Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the Senate Tuesday to make a case for President Trump’s $87.6 billion supplemental funding request, mostly intended to replenish the Pentagon after the US war against Iran.
Hegseth said the war has cost $37.5 billion, so far. Hegseth provided the new estimate, up from earlier accounts, during testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, where his opening remarks were interrupted by protestors several times.
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins are also testifying.
Follow along live.
US military says it launched 11th night of strikes on Iran — 7:46 p.m.
By the Associated Press
US Central Command did not immediately reveal the targets being struck in the latest wave, which comes after Trump telegraphed that strikes would be intensifying.
US military identifies third service member killed in Iranian attack — 7:45 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The US military has identified the service member as Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York.
The confirmation brings the death toll to 18 US service members killed since the war began.
On Monday, the Pentagon identified Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, as the two other soldiers who were killed in Friday’s attack on a base in Jordan.
The soldiers were killed by Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in the first troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war. They were deployed to support a US mission against the Islamic State group, a US Central Command statement said.
More than 500 troops injured in war with Iran, AP source says — 7:44 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The number of wounded personnel in the Iran war has grown to well over 500 troops, a US official told The Associated Press.
The total is higher than the Pentagon’s official tally on the Defense Casualty Analysis System, which currently shows 482 wounded in the war.
The US official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter with the media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the system has a significant lag in reporting injuries. The official said that was a function of its design and not intentional.
Pentagon officials have insisted that the website shows their commitment to transparency about the number of dead and injured in the war.
Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell posted Monday that nearly 100 US service members have sustained “some degree of injury” since the US restarted strikes on July 7 and that 96% of them have returned to duty.
The system said on July 6 that 413 troops had been wounded.
Hegseth engages in tense exchange with Michigan Senator Gary Peters over Pentagon funding — 7:43 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Hegseth aggressively pushed back against questions from the Democratic senator, who pressed the secretary about the administration’s plan to win the war.
“Secretary Hegseth, despite your failure to win this war, you are back now before Congress asking for almost $70 billion in additional funding,” Peters said. “You are asking the American people for a blank check.”
Hegseth replied, “I think your characterization of this incredible effort as a failure is reckless and it is irresponsible.”
Peters reiterated that he saw Hegseth as a failure.
“You don’t have a strategy, you don’t have a long-term plan to actually win this war,” Peters said. “The men and women are going to be able to do it, but they don’t have leadership. When will you show leadership?”
Hegseth pushed back: “Why don’t you show leadership and stand up to your fellow Democrats who won’t fund the troops?”
Peters replied, “It’s not a question of money, it’s a question of leadership.”
Democrats challenge Hegseth on earlier claims the Iran war was won — 6:26 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Senate Democrats are pushing back on Hegseth’s request for more money when he and Trump claimed months ago that Iran’s military was destroyed and the US military’s objectives met.
“You’re asking for literally $1.5 trillion for a war that President Trump said he already won,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York told Hegseth. “You’re asking for $1.5 trillion — unlimited money for bombs, but insufficient money for the American people, for their health care, their food, their housing, and our farmers.”
Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia zeroed in on similar statements about the ongoing conflict.
“Mr. Secretary, you stated four months ago that Iran’s military had been rendered ‘combat ineffective’ for years to come,” Ossoff said.
Hegseth countered that his statements didn’t mean that Iran didn’t have any more capabilities.
Mexican man killed after ICE encounter in Florida was on vacation, officials say — 6:17 p.m.
By the Associated Press
A Mexican man who was struck and killed by a tractor trailer in Florida after running from federal immigration officers was vacationing in the US and had a tourist visa, according to a Mexico official and a group assisting his wife.
Juan Jairo Coronilla Durán, 28, died July 14 after authorities said he darted across a busy road in St. Augustine and into the path of a truck. His death was the third in roughly a week involving encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, following fatal shootings in Texas, and Maine.
Coronilla Durán traveled from his hometown of San Luis de la Paz, in the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, to Atlanta to visit family and friends, according to Isaret Jeffers, founder of Colectivo Arbol, a farmworkers advocacy group. He had stayed in Georgia for three weeks before traveling to Florida’s east coast to enjoy the beaches, Jeffers said Tuesday.
