Washington

South Korea Reviews Phased Support for Strait of Hormuz Security

South Korea is considering a phased contribution to international efforts aimed at ensuring safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Wednesday, signaling support measures that would stop short of direct military involvement. Speaking at a press conference with South Korean reporters in Washington, Ahn said ...

U.S. Authorities Uncover Migrant Smuggling Network Tied to IRGC-Linked Individual

An Iranian national living in New York pleaded guilty Tuesday to running a migrant smuggling operation that brought people into the U.S., including at least one person tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), federal prosecutors said. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Sharon Gohari, a naturalized American citizen ...

Trump Warns Iran of Decisive Action, Signals No Need for Chinese Mediation Ahead of Beijing Visit

Answering questions from the press before departing for China, U.S. President Donald Trump outlined a series of strong positions regarding Iran, its nuclear program, and the ongoing regional tensions. Trump said he intends to hold an extended discussion with Chinese President Xi Jinping concerning the war involving Iran, suggesting that the issue ...

U.S. War Costs Against Iran Rise to $29 Billion as Pentagon Seeks Additional Funding

The United States has spent an estimated $29 billion on military operations tied to the war with Iran, according to testimony delivered Tuesday before Congress, as senior Pentagon officials defended both the financial and strategic costs of the ongoing campaign. Appearing on Capitol Hill for a series of budget hearings, Jules Hurst III, the ...

The "Last Mile" of Hezbollah's Disarmament: Washington Holds the Key

There is no doubt that Israel has inflicted a severe blow on Hezbollah, weakening not only its battlefield capabilities but also significantly eroding its regional role. However, its complete dismantling as a military force ultimately depends on U.S. pressure on Iran. Hezbollah no longer resembles the organization it was prior to launching its ...

Aoun’s Anticipated Washington Visit a Rare Opportunity for Lebanon

As Lebanon prepares to continue U.S.-mediated talks with Israel later this week, a potential trip by President Joseph Aoun to Washington is increasingly being viewed in Beirut as a rare opportunity that cannot be missed. “President Aoun should absolutely go to Washington,” Lebanese Forces MP Ghayyath Yazbeck told This is Beirut.  “He ...

Trump Says U.S. Is Monitoring Iran’s Nuclear Sites and Still Considering Further Strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview aired Sunday on Full Measure that enriched uranium believed to remain buried beneath rubble at Iranian nuclear sites is under close U.S. surveillance. He added Washington is monitoring the area continuously and would detect any attempt to move material from the ...

U.S. Sanctions Iraqi Oil Officials and Iran-Linked Militias in Major Crackdown

The United States Treasury Department announced sweeping new sanctions targeting Iraqi oil officials and Iran-backed militias accused of exploiting Iraq’s oil sector to finance armed groups aligned with Tehran. At the center of the measures is Ali Maarij Al-Bahadly, Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Oil. In the press release, the department accuses ...

U.S. Says Warplane Disabled Ship that Tried to Break Iran Port Blockade

A U.S. Navy warplane fired on and disabled the rudder of an oil tanker that tried to break Washington's blockade of Iranian ports, the U.S. military said on Wednesday. It is the second time the U.S. military has fired on a ship it said was attempting to violate the blockade, which has been in place since April 13. U.S. forces warned the ...

Hegseth warns of ‘overwhelming’ response as Hormuz tensions rise despite ceasefire

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday a ceasefire with Iran remains in place despite rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Washington has deployed forces to protect commercial shipping. Speaking at the Pentagon alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, Hegseth said the United States is “not seeking a wider conflict” in ...

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent: “We Are Strangling the Regime”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated on Sunday that Washington has intensified its crackdown on all entities attempting to financially support Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He stressed that the United States is “strangling the Iranian regime” economically, claiming that Tehran is now struggling to pay its ...