United States President Donald Trump has confirmed the death of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of Islamic State (ISIS) globally, in a joint operation conducted by American and Nigerian forces. Al-Minuki, 44, a Nigerian national, was characterised by Trump as "the most active terrorist in the world." In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump declared that "with his removal, ISIS's global operation is greatly diminished."
Details of the Operation
The operation, which Trump said was "meticulously planned and very complex," was executed flawlessly by US and Nigerian forces. Trump did not disclose the exact location of the mission. Al-Minuki had been designated as a "specially designated global terrorist" by the former Biden administration in 2023, according to the U.S. Federal Register. He had reportedly held a regional commander position within ISIS since 2018 and was considered a hardline militant. This latest action follows a US strike on what were described as Islamist bases in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day last year, which came after Trump accused Nigeria of persecuting Christians—a claim denied by the Nigerian government.
Iran Nuclear Standoff
In a separate development, Trump revealed that he had discarded Iran's peace proposal after reading only the first sentence, which he deemed "unacceptable." This comes as diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing war between the US and Iran have reached a stalemate. Trump set out a new nuclear demand, indicating that he had not read the rest of Tehran's response after seeing the word "nuclear." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi expressed frustration, stating that contradictory messages from the Trump administration "made us reluctant about the real intentions of Americans" and that Iran is "in doubt about their seriousness." Araghchi emphasised that a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle to ending the war and welcomed diplomatic support from other countries, particularly China. He noted that Iran's enriched uranium stockpile remains one of the most difficult subjects in negotiations.
Strait of Hormuz and Oil Exports
Meanwhile, the US energy secretary Chris Wright predicted that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen "sometime this summer at the latest," adding that a deal could be struck "in the next few days." The strait, a critical waterway for global oil shipments, has seen reduced traffic due to the conflict. Iraq's oil minister Basim Mohammed reported that the country exported only 10 million barrels of oil through the Strait in April, down from 93 million, due to the closure. Iraq has resumed crude exports through the Kirkuk–Ceyhan oil pipeline and plans to boost production capacity to five million barrels per day.
In a related development, Trump's $40 billion insurance scheme for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz has had zero takers, according to the Financial Times. The programme, announced in March with insurers Chubb and AIG, aimed to provide political risk insurance but has not been utilised, despite reports that at least 38 ships have been attacked and 11 seafarers killed since the conflict began.
UAE and Iran Tensions
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) stated that all its military actions are defensive measures to protect its citizens and sovereignty, following a Wall Street Journal report that the UAE carried out military operations against Iran in early April. The UAE's attacks signal a more aggressive stance by Gulf monarchies against Iran. Additionally, Iran's key export hub, Kharg Island, has paused shipments likely due to an oil spill, according to satellite images from TankerTrackers. This follows a large oil spill reported on 9 May.
World Cup and FIFA
FIFA officials are set to meet the Iranian Football Association in Istanbul to discuss Iran's participation in the upcoming World Cup, which is to be held in the US. A source familiar with the talks indicated that FIFA is working to ensure all teams can compete, despite Iran's participation being in question since the onset of the US-Israel war with Iran in February. Iran is scheduled to play three World Cup matches.
UN Resolution and Iranian Warning
Iran has warned that UN states co-sponsoring Trump's draft resolution on the Strait of Hormuz will share responsibility for any military escalation. The Iranian statement accused the US of seeking to exploit supportive member states to create a false image of broad international support.