US authorities have not publicly identified the man, but a Mexico official confirmed his name. Jeffers said Yezzika Alamilla, the man’s wife, told them he had been visiting the US on a tourist visa.
Trump to campaign in Michigan days before battleground state’s primary election — 5:22 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump is expected to hold a rally outside Detroit on July 27 as early voting gets underway in Michigan’s primary election, according to a person familiar with the plans who was not authorized to discuss the event publicly.
Early in-person voting begins July 25 for the Aug. 4 primary. Michigan voters are choosing party nominees for an open U.S. Senate seat and governor.
Republican Mike Rogers is unopposed in the Senate primary, while the GOP gubernatorial contest has intensified between Trump-backed U.S. Rep. John James and business owner Perry Johnson.
Trump is expected to rally in Oakland County, an affluent Detroit suburb that for decades was one of Michigan’s premier political bellwether counties. Democrats have carried the county by widening margins in recent elections, even as Trump won Michigan in 2016 and again in 2024.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
Caine acknowledges limits of air strikes to win war — 4:38 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged the limits of airpower after being pressed on the reliance of airstrikes alone against Iran.
“As you look across the totality of history, airpower’s got limits, and we always have to be mindful of those,” Caine said. “I think where America’s area of exclusivity is, is when we bring the totality of the diplomatic, informational, economic and pair that with the military. And there’s a lot of that work going on.”
Caine declined to say whether ground combat could be next after being pressed by Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat who noted the likely costs of having boots on the ground.
The general later said: “Iran will continue to be a challenge moving forward.”
Hegseth estimates Iran war has cost $37.5 billion — 4:10 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday the U.S. war against Iran has cost $37.5 billion, so far, as he is facing questions and protests at a Senate hearing ahead of a $95 billion GOP budget package to fund the military, along with aid to farmers and voting law changes that are top White House priorities.
Hegseth provided the new estimate, up from earlier accounts, during testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Several times, protesters interrupted Hegseth’s opening remarks, which come days after the Pentagon announced that three more American service members have died in the conflict, bringing the death toll to 17, and that more than 100 have been injured since early July.
Hegseth said the supplemental war funding is an “urgent, necessary” injection of funds, and with President Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion defense budget a generational investment in the military.
“Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls,” Hegseth testified.
Hegseth warns that troop training and pay is in doubt if military doesn’t get more money — 3:58 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned senators that troop training would have to be curtailed if the Pentagon doesn’t get the $67 billion in supplemental funds its requesting from Congress. He also raised concerns about troop pay and weapons that defend against enemy drones and missiles.
Hegseth said $46 billion is needed for munitions and expanding production lines, while $21 billion would be for military pay, fuel and replacing equipment.
“Without these funds, we face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to also simply pay our service members,” Hegseth said.
Democratic lawmakers countered that the Pentagon is yet to spend tens of billions of dollars of money it received last year. But Hegseth doubled down on the need for the supplemental funds.
Trump says direct US-Lebanon flights could resume — 3:54 p.m.
By the Associated Press
President Trump said Tuesday he’ll allow American carriers to resume direct flights to Lebanon more than 40 years after the US suspended the route.
Direct flights between the U.S. and Lebanon were suspended in 1985 by President Ronald Reagan’s administration following the hijacking of TWA Flight 847.
“I am hereby directing my Administration to allow all U.S. airline carriers to fly directly to Lebanon so that Americans can easily visit this beautiful land,” Trump said in a social media post after meeting earlier on Tuesday with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
During a White House meeting on Tuesday with the country’s leader, Joseph Aoun, Trump pledged to help Lebanon “a lot.” Aoun came to Washington to push for long-term calm after months of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
The U.S. has pushed for peace in Lebanon but been increasingly distracted by a new round of escalation with the war in Iran, which has destabilized much of the Middle East. Trump recently said he had little interest in talks with Iran’s leader to end the war — at least for now.
Hegseth’s remarks repeatedly interrupted by anti-war protestors — 3:28 p.m.
By the Associated Press
One after another, protestors interrupted the defense secretary’s opening remarks and were quickly removed by Capitol Police. The secretary paused four times for protestors to be removed from the room.
