JERUSALEM, Israel – While the Middle East is technically under a ceasefire, conflict is still brewing. In the Strait of Hormuz, a clash ensued between the U.S. and an Iranian cargo ship, and in Lebanon, Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, killed a United Nations soldier. This as new talks are scheduled for the coming week between the U.S. and Iran.
The U.S. military took control of an Iranian ship that attempted to break the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend. President Trump posted on Truth Social, “An Iranian-flagged ship named Touska, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our naval blockade, and it did not go well for them.”
Trump continued, “The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the Touska in the Gulf of Oman and gave them fair warning to stop. The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in their engine room. Right now, the U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel…”
Also, a French shipping company announced that one of its ships was the target of Iranian warning shots in the Strait. Iran closed the waterway again on Saturday, less than 24 hours after declaring it open.
Further increasing tensions, the Iranian Fars News Agency reports that Iran has prepared a new law to further tighten control over the Strait of Hormuz, including bans on any Israeli-linked vessels, completely prohibiting their passage through the waterway.
According to Axios, there is internal conflict between Tehran’s political leaders and the hardline Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) over the strait.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Fox News that ongoing talks over the strait would take a little time.
He explained, “There are negotiations with the Iranians going on, despite what you hear in the chatter in public. I think those are actually going well. I think before long, you’ll see an agreement that achieves the United States’ end, puts an end to the 47 years of terrorism launched from Iran, and probably launches Iran on a better trajectory for its own people as well.”
Trump sent Vice President JD Vance, along with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, back to Pakistan for a new round of talks with the regime, scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
Officials in Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad say they are strengthening security ahead of the talks, yet, Iran claims it has “no plans” to attend.
Earlier, Iran’s chief negotiator insisted his country wants “real peace,” even though there are differences of opinion regarding the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear program.
In a social media post, Trump warned that if Iran refuses the deal he’s proposed, there will be no more “Mr. Nice Guy,” and he’ll be honored to do what should have been done 47 years ago: to destroy every power plant in the country.
When the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Michael Waltz, was asked whether destroying bridges and power plants isn’t a war crime, he responded, “The Iranian regime, in particular, and its terrorist proxies, have a long history of actually deliberately hiding military infrastructure in hospitals, schools, neighborhoods … and other civilian assets. So, they have no ground to stand on.”
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As Middle Easterners ponder the situation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to it as a time of “great challenge and great consequence.”
“We have achieved enormous things,” he said. “It’s not over yet. And any moment could bring us new developments.”
In Lebanon, the Israeli military released a map showing how it has reestablished the Security Zone above Israel’s northern border. Israel maintained a buffer there for 18 years to protect residents of northern Israel, but the Israel Defense Forces suddenly withdrew from it 26 years ago.
Despite the Israeli-Lebanon ceasefire, Hezbollah fired on UNIFIL peacekeepers, killing a French soldier and wounding three others.
Two IDF soldiers also died over the weekend in two separate incidents in Lebanon.
Israel said on Monday that during the ceasefire, “Hezbollah has continued its terrorist activity, in violation of the agreement. Accordingly, the IDF remains deployed in the defensive area.”
The military released a statement in Arabic on social media, warning Lebanese civilians to stay away from certain areas. Israel claims to have killed more than 1,800 Hezbollah terrorists during Operation Roaring Lion, more than 250 of them in 24 hours before the ceasefire took effect.
Among the weapons located and terrorist infrastructures dismantled, they also located footage from body cams with recordings used for propaganda.
Overnight, the IDF said it struck a loaded and ready-to-fire launcher in southern Lebanon, north of the forward defense line, in order to prevent a direct threat to the communities of northern Israel.
