Hazel Oliva

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine conduct a briefing on the Iran conflict at the Pentagon on Tuesday. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine recently conducted a briefing at the Pentagon, where they talked about the US’ truce with Iran and the ongoing tensions regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

Review the statements made below:

According to Caine, Iran has targeted US forces over 10 times since the ceasefire began, but this is “below the threshold” required for the US to resume combat operations, suggesting, “It seems Iran is desperate.”

Hegseth asserted that the “ceasefire is ongoing,” despite the fact that the US and Iran have engaged in gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz. He mentioned that some “churn” would be anticipated at the start of the US mission to assist ships in navigating out of the waterway, which commenced yesterday.

Hegseth additionally mentioned that the initiative is “separate and distinct” from the current military operations in the area, characterizing it as “defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration.”

The defense secretary stated that, due to the Trump administration’s assertion that the ceasefire between the US and Iran is upheld, US President Donald Trump does not require congressional approval for the war to persist.

Xenix News reports contributed to by Haley Britzky, Aileen Graef, Kaanita Iyer, and Alayna Treene.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s lead negotiator, addresses the media inside the Iranian Parliament in Tehran, Iran, on December 2, 2025. Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/Getty Images

With rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran cautions that it possesses more methods to create difficulties for the United States if its dominance over the waterway is at risk. While the US asserts its resolve to overcome the stalemate, Tehran indicates it is ready to contend for it.

In his most recent statement, Iran’s lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf emphasized that his nation aims to maintain the new “status quo” at the strait by claiming authority even if Washington deems it “unacceptable.”

“We haven’t started at all,” he cautioned.

In pursuit of wins after significant defeats in the conflict, officials have indicated that the Islamic Republic will maintain authority over the crucial shipping routes in the strait.

Ghalibaf’s statement, shared during talks and a day following the confrontation at the strait, highlights the extent to which the Islamic Republic is prepared to go to achieve benefits. During the weekend, a high-ranking Iranian military official stated that renewed conflict was “possible,” mentioning that “unexpected measures are prepared for the adversary, beyond their imagination.”

The alerts reflect a declaration made the previous week by Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in which he articulated his perspective for the area—one where the regime claims “new management” over navigation in the Persian Gulf.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth watches during a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned that since the administration has concluded that the ceasefire with Iran is upheld, President Donald Trump is not required to obtain Congressional approval for the war to proceed.

“Our perspective is … that in the end, with the ceasefire, time halts.” “Should it restart, that would be a decision made by the president,” Hegseth stated at a Pentagon press briefing.

According to the War Powers Act of 1973, the president is allowed 60 days to engage in military operations in response to a looming threat or an assault on the United States, provided that Congress has not approved a declaration of war. The law states that when the deadline is reached, the president “shall end any use of the United States Armed Forces” unless there is explicit congressional authorization.

Numerous legislators consider Friday, May 1, to be the 60-day point following Trump’s notification to Congress regarding the start of hostilities on March 2.

Hegseth asserted today that if Trump decides to order military actions to restart, that discussion will take place.

“That possibility is always present,” Hegseth remarked regarding the chance that combat operations might persist. “Iran understands this, which is why their decisions regarding Project Freedom hold significance.”

“The president has the option and the resources – even greater resources than we had initially – to resume significant combat operations if needed.” Should Iran refuse to uphold its part of the agreement or negotiate, the War Department is prepared, set, and primed to act. “We wish it won’t head in that way,” Hegseth stated.

Xenix News report by Morgan Rimmer.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that attacks on neighboring countries are carried out in self-defense, noting these nations host American assets that support US-Israeli assaults on the Islamic Republic.

“We harbor no hostility toward any nation in the region,” Baghaei stated to the Iranian state television Press TV on Monday. “The sole reason for targeting their regions was that we need to protect ourselves from ongoing hostility from the United States and Israel.”

