Project Freedom, the U.S. military effort to guide ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, is paused for ‘a short period of time’ amid Iran agreement progress, Trump says.
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Trump announces temporary pause of ‘Project Freedom’ amid progress toward Iran deal
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “Project Freedom,” the U.S. effort to secure ship movement through the Strait of Hormuz, will be paused temporarily following what he described in a post on Truth Social as significant progress toward a potential agreement with Iran.
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed.” Trump said.
Follow the latest updates on Project Freedom and the conflict with Iran
Click here to follow the latest updates on Project Freedom and the conflict with Iran.
Pezeshkian says no one can force Iran to surrender after call with Iraqi PM
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signaled Tuesday that no foreign power could force Iran to surrender.
“We Muslims have already surrendered to the Almighty; no one else can make us surrender,” Pezeshkian said in a post shared on X.
“In my call with Iraq’s PM @AliFalihAlzaidy, I urged the U.S. to remove military threats from our region; followers of the Shiite school cannot be coerced by force. #Iran #Iraq,” he said.
Araghchi arrives in Beijing to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing Tuesday ahead of scheduled talks with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, according to Iran’s Tasnim and Fars news agencies.
“Seyyed Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beijing … at the head of a diplomatic delegation. During this visit, our country’s foreign minister will discuss bilateral relations and regional and international developments with his Chinese counterpart,” Fars reported, according to The Times of Israel.
US troops in the Middle East ‘strongest fighting force the world has ever known’: CENTCOM
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday praised American service members deployed across the Middle East, calling them “the strongest fighting force the world has ever known.”
“America’s men and women in uniform serving across the Middle East represent the strongest fighting force the world has ever known,” the command said in a post shared on X.
Claude cited Kremlin-linked sources while repeating disinformation: report
A new review by NewsGuard has raised concerns about AI chatbots’ ability to handle disinformation, finding that Anthropic’s Claude repeated false claims in up to 15% of tested responses, Ynet reported on Tuesday.
In many of these cases, the chatbot cited sources linked to the Kremlin, showing a sharp increase from earlier tests, when the rate stood at just 4%.
The new findings suggest a growing vulnerability to coordinated propaganda, especially from Russian and Iranian sources.
The chatbot was also found to echo misleading narratives and, in some instances, rely on questionable or state-linked sources to support its responses, the report said.
Iran ‘deep state’ fears rise as Mojtaba Khamenei’s status unclear: report
Uncertainty over Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s health and the ambiguity around Iran’s leadership are raising questions about who is in charge, the Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.
“Whether Mojtaba is well is a question we have been asking since February 28,” Dr. Thamar Eilam Gindin said Tuesday in a radio interview, the outlet reported.
“The answer changes with every leak. Rumors that he is dead are multiplying, which is what many thought from the beginning,” Gindin said.
Speculation intensified after a ceremony in a small Iranian city honoring “martyrs of the war,” where Mojtaba’s photograph reportedly appeared among the images displayed.
Gindin said Mojtaba roles have also largely been unofficial or unclear.
“There is a group, and it is not clear who they are, that says things in Mojtaba’s name and uses him as legitimacy for the decisions they make,” she said.
She described what has been called the Iranian “deep state,” adding it remains unclear who belongs to the group, how it operates, or how decisions are made.
Rubio speaks with Lavrov on Iran, Ukraine war, deteriorating US-Russia relationship
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the deteriorating U.S.-Russia relationship, the war in Ukraine and Iranian aggression, Reuters reported.
The call comes as the U.S. pressures the United Nations Security Council on a resolution to condemn Tehran’s effective shutting down of the Strait of Hormuz.
During a press briefing earlier Tuesday, Rubio had called it a “test of the utility of the United Nations.” He also directly challenged Moscow and Beijing.
“To both the Chinese and the Russians, I have argued that it is in their interest for that resolution to pass,” Rubio said.
