Hegseth, Caine say US-Iran ceasefire is not over despite fresh attacks

US forces launched an effort to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, with the first two ships, both American-flagged merchant vessels, sailing through unscathed. Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine said the safety corridor in the key waterway for oil and gas transport involves guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the forces prefer a peaceful effort to "guide" the more than 22,500 mariners stuck on more than 1,550 vessels out of the Persian Gulf, but are ready if needs change. "This is a temporary mission for us," Hegseth said. "We expect the world to step up." Iran has denounced the move as a ceasefire violation.

 

It is unclear what will follow. The US Central Command said Iran earlier launched multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats at civilian ships under the US military's protection, and that US helicopters sank six small boats involved in the attacks. It denied Iranian reports that American vessels had been struck.

Trump Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Rome and Vatican City this week in a bid to ease rising tensions between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV, Trump has lashed out at the pope again, misrepresenting the pontiff's laments about the Iran war and accusing him of "endangering a lot of Catholics."

Hegseth says Iranians still had will' to develop nukes

After the bombing of nuclear sites last summer, Hegseth says US forces participated in new strikes this year alongside Israel because the Iranians' "will was still there to seek a nuclear bomb."  The secretary was asked about intelligence reports showing that, despite the initial bombing in Operation Midnight Hammer, the timeline for Iranian nuclear weapon development remained at 9 to 12 months.

"The obliteration of those facilities set back their program," Hegseth said. "Hopefully Iran chooses a deal that they give up those ambitions, give up those capabilities."

Hegseth also says ceasefire is not over

The defence secretary confirmed that the ceasefire remains in effect despite some Iran strikes and the ongoing US blockade.

"No, the ceasefire is not over," Hegseth said, reaffirming Caine's earlier statements.

Caine lays out US forces manning Strait of Hormuz

Saying that more than 100 US military aircraft are patrolling the skies "24 hours a day," Gen Dan Caine said Tuesday marked a "quieter" period in the Strait.

Caine added that there were 22,500 mariners on more than 1,550 vessels in the Persian Gulf, unable to transit.

He went on to commend the troops of the 82nd Airborne Division, who he said were using "next generation tactical networks" to "seamlessly synchronize" efforts in support of military activity.

Joint Chiefs Chairman says Iran attacks do not necessarily mean they violated ceasefire

Dan Caine told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday that Iran's recent acts of aggression are below the threshold of "major combat operations."  That means Tehran, in the Trump administration's view, has not violated the tenuous ceasefire between the US and Iran.

"Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they've attacked US forces more than 10 times all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point," Caine said.

The administration has cited the ceasefire in asserting that the president does not have to give a formal update to Congress on the war under the War Powers Resolution.

Trump says Pope Leo is endangering Catholics'

Trump is renewing his criticism of Pope Leo XIV even as Rubio prepares to visit Vatican City, ostensibly to ease tensions between Washington and the Holy See.

The president misrepresented the pontiff's laments about the Iran war in an interview with conservative commentator Hugh Hewitt, while saying Leo is aiding Tehran and making the world less safe.

"The pope would rather talk about the fact that it's OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon," Trump said. "And I don't think that's very good. I think he's endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people."  Leo has not said Iran should obtain nuclear weapons. He's called for more peace talks, criticized war generally and lambasted Trump's specific threats of mass civilian strikes.

The pope also has emphasized that he's reflecting biblical and church teachings, not speaking as a political rival to Trump.

Negotiations make little progress

Iran's latest proposal for ending the war calls for the US to lift sanctions, end the blockade, withdraw forces from the region and cease all hostilities including Israel's operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour News and Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran's security apparatus.

Iranian officials over the weekend said they were reviewing the US response. Tehran has claimed its proposal does not include its nuclear program and enriched uranium, long a driving force in tensions with the US and Israel.

Iran wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire. Trump expressed doubt over the weekend that the proposal would lead to a deal.

Iran accuses US of ceasefire violation

Iran has called the new US effort a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Qalibaf accused Washington of undermining shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz, and warned that a "new equation" there is taking shape.

He signaled that Iran has yet to fully respond to the US attempt to reopen the waterway, saying: "We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet."  His statement did not mention negotiations with the US that are now in the form of passing messages via Pakistan.