“And now, it’s widely acknowledged that the United States utilized its military bases, resources, and the logistical aid offered by several of these nations to advance their aggression towards Iran,” stated the Iranian official.

“The military presence of the US in the area is a burden and contributes solely to insecurity,” Baqaei reportedly stated to Press TV, which also mentioned that Washington’s military installations have “consistently put host countries at unwarranted risks instead of offering genuine security.”

On Monday, the Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates reported that air defenses “intercepted 12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAVs fired from Iran, causing 3 moderate injuries.” It was not instantly evident how many of the missiles were intercepted by Emirati air defenses.

Previously, officials in Fujairah reported that a drone strike on an oil terminal resulted in a fire that wounded three Indian individuals. The UAE subsequently stated that the attacks signified a “serious escalation” and an “unacceptable violation.”

Sources informed Xenix News that the Israeli Iron Dome air defense system was deployed to intercept Iranian missiles within Emirati airspace.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addresses reporters at a press briefing held at the Pentagon. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

During a Pentagon briefing this morning, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the US initiative to direct ships out of the Strait of Hormuz is “separate and distinct” from the current military operation in the area.

“Just to clarify, this operation is different and distinct from Operation Epic Fury,” Hegseth stated. “Project Freedom is defensive in nature, limited in scope, and temporary in duration, with a singular mission: Safeguarding innocent commercial shipping from Iranian hostility.”

The secretary reported that two US commercial ships have passed through the strait, while six other vessels that tried to breach the blockade of Iranian ports “were all diverted.”

Hegseth emphasizes “the ceasefire is still in effect.”

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth maintained that the “ceasefire is not finished” despite both parties engaging in fire in the Strait of Hormuz.

“No, the ceasefire hasn’t ended.” In the end, this is an independent and unique project, and we anticipated there would be some turnover initially, which occurred,” he stated during a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine stated that Iran has struck US forces over 10 times since the ceasefire was declared, but indicated that this is under the “threshold for resuming significant combat operations.”

Adm. Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, informed reporters on Monday that the US “destroyed” six Iranian small boats in the Strait.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine conduct a briefing on the Iran conflict at the Pentagon on Tuesday. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine have commenced a briefing at the Pentagon, where they are anticipated to address the US conflict with Iran.

Yesterday, US President Donald Trump refrained from commenting on whether the tenuous ceasefire between the US and Iran is still intact, following exchanges of gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz.

Remain with us for the most recent updates from the press conference, and you can view it live at the top of this page.

Caine states that Iran has launched attacks on US forces over 10 times since the ceasefire commenced.

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, conducts a briefing on the war in Iran at the Pentagon on Tuesday. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Since the ceasefire began, Iran has launched over 10 attacks on US forces, yet this remains “below the threshold” for the US to resume combat actions, stated Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine on Tuesday.

“Following the announcement of the ceasefire, Iran has targeted commercial vessels nine times and captured two container ships while attacking US forces over 10 times, all remaining below the limit for resuming significant combat operations currently,” he stated.

“The decision to restart is a political matter that exceeds my level of authority.” What I can say is that it’s currently low-intensity harassment. Caine stated, “It seems as though Iran is clutching at straws.”

The ceasefire is unstable, especially after Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads US Central Command, informed reporters on Monday that the US “destroyed” six Iranian small boats in the Strait.

Cooper stated he wouldn’t “disclose specifics on whether the ceasefire has ended or not,” emphasizing that the US was reacting “specifically under the president’s guidance.”

An Israeli source indicates that if the ceasefire in Iran fails, Israel may consider intensifying attacks on Hezbollah throughout Lebanon.

While Washington advocates for diplomatic efforts between Israel and Lebanon, the ceasefire brokered by the US in Lebanon seems to be close to failure. President Donald Trump prolonged the ceasefire until the end of next week, yet Israel and Hezbollah have persisted in exchanging fire daily.