“It is in their interest not to see international waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, closed and cause economic chaos for dozens and dozens of countries around the world,” he added.
Iranians describe factory closures, unpaid wages, soaring prices as economic crisis deepens
Iranians are suffering through job layoffs, unpaid wages and rising food prices, Iran International reported Wednesday.
“We do not know how we can go on with these prices. Yesterday I bought two sausages. It cost 1 million rials (about 70 cents),” one person said in a message sent to the outlet.
At the same time, Iran’s minimum wage has fallen below $90, and the rial continues to lose value, hitting a new low this week.
Another message said workers at a glass factory had still not received their March wages and that supplementary insurance had been cut.
Several citizens linked the deterioration to factory closures after the ceasefire, shortages of raw materials and rising rents.
“Since the ceasefire, most factories have shut down, especially in industrial estates. Everyone has become unemployed because of shortages of raw materials. Daily goods have become more expensive, deposits and rents have gone up, and medical and drug costs have soared,” another message said.
US to take Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping to the UN: Rubio
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday the U.S. will take the issue of Iran’s attacks on commercial shipping to the United Nations.
“The second thing we’re doing is we’re going to the UN,” Rubio told reporters at a White House press briefing.
“Everybody loves the UN, right? We’re trying to go to the UN, and we’re saying, ‘OK, countries of the world, condemn this, say that it is wrong for you to put mines there. It is wrong for you to shoot at commercial vessels,” he said.
“If we live in a world where global shipping lanes can be taken over by countries, that will have a direct impact on Americans in the short and the long term.”we’re the only ones that can do anything about it,” he said.
Rubio’s remarks came as the State Department released a statement Tuesday saying that a U.N. Security Council resolution to defend freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz had been drafted at President Donald Trump’s direction.
“The draft resolution requires Iran to cease attacks, mining, and tolling,” the statement read.
“It demands that Iran disclose the number and location of the sea mines it has laid and cooperate with efforts to remove them, while also supporting the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.
“The United States looks forward to this resolution being voted on in the coming days and to receiving support from Security Council members and a broad base of co-sponsors,” it said.
Syria dismantles Hezbollah-linked cell planning official assassinations
Syrian authorities said Tuesday that security forces dismantled a Hezbollah-linked cell that had infiltrated the country and was allegedly planning high-level attacks.
The Interior Ministry said the group’s members entered Syrian territory after receiving “intensive specialized training” in Lebanon and were preparing to carry out a “sabotage agenda,” including targeted assassinations of senior government officials.
“Specialized units, in coordination with the General Intelligence Service, succeeded in delivering a preventive and decisive blow to a terrorist plot targeting the country’s security and symbols,” the ministry said in a statement, according to Ynet.
Brazil’s Lula calls for ‘immediate’ release of Gaza flotilla activists
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has demanded the release of two activists taken from a Gaza-bound flotilla, with one being a Brazilian national.
“Our government, together with that of Spain — which also had a citizen detained — demands that they be fully guaranteed their safety and immediately released,” Lula said in a post shared on X.
Thiago Avila and Saif Abu Keshek appeared in court Tuesday, where their detention was extended by six days, according to The Times of Israel.
Avila and Keshek are held in a prison in Ashkelon and were among dozens of activists on board the flotilla that was intercepted by Israeli forces off the coast of Greece in April.
Cargo vessel struck in Strait of Hormuz by unknown projectile: UKMTO
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said Tuesday that a cargo vessel was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.
This came amid rising tensions with Iran as the United States launched Project Freedom to help guide stranded commercial ships through the key global waterway.
“A verified source reported a cargo vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile,” the UKMTO said in a warning shared on X.
“Environmental impact is unknown at time of report. Vessels are advised to report any suspicious activity to UKMTO, while authorities investigate,” the maritime authority said.
President Donald Trump announced Project Freedom given thousands of commercial vessels are unable to pass through the strait for fear of attack by Iran.
