Ukraine-Iran wars converge as Zelenskyy heads to Washington

Ukraine attacked an Iranian cargo vessel in the Caspian Sea carrying weapons components, provoking a threat of retaliation from Tehran and explicitly linking the two wars. Zelenskyy is heading to the White House and Senate as Washington debates sweeping new sanctions on Russia and Iran. The fragile US-Iran pause is tested by drone strikes on Saudi Arabia and a massive Ukrainian raid on Moscow.

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Ukraine strikes Iranian weapons ship in Caspian, drawing retaliation threat Kyiv says it hit the cargo vessel 'Anna' carrying drone and missile components from Iran to Russia. Ukraine's ambassador to Israel said the attack confronts the same 'axis of evil' on a different front. 1 2

Zelenskyy heads to White House as Senate weighs Russia-Iran sanctions The Ukrainian leader is expected Tuesday to meet Trump and address the Senate, coinciding with a vote on tariffs against Russian oil importers. Trump backed adding Iran sanctions to the same bill, which Zelenskyy called a 'great idea'. 2

Trump pulled back from Iran escalation after Vance and top general objected Citing sources, ABC News reports Vice President JD Vance and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine warned Trump against further military escalation during a White House meeting, citing strategic risks and munitions depletion. 3

Saudi Arabia intercepts drones from Iraq as Houthis target oil sites Riyadh blamed Iran-backed militias in Iraq for the attacks on its eastern oil facilities and demanded Baghdad halt the use of its territory. The strikes test the fragile lull between Washington and Tehran. 4 5

Iran holds Strait of Hormuz talks with Saudi Arabia and Oman Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi discussed regional stability and reopening the strategic waterway with his counterparts. Trump hailed 'good talks,' though Tehran denied any direct negotiations with the US. 6 7

Massive Ukrainian drone attack hits Moscow, Russia claims record 390 UAVs The 10-hour overnight assault shut down Moscow airports and struck targets in the region, including a residential building in Chekhov and a major tire recycling plant, marking one of the largest such raids of the war. 8

Poll finds just one in three Americans support the Iran war A Reuters/Ipsos survey found 69% of Americans say President Trump has not clearly explained the goals of the conflict. His overall approval rating ticked up slightly to 37%. 9 10

US walks out of UN Security Council over French envoy's criticism The US delegation left an emergency session on Ukraine after France's ambassador reportedly compared the US approach in Iran to North Korea, escalating diplomatic tensions at the UN. 11

Iran executes two men arrested in January anti-government protests Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi were publicly hanged in Isfahan despite crowds gathering to try to stop the execution. Rights groups denounced the trial as forced. 12

Germany approved €800 million in arms exports to Israel in five months The value of licenses issued by Berlin from January to May 2026 exceeded the previous 20 months combined, driven largely by a 'major maritime project' widely believed to be a submarine transfer to the Israeli Navy. 13

Secret Service probes Iran-linked video targeting Melania Trump The agency confirmed investigation into a video circulated through an Iranian state-linked channel targeting the first lady, noting it reviews anything perceived as a threat against its protectees. 14