US ‘locked and loaded’ to resume Iran strikes if nuclear talks fail, Vance warns; IDF on high alert
JD Vance warned that the U.S. is “locked and loaded” to resume strikes if Iran nuclear talks fail. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency security meeting as Israel’s military entered its highest level of alert for potential action.
Coverage for this event has ended.
Mojtaba Khamenei frames war with US, Israel as 'jihad' in defiant message, analyst says
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei used a series of posts on X Tuesday to frame Iran’s war with the United States and Israel in ideological and religious terms, invoking what one counterterrorism analyst described as “jihad — sacred religious war.”
Khamenei’s defiant remarks came after President Donald Trump called off a planned strike on Iran on May 18, and as Washington indicated it would not soften its stance on Tehran’s nuclear program.
“Among the most valuable achievements of the Third Sacred Defense [against the American and Zionist invasion] is the emergence of Iran at the level of a major, influential power,” Mojtaba said in one post on X.
“Strip the euphemism away, and what Khamenei is invoking here is jihad — sacred religious war,” Dr. Omar Mohammed, a counterterrorism analyst with the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital.
“‘Sacred Defense’ is the Islamic Republic’s preferred term for jihad against an aggressor; it carries the full weight of religious obligation in Shia jurisprudence,” he added.
“By framing the war with America and Israel this way, Khamenei is not describing a geopolitical conflict. He is declaring a holy war and casting it as a religious duty,” Mohammed added.
Mohammed also said the messaging explicitly identifies “America and the Zionists” as the enemy.
“That is not loose phrasing. The Islamic Republic, under Mojtaba’s father, made hatred of America and hatred of Jews the twin pillars of its ideology for more than 30 years,” he said.
In another post, Khamenei wrote, “By earnestly pursuing the correct, necessary policy of population growth, the great Iranian nation will be able to play a major role and experience strategic leaps in the future, taking long strides toward building the new Islamic-Iranian civilization.”
“The fact that he is now speaking publicly as supreme leader — and that this substantive message is a call to jihad against America and the Jews — tells you what kind of leader he intends to be,” Mohammed added.
Mohammed also noted the irony that the supreme leader was delivering his message on X — a platform the Iranian government has “blocked inside Iran for nearly two decades” — while ordinary Iranians endure what he described as the country’s longest and most severe internet blackout.
“Over four months now, costing the Iranian economy a quarter of a billion dollars a day,” Mohammed said before stating that the supreme leader is “speaking to the world on a platform his own people are forbidden to read, in a country he has cut off from the outside.”
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Trump confirms G7 attendance in France amid tensions with allies over Iran war: reports
President Donald Trump will attend next month’s G7 summit in France amid tensions with key U.S. allies over the war with Iran.
A White House official confirmed Tuesday that Trump will travel to France for the June 15-17 gathering in the lakeside resort town of Evian-les-Bains at the foot of the French Alps, Reuters reported.
The G7 is made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Trump’s relationship with several leaders has become strained amid disagreements over the Iran war and the broader U.S. approach to the conflict.
Axios reported in March that the other G7 leaders urged Trump during a call to bring the war to a swift end and stressed the importance of securing the Strait of Hormuz to prevent further global economic disruption.
Exchanges between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have also grown heated.
Merz criticized the U.S. response to the war with Iran and said Washington was being “humiliated” by Iran’s leadership.
Trump also said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was “no Churchill” as the United Kingdom resisted joining the war effort at the start of the conflict.
Russia says it’s ready to support US-Iran negotiations
Russia is prepared to assist in resolving the war between the United States and Iran, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday, according to reports.
“Russia is ready to provide all possible assistance in resolving this conflict, and the parties involved are well aware of this,” Ryabkov told TASS state news agency, Reuters reported.
CENTCOM displays heavy-lift aviation capabilities aboard USS Abraham Lincoln in Middle East
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) showcased its Super Stallion helicopter Tuesday aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, stationed in the Middle East.
This came amid the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.
“A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 15, showcasing the military’s heavy-lift aviation capabilities aboard the Navy aircraft carrier,” the command said in a post shared on X.