At least 10 sailors have died as a result of conditions in the Strait: Rubio
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Tuesday that at least 10 crew members have already died ahead of the arrival of President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom,” describing stranded crew members as vulnerable and isolated as tensions escalate.
Speaking at a White House press briefing, Rubio also outlined the administration’s justification for the operation, emphasizing that U.S. forces are acting defensively.
“They’re sitting ducks, they’re isolated, they’re starving, they’re vulnerable,” Rubio said of the crew members stranded for weeks.
“And at least 10 sailors have already died as a result of the civilian sailors,” he added.
“Under this president, under President Trump, the United States will help our friends,” he added.
“We’re going to stand up to rogue regimes like the one in Tehran, and we’re going to be unashamed to use our power and our abilities to project military power in the service of our national interest, above all else,” he said, highlighting the defensive nature of the U.S. action in the strait.
“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first. We’re not attacking them, but if they are attacking us,” he said.
“We’ll shoot down drones, we’ll shoot down missiles. But it’s defensive in nature. This is defensive. This is a defensive operation, and that’s what’s occurring here,” Rubio added.
Rubio says ‘Project Freedom’ rescuing ‘almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that “Project Freedom” will rescue nearly 23,000 civilians from 87 countries who, he said, have been stranded at sea in the Persian Gulf amid escalating actions by Iran.
Speaking at a White House press briefing, Rubio accused Iran of engaging in what he called “piracy,” claiming commercial ships and their crews have been trapped for more than two months.
“Almost 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries are trapped inside the Gulf and left for dead in the Persian Gulf by this Iranian regime,” he said.
Rubio described how, for more than two months, “innocent sailors and commercial crew members have been stranded out at sea because Iran is conducting something. It’s not just criminal.”
“It’s criminal for sure, but it’s desperate and destructive,” he added.
Rubio highlighted how the crews are “at the mercy of this piracy. What it is, it’s piracy,” he said.
“Some of them have seen, you know, open fire and have been subjected to senseless attacks on several civilian ships already,”
He also said the crew were “being held hostage merely because Iran could do that, just as the regime brutally slaughtered tens of thousands of their own citizens for the crime of peaceful protest.”
US-backed pipeline proposal targets global reliance on Strait of Hormuz amid Iran threats
A new U.S.-backed proposal to build a network of overland energy pipelines bypassing the Strait of Hormuz is gaining attention as tensions in the region expose a critical vulnerability in the global energy system.
A policy memo reviewed by Fox News Digital outlines the concept, known as “ARAM Express,” a proposed consortium between the United States and Gulf partners to develop a multidirectional overland network for oil, gas and petrochemicals, originating with Richard Goldberg of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
The plan envisions pipelines extending westward to the Red Sea and Mediterranean, as well as southern routes toward the Arabian Sea, creating multiple export pathways that would reduce reliance on the strait, through which roughly one-third of the world’s seaborne oil currently flows.
The proposal would rely on broad international participation, with European and Asian buyers investing in infrastructure and securing long-term supply agreements.
“European buyers are desperate for long-term supply resilience, and Asian customers are equally exposed,” Goldberg said. “Even China cannot tolerate the risk of a sustained disruption.”
The push comes as Iran’s threats to commercial shipping and ongoing U.S. efforts to secure the waterway under President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” highlight the risks posed by a single chokepoint to global energy flows.
Roughly one-third of the world’s seaborne oil passes through the narrow waterway, making it a critical artery for global markets.
This is an excerpt from a report by Efrat Lachter.
Iran says any ship diverting from approved Hormuz corridor faces ‘firm response’
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned Tuesday that any vessels straying from its approved Hormuz route will face a “firm response.”
The warning came as Iran launched a new mechanism to govern maritime traffic through the Strait, Press TV, the country’s English-language state outlet, reported.
“We warn all vessels planning to transit the Strait of Hormuz that the only safe passage is the corridor previously announced by Iran,” it said in a statement carried by state television, according to The Times of Israel.