Israel has executed several rounds of daily assaults on what it claims are Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah persists in launching drone and missile attacks at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and northern Israel. The health ministry stated that almost 400 individuals have lost their lives in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since the ceasefire was implemented.

The source reveals that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told Trump that Israel wants to restart intense combat with Hezbollah. An Israeli security official stated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is working to overturn the US-imposed limitations to restart attacks on Hezbollah north of the Litani River, which divides southern Lebanon from the remainder of the nation.

Soon after the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire began in mid-April, Trump prevented Israel from attacking Beirut and other parts of Lebanon. On April 17, Trump stated on social media, “Israel will cease bombing Lebanon from now on.” They are NOT ALLOWED to do so by the U.S.A.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine have commenced a briefing at the Pentagon, where they are likely to address the US conflict with Iran.

Yesterday, US President Donald Trump refused to confirm whether the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran is still intact, following exchanges of gunfire in the Strait of Hormuz.

UAE partially shuts down airspace following missile strike from Iran.

The United Arab Emirates has partially restricted its airspace following Iran’s launch of missiles and drones at the country for the first time since the ceasefire commenced in early April.

Airspace over the UAE is partially restricted, and aircraft may only utilize specific routes as stated in a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM advisories. The recently implemented measures were revealed on Tuesday and will continue until May 11.

The UAE reported that its air defenses had “engaged” 19 missiles and drones launched by Iran on Monday, marking the first attack in several weeks. It denounced Iran’s resumed assaults on civilian locations and infrastructure within the nation, asserting its right to take action.

In the last two months, Iran has targeted the UAE with more incoming fire than any other nation.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vehemently denounced “missile and drone strikes on civilian facilities in the United Arab Emirates last night,” failing to specify who carried out these assaults.

“Shehbaz stated in a post on X today that it is crucial to maintain and honor the ceasefire to create the necessary diplomatic environment for discussions that foster lasting peace and stability in the area.”

The Defense Ministry of the UAE announced yesterday that it had intercepted multiple missiles from Iran, highlighting the initial interceptions since the nation proclaimed its airspace free of threats on April 9, which coincided with the beginning of the US-Iran ceasefire.

Emirati authorities reported yesterday that a “major fire” triggered by an Iranian drone strike resulted in moderate injuries to three Indian nationals at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone.

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it termed “treacherous” Iranian assaults on civilian locations, asserting that the attacks signified a “dangerous escalation,” an “unacceptable violation,” and a direct threat to the security, stability, and territorial integrity of the emirates.

Pakistan has emerged as an important mediator in peace discussions between Iran and the United States amid the conflict, with diplomats from both nations convening in the capital Islamabad for in-person meetings last month, although they failed to come to an agreement.

Xenix News reporting contributed by Nadeen Ebrahim, Max Saltman, Eyad Kourdi, and Mohammed Tawfeeq.

An Israeli source reports that Israel is collaborating with the US due to increasing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, which have jeopardized the ceasefire with Iran.

The coordination involves planning for a possible new wave of strikes on Iran, the source stated, aiming at energy infrastructure and the specific elimination of high-ranking Iranian officials. The majority of these plans were mostly finalized and set for implementation just before the ceasefire in early April.

“The goal would be to conduct a brief campaign focused on urging Iran to make additional concessions in talks,” the source informed Xenix News. However, any choice to restart hostilities ultimately depends on US President Donald Trump, the source stressed. Trump has become annoyed by the stalemate in talks and the failure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, yet he has indicated that he is not seeking to restart a large-scale war with Iran.

An Israeli official informed Xenix News that Israel has been doubtful from the beginning regarding the chances of talks between Iran and the United States, but the recent Iranian missile launches toward the Gulf on Monday hastened preparations for a possible increase in hostilities.

In the last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted discussions within restricted, highly regulated security groups, as per an Israeli source knowledgeable about the situation. Netanyahu also ordered government ministers to refrain from making public comments about Iran