Prominent Trump foreign policy critic loses House seat in primary that broke spending records
In the most expensive U.S. House primary in history, incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., lost to former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein in Tuesday’s Republican primary election.
The race in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District turned into a proxy war over the direction of the GOP, with tensions rising after Massie co-led a petition forcing the Justice Department to release its secret Jeffrey Epstein files.
The race also drew attention and record-breaking outside spending.
President Donald Trump also criticized Massie when he argued that war with Iran was unconstitutional without congressional approval.
Massie insisted it violated “America First” principles, maintaining that Congress — not the president alone — holds the sole authority to declare war.
Massie also partnered with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna on bipartisan War Powers resolutions.
Massie had blasted U.S. strikes on Iran as “acts of war unauthorized by Congress,” famously stating, “I am opposed to this war. This is not ‘America First.’”
He argued there was “no imminent threat” justifying unilateral action. His anti-war stance became controversial within the GOP, making him a target for Trump.
Trump vows swift end to Iran war, says oil prices will plummet
President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that an end to the war with Iran is coming “very quickly,” telling lawmakers at the White House Congressional Picnic that negotiations are moving fast and could soon send oil prices tumbling.
“We're blowing everything away, and we're going to end that war very quickly,” Trump said outside the White House.
“They want to make a deal so badly,” he added.
“And it's going to happen, and it's going to happen fast. And you're going to see oil prices plummet.”
Trump went on to say that the U.S. has to "stop" Tehran.
"They have nuclear on their mind, and we're not going to let them have a nuclear weapon," he said.
"And we've done a hell of a job. And we're I think we're going to be finished with that very quickly," Trump added before saying that hopefully "we're going to get it done in a very nice manner."
Senate advances resolution to limit Trump's authority to continue Iran military strikes
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday advanced a resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to continue strikes against Iran without congressional approval.
The vote marked the latest effort by lawmakers to reassert Congress’ constitutional role over war powers after several earlier attempts in both chambers failed.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer hailed the vote as evidence that Republican support for Trump’s approach is beginning to fall.
“Vote by vote, Democrats are breaking through Republicans’ wall of silence on Trump’s illegal war,” Schumer said in a statement.
“For more than 80 days, Trump has dragged America into a costly, chaotic conflict with no plan, no objective, and no legal authority,” he added.
“Today proved our pressure is working: Republicans are starting to crack, and momentum is building to check him. We are not letting up,” Schumer said.
Iran rejects CENTCOM claim that school struck on first day of war was inside missile base
Iran on Tuesday rejected remarks by CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper, who claimed the Minab school struck on the opening day of the war was located within an active Iranian cruise missile base.
“This shameless distortion is a clear attempt to obscure the harsh reality of the Feb. 28 missile attacks, which tragically killed more than 170 schoolchildren and their teachers,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghei wrote on X.
Baghei’s comments came hours after Cooper told Congress the investigation into the deadly strike was “complex,” alleging the girls’ school was situated on an active IRGC cruise missile site.
Araghchi claims Iran was first to shoot down a 'touted F-35,' warns of 'many more surprises'
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Tuesday that Tehran had inflicted military losses on the United States during the conflict with Iran.
“Months after initiation of war on Iran, US Congress acknowledges loss of dozens of aircraft worth billions,” Araghchi said in a post shared on X.
“Our powerful Armed Forces are confirmed as the first to strike down a touted F-35,” he said.
“With lessons learned and knowledge we gained, return to war will feature many more surprises,” Araghchi added.
His remarks came after President Donald Trump said on May 18 that he had come within an hour of ordering new strikes on Iran but held off.
Iran holds mass wedding for those who pledged to sacrifice lives in war with US, Israel
Iran’s government held a mass wedding ceremony in Tehran on May 18 as part of its “Sacrifice for Iran” event, The Associated Press reported.
The public weddings were organized for couples enrolled in a state-sponsored initiative declaring their willingness to sacrifice their lives in the event of renewed military action between the United States and Israel.
Ceremonies took place across major squares in Tehran, where more than 100 couples participated, according to Iranian media reports cited by The Times of Israel.
Participants had signed up for the so-called “self-sacrifice” scheme — known as ‘janfada’ — where volunteers pledged to put their lives on the line, including by forming human chains around infrastructure such as power stations, Iranian media reported.