“Any diversion of ships to other routes is dangerous and will result in a firm response from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Navy,” it said.
The warning also came on the second day of Project Freedom, aimed at facilitating the passage of commercial ships through the key international waterway.
Iran claims X stripped foreign ministry verification badges in ‘selective censorship’ move
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday X had removed verification badges from accounts linked to its foreign ministry.
Esmaeil Baghaei called the move “selective censorship.”
“X has now removed the blue check from Iran’s MFA spokesperson’s account — after stripping the ministry and minister’s verified badges — despite our full Premium+ payments,” Baghaei said in a post shared on X.
“This arbitrary de-verification fits X’s pattern of selective censorship and American digital piracy, aimed at suppressing the truth about the U.S. illegal war against Iran,” he added.
Pezeshkian claims regime represents ‘ethical and responsible power’ while enemies spread chaos
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian cast the Iranian regime as an ethical power Tuesday while claiming its enemies were irresponsible.
“If politics is reduced to mere power, the result is the world we experience today: chaos, oppression and injustice, piracy,” Pezeshkian said in a post shared on X.
“In the Iranian national tradition and the framework of our religious knowledge, power without ethics is meaningless,” he added.
“Iran represents ethical and responsible power, and its enemies embody irresponsible and unaccountable power,” Pezeshkian said.
His remarks came as Reuters reported that Iran is responding to a U.S. military buildup and threats, “despite the path of dialogue being underway,” according to Iranian state media.
Trump’s “Project Freedom” continued Tuesday to ensure the passage of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz
Hegseth shoots down Iran ‘kamikaze dolphins’ — leaves US question open
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Iran does not have so-called “kamikaze dolphins” — dismissing an unusual claim that emerged from recent reporting on Iran’s potential tactics in the Strait of Hormuz.
“I can’t confirm or deny whether we have kamikaze dolphins, but I can confirm they don’t,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon briefing Tuesday.
The question stems from a Wall Street Journal report that said Iranian officials have at least discussed reviving a Cold War-era program involving trained dolphins capable of carrying mines toward enemy ships.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine appeared unfamiliar with the claim, reacting with a laugh when asked about it.
“I haven’t heard the kamikaze dolphin thing. It’s like sharks with laser beams, right?” he said, referencing the fictional weapon from the “Austin Powers” films.
U.S. military dolphins have been used in combat before — but not as weapons. During the Iraq War, Navy-trained dolphins were deployed to the Persian Gulf to help clear mines from the port of Umm Qasr, using their natural sonar to locate and mark underwater explosives so divers could neutralize them.
The U.S. Navy has long trained marine mammals for missions such as detecting underwater mines and tracking divers, and Soviet programs during the Cold War experimented with more offensive uses.
Iran reportedly acquired dolphins from a former Soviet program in 2000, though there is no confirmed evidence such capabilities are active today.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Morgan Phillips.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Iran claims to launch new Strait of Hormuz transit process
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority claims it is launching a new process for ships attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported Tuesday.
Details on the new process were not immediately made public, but a social media post from the PGSA stated that it is already being implemented in the strait.
“Ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz [will] receive an email from info@PGSA.ir, informing them of the transit regulations of the Strait of Hormuz. They then adjust themselves to this framework and receive a transit permit,” the statement read.
Iran’s claims of a policy shift come on the heels of President Donald Trump’s Project Freedom, which aims to force Iran to open the strait.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Lindsey Graham urges US, Israel to arm Iranian civilians in ‘Second Amendment solution’
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham called for a “Second Amendment solution” to the Iranian resistance Monday, arguing the U.S. and Israel should arm civilians inside Iran as tensions linger in the Middle East and the Trump administration keeps regime change front of mind.
“I love the idea of a Second Amendment solution for the Iranian people,” Graham told “Hannity.”