“Stop bombing our children, stop bombing Palestine, this is illegal,” yelled one protestor who was escorted from the room.
“We will have order in the hearing room,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told the room after a third protestor interrupted Hegseth’s remarks.
Collins added after a fourth protester interrupted proceedings: “I would ask that the Capitol Police, whose professionalism I admire, remove those who are seeking to disrupt the hearing.”
Senators, including Collins, criticize Iran war’s costs and Hegseth’s leadership as hearing begins — 3:08 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Senators opened Tuesday’s hearing on the Iran war’s costs with ample criticism for the conflict as well as the stalled careers of Black and female military officers under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth is set to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee as Republicans push a $95 billion budget package to fund the military.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican and committee chair, cited news reports that women and people of color are disproportionately fired or sidelined under Hegseth’s leadership, arguing that it’s “likely to discourage well qualified women and individuals of color from joining our armed forces.”
Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat, noted the war’s lack of popular support and impact on the economy as gas prices rise and economic growth slows.
Why are Republicans talking about Olive Garden? — 2:53 p.m.
By the New York Times
Last week, President Trump gave a speech at the White House in which he made exaggerated claims about election vulnerabilities to pressure the Senate to push through a stalled voting restriction bill that would impose strict new voter identification requirements nationwide.
That same week, pasta behemoth Olive Garden brought back its popular Never-Ending Pasta Pass and informed customers that a photo ID would be needed to use it.
Thanks to a social media post -- what else? -- these two separate, seemingly unrelated events became intertwined, as Republicans spun up a buzzy but misleading talking point claiming that Olive Garden polices its bottomless pasta deal more tightly than the United States does its elections.
The claim misrepresents voter ID laws and the multibillion-dollar casual dining chain’s rules surrounding unlimited breadsticks and limitless spaghetti. But it has nevertheless circulated wildly online, at the Capitol and at the White House, in the latest example of a corroded political discourse that often trivializes the weightiest topics, like comparing voting rights to fettuccine.
Trump adds Thomas Jefferson statue to Rose Garden patio — 2:31 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The statue of a seated Jefferson currently faces the White House with its back toward the Oval Office.
The White House says it’s positioned that way because groundskeepers need to reinforce the foundation at the location where Trump wants to put the statue. After that happens, plans call for the statue of a founding father who was the third U.S. president to face the Rose Garden and the Oval Office.
The White House says it was a gift from George Lundeen, a Colorado-based bronze sculptor.
The Jefferson statue replaces one of George Washington, which was moved to another location in the Rose Garden.
Judge weighs bid to block Trump administration policy to reject visas for natives of 75 countries — 2:21 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Lawyers for dozens of immigrants have asked a federal judge to block the Trump administration from enforcing a policy directing the State Department to reject visa applications by citizens of 75 countries based on their nationality.
US District Judge Trevor McFadden in Washington, D.C., didn’t rule from the bench on Tuesday after hearing arguments from attorneys for the government and roughly four dozen immigrants from the countries singled out by the January 2026 policy.
McFadden, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, appeared to be skeptical that the lawsuit’s plaintiffs have legal standing to challenge the policy. But the judge also said he sees some legal precedent to support arguments by plaintiffs’ lawyers.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys said it’s illegal for the State Department to enforce a blanket prohibition on issuing immigrant visas to nationals of the 75 designated countries.
Government lawyers say the plaintiffs haven’t shown how they’re irreparably harmed by the policy.
UN chief warns military escalation puts pressure on trade, transport, fuel and commodities prices — 2:20 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls attacks on civilian infrastructure in Iran and the region, including a desalination plant and nuclear power plant under construction, “unacceptable” and a violation of international law, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.
Attacks on vital infrastructure for civilians including hospitals and water supplies must stop immediately, the secretary-general’s spokesman said.The secretary-general and his personal envoy, Jean Arnault, call the current situation “teetering,” and don’t want to see a return to full-scale conflict, he said.
Guterres reiterates that there is no military solution to the conflict and calls for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and intensified efforts toward a peaceful settlement, Dujarric said.
By the Associated Press
A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld White House adviser Peter Navarro’s convictions for defying a subpoena for records from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of President Trump’s supporters.