Iranian officials say millions of people have registered for the initiative, including senior figures such as Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to Iranian state media.
US blockade on Iran has redirected 89 commercial vessels, CENTCOM says
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday that U.S. forces had redirected 89 vessels as part of their naval blockade of Iranian ports.
“CENTCOM forces continue full enforcement of the U.S. blockade against Iran, stopping the flow of commerce into and out of Iranian ports,” the command said in a post shared on X.
“89 commercial vessels have been redirected to ensure compliance,” CENTCOM said.
CENTCOM chief unloads after Dem asks ‘how many more Americans’ must die in Iran war
Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper sharply rebuked Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton during a tense House Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday after the Massachusetts Democrat questioned "how many more Americans" would die because of what he called a failed Iran strategy.
"It doesn't seem to be going well," Moulton, D-Mass., said of the Iran war. "And I would like to know how many more Americans we have to ask to die for this mistake."
"I think it’s an entirely inappropriate statement from you, sir," Cooper responded. Moulton shot back: "It’s not a statement, it’s a question."
Fourteen U.S. service members have died in combat since the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury Feb. 28.
Moulton, a Marine Corps Iraq War veteran and frequent critic of the Trump administration’s Iran strategy, pressed Cooper repeatedly on what he described as the widening consequences of the conflict, including instability in the Strait of Hormuz, rising oil prices and reports that Iran had rebuilt parts of its missile infrastructure.
Cooper pushed back on several of the claims, calling reports that Iran had reconstituted key missile sites "inaccurate" and repeatedly emphasizing that U.S. forces had achieved their assigned military objectives.
The hearing came just after Trump said he directed the military to pause planned operations against Iran for Tuesday at the request of Gulf allies who wanted negotiations with Tehran to continue.
This is an excerpt from a report by Morgan Phillips.
US seizes Iran-linked sanctioned oil tanker in Indian Ocean: report
An Iran-linked oil tanker was intercepted by the U.S. overnight May 18 in the Indian Ocean, according to reports.
Citing three U.S. officials, The Wall Street Journal reported that the tanker, identified as the Skywave, was sanctioned by the U.S. in March over allegations that it was transporting Iranian oil.
Ship-tracking data also showed the vessel west of Malaysia after it passed through the Strait of Malacca.
Lloyd’s List Intelligence data indicated the ship was possibly loaded with more than 1 million barrels of crude oil at Iran’s Kharg Island in February.
According to VesselFinder, Skywave was last reported in Southeast Asia four days ago via AIS data.
The vessel was traveling at 9.3 knots, is a crude oil tanker built in 2005 and was sailing under the flag of Botswana, VesselFinder noted.
Hezbollah grooms children for martyrdom through its scout movement, report claims
The U.S.-designated Lebanon-based terrorist movement Hezbollah exploits children from its version of the scout movement to carry out jihadi missions that result in their deaths, according to a recent report on Lebanon’s MTV television network.
The Lebanese network’s report — translated by the Washington, D.C.-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) — comes amid U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and Beirut.
The report claims that Hezbollah gives child fighters heroes’ funerals and publicly glorifies them before their peers in order to encourage other children to follow in their footsteps.
The MTV report said Hezbollah believes that every drop of bloodshed by child soldiers brings victory closer.
The U.S.-designated Lebanon-based terrorist movement Hezbollah exploits children from its version of the scout movement to carry out jihadi missions that result in their deaths, according to a recent report on Lebanon’s MTV television network.
The Lebanese network’s report — translated by the Washington, D.C.-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) — comes amid U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and Beirut.
The report claims that Hezbollah gives child fighters heroes’ funerals and publicly glorifies them before their peers in order to encourage other children to follow in their footsteps.
The MTV report said Hezbollah believes that every drop of bloodshed by child soldiers brings victory closer.
The Lebanon expert said they could be termed "children jihadists" who are preparing to become full Hezbollah fighters.
This is an excerpt from a report by Benjamin Weinthal.
US offers $15M reward for tips that could disrupt IRGC terrorist financial networks
The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice program on Tuesday said it is offering up to $15 million for information on Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) financial network.