“If I were President Trump and I were Israel, I would load the Iranian people up with weapons so they could go to the streets armed and turn the tide of battle inside Iran,” he continued.
Graham’s remarks echo others who have pointed to internal resistance as a key factor in toppling the Islamic regime, including exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who argued the regime is vulnerable and urged the world not to give Tehran “another lifeline.”
“We don’t need American boots on the ground,” Graham said. “We’ve got millions of boots on the ground in Iran. They just don’t have any weapons. Give them the weapons so they can rise up like we did to destroy this regime.”
Taking such action, Graham said, would mirror America’s own path to independence, when armed colonists fought back against British rule.
“The first thing the king does is takes the guns away from his subjects,” Graham said.
“The first thing a religious theocracy does is make sure that nobody can have a gun to threaten the regime.”
Host Sean Hannity noted that there have been previous attempts to funnel weapons to Iranian opposition groups, but said some efforts had been complicated by weapons allegedly being stolen before reaching their intended recipients.
Graham’s response was to simply “do it again.”
“I love the idea of empowering the Iranian people with weapons… to make the Revolutionary Guard’s life hell,” he added.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Taylor Penley.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
German officials warn Islamist, far-left rhetoric driving spike in antisemitic attacks
Germany is facing a sharp rise in antisemitism, with officials warning that Islamist and left-wing extremist networks are exploiting the war in the Middle East to spread anti-Jewish rhetoric, mobilize supporters and contribute to harassment and violence against Jewish communities.
These groups are using the Israel–Hamas war and broader regional tensions as a pretext to amplify antisemitic narratives, according to a study by the Hessian State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which includes accusations of “genocide” in Gaza and portrayals of Israel as a colonial state, language authorities say is increasingly being used to justify hostility and, in some cases, violence against Jews.
German Interior Minister Roman Poseck warned that the trend is escalating.
“Antisemitism is one of the greatest threats to our social cohesion — especially from Islamism and the left-wing extremist spectrum,” Poseck said in a statement.
The developments are raising broader concerns beyond Germany, as officials and Jewish leaders warn that similar patterns of antisemitic rhetoric tied to Middle East conflicts are emerging across Western democracies, including the United States. With Germany long seen as a bellwether due to its history and legal framework around hate speech, the findings are being viewed as a warning sign of how extremist narratives can move from the fringes into mainstream discourse.
Poseck, who commissioned the report of the Hessian State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, warned of a deteriorating social climate, saying that “antisemitic sentiments are becoming increasingly intolerable, even in public spaces.”
“I am deeply ashamed of what Jews in Germany have to endure 80 years after the end of the Second World War,” he continued. “We Germans, in particular, bear a lasting responsibility never to forget what happened.”
Forty-six of 102 Jewish communities surveyed in Germany reported antisemitic incidents, highlighting the growing scale of the threat, a new nationwide report by the Central Council of Jews in Germany found.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Efrat Lachter.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
CENTCOM posts photo of F-16 patrolling near Strait of Hormuz
U.S. Central Command released a photo of an F-16 fighter jet operating near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday amid President Donald Trump’s Project Freedom.
“A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet patrols near the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. forces have a large amount of capability and firepower concentrated in and around the strait to extend a defensive umbrella to protect U.S. forces and defend commercial shipping,” CENTCOM wrote.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
UAE condemns Iranian missile, drone attacks as US weighs NEW military action
Tensions escalate in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran fires on U.S. vessels and targets the UAE with missiles and drones.
Retired Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille discussed the U.S. military response and Project Freedom in an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
US intercepts 6 ships trying to run American blockade during operation to open Strait of Hormuz
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth revealed Tuesday that six ships attempted to bypass the U.S. military’s blockade of Iranian ports during the operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but they were all turned around.
“In fact, six ships tried to run the blockade out of Iranian ports as Project Freedom commenced, and they were all turned around,” Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump declared in a Truth Social post on Sunday that the U.S. would launch “Project Freedom” to help ships from other nations escape the Strait of Hormuz.
