U.S. forces launched an effort to on Tuesday, with the first two ships, both American-flagged merchant vessels, sailing through unscathed. Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said the safety corridor in the key waterway for oil and gas transport involves guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the forces prefer a peaceful effort to 鈥済uide鈥� the more than 22,500 mariners stuck on more than 1,550 vessels out of the Persian Gulf, but are ready if needs change. 鈥淭his is a temporary mission for us,鈥� Hegseth said. 鈥淲e expect the world to step up.鈥� Iran has denounced the move as a ceasefire violation.
It is unclear . The U.S. Central Command said Iran earlier launched multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats at civilian ships under the U.S. military鈥檚 protection, and that U.S. helicopters sank six small boats involved in the attacks. It denied Iranian reports that American vessels had been struck.
Trump Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week in a bid to ease rising tensions between , Trump has lashed out at the pope again, misrepresenting the pontiff鈥檚 laments about the Iran war and accusing him of 鈥渆ndangering a lot of Catholics.鈥�
Here is the latest:
Hegseth says Iranians still had 鈥榳ill鈥� to develop nukes
After the , Hegseth says U.S. forces participated in new strikes this year alongside Israel because the Iranians鈥� 鈥渨ill was still there to seek a nuclear bomb.鈥�
The secretary was asked about intelligence reports showing that, despite the initial bombing in Operation Midnight Hammer, the timeline for Iranian nuclear weapon development remained at 9 to 12 months.
鈥淭he obliteration of those facilities set back their program,鈥� Hegseth said. 鈥淗opefully Iran chooses a deal that they give up those ambitions, give up those capabilities.鈥�
Hegseth also says ceasefire is not over
The defense secretary confirmed that the ceasefire remains in effect despite some Iran strikes and the ongoing U.S. blockade.
鈥淣o, the ceasefire is not over,鈥� Hegseth said, reaffirming Caine鈥檚 earlier statements.
Caine lays out US forces manning Strait of Hormuz
Saying that more than 100 U.S. military aircraft are patrolling the skies 鈥�24 hours a day,鈥� Gen. Dan Caine said Tuesday marked a 鈥渜uieter鈥� period in the Strait.
Caine added that there were 22,500 mariners on more than 1,550 vessels in the Persian Gulf, unable to transit.
He went on to commend the troops of the 82nd Airborne Division, who he said were using 鈥渘ext generation tactical networks鈥� to 鈥渟eamlessly synchronize鈥� efforts in support of military activity.
Joint Chiefs Chairman says Iran attacks do not necessarily mean they violated ceasefire
Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday that Iran鈥檚 recent acts of aggression are below the threshold of 鈥渕ajor combat operations.鈥�
That means Tehran, in the Trump administration鈥檚 view, has not violated the between the U.S. and Iran.
鈥淪ince the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they鈥檝e attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times 鈥� all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,鈥� Caine said.
The administration has cited the ceasefire in does not have to give a formal update to Congress on the war under the War Powers Resolution. That law typically requires presidential updates on war activities 60 days after beginning military action.
Defense secretary says US forces remain 鈥榣ocked and loaded鈥� to safeguard Strait of Hormuz
Pete Hegseth said in a Pentagon briefing Tuesday that U.S. military forces would prefer the new effort to 鈥済uide鈥� stranded ships through the to be peaceful 鈥� but are ready if needs change.
鈥淭his is a temporary mission for us,鈥� Hegseth said, adding that the intent remains to hand control of the strait back to countries that need the waterway 鈥渁 lot more than we do. 鈥� We expect the world to step up.鈥�
Iran has denounced the move as a ceasefire violation.
Trump says Pope Leo is 鈥榚ndangering Catholics鈥�
Trump is renewing his criticism of Pope Leo XIV even as Rubio prepares to , ostensibly to ease tensions between Washington and the Holy See.
The president misrepresented the pontiff鈥檚 laments about the Iran war in an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, while saying Leo is aiding Tehran and making the world less safe.
鈥淭he pope would rather talk about the fact that it鈥檚 OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淎nd I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 very good. I think he鈥檚 endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people.鈥�
Leo has not said Iran should obtain nuclear weapons. He鈥檚 called for more peace talks, criticized war generally and lambasted Trump鈥檚 specific threats of mass civilian strikes.