“Your information could help disrupt this terrorist organization’s financial networks,” the program said in a post shared on X.
“Send us a tip today,” it added.
“The IRGC uses numerous financial mechanisms to fund its activities, including cryptocurrency accounts, custodians and front companies,” the Rewards for Justice program said.
“If you have information on the IRGC’s financial network, send it to us via Signal or our Tor-based tip line,” it added.
Those offering information may be eligible for a reward and potential relocation, the program said.
Netanyahu held five-hour security meeting as Israel readies for potential Iran strike: report
Israel is preparing to take part in a potential U.S. strike on Iran, despite President Donald Trump’s statement on May 18 that he had paused a planned attack, according to reports.
Citing officials, Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported Tuesday that officials also believe Trump’s announcement may have limited his options.
The officials suggested that unless Tehran presents a significantly improved proposal — which Israeli leaders consider unlikely — Trump may decide military action is unavoidable, the report says, according to The Times of Israel.
Channel 12’s report also suggested recent developments within Israel showed signs of readiness for a possible strike, adding that Israel would likely coordinate closely with the U.S. in any operation.
The report also notes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a limited security consultation May 18 that lasted nearly five hours.
At the meeting were the IDF chief of staff, the air force commander, the head of military intelligence, the head of the Operations Directorate and other senior defense officials, with discussions focused on ensuring preparedness for the possibility of military action.
Further reports by Channel 12 indicate Israel’s military is on its highest level of alert for possible U.S. action against Iran in the coming days, Iran International reported.
Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday that President Donald Trump is still pursuing a diplomatic deal with Iran but remains “locked and loaded” to restart the military campaign if nuclear talks collapse.
"It takes two to tango," Vance told reporters at the White House daily press briefing Tuesday. "We are not going to have a deal that allows the Iranians to have a nuclear weapon.
"So as the president just told me, we're locked and loaded. We don't want to go down that pathway. But the president is willing and able to go down that pathway if we have to."
The administration sees two paths forward, according to Vance: a negotiated agreement that permanently blocks Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, or renewed U.S. military action.
“We think the Iranians want to make a deal,” Vance said. “The president of the United States has asked us to negotiate in good faith. And that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
But Vance warned that diplomacy will not come at the cost of Trump’s core demand that Tehran never obtain a nuclear weapon.
“There’s an option B, and the option B is that we could restart the military campaign to continue to prosecute the case, to continue to try to achieve America’s objectives,” Vance said. “But that’s not what the president wants. And I don’t think it’s what the Iranians want either.”
Trump says Gulf leaders knew he was ‘getting ready to attack’ Iran without being told
President Donald Trump remains steadfast in keeping his war plans to himself.
"They knew I was getting ready to attack," Trump told reporters at the White House ballroom construction site. "I didn't tell them. I never tell anybody when.
"But they knew that we were very close. I would say we were, I was an hour away from making the decision to go today, and we would probably not be talking about a beautiful ballroom today. We'd be talking about that."
But Gulf leaders had an inkling, Trump added.
"So they called up, they had heard I made the decision and said, 'Sir, could you give us a couple of more days because we think they're being reasonable?'"
Trump says China’s Xi promised not to send weapons to Iran
President Donald Trump said Chinese President Xi Jinping personally promised him that Beijing would not send weapons to Iran, as Trump warned Tehran still had some ability to retaliate despite what he described as devastating U.S. strikes on Iran’s military.
“President Xi has promised me that he’s not sending any weapons to Iran,” Trump told reporters during a White House ballroom construction huddle with reporters.
"That’s a beautiful promise. I take him at his word. I appreciate it."
Trump said he and Xi had “an amazing time” during his China visit and suggested Beijing shared U.S. concerns about keeping oil lanes open.
"We got along very well before this, but President XI and I had a really an amazing time," Trump added. "I think you'd say the same thing, but he promised that he's not sending any weapons.
"And, you know, if you think about it, he gets 40% of his oil” from the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said of Xi. “He's not sending oil boats and, you know, tankers in with 20 destroyers alongside of them.
"He does want it open, like me. I want it open and we'll get it open."
Rubio urges UN to help 'stop Islamic Republic of Iran’s unlawful mining and tolling of the Strait'
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday about U.S. efforts to confront Iran’s activity in the Strait of Hormuz, the State Department said.
