President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and many members of the administration have been hammering out the final details on a possible deal to end
Rubio reiterated U.S. warnings that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened “one way or the other” when asked by a reporter about the U.S. strikes on Iran.
“The straits have to be open, they’re going to be open,” he said during a trip to India. “What’s happening there is unlawful, it’s illegal, it’s unsustainable for the world, it’s unacceptable.”
“There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we’ll see if we can make progress,” Rubio said.
“I think it’s a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it’ll take a few days. The president expressed his desire to make it. He’s either going to make a good deal or no deal,” Rubio added.
American military forces conducted what U.S. Central Command said were “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran on Monday, “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.”
The targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats trying to place mines, Capt. Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson.
“U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing cease-fire,” said Captain Hawkins, who declined to say which ships came under fire, where they were located, or precisely where the other U.S. strikes took place.
Some of the dozens of American warplanes and nearly two dozen Navy warships, including two aircraft carriers and their escort ships enforcing a blockade against vessels trying to enter or leave Iranian ports in or around the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, were threatened by Iranian surface-to-air missiles, a senior U.S. military official said.
The U.S. strikes were near the Iranian port and navy base at Bandar Abbas, the official said.
American and Iranian forces have clashed in other ways since a cease-fire took effect approximately six weeks ago.
But the strikes on Monday occurred as Iranian officials gathered in Qatar for negotiations on ending the war.
Iran said Monday that Tehran and Washington have struck understandings on many subjects in negotiations over a deal for ending the war, but warned that a final deal is not imminent.