The pope that he鈥檚 reflecting biblical and church teachings, not speaking as a political rival to Trump.
Rubio plans to visit the Vatican this week as tensions between Trump and the pope rise
Pope Leo XIV holds his weekly general audience in St. Peter鈥檚 Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, Wednesday, April 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Rome and Vatican City this week in a bid to ease rising tensions between over U.S. policies, particularly the Iran war.
The State Department said Monday that Rubio, a Catholic who with this trip will have visited Italy or the Vatican at least three times as the Republican president鈥檚 top diplomat, would be in Italy on Thursday and Friday. The Vatican announced that Rubio would meet with Leo, the first American pontiff, on Thursday.
鈥淪ecretary Rubio will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere,鈥� the department said. 鈥淢eetings with Italian counterparts will be focused on shared security interests and strategic alignment.鈥�
The trip comes as for his stances on the Middle East and elsewhere and as the president has drawn pushback for posting a social media image likening himself to Jesus Christ.
鈻�
Negotiations make little progress
Iran鈥檚 latest proposal for ending the war calls for the U.S. to lift sanctions, end the blockade, withdraw forces from the region and cease all hostilities including Israel鈥檚 operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour News and Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran鈥檚 security apparatus.
Iranian officials over the weekend said they were reviewing the U.S. response. Tehran has claimed its proposal does not include its nuclear program and , long a driving force in tensions with the U.S. and Israel.
Iran wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire. Trump expressed doubt over the weekend that the proposal would lead to a deal.
Strait of Hormuz closure has far-reaching consequences
The disruption of the waterway has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas, .
The U.S., meanwhile, has enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling at least 49 commercial ships to turn back, according to its Central Command. It has also warned shipping companies that they could face sanctions if they pay Iran for transit of the strait.
The blockade has deprived Tehran of the oil revenue it needs to . U.S. officials have expressed hope the blockade will force Iran to make concessions in talks on its disputed nuclear program and other longstanding issues.
The UAE bore the brunt of Iran鈥檚 retaliation
The United Arab Emirates鈥� Defense Ministry said its air defenses had engaged 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran. Authorities in the eastern emirate of Fujairah said one drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals. The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the attacks, calling the targeting of civilians and infrastructure 鈥渦nacceptable.鈥� On X, Modi said India stands in 鈥渇irm solidarity鈥� with the UAE, and stressed the need for safe and uninterrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran did not confirm or deny the attacks but Iran鈥檚 Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early Tuesday said on X that both the U.S. and the UAE 鈥渟hould be wary of being dragged back into quagmire.鈥�
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes against the UAE. The Saudi condemnation came despite increasingly strained relations between it and the UAE.
Trump vows to reopen the strait
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday warned that Iranian efforts to halt passage through the strait 鈥渨ill, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.鈥�
He said the U.S. effort, 鈥淧roject Freedom,鈥� was intended to aid tens of thousands of stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began.
The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center advised ships on Monday to cross the strait in Oman鈥檚 waters, saying it had set up an 鈥渆nhanced security area.鈥�
Iran accuses US of ceasefire violation
Iran has called the new U.S. effort a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Qalibaf accused Washington of undermining shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that a 鈥渘ew equation鈥� there is taking shape.
He signaled that Iran has yet to fully respond to the U.S. attempt to reopen the waterway, saying: 鈥淲e know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet.鈥�
His statement did not mention negotiations with the U.S. that are now in the form of passing messages via Pakistan.
US attempt to open the Strait of Hormuz tests Iran war鈥檚 fragile ceasefire
The Iran war risked reigniting after the the Strait of Hormuz for commercial shipping, though a seemed to be holding Tuesday even after the United Arab Emirates said Iran fired missiles and drones at it.
Iran鈥檚 powerful parliamentary speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused the U.S. of undermining regional security with the effort to end Iran鈥檚 stranglehold on the strait and warned that Tehran will respond.
The U.S. military said two American-flagged merchant ships successfully transited the strait on Monday, the first day of the effort, and that it fired on Iranian forces, sinking six small boats that were targeting vessels.
Disputing Washington鈥檚 claim of sinking six boats, an Iranian military commander said two small civilian cargo boats were hit on Monday, killing five civilians, Iran鈥檚 state TV reported.
鈻�
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