"The Secretary further discussed U.S. efforts to stop the Islamic Republic of Iran’s unlawful mining and tolling of the Strait of Hormuz, including a draft UN Security Council resolution, presented by the United States and Bahrain with the support of other Gulf partners," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott wrote in a readout of the call.
"The Secretary emphasized the overwhelming support of a broad base of UN members for these efforts."
Rubio discussed advancing President Donald Trump’s vision for a “back-to-basics” United Nations that is "leaner and more accountable."
Trump on higher gas prices: ‘It won’t be much longer’
President Donald Trump is urging Americans to hang on amid rising gas prices as he tries to complete the mission in the Middle East of ridding Iran of nuclear weapons aspirations.
"I appreciate everybody putting up with it for a little while," Trump told reporters at the White House ballroom construction site Tuesday. "It won't be much longer."
Trump pointed to the rising stock market in showing how the money experts are expecting peace with Iran.
"We just hit a new high in the stock market – everything's going good," Trump said. "I'm sorry, but we have to go down and take a little journey down to we have to do something with Iran. We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon."
The price of gas "is peanuts" compared to the threat of a nuclear Iran, but noted he is a deflationary, energy-conscious president.
"You know, I had gasoline down to $1.85 in Iowa," Trump said. "I was in Iowa, and the stations had it at $1.85. But I was down to, in many cases, less than $2 a barrel, a gallon. And then I said to myself, this is great."
Treasury sanctions Iran-linked companies, shadow fleet vessels under ‘Economic Fury’
The Treasury Department on Tuesday announced sanctions on more than 50 companies, individuals and vessels tied to Iran’s sanctions-evasion networks, targeting what officials described as a shadow banking and shipping system that helps generate revenue for Tehran.
“Iran’s shadow banking system facilitates the illicit transfer of funding for terrorist purposes,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “As Treasury systematically dismantles Tehran’s shadow banking system and shadow fleet under Economic Fury, financial institutions must be alert to how the regime manipulates the international financial system to wreak havoc.”
The action, taken by Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control under its “Economic Fury” campaign, designates a prominent Iranian foreign currency exchange house and associated front companies accused of overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions for sanctioned Iranian banks.
Treasury said Iranian exchange houses collectively facilitate billions of dollars in foreign currency transactions each year, helping the regime and its armed forces evade sanctions, access the international financial system and move funds from oil and petrochemical sales.
OFAC also blocked 19 vessels allegedly involved in Iranian petroleum and petrochemical shipments to foreign customers, which Treasury said have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.
Treasury Secretary Bessent: 'No money for terror' must come with 'no room for excuses'
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent delivered a forceful message Tuesday: cutting off terrorist financing must remain central to U.S. national security strategy.
"If we are serious about 'no money for terror,' then there must also be 'no room for excuses,'" Bessent said in his opening statement at the No Money for Terror conference in Paris, France.
Bessent framed sanctions not as "acts of aggression," but as President Donald Trump's “instruments of peace” designed to change behavior, disrupt illicit networks, and prevent terror groups from accessing the money that sustains them.
"The United States is hardly alone in facing the scourge of terrorism, especially from Iran," Bessent said. "Yet, too often, we seem to be alone in our resolve to thwart it.
"As President Trump brings renewed vigor and focus to this fight, crushing the threat of terrorism compels all of you to step up and join us in rooting out the financing that sustains it — from shell companies that are embedded within Europe, to shadow banking networks that lurk across the Middle East, and drug cartels across the Western Hemisphere.
"For at their core, sanctions are not acts of aggression, they are instruments of peace. Their purpose is not to condemn nations or people to indefinite isolation, but to create the conditions that can hasten a change in behavior."
GOP Rep. Van Orden: House members should face DOJ probe over classified leaks
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., says House Armed Services Committee members cannot be trusted with classified information.
“There are several members of this committee that have proven to not be capable of maintaining classified material and secrets that safeguard our nation,” Van Orden said during Tuesday's committee hearing. “And we are not capable of doing our constitutionally mandated congressional oversight if we cannot be exposed to classified information.”
