Ukraine’s New AI-controlled Turret Is Taking Down Russian Drones | Sky Sentinel in Action
Q: How common is the use of fiber optic cables to guide UGVs?
A: For UGVs, fiber optics is not used.
Q: Not at all?
A: There are some experiments, but the use cases for fiber optics on UGVs are very, very limited. Only a very small percentage of UGVs use fiber optics.
Q: Why?
A: UGVs typically have multiple missions. They go forward and go back, and when you’re using fiber optics, typically, this is a one-way mission.
One of the UGVs with a fiber optic control system tested by Ukraine’s Brave1 incubator. (Brave1)
Q: What can you tell me about how troops communicate with UGVs for combat missions?
A: Without the Delta command and control system, all these advanced technologies on the battlefield will not be working. The Delta command and control system, which is number one in the world, is absolutely crucial. And this is for all our drones, multi-domain operations, everything.
War in Ukraine: An advanced digital map. The Delta system #shorts #warinukraine #united24media
Q Can you provide any details about how that works?
Ghana’s Thomas Partey, who joined Villareal from Arsenal in 2025, has pleaded not guilty to seven rape charges in the UK.
Published On 26 May 202626 May 2026
Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been named in Ghana’s preliminary 28-man squad for next month’s World Cup.
The 32-year-old is due to stand trial next year in the United Kingdom, where he has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault.
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The charges related to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022.
Partey currently plays for Villarreal in Spain’s La Liga, where he moved in 2025, following five seasons with Arsenal.
He was initially charged last July, just days after his Arsenal contract expired. Villarreal signed him in August, two days after he was granted bail.
Partey played a full part in World Cup qualifying games for Ghana, for whom he has made 58 appearances.
Kudus misses out for Ghana at World Cup 2026
Tottenham Hotspur forward Mohammed Kudus will miss next month’s World Cup due to injury.
Kudus, who has scored 13 times in 46 international appearances, suffered a quad injury in January and was expected to return in March. However, the 25-year-old forward suffered a setback in his recovery and has not played a game since Thomas Frank was coaching Tottenham.
Kudus, who joined from West Ham United last summer, made 19 Premier League appearances for Spurs this season, scoring twice.
Veteran coach Carlos Queiroz, who announced the latest squad list on Tuesday, will rely on Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo and Athletic Club forward Inaki Williams, while PAOK’s former Chelsea defender Abdul Rahman Baba has been recalled for the first time since 2023.
Ghana have been drawn in Group L alongside Croatia, England and Panama.
Ghana preliminary World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Joseph Anang (St Patrick’s Athletic), Solomon Agbasi (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Paul Reverson (Ajax).
Defenders: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Marvin Senaya (Auxerre), Alidu Seidu (Rennes), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Peprah Oppong (Nice), Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow), Elisha Owusu (Auxerre).
Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Etienne), Caleb Yirenkyi (Nordsjaelland), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City).
Forwards: Kamaldeen Sulemana (Atalanta), Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadsiah), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City), Prince Kwabena Adu (Viktoria Plzen), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Jordan Ayew (Leicester City).
The Premier League season reaches its crescendo on Sunday with all 10 matches kicking off simultaneously in a final act packed with jeopardy at the bottom end of the table and nearer the top in a European race tangled in permutations.
The title has already been decided and four Champions League places have gone to league winners Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa.
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So attention now shifts to the final European berths – and a relegation scrap few would have predicted when the season kicked off.
There is also a good number of big-name farewells. Al Jazeera Sport looks at the five biggest talking points on the final day.
When will Arsenal lift the Premier League trophy?
Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 22 years will result in a trophy lift after the game at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The Gunners’ victory was confirmed on Tuesday when Manchester City failed to win at Bournemouth – a result that would have kept the title in the balance on the final day.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted ahead of the trip to Palace that he did not even watch City’s match, instead opting to set up a barbeque in his garden for his family.
His son, Gabriel, part of the Arsenal youth set-up, relayed news of the team’s first title since 2004.
“I was supposed to be at Colney (the training ground), watching the game with the boys and certain staff because that’s what they wanted – but I couldn’t,” Arteta said.