“To be clear, this operation is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury. Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope and temporary in duration, with one mission: protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression,” Hegseth said.
“Iran is the clear aggressor, harassing civilian vessels, threatening mariners from every nation indiscriminately, and weaponizing a critical chokepoint for its own financial benefit, or at least trying to,” he continued. “For too long, Iran has been harassing ships, shooting at civilian tankers from all nations and trying to impose a tolling system. Iran’s plan, a form of international extortion, is unacceptable. That ends with Project Freedom.”
Hegseth said Tuesday that “All of these ships from all around the world want to get out of the Iranian trap that they have been stuck inside.”
“As a direct gift from the United States to the world, we have established a powerful red, white and blue dome over the strait. American destroyers are on station, supported by hundreds of fighter jets, helicopters, drones and surveillance aircraft, providing 24/7 overwatch for peaceful commercial vessels. Except Iran’s, of course. Which is why our ironclad blockade remains in full effect as well,” Hegseth added.
He also said, “We prefer this to be a peaceful operation, but are locked and loaded to defend our people, our ships, our aircraft, and this mission, without hesitation.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Greg Norman.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Trump says ‘lunatics’ in Iran would have obtained a nuclear weapon if not for US attack
President Donald Trump reiterated his belief that Iran would have soon obtained a nuclear weapon if the U.S. had not intervened.
Trump made the statement in the Oval Office on Tuesday after signing a proclamation creating a Presidential Fitness Test award. He was flanked by young students and educators during the event.
“We would have had an Iran with a nuclear weapon, and maybe we wouldn’t all be here right now,” Trump said. “The Middle East would’ve been gone. Israel would’ve been gone.”
Trump went on to call Iran’s leadership “sick” and “lunatics.”
“We’re not gonna let lunatics get a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
UAE activates air defenses in response to Iran missile threat
The United Arab Emirates says it activated its air defenses in response to a missile threat from Iran on Tuesday.
“Air defense systems are currently responding to a missile threat. Please remain in a safe location and follow official channels for warnings and updates,” the UAE wrote.
The latest announcement comes just a day after the UAE shot down a dozen Iranian missiles on Monday.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
IDF claims to have taken out Hamas commander who participated in Oct 7
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it eliminated Hamas Commander Anas Muhammad Ibrahim Hamed, who infiltrated Israel and participated in the Oct. 7 Nova Music Festival Massacre.
Hamed was killed during a targeted Monday strike in Gaza, the IDF announced Tuesday.
“The IDF struck yesterday in the center of the Gaza Strip and eliminated Ans Muhammad Ibrahim Hamed, Nukhba commander in the Hamas terror organization, who raided the territory of the State of Israel and the Nova festival during the murderous massacre on October 7,” the IDF wrote in a Tuesday morning post on X.
The IDF called Hamed an “immediate threat to IDF forces operating in the Gaza Strip,” and said he was “eliminated in a precise airstrike.”
The IDF said it has forces “deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat.”
Nukhba, which is Arabic for elite, is the special forces for the Al-Qassam Brigades, which is Hamas’ military wing.
Both units were instrumental in the Oct. 7 massacre. The Al-Qassam Brigades planned and executed the attack, according to the IDF and the Counter Extremism Project. Of the 6,000 terrorists who invaded Israel during the attack, more than 3,800 were Nukhba fighters, the IDF stated in an August 2024 assessment.
The Oct. 7 attack resulted in the deaths of more than 1,300 Israelis and prompted a sprawling Israeli military campaign in Gaza. During this campaign, the IDF eliminated two commanders of the al-Qassam Brigades and numerous other members of the group’s military leadership.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Robert McGreevy.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Macron announces call with Iranian president, urges return to ‘diplomatic negotiations’
French President Emmanuel Macron will speak with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.
Macron made the announcement to the press shortly before his call, which he said he was making at Pezeshkian’s request.