Unauthorized disclosures of classified information should be investigate by the Justice Department, he says, warning that leaks could endanger U.S. troops during the Iran war.
Van Orden said Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., and ranking member Adam Smith, D-Wash., recently sent committee members a memo about “another unauthorized disclosure of classified material” by a member of the panel.
He said the leaks explain why he was not offended that only the Gang of Eight was briefed on Operation Midnight Hammer.
Van Orden said the committee should not stop at sending warning memos and called for criminal accountability.
“I believe that the Department of Justice should be actively investigating members of this committee for the criminal unauthorized disclosure of classified material,” he said. “If anybody were to be killed because somebody is trying to run for a higher office, they should be held accountable. It’s reprehensible.”
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper declined to say whether Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz amounts to an act of war, telling lawmakers the military is operating under an “international armed conflict” framework.
“So I defer to the department as well as the White House and any characterization of how we execute business,” Cooper told the House Armed Services Committee during a Tuesday hearing. “From a combatant command standpoint, from my perspective, we execute the orders as given. And today, the legal umbrella that we’re operating under is international armed conflict."
The answer stopped short of calling the blockade itself an act of war, even as U.S. officials have described the Strait of Hormuz as a vital international waterway and warned that Iran cannot be allowed to use it as leverage.
Cooper’s remarks came during a tense hearing in which lawmakers pressed defense officials on the administration’s Iran strategy, civilian casualty investigations and the status of the Strait. Democrats repeatedly accused the Pentagon of refusing to give direct answers as the conflict enters a more dangerous phase.
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper pushed back Wednesday after Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., pressed him to acknowledge U.S. responsibility for a strike that Smith said killed more than 150 schoolgirls in Tehran, insisting the investigation remains ongoing and that American forces do not deliberately target civilians.
Cooper rejected Smith’s claim of bombing civilians, telling the House Armed Services Committee that the U.S. does not intentionally target civilians and that “the Iranian people” are not the enemy.
“Congressman, to reiterate, the United States does not deliberately target civilians. Full stop,” Cooper said. "And nor are the Iranian people our enemy. The IRGC is the adversary in this case."
Smith cut in, accusing the military of stalling and asking whether Cooper would “acknowledge that that mistake was made and that we were responsible for it.”
Cooper responded that the inquiry is still underway and said the case is not straightforward because of the school’s location.
“The investigation is ongoing,” Cooper said. “As soon as it is complete, I’m happy to be — it’s a complex investigation. The school itself is located on an active IRGC cruise missile base. It’s more complex than the average strike. As soon as we’re complete, I’m fully committed to transparency, given your important oversight role and the other members here.”
Iran, like its terrorist proxies in the Middle East, has been accused of using civilians as human shields.
“So that’s a no, we will not take responsibility for something we very obviously did,” Smith replied.
The exchange grew sharper when Smith asked Cooper whether it was appropriate for a senior official to use the phrase “no quarter” to describe U.S. operations in Iran.
Cooper avoided directly endorsing or condemning the phrase, saying military leaders are bound by the law of armed conflict.
“I think it’s appropriate, as military leaders, we follow the law of armed conflict and our constitutional responsibilities. And that’s what we’ve done,” Cooper said.
“Is no quarter following the law or not?” Smith pressed on.
Cooper answered, “I would agree that we follow the law, sir.”
Congressional report lists 42 US aircraft lost or damaged in Iran war
A new post citing the Congressional Research Service says the U.S. has lost or sustained damage to 42 aircraft so far in the war with Iran.
Preston Stewart, a military commentator, posted on the CRS tallies.
The figures, if confirmed, would point to a significant toll across both manned and unmanned platforms, with drones accounting for the largest share of the listed losses.
The list comes as President Donald Trump has claimed Iran’s air force and navy are “completely gone” and warned that Tehran will not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
The Pentagon has not immediately released a full public accounting matching the aircraft-by-aircraft breakdown cited in the post.
The UAE Ministry of Defense said Tuesday that air defense systems intercepted six hostile drones over the past 48 hours, including drones tied to a May 17 attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant that officials said originated from Iraqi territory.
The ministry said the drones attempted to target “civilian and vital areas” in the country.