“I think 20 minutes later, before the game, I had to leave. I couldn’t bring the energy that I wanted, and ultimately it was their moment as well to watch it together, to be themselves and just see what the outcome would be.
“My oldest son opened the garden door, he started to run towards me, he started to cry, he gave me a hug and said: ‘We are champions, daddy’.”
Arteta added that winning the trophy after six-and-a-half years at the helm was “one of the best feelings that I have ever had”.
An emotion that will be amplified when the trophy is eventually lifted at Selhurst Park, and elevated even further should his side beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on May 30.
“We’re going to prepare for that game with the intention to win and write a new story in the club’s history,” said Arteta.
Who can be relegated on the final day of the Premier League?
The drama is stark and simple at the bottom: one of the two London clubs will go down – Tottenham Hotspur or West Ham.
Spurs are in the better position, 17th on 38 points, two ahead of West Ham who are 18th and in the third relegation spot. Only one combination of results sends Spurs down: defeat at home to Everton plus a victory for West Ham who host Leeds.
“When you fight for the relegation, you have to stay inside of the league until the last minute of the last game of the season,” Spurs manager Roberto de Zerbi said. “We have to stay alive. It is a big day for us.
“The most important is to keep the dignity, to keep the pride, to go on holiday like this (head up) and not like this (head down).”
Victory for West Ham is essential and even that may not suffice, with their inferior goal difference leaving them reliant on help from Everton in north London.
Which Premier League clubs can qualify for Europe?
The other major storyline is the battle for the final one or two Champions League places.
Liverpool are in pole position as they host Brentford, knowing a point will be enough to secure fifth. Bournemouth, who clinched some form of European qualification with their 1-1 draw against Man City on Tuesday, are three points back, but well behind Liverpool in goal difference.
Bournemouth’s surge has been one of the stories of the season. They arrive at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground on a 17-game unbeaten run, their consistency propelling them into sixth and firmly into the European picture.
The stakes may extend beyond a single Champions League slot. Aston Villa’s Europa League triumph on Wednesday has created the possibility of a sixth English entrant into next season’s competition, but only if Villa finish fifth in the league. That would require a Liverpool win in what will be talisman Mohamed Salah’s final appearance as a Red at Anfield, and a Villa loss at City, which is expected to be an emotional farewell to manager Pep Guardiola after a trophy-laden decade with the club.
If Villa finish fourth, the extended route closes and sixth drops into the Europa League, the continent’s second-most prestigious club competition. Brighton & Hove Albion, who host Manchester United, remain the most realistic side capable of breaking into sixth – they are three points behind Bournemouth in seventh – while a broader group, including Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland, are chasing Europa League and Conference League spots in a congested mid-table fight.
Will Salah have a Premier League farewell for Liverpool?
Mohamed Salah will say goodbye to Liverpool on Sunday, but in what manner remains unclear after manager Arne Slot wouldn’t commit to the Egypt star playing against Brentford at Anfield.
Salah, one of the club’s greatest-ever scorers, forced the question with his public criticism of Liverpool’s style of play after a 4-2 loss to Aston Villa last Friday. He called for a return to the “heavy metal attacking” that struck fear in opponents.
The outburst – Salah’s second public rift with Slot this season – adds extra drama as the team is also trying to secure Champions League qualification.
Slot was asked on Friday if Salah will definitely be involved against Brentford.
“I never say anything about team selection,” Slot responded. “It would be a surprise to you if I did this right now, I think”.
In March, 33-year-old Salah announced he’d be leaving at the end of the season after reaching an agreement with the club to end his contract one year early.
Salah’s production has dipped in his ninth year at Anfield to such an extent that he was dropped for a stretch of games late last year — leading to the winger telling reporters that the club “has thrown me under the bus”.
Why is Pep Guardiola leaving Manchester City?
“Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time,” Guardiola said in a statement when confirming what City fans had been fearing.
The club’s most successful manager is leaving, bringing to a close a trophy-laden, 10-year spell in which he established City as one of the major forces in Europe and changed the face of English football.
