Iran reverses course on reopening Strait of Hormuz, signals warning to US

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said late Saturday that gas prices were beginning to fall and that the U.S. was nearing a “significant resolution” in the conflict with Iran.

“I am very proud of President Trump's leadership to confront Iran and put an end to the 47-year menace they've been to the Middle East, to peace, to commerce and to global energy markets,” Wright said in an interview with Fox News’ Lara Trump.

“Yes, we've had a few weeks of higher than we would prefer gasoline prices, but gasoline prices started heading down several days ago,” he continued. “I believe we're close to a significant resolution of Iran's threat to the region and an end to Iran's nuclear ambition and a massive curtailment of their ability to cause trouble.”

Wright called Americans “tough” for weathering higher energy prices, adding that Trump believed the impact on markets would have been greater without U.S. action.

“Americans have been tough to go through these few weeks, but President Trump was simply unwilling to kick this can down the road to the next leader and have a nuclear-armed Iran that could menace global energy markets for decades to come,” Wright said.

“This is the road to lower, long-term and secure supplies of global energy,” he added.

Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that remarks he made this week in which he said the "world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants" were not directed at President Donald Trump, a report said.

The pope, speaking onboard a flight to Angola during his 10-day tour of Africa, said reporting about his comments "has not been ‌accurate in all its aspects" and his speech "was ⁠prepared two weeks ago, well before the president ever commented on myself and on the message of peace that I am promoting," according to Reuters.

The news outlet cited the pope as saying his comments were not aimed at Trump.

"As it happens, it was looked at as if I was trying to debate the president, which is not in ​my interest at all," the pope reportedly said.

Vice President JD Vance later took to X to thank the pope for clearing the record.

"While the media narrative constantly gins up conflict — and yes, real disagreements have happened and will happen — the reality is often much more complicated," Vance wrote. "Pope Leo preaches the gospel, as he should, and that will inevitably mean he offers his opinions on the moral issues of the day.

"The President — and the entire administration — work to apply those moral principles in a messy world," he continued. "He will be in our prayers, and I hope that we'll be in his."

The vice president's comments came days after he told Fox News' Bret Baier on "Special Report" that it would be best for the Vatican to "stick to matters of morality."

"Let the President of the United States stick to dictating American public policy," Vance said Tuesday.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital's Greg Norman-Diamond and Alexandra Koch.

The Israeli military said Sunday that an IDF reservist was killed in combat in southern Lebanon.

The IDF identified the soldier as Sgt. First Class (Res.) Lidor Porat, 31, of the 769th Territorial Brigade’s 7106th Battalion.

Nine other soldiers were wounded, including one seriously injured, according to the IDF.

Additional details about the incident were not immediately released. The death came one day after the start of a ceasefire with Lebanon.

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner on Saturday called the conflicts in Iran and Venezuela “uniquely stupid.”

Speaking at a rally alongside Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Platner criticized President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“You know, the war in Iran, Venezuela — these things were uniquely stupid,” he said. “Somehow, Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth might be the dumbest people to ever run a war, which is saying something because, throughout history, many wars have been run by monumentally dumb people.”

Platner argued that Congress has “abdicated its constitutional duty” in war-making.

“Congress has ceded power time and time again to administrations of both parties to allow them to wage these forever wars that have done absolutely nothing for the American people,” he said.

Platner called for passage of a War Powers Act that would reestablish Congress’ role in foreign conflicts.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz on Saturday praised U.S. military and diplomatic efforts in the conflict with Iran, saying President Donald Trump was “playing chess” as negotiations continue.

“The president is playing chess when the rest of the world is playing checkers,” Waltz said during an interview with Fox News’ Lara Trump.

Waltz defended Trump against critics, saying the president’s rhetoric and social media posts have helped pressure Iran back to negotiations.

“What do you say to a regime that is yelling death to America at every turn? And you know what? It worked. It got them back to it, got them back to the table,” he said.

Waltz said Trump has drawn clear “red lines” with Iran.

“So look, going forward, the conversations and the negotiations are ongoing,” he said. “The president has made his red lines very clear. He's also made it very clear that he'll back our diplomacy, he'll back our diplomats with force, with the great U.S. military that he rebuilt in his first term.”

Israel’s education system will fully reopen nationwide beginning Sunday morning, the Education Ministry announced Saturday.

The reopening includes northern communities near the Lebanon border, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The announcement comes after the IDF’s Home Front Command updated its security guidelines following recent ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon and with Iran.

"The system has been prepared in advance for this scenario, and the ministry will provide and continue to provide all necessary resources to ensure the immediate and full opening of all frameworks," the ministry said.

Since Operation Roaring Lion began in late February, schools across Israel have faced widespread disruptions.