“The air defense forces succeeded in intercepting and neutralizing the hostile targets with the highest levels of readiness and efficiency, without recording any human casualties or impact on the safety of vital facilities,” the ministry wrote in a post on X, according to a translation from Arabic.
The announcement came as UAE officials said technical tracking from the Barakah incident showed three drones were involved in the earlier attack.
Two were intercepted, while a third struck an electrical generator outside the plant’s internal perimeter, according to the ministry.
“In the context of completing the investigations related to the brazen attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant on May 17, 2026, the results of technical tracking and monitoring confirmed that the three drones, two of which were successfully engaged, while the third struck an electrical generator outside the internal perimeter of the plant on that date, in addition to the drones intercepted later, were all originating from Iraqi territory,” the ministry wrote.
The ministry said the UAE “reserves its full right” to take necessary steps to protect its sovereignty and national security under international law. It added that the armed forces remain fully prepared “to deal with any threats targeting the security of the state and its national capabilities.”
G7 finance chiefs call for reopening Strait of Hormuz, warn on global imbalances
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is imperative, G7 finance ministers said Tuesday, underscoring the economic stakes of disruption in one of the world’s most important energy corridors.
In a joint statement, the finance chiefs from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States said they remained committed to stable energy markets and urged countries to avoid arbitrary export restrictions.
Keeping Hormuz open and energy markets stable is a priority not only for the region, but for the broader global economy, the Group of Seven allies stressed as President Donald Trump pushes Iran toward peace and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
G7 ministers said in a joint statement that it was "imperative" to ensure a return to free and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz and ease strains on energy, food and fertilizer supply chains.
Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack against Iran after Tehran sent a peace proposal to Washington, and that there was now a "very good chance" of reaching a deal limiting Iran's nuclear program.
But other G7 countries have expressed frustration that Washington and Israel launched strikes against Iran without considering the economic impact, and the foreseeable closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for energy markets.
Officials from three Gulf countries attended Tuesday's meeting in Paris to discuss the crisis, and Lescure said that the IMF and the World Bank should do more to support the most vulnerable countries from the impact of the conflict, especially on food supplies.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Trump: 'I'm not going to let the world be blown up on my watch; it's not going to happen'
President Donald Trump remains resolute in his Iran war goal objective being achieved: "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."
"Whether it's popular or not popular, I have to do it — because I'm not going to let the world be blown up on my watch," Trump told reporters in a media scrum at the site of the White House ballroom construction Tuesday. "It's not going to happen."
Trump bashed Democrat obstruction attempts in trying to stop him.
"I'm in the middle of a negotiation – I'm saying you cannot have a nuclear weapon – and it comes over the wire that the Democrats want to stop Trump from further negotiations," Trump said. "They want to stop Trump from, if he has to, giving them another slap.
"They want to have a nuclear weapon to blow up the Middle East and to blow up, frankly, the world. It's not going to happen."
Ultimately, Trump vows to keep his military attack plans close to the vest.
Trump: 'We may have to give 'em another big hit'
President Donald Trump issued another urgent warning for Iran's delay tactics Tuesday from the White House ballroom construction site.
"They're begging to make a deal," Trump told reporters during a question-and-answer session.
"I hope we don't have to do the one, but we may have to give them another big hit.
"I'm not sure yet. You'll know very soon."
Trump has paused Tuesday's plan for a "major attack" on Iran.
"I was an hour away" from striking Iran on Tuesday, Trump continued.
"It would have been happening right now."
"The ships are all loaded. They're loaded to the brim, and we're all set to start."
CENCOM Commander Cooper: Strait of Hormuz blockade has 'turned away 88 ships'
Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command, told House lawmakers that a U.S.-led maritime blockade of Iran has effectively stopped trade in and out of Iranian ports, saying Tuesday that 88 ships have been turned away as part of a pressure campaign tied to ongoing negotiations.
“The ceasefire continues,” Cooper said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Middle East posture for CENTCOM and AFRICOM. “And consistent with the president’s direction, we’ve established a highly effective maritime blockade of Iran.”
Cooper said the operation has produced “zero trade into Iranian ports and zero trade out of Iranian ports,” arguing that the blockade is “squeezing Iran economically and creating powerful leverage for the ongoing negotiations.”