Guardiola, who had a further year left on his City contract, will take charge of his final game in the Premier League against Aston Villa on Sunday.
“Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City,” Guardiola added.
“We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way.”
City said Guardiola would take up a role as global ambassador.
Enzo Maresca – the former Chelsea manager who was previously assistant to Guardiola at City – is the favourite to take on the daunting task of filling Guardiola’s shoes after a decade of unprecedented dominance.
Since joining City in the summer of 2016, Guardiola led the Abu Dhabi-backed team to six Premier League titles and the Champions League for the first time in 2023.
He won 17 major trophies in all, including the domestic double this season of the English League Cup and the FA Cup. He has won 35 major titles across his coaching career including his time at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
On Tuesday night, fans gathered outside the stadium and nearby pubs while rivals Manchester City played Bournemouth, needing a win to keep the title race alive.
In the end, Pep Guardiola’s side could only draw – confirming Arsenal as champions for the first time in 22 years.
As the full-time whistle went on the south coast, there was an explosion of cheer in pubs across north London as Arsenal fans celebrated a moment they felt, after recent title near misses, might never come.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright, who scored 185 times for the club and won the title in 1998, was mobbed by fans as he celebrated outside the Emirates.
There were celebrations also at the Gunners’ training ground.
That is where the Arsenal squad had gathered for the evening and, much as in the pubs, the final whistle was greeted by huge celebrations. Players and staff danced and hugged while chanting: “Campeones, Campeones, Ole Ole Ole!”
Last month, Arsenal captain Declan Rice was seen insisting “it’s not done” after the Gunners lost to Manchester City. But on Tuesday, with the title race decided, he posted a picture on social media of players celebrating, captioned: “It’s done.”
The title win came in Mikel Arteta’s seventh year in charge, and underlined just what can be achieved if a manager is given time.
“Mikel Arteta’s been there a long period of time. The best gift you can give a good manager is time,” former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Yes you can give them hundreds of millions of pounds but you have to mould that money into a team, into a dressing room, a winning side.
“You give a good manager time? There’s the proof.”
Watch the moment Arsenal players and staff celebrate as they secure their first Premier League title in 22 years after Manchester City draw 1-1 at Bournemouth.
Speaking on Match of the Day, Danny Murphy and Joe Hart praise Arsenal for giving Mikel Arteta time after he guided the club to their first Premier League title in 22 years, following Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.
For Arteta, building a legacy of sustained success is the ambition. Winning once is impressive, but repeating it is the mark of a truly great team.
With the Spaniard’s contract up at the end of the next season, the immediate priority for all parties is to agree an extension.
That process is under way and will accelerate after the Champions League final, with a will from all parties to have the new contract tied up before next season.
The expectation is Arteta will sign a new contract that will earn him a sharp increase on his current financial package of a basic £10m per season plus a further £5m for Champions League qualification.
There has been some internal talk, too, about Berta possibly engaging in conversations to extend his contract having been linked with potential moves to Saudi Arabia.
Arsenal are a club now moulded in Arteta’s image, with his job title changing from head coach to manager in September 2020.
The manager sits on the football leadership team with Kroenke, Garlick, James King and Berta. It is that five-man group that makes decisions on the direction of football at the club.
Arteta’s coaching staff are like him – passionate and intense, with even the analysts shouting from the stands.
And the manager was joined last summer by long-term friend and former team-mate Gabriel Heinze, who is an assistant coach. The Argentine has had a big impact this season, and has introduced a motivational huddle for defenders before each game.
Arteta is very hands-on and knows when to make an impact on his players with a strong telling-off and when he should coach.
But he has become good at delegating, too, with all of the backroom team delivering sessions so the squad don’t get tired of hearing one voice.
And now Arteta has guided this group to silverware, the focus can shift to the next campaign.
Arsenal are keen to recruit a midfielder, left-winger and striker, but we should expect a sharper focus on outgoings after last year’s £250m splurge.
The only senior player to depart last summer was Albert Lokonga.
