U.S. Strikes Southern Iran Again as Ceasefire Holds, Negotiations Continue

The U.S. carried out new strikes in southern Iran overnight, hitting what the Pentagon described as military targets near the Strait of Hormuz. Officials say the strikes were defensive in nature, and that the ceasefire between the two countries remains in effect.

The action comes as peace negotiations continue. President Trump posted that talks are "proceeding nicely," adding that the outcome will be "a great deal for all, or no deal at all." A senior administration official says Trump's plan calls for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen immediately, followed by a 60-day window for talks on Iran's nuclear program and its enriched uranium stockpiles, which were largely destroyed by U.S. strikes last summer.

Iran, however, is pushing to control traffic through the strait indefinitely, a sticking point that has complicated talks. In a post this morning, Iran warned it will "respond decisively to any violation of the ceasefire."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio was direct about U.S. expectations, saying the strait needs to be "open, unimpeded, without tolls, and obviously that needs to happen immediately."

On Capitol Hill, lawmakers from both parties say they want a deal, even a short-term one. Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie put it in practical terms: "The farmers here in Kentucky can't afford the fertilizer to put on their fields, so heck yes, I would support it."

One potential complication: Trump says any final agreement should require more Middle Eastern countries to sign onto the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreement with Israel that he brokered during his first term.