This post is an excerpt from an opinion article by Lisa Daftari. Daftari is a foreign policy analyst and editor-in-chief at The Foreign Desk.

Iran’s regime just told us everything we need to know.

Within days, Tehran went from signaling that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to threatening to close it. That reversal is a reminder that the regime cannot be trusted to uphold any deal it signs because its strategy depends on constant threats and keeping the world off balance.

The issue isn’t what they say. It’s who’s really in charge.

Iran’s regime does not operate as a normal state. Its leaders often signal calm to ease pressure or buy time. But the real authority sits with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IRGC controls the missiles, the proxy networks, and the ability to disrupt global shipping. When it matters, they decide.

And they benefit from instability.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the regime’s most effective tools of coercion. A fifth of the world’s oil flows through it. Iran doesn’t need to shut it down to create a crisis. It just needs to make the threat believable. Even talk of disruption can rattle markets and drive up energy prices.

That’s exactly what we’re seeing now. Tehran signals restraint, then pivots back to escalation. It’s not meant to sow confusion. It’s meant to gain leverage.

This creates a serious problem for anyone still hoping a new agreement with Iran’s regime will bring lasting stability.

Deals rely on consistency. The Iranian system is built for the opposite.

President Donald Trump on Saturday praised Israel as a “great ally” of the United States.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Whether people like Israel or not, they have proven to be a GREAT Ally of the United States of America."

“They are Courageous, Bold, Loyal, and Smart and, unlike others that have shown their true colors in a moment of conflict and stress, Israel fights hard, and knows how to WIN!” Trump said.

The remarks come days after Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, which Trump announced Thursday. He said the deal was reached following conversations with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Saturday evening shared new photos highlighting ongoing U.S. naval blockade operations in the Arabian Sea.

The photos show sailors and Marines aboard the USS Rushmore (LSD 47) in action, including a helicopter hovering above the deck and service members operating equipment.

“Sailors and Marines aboard dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) conduct blockade operations in the Arabian Sea,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Saturday appeared to take aim at the Trump administration, criticizing what she called “chaotic tariffs” and pointing to the “war overseas” as contributing to higher costs.

Speaking at the Michigan Democratic Party Legacy Dinner in Detroit, Whitmer described the current time period as “tough” and “chaotic.”

"Now, I know we're living through some tough, chaotic times right now. The federal government is making our work harder. The chaotic national tariff — I would say strategy, but there ain't no strategy there. The chaotic tariffs are costing us jobs and investments and making life harder," Whitmer said.

She added, “And we all know that the war overseas is jacking up the price of everything from gas to energy to housing to fertilizer for our farmers. The constant breaking news cycle is trying to break us, but that's exactly when people need us to show up.”

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is strongly condemning an attack on peacekeepers in southern Lebanon that left one French service member dead and three others wounded.

The U.N. peacekeeping force came under small arms fire Saturday morning, with two of the injured reportedly in serious condition, according to The Associated Press.

French President Emmanuel Macron blamed Hezbollah terrorists for the attack, though the group has denied involvement.

Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer said tensions between the U.S. and Iran are likely to continue seesawing after Tehran once again moved to close the Strait of Hormuz.

During a Saturday appearance on Fox News' “Fox News Live,” Meyer described the latest escalation as part of a familiar pattern from Iran, warning the situation could continue shifting.

“Iran wants to deal. We want a deal. We want to get this done without having to escalate this any further,” Meyer said. “I fully expect this to go back and forth. This is what Iran does. They're all about misinformation campaigns. They're about taking it back, pushing forward.”

Despite the renewed tensions, Meyer expressed optimism that negotiations could still lead to an agreement “pretty soon.”

“I'm hopeful that we're going to get to a deal here pretty soon," Meyer said. "We have a president in place who the world obviously knows is going to uphold what he says he's going to do.”

Airlines are raising checked baggage fees and cutting routes as soaring jet fuel prices — driven by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz — put increasing pressure on the industry.

During an appearance on Fox News' "Fox News Live" on Saturday, Airlines for America President and CEO Chris Sununu said the global spike in fuel costs is squeezing carriers, even as U.S. airlines remain in a somewhat stronger position than their European counterparts.

“We're not as worried as Europe, but we are watching,” Sununu said. "We could have a very heavy summer. But the prices are really dictated often worldwide, because our carriers will fly to Europe, and they fuel up there as well and fly back."

To avoid steep increases in ticket prices, airlines are turning to alternative revenue streams, including higher baggage fees and route reductions. Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and United Airlines have all recently announced baggage fee increases.

“If you notice, the actual price of your ticket isn't really moving a whole lot — maybe 5 or 6% — but they're trying to find alternative ways to do it.”