This time, Arsenal have already agreed to sell defender Jakub Kiwior to Porto for an initial £14.7m. It is understood Christian Norgaard, who arrived in a deal worth up to £15m, will be allowed to leave, and the club are expected to listen to offers for Ben White, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira.
Arsenal are also giving consideration to a significant homegrown sale that would represent ‘pure profit’ on their balance sheet.
There have been internal discussions about selling Nwaneri, who is on loan at Marseille, or Lewis-Skelly though the latter’s emergence as a genuine central-midfield option for Arteta in recent weeks has been noted.
There is also a desire to keep the wage bill manageable. That is easier said than done, though, with defender Jurrien Timber and midfielder Declan Rice both in line for new deals in the not-too-distant future and Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Lewis-Skelly, Saka and Nwaneri having recently renewed their contracts.
With lucrative bonuses to be paid to players in light of this season’s success – not to mention the expectation Arteta’s salary will move closer to the £20m mark – keeping a rein on the club’s overheads will not be easy.
There is a growing sense behind the scenes the club must start planning a squad rebuild given a number of key players are in their late 20s.
This summer, they have a keen interest in Leicester teenager Jeremy Monga, and with Dowman, Marli Salmon, Edwin and Holger Quintero and Lewis-Skelly all in their teens, there is hope the rebuild may not prompt a noticeable drop in levels.
It seemed fitting that Arsenal have one hand on the Premier League trophy thanks to a 1-0 win – of their past four league matches, all victories, three have ended with that score – with the Gunners conceding just once in their past six.
They have conceded the fewest goals in the league (26), while the last time they conceded in open play came in their defeat by Manchester City on 19 April, which was seven games ago.
The clean sheet against Burnley was Arsenal‘s 32nd in all competitions this season.
“I thought that the amount of hair that I have is never going to go away but in this job it is going to test it to the limit,” said Arteta.
“The desire that every single player shows in their defensive duties, their behaviours and the way that they work for each other is phenomenal.
“It’s a lot of work put in by all the coaches as well. And we all know the importance of that and how many results and wins we have because of that.”
It was their 13th 1-0 win of the season. Their playing style, their threat from and reliance on set-pieces, and the relative lack of bigger wins has brought criticism and anxious finishes in equal measure.
Manchester City will have a better goal difference if they win their final two matches, which does mean Arsenal will have to beat Crystal Palace. A draw, in that scenario, would not be enough.
“In a funny way, Man City might actually have taken that,” ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports. “Seeing how they played that second half, I think the nerves will really kick in if Man City beat Bournemouth. Crystal Palace are a better team than Burnley even with a few players out.
“Arsenal are going to do it in the fashion of George Graham rather than Arsene Wenger – ‘1-0 to the Arsenal‘ probably sums them up.”
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville added: “Arsenal are right on the brink but by goodness they don’t half make it difficult for themselves.
“You have to admire their ability to concentrate and focus and keep to the defensive shape and principles. They keep clean sheets and that’s a rare commodity in the modern game, for a team to see out 1-0 victories like this team can.
“I think it’s going to be enough to see them home.”
Burnley interim manager Mike Jackson is pleased with the way his side kept themselves in the game in their 1-0 defeat at Arsenal and is unhappy Kai Havertz was not sent off in the second half.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, the admiral in charge of U.S. military operations in the Middle East pushed back against claims that Iran still possesses a large number of missiles and launchers. He spoke as the White House said U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping discussed the ongoing Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz and hours after Iran seized another ship.
Iran can “no longer threaten regional partners, or the United States, in ways that they were able to do before, across every domain,” the commander of U.S. Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, explained.
On Wednesday, The New York Times reported that the “Trump administration’s public portrayal of a shattered Iranian military is sharply at odds with what U.S. intelligence agencies are telling policymakers behind closed doors.”
The newspaper cited “classified assessments from early this month that show Iran has regained access to most of its missile sites, launchers and underground facilities.”
