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U.S. 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.
Defense 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 U.S. Central Command said Iran earlier launched multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats at civilian ships under the U.S. military’s protection, and that U.S. 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.”