Cooper described the blockade as both an enforcement measure during the ceasefire and a tool designed to increase economic pressure on Tehran.
“To date, we’ve turned away 88 ships,” Cooper told the committee.
President Donald Trump is holding the stronger hand in the standoff with Iran, according to retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, arguing the White House has both the military leverage and the time to force Tehran into concessions.
“The president has time on his hands. He controls the narrative. He controls the strike capabilities,” Harward told co-hosts Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino on Fox News' “America’s Newsroom” on Tuesday morning. “I don’t see it as negotiations. It really is capitulation.”
Harward said Trump has made clear Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon” or the material needed to build one, while also demanding that Tehran keep the Strait of Hormuz open to free commerce.
“He can take his time, let the blockade and the economic sanctions continue to erode the economy of Iran,” he continued. “All those things work in his favor, and he can strike whenever he wants to.”
“When you talk about resilience, the IRGC, the entity that controls the country, may have resilience, but the Iranian people are suffering miserably.”
Trump is meeting with his National Security Council on Tuesday, but peace or war is in the hands of the leftovers of the IRGC leadership, ultimately, he concluded.
“At the end of the day, the real center of gravity is the IRGC,” he said.
“We’re going to have to need a government in Iran that not only hands over the nuclear material, stops threatening the Straits of Hormuz, but quits exporting the Islamic revolution throughout the region.”
Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson said Tuesday there were no special arrangements in place for the export of energy products, but that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had added complexity to supply chains in the region.
Oil prices did fall Tuesday, with global benchmark Brent crude dropping 1.5%, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had paused a planned attack on Iran to allow for negotiations to end the war in the Middle East.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent extended a sanctions waiver by 30 days to allow "energy-vulnerable" countries to continue purchasing Russian seaborne oil.
In the U.S., a record 9.9 million barrels were drawn from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve last week, Energy Department data showed, bringing stockpiles down to about 374 million barrels, the lowest point since July 2024.
U.S. crude inventories are expected to fall about 3.4 million barrels in the week to May 15 in weekly data from the Energy Information Administration due out Wednesday.
Trump has long promised oil prices will fall quickly once Iran and the U.S. come to peace and the Strait of Hormuz allows blocked tankers to finally move.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Explosions heard on Iran’s Qeshm Island for neutralization of unexploded munition
Explosions were heard Tuesday on Iran’s Qeshm Island, according to Iranian state-linked media, prompting initial uncertainty before reports the blasts were tied to the neutralization of unexploded munition.
Iran’s Mehr news agency first reported that explosions had been heard on the island. A subsequent report by Tasnim, citing an official, said the explosions were caused by the neutralizing of unexploded munition. President Donald Trump remains ready to trigger a restart to military operations.
Qeshm Island sits in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically sensitive waterway at the mouth of the Persian Gulf.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Details remained limited, and Iranian officials had not issued a broader public statement on the incident as of the initial reports.
Reuters contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump said Monday he is delaying a planned military strike on Iran after Gulf allies urged him to give negotiations more time, saying there is a “very good chance” of reaching a deal to end the war without renewed U.S. attacks.
"We were getting ready to do a very major attack [Tuesday], and I put it off for a little while — hopefully maybe forever," Trump said, "because we've had very big discussions with Iran, and we'll see what they amount to."
"There seems to be a very good chance that they can work something out,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I’d be very happy.”
The announcement marked the latest shift in Trump’s handling of the fragile ceasefire reached in mid-April. For weeks, the president has warned Iran that fighting could resume if it did not accept a deal, while repeatedly setting deadlines and then backing away from them.
Over the weekend, Trump warned that “the Clock is Ticking” and said Iran needed to move “FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them.”
Trump first disclosed the pause in a social media post Monday, saying he had ordered the U.S. military to be ready “to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice” if an acceptable deal is not reached.
He later told reporters that Gulf allies, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, asked him to delay the strike by two to three days because they believe talks with Iran are close to producing an agreement.
Trump called the delay a “very positive development,” though he acknowledged past moments when diplomacy appeared close to succeeding before collapsing.
“But this is a little bit different,” Trump said.
This Associated Press contributed to this report.
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