“Most alarming to some senior officials is evidence that Iran has restored operational access to 30 of the 33 missile sites it maintains along the Strait of Hormuz, which could threaten American warships and oil tankers transiting the narrow waterway,” the Times added. “Iran still fields about 70 percent of its mobile launchers across the country and has retained roughly 70 percent of its prewar missile stockpile, according to the assessments. That stockpile encompasses both ballistic missiles, which can target other nations in the region, and a smaller supply of cruise missiles, which can be used against shorter-range targets on land or at sea.”
WaPo last week: “Iran retains about 75 percent of its prewar inventories of mobile launchers and about 70 percent of its prewar stockpiles of missiles” https://t.co/FpAhZQKPlG
Cooper took issue with those figures when asked about them.
“I think it’s appropriate in this forum not to discuss specific intelligence assessments,” he responded. “What I would say, from my perspective, is the numbers that I’ve seen in open source are not accurate. I think what also is not taken into consideration, it’s more than just the numbers. It’s the command and control that’s been shattered. It’s a significant degradation and capability, and it’s the lack of any ability to then produce any missiles…on the back end.”
Cooper was further pressed on Iran’s ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz because it still has missiles and fast boats and other assets.
“In each of those cases, their capabilities have been significantly degraded,” the admiral posited. “If I just use my own professional experience and 100 transits through the Strait of Hormuz, you would typically see 20 to 40 fast boats, and lately we’ve seen two or three. So the degradation means it’s been significant, but some residual capability does exist with respect to the threat that remains.”
.@CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper: “[Iran’s] capability has been significantly degraded. If I just use my own professional experience, in 100 transits through the Strait of Hormuz, you would typically see 20-40 fast-boats; lately, we’ve seen two or three.” @centcomcdrpic.twitter.com/8pWaMFpKQ9
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 14, 2026
Though Cooper downplayed Iran’s current capabilities, he said Tehran posed significant new threats with its modern drones.
“The days of $35,000 drones that we saw in the last couple of years, particularly in the fight against the Houthis in Yemen, those days are behind us,” Cooper proffered. “Today we face an increased threat from drones that are highly sophisticated. They’re jet-powered. They have high-end sensors. They have electronic warfare…signals intelligence. So those days of using high value defenses to shoot down cheap targets are behind us.”
“Quite the contrary, what we have been doing lately is using our own low-cost one way attack drones, [to attack] Iran, making them use higher and more expensive weapons. So I can confidently tell you, we have flipped the cost curve in many ways. Always work to be done, but I like where we are in this regard.”
CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper says the U.S. has “flipped the cost curve” in drone warfare against Iran.
“The days of using high-value defenses to shoot down cheap targets are behind us.” pic.twitter.com/7iK4JKpL9N
The LUCAS drones are “an additional capability that we’ve now employed against an adversary very effectively,” Cooper commented. He declined to provide further details.
“Vis a vis Iran, I think I would just like to keep that in the classified setting,” he noted.
LUCAS kamikaze drones. (CENTCOM)
Cooper provided additional statistics about Epic Fury to the committee.
“We destroyed or buried much of Iran’s ballistic missiles, launcher vehicles, and long-range attack drones with more than 450 strikes on ballistic missile storage and systems and roughly 800 strikes on Iran’s drone-launching units and storage. In the air domain, Iran’s air and air defense forces are functionally and operationally irrelevant.”
“Before OEF, the Iranian Air Force flew between 30 and 100 sorties each day. Today that number is zero. We destroyed or rendered non-mission-capable Iran’s fixed-wing airfields, hangars, fuel storage, and munitions stockpiles, and we knocked out 82 percent of its air defense missile systems along with the radar and command architecture that tied them together.”
“At sea, we destroyed 161 vessels in total across 16 classes of warships, effectively crippling the regime’s ability to operate.”
Admiral Cooper: “At sea, we destroyed 161 vessels in total across 16 classes of warships, effectively crippling the regime’s ability to operate. We eliminated more than 90 percent of Iran’s once-massive inventory of over 8,000 naval mines, with more… pic.twitter.com/VmBwR8KIlM
“We eliminated more than 90 percent of Iran’s once-massive inventory of over 8,000 naval mines, with more than 700 airstrikes on Iranian naval mine targets. In sum, Iran’s navy can no longer claim to be a maritime power, and it cannot project into the Gulf of Oman or the Indian Ocean. Iran retains nuisance capability – harassment, low-end drone and rocket attacks, and residual proxy support – but it no longer possesses the means to threaten major regional operations or to deter U.S. freedom of action in the air or maritime domains.”
