AS IT HAPPENED: Saudi Arabia intercepts drones from Iraq; Fire after drone strike hits nuclear plant; Trump says 'clock is ticking' for Iran; Energy Minister jets off to Denmark to strengthen fuel supply

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of the Middle East conflict.

Here are the key takeaways from today, May 18:

- A drone strike on the perimeter of a nuclear power plant in the UAE caused alarm and cast doubt over the strength of the current ceasefire.

- US President Donald Trump continued to make noises about resuming strikes and fighting against Iran in several social media posts, while sources in Israel claimed he and Benjamin Netanyahu had a phone call to discuss resuming the conflict.

- The Australian share market fell to its lowest level since March as the price of oil continued to rise.

- Energy Minister Chris Bowen will travel to Copenhagen for a conference, where he will look to continue to shore up Australia's fuel and energy supply.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, former congresswoman and Donald Trump ally, has warned the president he faces grave domestic consequences at home if he continues the "stupid" Iran war.

"If you send in US military troops into Iran, there is going to be a political revolution in America," she said in a post on X.

"WE. ARE. DONE."

She claimed Trump was going back on his word of stopping US involvement in foreign wars.

"The coalition will unite and be unstoppable. I'll make sure of it," she added.

The Israeli military is preparing to renew hostility with Iran, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump holding a phone call where they discussed renewing fighting in the region.

The news from Al Jazeera, which cited an unnamed security official speaking to Israeli media, said Israel would join any renewed strikes on Iran that would target the country's energy infrastructure.

It said Israel expects to be notified by the US ahead of any strike, though there is no timeframe for a potential decision to resume fighting.

A tenuous ceasefire has largely held since April, but progress in peace talks has stalled in recent weeks.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen will travel to Denmark this week in a bid to shore up Australia's fuel supply and energy partnerships.

"Minister Bowen will meet with energy and climate ministers at the Copenhagen Climate Ministerial to discuss global energy security and accelerate clean energy investment in Australia," a statement said.

"While in Copenhagen, the Minister will inspect the Copenhagen Malmö Port fuel liquid bulk terminals, which handles liquid fuel, including transport and sustainable aviation fuels, as a critical energy distribution hub in the region. Minister Bowen will also meet with renewable energy and liquid fuel businesses from the region – the fourth largest investor in Australia's energy transition."

It is another effort by the Albanese to shore up Australia's fuel security, after several deals were made with Asian neighbours in the last two months.

"Renewables aren't just better for emissions and your bank balance – they're reliable and secure. They can't be stopped by conflict or disruptions to shipping routes," Bowen said.

The latest threat against the USA has been issued by an Iranian official, saying the Sea of Oman could become the USA's "graveyard" if it doesn't lift its blockade on Iranian ports.

Mohsen Rezaei, a member of Tehran's Expediency Council and former IRGC commander, spoke on state television and shared his warning, calling the blockade an "act of war"."We advise the US military to end the siege before the Sea of Oman becomes your graveyard," he said, according to Al Jazeera.

"The longer they prolong the naval blockade of Iran, the greater the damage to countries around the world will be.

He also claimed the US needed to show in its actions that it was "trustworthy".

US President Donald Trump shared a video message at a religious event on the National Mall in Washington DC.

His speech was part of the "Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving", which went for nine hours.

Trump's pre-recorded in the White House, saw Trump recite a bible verse, calling on people to "humble themselves" and to seek god.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land," Trump said.

Several Trump allies in the Republican Party were in attendance, including Senator Tim Scott of North Carolina, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke in a pre-recorded message.

The Australian share market has fallen to its lowest point in March after oil prices rose again.

At the time of writing, it has fallen 1.37 per cent, or 117.90 points.

It has fallen by 2.23 per cent in the last week, as the fate of the Iran war remains uncertain and both sides still refuse to come to the negotiating table.

Taiwan's president has stressed that arms purchases from the United States are "the most important deterrent" of regional conflict and instability, after Donald Trump called into question continued US support of Taiwan following his visit to China.

American weapons sales to Taiwan and security cooperation between the two sides are not only governed by law but also a catalyst for regional peace and stability, President Lai Ching-te said in a statement.

"We thank President Trump for his continued support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait since his first term, including the continuous increase in the scale and amount of arms sales to Taiwan," he said.

His remarks came after Trump raised doubts over his willingness to continue to sell arms to Taiwan, the island democracy that China claims as its own breakaway province, to be retaken by force if necessary.

In an interview aired last Friday on Fox News, just as Trump wrapped up a high-stakes visit to China, he said he has yet to approve a new US$14 billion arms package to Taiwan and that it "depends on China."

"It's a very good negotiating chip for us frankly," he said.

US President Donald Trump is once again posting memes to Truth Social.

His latest, an AI-generated image portraying him as the commander of a "Space Force" ship in orbit, shows him seemingly using nuclear weapons against targets on Earth.

The United States Space Force was established in late 2019 during the first Trump administration.

A branch of the military, Space Force was established to secure the US's interests "in, from and to space".

An Iranian government aide has shared a clip from The Apprentice, the biographical drama film about Donald Trump's early career as a property developer.

The clip features part of the 2024 film depicting Roy Cohn, a Trump adviser, explaining his "rules for winning", including the concept that "no matter what happens, you claim victory and never admit defeat" and that success entails being "willing to do anything to anyone".

The X post by the spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baghaei, is the latest to mock the US president over Operation Epic Fury.