Navarro couldn’t prove Trump had shielded him from the subpoena’s requirements by invoking executive privilege, according to the unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
“In short, Dr. Navarro has acknowledged that even if executive privilege had been invoked, that would not have excused his categorical failure to comply with the Select Committee’s subpoena,” D.C. Circuit Judge Patricia Millett wrote.
Trump appears to try to shift blame for US soldiers’ deaths — 1:40 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president told reporters he would go to Dover for the dignified transfer of U.S. soldiers killed in the Middle East over the weekend.
“They did slip something through in Jordan,” he said, appearing to refer to the deadly Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks there. “If we had other operators, you know, it would have not happened, unfortunately.”
He went on: “We’ve stopped almost everything, but when you let other people do your job with the United States — we let other people do the job — and sometimes it doesn’t work out so well.”
Trump did not elaborate on his comments, and it was not immediately clear who Trump was saying was responsible for protecting U.S. forces in Jordan. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for more information.
Trump officials withhold $1 billion in Medicaid funds from two states — 1:15 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Trump administration announced Tuesday it was withholding more than $1 billion in Medicaid funds from California and Minnesota, the second time it has targeted the two states with Democratic governors for suspected fraud in their public health insurance programs.
The federal government will hold more than $867 million in payments from California and over $200 million from Minnesota until they can provide proof that certain claims were legitimate, officials said.
Federal officials described finding claims for care provided to Medicaid enrollees who were deceased as well as providers billing for an unusually high number of patients, a possible sign of fraudulent activity. They said the problems in California and Minnesota were especially acute.
“If Gov. Gavin Newsom or Gov. Tim Walz wants this funding released, all they have to do is provide basic documentation showing that these services are legitimate and not fraudulent,” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services secretary, said at a news conference. “That’s common sense.”
Trump says US will strike Pickaxe Mountain ‘very soon’ — 12:47 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Discussing plans to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Trump said the United States will soon target the area near Pickaxe Mountain — a fortified underground site near one of Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment facilities.
“We’ll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday.
The president made the comment after being asked whether he believes Iran has moved nuclear centrifuges to the site. He said it “doesn’t mean anything” unless Iran has uranium to enrich.
“We follow the material,” he said. “That’s where the action is.”
Trump says he’ll pay his respects to fallen service members at Dover — 12:27 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president is expected to attend the dignified transfer on Wednesday. It’s a ritual considered to be one of the most somber duties of the commander-in-chief.
“I’ll be going to Dover for something that I feel is — it’s a great honor for me to do it,” Trump told reporters.
Two soldiers killed in Iranian missile and drone attacks in Jordan will be returned during the dignified transfer, according to an administration official speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
The remains of another soldier killed in Iraq during a detonation of an Iranian drone will also be returned, the official said, as well as a fourth service member whose remains have not yet been identified but who is believed to be a soldier missing after the Jordan attacks.
Biden disagrees with the decision to expose his private discussions — 12:09 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Biden spokesperson T.J. Ducklo said the former president disagrees with the ruling but “respects the courts and the vital role an independent judiciary plays in a healthy democracy.”
“President Biden’s conversations for a book a decade ago that discussed his late son are private, and were provided to the Department of Justice on the express condition they stay that way,” Ducklo said in a statement. “Reversing course and making them public is just the latest example of this administration weaponizing the (Justice Department) for political retribution.”
Trump says US will ‘take care of business’ if Houthis impose blockade — 12:01 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Asked about his level of concern about a blockade of the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, Trump suggested it wasn’t an immediate problem.
“So far, it hasn’t happened,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I think that if there is something like that, we’ll just have to take care of business.”
The Houthi-run SABA news agency said six ships were forced to reroute on Tuesday after being warned by the rebels, a day after they announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.
But Trump said “we’ve had no problem with the Houthis” recently, and “they’ve had no problem with us for a long period of time, including during this conflict.”
Vance is in the Oval Office for Lebanon meeting days after son’s birth — 11:54 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Vice President JD Vance sat with other top administration officials for Trump’s meeting with Aoun.
Vance’s wife, second lady Usha Vance, gave birth on Sunday to the couple’s fourth child.