“The second-order effects of OEF are significant. More than 2,000 strikes against Iran’s command-and-control structures created leadership vacuums, paralysis, and internal confusion.”
“We have seen reporting of desertions, personnel shortages, and signs of regime desperation in their attempts to compel discipline through arrest and execution. Most importantly for the region’s future: Iran will be highly challenged to proliferate advanced weapons to Lebanese Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas, or the Iraqi militia groups. The supply chain from Tehran to the proxies has been broken.”
While Iran has clearly been battered by attacks from the U.S. and Israel, recent events show it can still inflict damage on its neighbors and shipping. As we previously reported, Tehran has repeatedly struck the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before and after the April 7 ceasefire. In previous coverage, we have pointed out how Iran has also attacked U.S. warships and commercial vessels they were helping guide through the Strait of Hormuz during the short-lived Project Freedom operation.
Hours before Cooper testified, “the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy seized the Honduras-flagged fishery research vessel Hui Chuan,” a maritime security official told us. “The Company Security Officer (CSO) reported that the vessel was taken by Iranian personnel while at anchor approximately 38nm northeast of Fujairah, UAE, at 05:45 UTC.”
The Hui Chuan was operating as a “floating armory” storing weapons for Chinese security firms who protect ships at sea from attack by pirates, the official told us. The ship is now “bound for Iranian territorial waters,” the UK’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization said.
The Honduras-flagged fishing research vessel Hui Chuan (IMO: 8316895), anchored off the UAE’s east coast, is believed to have been seized by the IRGC Navy.
The ship is reportedly operated by the Chinese private security company Sinoguards as a floating armory. pic.twitter.com/VlHpmkqFYw
During an interview with NBC News, Rubio was asked what Trump asked Xi when it comes to Iran.
“He didn’t ask him for anything,” the secretary noted. “We’re not asking for China’s help. We don’t need their help… Our position is very clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
NBC: “What exactly did President Trump ask President Xi for when it comes to Iran?”@SecRubio: “He didn’t ask him for anything. We’re not asking for China’s help. We don’t need their help… Our position is very clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.” pic.twitter.com/Hn7f3aqiUp
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 14, 2026
In a post on his social media platform responding to Xi’s remarks that the U.S. is essentially a declining power, Trump responded that the Chinese leader was referring to America under Biden and that things are much better now.
More interesting, however, is a hint Trump dropped about the future with Iran.
Among the accomplishments he claimed on Truth Social was “the military decimation of Iran (to be continued!).”
The House voted for a third time against acting as a check on President Trump’s military powers in Iran, even as a growing number of Republicans express concern about the prolonged conflict, CBS News reported.
Thursday’s vote on a Democratic resolution to rein in Trump’s authority was 212-212, falling just short of a majority. Originally introduced on March 4, the measure as written would have directed the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities within 30 days of the start of the war, which began on Feb. 28.
The U.S. House voted 212-212 on a War Powers Resolution to restrict military action against Iran. The measure failed, needing a majority to pass. pic.twitter.com/NcRDvUIFyA
In a readout of the meeting in Beijing between Trump and Xi, the White House noted that the topic of the Strait of Hormuz came up in discussions between the two leaders.
“The two sides agreed that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open to support the free flow of energy,” the White House posted on X. “President Xi also made clear China’s opposition to militarization of the Strait and any effort to charge a toll for its use, and he expressed interest in purchasing more American oil to reduce China’s reliance on the Strait in the future.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was among those accompanying Trump, highlighted Xi’s opposition to allowing Iran to impose tolls on ships transiting the Strait.
“President Trump raised the issue of Iran with China and it was important,” said Rubio. “The Chinese side said they are not in favor of militarizing the Strait of Hormuz and are not in favor of a tolling system, and that’s our position.”