”France has maintained a consistent position from the start. We call for the cessation of all hostilities, the return to diplomatic negotiations, and respect for all countries in the region,” Macron said. “Tthe only possible option is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz … and the absence of any tolls or coercive measures.”
“Any unilateral escalation against tankers, container ships, or third countries is a mistake that fuels war and leads to escalation,” he added.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Caine, Hegseth confirm US-Iran ceasefire is not over
War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine reaffirmed that the U.S. ceasefire with Iran has not ended.
Caine stated during a Pentagon press conference that Iran’s aggression has not risen to the levels that would require a resumption of full hostilities.
“Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than ten times – all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,” Caine said.
Asked about the same issue later in the press conference, Hegseth affirms Caine’s statement.
“No, the ceasefire is not over,” he told reporters.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Iranian foreign minister to visit China before Trump-Xi summit
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will visit China this week, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday.
The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, comes a week before President Donald Trump is set to visit Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 14-15.
Araghchi will meet with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi.
The war in Iran is expected to be a major topic of discussion for Trump and Xi, in addition to trade talks.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Hegseth says US has established ‘red, white and blue dome’ over shipping in Strait of Hormuz
War Secretary Pete Hegseth warned Iran that the U.S. wants Project Freedom to be a “peaceful” operation, but the U.S. is prepared to strike if Iran intervenes.
Hegseth made the statement during a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday, saying the U.S. military stands behind President Donald Trump’s call to protect international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“To what remains of Iran’s forces: If you attack American troops or innocent commercial shipping, you will face overwhelming and devastating American firepower,” Hegseth said. “We’d prefer this to be a peaceful operation, but are locked and loaded to defend our people, our ships, our aircraft, and this mission without hesitation.”
Hegseth said earlier in the press conference that the U.S. is enforcing “a powerful red, white and blue dome over the strait.”
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
US ‘not looking for a fight’ with Project Freedom as Hegseth calls Iran ‘clear aggressor’
War Secretary Pete Hegseth offered new details about the goals and duration of President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom” on Tuesday.
“This operation is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury. Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope and temporary in duration,” Hegseth said, adding that its mission is to protect international shipping from “Iranian aggression.”
“American forces won’t need to enter Iranian waters or airspace. That’s not necessary. We’re not looking for a fight, but Iran also cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway. Iran is the clear aggressor,” he added, citing Iran’s attacks on trade vessels from “every nation.”
Hegseth went on to condemn Iran’s actions as “international extortion.”
“As a direct gift from the United States to the world. We have established a powerful red, white and blue dome over the strait. American destroyers are on station, supported by hundreds of fighter jets, helicopters, drones and surveillance aircraft, providing 24 over seven overwatch for peaceful commercial vessels,” he added.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Republicans ready ‘restraint’ on Trump’s war in Iran
Congress left Washington, D.C., without flexing its legal muscle against President Donald Trump’s Iran war, despite growing concern among Republicans about what comes next in the Middle East.
The 60-day deadline, enshrined into law by the War Powers Act Resolution, requires that Congress authorize or halt the war. That mark came and went Friday while lawmakers were back home.
While Senate Democrats have voted six times in lockstep to handcuff Trump’s war powers in Iran, Republicans broadly have not wanted to interfere with the administration’s plans.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said he didn’t see a desire from most Republicans to take action on the deadline and noted that lawmakers were getting “readouts from our military leadership on a somewhat regular basis” to guide their decision-making.
Still, some Republicans want to put guardrails on Trump when Congress returns.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, has been working on an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that she described as more than an authorization, but also a “restraint.”
“If we pass this 60-day mark from the start of hostilities with still a lack of a credible plan and information from the administration, it is one — it is something that I intend to introduce once the Senate reconvenes here,” Murkowski said.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Alex Miller.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Sen Lindsey Graham floats idea of more US attacks against Iranian ‘war machine’
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., floated the prospect of more U.S. attacks against Iran, suggesting that a large, but brief effort to target the Islamic Republic’s “war machine” would be justified.