Alec Neel Vance is the first baby born to a sitting vice president in more than 150 years.
Trump says he’s looking at a tariff on Canada over wildfires — 11:53 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Days of smoke from wildfires in Canada drifting into the United States contributed to poor air quality in cities from Detroit to Washington, D.C.
“They’re not managing their forests properly. And the wind has a tendency to blow right over New York City,” said Trump, once a longtime resident of the city. “Michigan was really affected,” he added.
Asked about the issue during an Oval Office appearance with the president of Lebanon, Trump said Canada seems unable to manage the problem.
Trump says US has ‘no interest’ in Iran talks for now — 11:40 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Speaking in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump gave a dim view on possible talks with Iran to end the war.
“I will tell you, they want to desperately meet. And until they’re ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest in meeting,” Trump told reporters.
He said that in dialogue behind the scenes, Iranian officials have said “they want to meet desperately to try and end it, because they’re getting decimated.”
Iran and the U.S. have escalated attacks recently as their interim deal to end the war falls apart.
Trump greets Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun at the White House — 11:25 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Lebanon’s president is meeting with President Trump to wrap up a four-day visit to Washington, in a bid for long-term calm after months of war at home between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group.
Joseph Aoun’s first-ever meeting with his U.S. counterpart comes as Lebanon and Israel hold rare direct talks mediated by Washington. This is the first White House visit by a Lebanese president since 2009.
Trump shook hands with Aoun on the White House driveway and called him “highly respected.”
Iran-backed Houthi rebels say their Red Sea blockade is working — 11:20 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The rebels have opened a new front against Saudi Arabia by declaring a naval blockade of the kingdom, threatening the flow of global oil supplies and trade through the Red Sea.
With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, Saudi Arabia has been relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil to market.
Six ships in the Red Sea were forced to reroute on Tuesday after they received warnings from the rebels, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency.
Separately, three Houthi officials told The Associated Press that the rebel group warned international shipping companies on Monday to avoid transiting in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.
Report says Trump administration has harmed global efforts to prevent and treat HIV — 11:14 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, is credited with saving at least 26 million lives since its inception in 2003. But it’s been impaired by the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and cuts to thousands of global health grants.
These disruptions to the global AIDS relief program have forced organizations to close clinics, lay off staff and cut services, seriously impeding efforts to prevent and treat the disease in dozens of countries, according to a report released Tuesday by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research.
Other research, published in the journal Nature Health in June, found a 10% decline in antiretroviral treatment — nearly two million fewer people living with HIV — getting the life-saving treatment through PEPFAR.
Appeals court ruling could expose Biden’s ghostwriter interviews — 10:59 a.m.
By the Associated Press
An appellate panel’s 2-1 ruling late Monday found “substantial” public interest in disclosing what former President Joe Biden wants to keep under wraps. Redactions would help protect Biden’s privacy, the majority noted.
The judges suspended their decision until Aug. 3 to allow more time for Biden to consider another appeal.
Mark Zwonitzer, who worked with Biden on his two memoirs, interviewed the Democrat at his home in 2016 and 2017, before his presidency. Biden’s lawyers say the conversations were candid, personal and intended to remain private.
The recordings were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden’s handling of classified documents from his time as a senator from Delaware and as vice president. Republicans demanded the material after Hur declined to file charges against the then-president.
Trump administration pushes ahead with plans to reopen US embassy in Libya — 10:50 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The State Department has informed Congress that it plans to move ahead with the potential re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in Libya. It’s proposing to allocate nearly $41 million to restore America’s formal diplomatic presence in the North African nation.
The effort comes amid new warnings of Iranian-related attacks against U.S. facilities and interests around the world, particularly in the Middle East.
The department told lawmakers that the money would cover “a range of security-related activities associated with plans for the potential phased resumption of embassy operations in Libya.” The embassy in Tripoli was shuttered in July 2014.
The Trump administration reopened the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela following the ouster of former President Nicolas Maduro in January and is also seeking to reopen the closed embassy in Damascus, Syria.
Rubio will meet with Chinese counterpart in Manila — 10:42 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday in Manila, the State Department said.
