Meanwhile, Donald Trump says the US has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz - and says they will "shoot and kill" any boat laying mines there.

The path of the USS George H.W. Bush to the Middle East has been closely watched as President Trump demands progress in peace negotiations with Tehran.

US military officials are developing new plans to target Iran’s capabilities in the Strait of Hormuz in the event the current ceasefire with Iran falls apart, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The president said the pause in fighting in Lebanon would last three more weeks. The tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and Hezbollah threatened to undermine efforts to settle the Iran war.

Iran flaunted its tightened grip over the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday with video of its commandos storming a huge cargo ship, after the collapse of peace talks.

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday denounced the Iranian regime’s killing of protesters but stressed that, “as a pastor,” he cannot support the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Commanders are concerned about the Pentagon’s shift of long-range precision weapons from the Asia-Pacific region to the Middle East, congressional officials say.

How can the U.S. stock market be setting records when gasoline prices are still expensive, U.S. households are feeling less confident about the economy and the war with Iran is still going? Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

The suggestion by an envoy of Donald Trump that Italy ​should replace Iran at this year's World Cup provoked embarrassment from Azzurri fans on Thursday, with Italian media reminding readers that the idea has a very ‌familiar feel.

Oil prices climbed Wednesday while stocks were mixed after US President Donald Trump announced the extension of a ceasefire with Iran, prompting investors to wait and see if peace talks