In a Monday Truth Social post, President Donald Trump declared, “Iran has taken some shots at unrelated Nations with respect to the Ship Movement, PROJECT FREEDOM, including a South Korean Cargo Ship. Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission! We’ve shot down seven small Boats or, as they like to call them, ‘fast’ Boats. It’s all they have left. Other than the South Korean Ship, there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait.”
Sharing a screenshot of Trump’s post, Graham agreed in a Monday post on X.
“Spot on, Mr. President. The combination of Iran’s attack against UAE’s vital infrastructure and continued attacks on international shipping, including a South Korean cargo ship, more than justifies a big, strong and short response to inflict further damage on Iran’s war machine,” Graham asserted in his post on X.
“The UAE has been a champion ally in this fight, doing everything that’s being asked of them and beyond. Iran’s recent brazen attack against the UAE tells me a lot about who’s in charge in Iran and the chance of a diplomatic solution any time soon. A forceful response on behalf of our ally, UAE, will reinforce that America is back as a reliable ally, helping to further wash away the damage caused by the Biden administration on this front,” the senator added.
Helicopters were utilized “just this morning to eliminate six Iranian small boats,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper noted on Monday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi declared in a post on X, “Events in Hormuz make clear that there’s no military solution to a political crisis. As talks are making progress with Pakistan’s gracious effort, the U.S. should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE. Project Freedom is Project Deadlock.”
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“To the American people: I know gas prices are high, and I know we’re suffering right now. But you pay now, or you pay later against thugs like Iran. They tried to get a nuclear weapon, and if you don’t believe that you shouldn’t be allowed to drive in your hometown,” Graham said during a Monday night appearance on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity.”
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Alex Nitzberg.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
Trump opens Hormuz under fire with ‘Project Freedom’ as Iran warns of attacks
The U.S. operation to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is unfolding under fire, with American forces intercepting Iranian missiles and drones and destroying attack boats targeting commercial shipping as they begin moving vessels through one of the world’s most critical waterways.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels have successfully transited the strait under the effort, dubbed “Project Freedom,” even as Iranian officials rejected the claim as “baseless” and warned that any foreign military presence would be attacked.
President Donald Trump warned that any Iranian strike on U.S. vessels would be met with overwhelming force, saying Iran would be “blown off the face of the earth,” while a senior Iranian commander said American forces would be targeted if they “approach and enter” the strait.
The operation has quickly turned into a direct test of control over the strait, with U.S. forces moving ships under fire while Iran threatens to strike any foreign presence — a clash that could pull the two sides deeper into open conflict.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Iran had taken “shots at unrelated Nations” during the operation, including a South Korean cargo ship, and suggested allies could join the effort.
“Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission!” he wrote.
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper told reporters that Iranian forces launched cruise missiles, drones and small boats at vessels under U.S. protection as the operation began, targeting primarily commercial shipping as well as some U.S. Navy ships.
U.S. forces responded by intercepting the attacks and destroying six Iranian small boats, Cooper said, adding that American forces “defeated each and every one of those threats.”
He said the two U.S.-flagged ships transited the strait “uneventfully” and that additional vessels are expected to begin moving to take advantage of the passage.
This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Morgan Phillips.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
USS Truxtun, USS Mason come under ‘sustained’ Iranian attack in Strait of Hormuz: report
Two U.S. Navy destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian fire Monday as the vessels came under a barrage of small boats, missiles and drones, according to reports.
The USS Truxtun and USS Mason were backed by fighter aircraft and AH-64 Apache helicopters during the encounter, with officials describing it as a “sustained barrage,” the CBS report said.
Despite the attack, neither of the destroyers was impacted, with forces intercepting or deterring each threat.
Fox News’ Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
Posted by Anders Hagstrom
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