The top diplomats from the world’s two largest economies are attending annual talks of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this week in the Philippine capital.
The ASEAN summit comes amid unfolding crises led by renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran as well as a violent skirmish in the disputed South China Sea.
The Rubio-Wang meeting could help set up the next sitdown between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Rubio said ahead of the summit that he expects Xi to visit the U.S. in September and that “it’s incumbent on powerful, important countries like ours to continue to talk and have a relationship.”
US military identifies soldier killed while disarming a drone in Iraq — 10:25 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The military said it was investigating the death of Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton of Fayetteville during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone on Sunday at an air base in Irbil.
Swinton, 30, will get a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Action Badge, and be promoted to staff sergeant, the military said in a statement.
He enlisted in the Army in 2017, and was assigned to the 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Two U.S. Army soldiers were killed in Jordan on Friday while defending against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. They were the first U.S. troop deaths from direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war.
Seeking calm for his country, Lebanon’s president will meet with Trump at the White House — 10:15 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The landmark meeting between Joseph Aoun and Trump comes as Lebanon and Israel continue to hold rare direct talks mediated by Washington in a bid to bring about long-term calm in Lebanon after months of war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group.
Lebanon hopes the talks will lead to Israeli troops withdrawing from large swaths of southern Lebanon, and for the Lebanese military to receive support to assert full control in areas where Hezbollah militants had held sway.
Lebanon and Israel announced a “framework agreement” on June 26, setting a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from southern Lebanon as well as the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Aoun is scheduled to arrive at the White House at 11 a.m.
Civilian infrastructure now targeted by both the US and Iran — 9:07 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people.
Kuwait’s Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy Ministry said Tehran struck desalination and power plants for a fourth straight day on Monday night, causing fires and damage. Some 90% of Kuwait’s drinking water comes from desalination, making the attacks a matter of life and death for the tiny nation.
U.S. strikes have been hitting electrical equipment in Iran as well, and Iranian officials also have said Americans targeted water facilities.
US command says its broad strikes are in response to Iran’s attacks on shipping — 9:04 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The U.S. military’s Central Command said Tuesday it targeted “Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and air defense systems.” It released more footage of bombings that targeted sites in Iran.
“American forces remain postured and prepared to hold Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression toward civilian mariners seeking to freely and openly transit the strait,” the command said.
Iranian state media reported that explosions were heard in across six different provinces.
Tanker attacks expand, forcing crew to abandon ship — 9:03 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Traffic through the strait has slowed to a crawl during the latest violence. Lloyd’s List Intelligence said only three ships transited the strait on Sunday.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed the attack, as well as two other attacks on ships Monday in the waterway.
The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control. The UKMTO separately reported Tuesday that another previously unknown attack on a ship took place early the previous day.
Iranian official meets mediators in Pakistan as attacks rage — 9:02 a.m.
By the Associated Press
An Iranian official began meetings Tuesday with mediators in Pakistan as diplomats sought to salvage the collapsed interim deal between Iran and the United States, even as both countries continued to launch attacks for a 10th day of renewed fighting.
The visit by Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni comes as Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts in recent days to resuscitate the deal. However, it remains unclear just what new arrangement could be reached to end the fighting.
Momeni met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations. Momeni later met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistan’s political leadership and Munir, who serves as both the chief of army staff and defense forces, have worked to persuade the United States and Iran back to resume negotiations.
US and Iran dig in over the Strait of Hormuz, showing the limits of intensifying airstrikes — 12:19 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The US and Iran are back to bombing every day in a bid to control the Strait of Hormuz. And neither is backing down, showing the limitations of President Trump’s reliance on escalating airstrikes to bend Tehran to his will.
While the Trump administration says it is open to diplomacy, Iran so far has refused to loosen its grip over the crucial oil shipping corridor in the Persian Gulf. It is raising questions about the strategy for the next phase of the conflict as intensifying attacks have collapsed an interim cease-fire deal, left additional American troops dead and sent US gasoline prices back up — posing new problems for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections.
Even with glimmers of hope for talks, the sides could be headed back to all-out war, with Trump warning that “every time Iran kills an American Soldier” going forward, “they will pay for that killing many times over.”