Fuel makes up roughly 25% to 30% of airline operating costs, and the industry could lose at least $25 billion this year, according to Sununu.

He also noted there is typically a lag before higher fuel costs are felt by consumers, since many travelers book flights months in advance.

“It'll be slow because remember the folks that are flying today might have bought their tickets three months ago before this crisis even happened," Sununu said. "And the folks who are buying tickets today might be flying three months from now. So there is a bit of a lag here.”

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Saturday released a new image highlighting the ongoing naval blockade, showing the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney patrolling.

"Guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney (DDG 91) patrols regional waters in support of blockade operations," CENTCOM wrote on X. "The blockade has completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea."

The U.S. Naval blockade began on Monday and targets all maritime traffic entering or leaving Iranian ports.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday accused President Donald Trump of dragging the U.S. into a conflict she says "the American people do not want.”

Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Michigan Democratic Women’s Caucus in Detroit, Harris argued the administration’s actions are putting U.S. service members at risk while driving up costs for consumers at home.

“We are dealing with the most corrupt, callous, and incompetent presidential administration in the history of the United States. Period," Harris said. “ … He entered a war — got pulled into it by [Israeli Prime Minister] Bibi Netanyahu, let us be clear about that — entered a war that the American people do not want, putting at risk American service members."

Harris also said the economic impact is falling on consumers.

"On average, Americans are paying at least $15 more to fill up their tank,” Harris said. “Diesel costs 50% more, so that's what fuels a semi, a truck that otherwise delivers our food and our household items. And where do we think that cost is going to land? It's on the consumer.”

She further accused Trump of attempting to use the situation as a political distraction.

"Let's understand that it is also — as he wants to do and has always been —his feeble attempt to distract from the Epstein files.”

The White House pushed back after a reporter criticized President Donald Trump for not addressing Iran during a Saturday Oval Office signing event focused on mental health.

“Trump just had an hour-plus executive order signing in the Oval Office with reporters in the room,” ABC News reporter Selina Wang wrote on X. “He did not take a single question on Iran.”

The White House sharply responded, defending the focus of the event.

“You are clueless, @selinawangtv,” the White House wrote. “The event was about accelerating research to help people struggling with serious mental illnesses — like veterans, who say it’s a lifeline in their battles with PTSD and contemplating suicide. Is that not a worthwhile topic for you?”

Trump on Saturday signed an executive order that he said "directs the FDA to expedite their review of certain psychedelics already designated as breakthrough therapy drugs."

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman-Diamond contributed to this report.

Iran is under intensifying financial pressure, losing an estimated $435 million per day due to the U.S. naval blockade, according to Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

During an appearance on Fox News' “America Reports," former U.S. United States Central Command (CENTCOM) communications director Col. Joe Buccino (Ret.) and former Ambassador-at-Large Nathan Sales said the losses are compounding long-standing economic strain.

"Their economy is on life support," Sales said. "So, for 47 years, the Iranian economy has faced economic mismanagement — add to that American sanctions pressure for several decades, add to that the destruction of the last 40 days of war. $435 million a day is a lot of money any day. It's especially devastating to the regime right now."

Despite the mounting losses, Buccino said Iran believes it still holds “leverage,” particularly through its control of the Strait of Hormuz.

“Iran believes it's won the first phase of the war. … And they understand the leverage they have [by] closing down the Strait of Hormuz," Buccino said. "They're paying attention to the political toll within the United States, they are paying attention to gas prices, and they're paying attention to polling here in the United States with regard to this war.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly issued a sweeping warning to ships in the region on Saturday, saying any movement toward the Strait of Hormuz will be viewed as cooperation with “the enemy."

“Following the violation of the ceasefire conditions, the American enemy did not lift the naval blockade of Iranian vessels and ports; therefore, from this afternoon, the Strait of Hormuz is closed until this blockade is lifted,” the IRGC said, according to Tehran-based WANA News Agency.

The IRGC also instructed vessels in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to remain at anchor, warning that any ship approaching the strategic waterway “will be considered cooperation with the enemy, and the violating vessel will be targeted.”

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) on Saturday afternoon shared photos showing a U.S. Marine monitoring shipping in the Strait of Hormuz during an ongoing U.S. maritime blockade.

The photo, which CENTCOM shared on X, shows a Marine standing on board the USS Nw Orleans, a forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship stationed in the Strait of Hormuz.

The X post comes as Iran claims to have reimposed control over the Strait after President Donald Trump announced it was open for business.

Iranian officials claim the reversal comes as a result of the ongoing U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

The new photo following others shared by CENTCOM earlier Saturday showing Apache helicopters and a combat ship patrolling the Strait of Hormuz amid the blockade.

President Donald Trump says there are no immediate plans to end the blockade.