SECRETARY RUBIO: President Trump raised the issue of Iran with China and it was important.
The Chinese side said they are not in favor of militarizing the Strait of Hormuz and are not in favor of a tolling system, and that’s our position. pic.twitter.com/9JYpbvztd8
However, there was no mention of Iran or the Strait of Hormuz.
While that doesn’t mean these issues weren’t discussed, readouts are messaging and this reflected the emphasis Beijing places on the paused war and its aftermath.
“The two heads of state exchanged views on major international and regional issues, including the situation in the Middle East, the Ukraine crisis, and the Korean Peninsula,” was about as close as the statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry came to addressing Iran.
Despite the Trump administration’s stance that China opposes allowing Iran to impose tolls on shipping, Beijing is paying for transits, the Guardian claims.
Tehran “says it has reached a deal with China that has already allowed a large number of oil tankers bound for China to go through the strait of Hormuz since Wednesday night, and this has been made possible by China agreeing to limited charging, undercutting US opposition to such moves,” the outlet reported. “The development suggests China has accepted Iran’s assertion that the shipping rules in the strait have changed, with reports suggesting the cost will be in the region of $1 per barrel.”
We cannot independently verify that and have reached out to the White House for details.
🇮🇷 🇨🇳 Iranian media reported on Thursday that naval forces had allowed a group of Chinese ships to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz since the night before. Iran has largely blocked shipping through the strait since the outbreak of war with the US and Israel ➡️… pic.twitter.com/PVjGJ0TY7t
Trump pushed back on claims that China is working to arm Iran.
“We discussed it,” he told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “I mean, when you say ‘support,’ they’re not fighting a war with us or anything. He said he’s not gonna give military equipment. That’s a big statement. He said that strongly. But at the same time he said they buy a lot of their oil there, and they’d like to keep doing that.”
HANNITY: Did you discuss China’s support for Iran with Xi?
TRUMP: We discussed it. Uhhhh. I mean, when you say ‘support,’ they’re not fighting a war with us or anything. He said he’s not gonna give military equipment. That’s a big statement. But at the same time he said they buy… pic.twitter.com/Lq677uoCfG
Trump’s claim that China told him it won’t give weapons to Iran followed The New York Times report that Beijing was working to ship arms to Tehran.
“Chinese companies have been discussing arms sales with Iran, plotting to send the weapons through other countries to mask the origins of the military aid,” the publication stated, citing U.S. officials.
The United States “has gathered intelligence that Chinese companies and Iranian officials have discussed the arms transfers,” the newspaper added. “It is not clear how many, if any, arms have been shipped or to what degree Chinese officials have approved the sales.”
Officials briefed on the intelligence “have reached different conclusions on whether the arms have already been sent to the third countries,” according to the Times. “But no Chinese weapons appear to have been used on the battlefield against U.S. or Israeli forces since they began their war against Iran in late February.”
“The United Arab Emirates denies reports circulating regarding an alleged visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the UAE or receiving any Israeli military delegations in the country,” the UAE Foreign Affairs Ministry posted on X Wednesday afternoon EDT. “The UAE reaffirms that its relations with Israel are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements. Accordingly, any claims regarding unannounced visits or undisclosed arrangements are entirely unfounded unless officially announced by the relevant authorities in the UAE.”
The ministry added that the “UAE calls on media outlets to exercise accuracy and professionalism, and to refrain from circulating unverified information or promoting misleading political narratives.”
UAE Denies Reports Regarding Visit by Israeli Prime Minister or Receiving Any Israeli Military Delegation pic.twitter.com/TRX9y5ZoVN
Hours before the UAE announcement, Netanyahu’s office claimed the Israeli leader did travel to the Gulf Arab nation, confirming a CBS News report about the visit.
“In the midst of Operation ‘Roar of the Lion,’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates and met with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed,” the office posted on X. “This visit led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.”
לשכת ראש הממשלה מאשרת כעת:
בעיצומו של מבצע ״שאגת הארי״, ראש הממשלה בנימין נתניהו ביקר בחשאי באיחוד האמירויות ונפגש עם נשיא איחוד האמירויות, השייח׳ מוחמד בן זאיד.
ביקור זה הביא לפריצת דרך היסטורית ביחסים בין ישראל לאיחוד האמירויות.
Israel’s N12 News chief political correspondent Amit Segal noted a “few striking details regarding the news of Netanyahu’s visit to the UAE.”
“A covert flight reportedly took place while Israeli airspace was fully shut—without leaks or detection,” he noted on X. “Sources suggest a deal was reached on an Iron Dome shipment” and “UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has publicly hosted Israeli leaders like Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid—but not Benjamin Netanyahu. Until now, their contacts stayed behind closed doors.”
Bennet and Lapid visited the UAE in 2021, as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister respectively.
A few striking details regarding the new of Netanyahu’s visit to the UAE:
1. A covert flight reportedly took place while Israeli airspace was fully shut—without leaks or detection.
2. Sources suggest a deal was reached on an Iron Dome shipment.
The announcement from Netanyahu’s office followed media reports on Tuesday about the visit to the UAE of two other high-level Israeli officials.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Mossad chief David Barnea visited the UAE at least twice during Operation Roaring Lion to coordinate war efforts. Barnea reportedly flew to the UAE in March and April. In addition, Israeli media reported that Shin Bet chief David Zini also visited the UAE to coordinate security efforts.
Certainly not surprising given the Abraham Accords and the more recent Iron Dome battery and miltary deployment to UAE by Israel. But 2 back to back visits by a Mossad chief amid a war speaks volumes. Important read by @AnatPeled1 & @summer_said in @WSJ.https://t.co/i9BmyHNZ3p
— Behnam Ben Taleblu بهنام بن طالب لو (@therealBehnamBT) May 13, 2026
The back and forth over the potentially unprecedented wartime visit by three top Israeli officials to the UAE comes a day after U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee publicly confirmed that Israel sent the UAE an unspecified number of Iron Dome air defense batteries and troops to operate them. News of the deployment was first reported by Axios last month. Such an acknowledgement of direct Israeli military aid to an Arab nation is unusual in its own right.
🚨 WATCH: US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee officially confirms: Israel sent the United Arab Emirates an Iron Dome system and a team to operate it. This happened because there are exceptional relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, based on the Abraham Accords. pic.twitter.com/BgCkESt4Yl
TWZ cannot independently verify any of the travel claims. However, Israel has historically been viewed as an enemy by the Arab world and direct cooperation in the form of a visit by its head of state could be considered controversial to say the least. At the same time, things have changed dramatically in the region over the last decade or so, with Arab countries warming to relations with Israel. This has been spurred by the major economic development the region has seen as well as, at least to a degree, a common foe — Iran.
Perhaps the UAE is trying to appeal to a domestic audience or, as Israel’s I24 News senior Middle East correspondent Ariel Oseran suggested on X, UAE is trying to distance itself from Netanyahu and his coalition, not Israel writ large. Maybe Netanyahu, for his own reasons, is trying to claim a level of relationship that doesn’t exist, however that seems unlikely.
We may never find out for sure.
It is highly unlikely that Israel’s PMO would issue a fake statement regarding Netanyahu visiting the UAE at such a sensitive time.
What is more likely is that Abu Dhabi is trying to publicly distance itself from Netanyahu on a personal level, a sentiment that I have personally… https://t.co/8laUSjOAc7
— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) May 13, 2026
The Senate on Wednesday blocked the seventh Democratic attempt to prevent Trump from waging war on Iran. However, it was by the slimmest margin yet, indicating a growing unease in the legislature about the now-paused conflict.
The vote failed by a 49-50 margin, with all Democrats but John Fetterman of Pennsylvania supporting the measure. For the first time, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined fellow Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky in breaking with Trump and voting with Democrats.
This was the first vote on the War Powers Resolution since Trump bypassed the 60-day deadline to seek congressional authorization for Operation Epic Fury last month. You can read more about that effort in our story about it here.
