Iranians officials are lowering expectations of this week’s talks in Islamabad and appear suspicious that President Trump’s talk of a deal could be cover for a U.S. surprise attack, according to Axios.

Iranian state news agency Tasnim has posted a lengthy statement to X describing what Iran sees as continued U.S. preparations to continue the war while publicly stating they are willing to negotiate. The statement goes on to say that Iran is prepared to "abandon restraints" shown in the first phase of the war to unleash "unforgettable hellish hours right from the outset of renewed conflict with America and Israel" while explicitly stating that the Bab al Mandeb Strait, Saudi Aramco facilities, the port of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, and the city of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates will all enter the conflict.

Photo currently circulating on social media which appears to show a soldier with the Israel Defense Force striking and destroying a statue of Jesus Christ on the cross using a sledgehammer during recent operations in the Christian town of Debel in Southern Lebanon.

The Israel Defense Force has announced that it is investigating both the veracity of the photo and the incident itself, stating that if the photo is indeed real, “these actions do not align with the IDF's values and the behavior expected of IDF soldiers.”

According to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, the Iranian cargo vessel, TOUSKA, attempted to run the U.S. blockade of vessels originating from Iranian ports and offshore berthing areas and was intercepted by the USS Spruance (DDG-111) and given repeated warning to turn around in the Gulf of Oman. After failing to heed these warnings, the Spruance targeted the engine room of the vessel and the vessel was subsequently boarded by and is now under the control of U.S. Marines.

No tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz so far today, according to tracking data via MarineTraffic obtained by CNN, with this following yesterday’s announcement once again closing the vital waterway by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has released video of the interdiction of the Iranian motor vessel Touska in the Northern Arabian Sea today by the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111). The video contains audio of the USS Spruance giving warnings to the Touska to vacate the engine room before the firing of her Mark 45 5" Deck Gun three times at the vessel, disabling it before boarding by U.S. Marines.

The Israel Defense Force has confirmed the authenticity of a photo showing an Israeli Soldier smashing a statue of Jesus Christ in Southern Lebanon, adding that “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved” under the IDF Northern Command.

As the Defender Media Team and our communities on various social media sites continue to grow, we are happy to announce the launch of OSINTdefender on TikTok, featuring updates on conflicts, geopolitic situations and other newsworthy events around the world, now via TikTok!

The Iranian Armed Forces’ Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters has stated that they will “soon respond and retaliate” for today’s U.S. attack on and seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman, calling it a violation of the ceasefire and “armed piracy” by the United States.

Iran’s state-run Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is claiming that Iranian forces attacked some American military ships with drones in response to today’s U.S. attack on the Iranian-flagged Touska in the Gulf of Oman.

According to a release from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), earlier today, at the direction of SOUTHCOM Commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a strike on a vessel in known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean. The vessel was operated by a designated terrorist organization. Three alleged narco-terrorists were killed in the strike.

Rosneft’s Tuapse Oil Depot and Export Facility in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, is currently ablaze, with dozens of tanks seen burning as thick black smoke pours into the sky, following a large-scale drone attack tonight by Ukraine against oil infrastructure across Southern Russia.

Following the disabling and seizure of the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel M/V Touska earlier today in the Gulf of Oman, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has released footage of U.S. Marines departing the America-class amphibious assault ship, USS Tripoli (LHA-7), and boarding the vessel, after the USS Spruance (DDG-111) disabled it with its Mark 45 5" Deck Gun.

A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the “Tophatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron 14 (VFA-14), Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9), takes off from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) deployed to the Arabian Sea, in support of the ongoing U.S. naval blockade against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Speaking Sunday on CNN, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated that Americans should not expect the current rise in gas prices, spurred by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, to return to under $3.00 a gallon until later this year or potentially even 2027.

According to Saudi news outlet Al Hadath, the U.S. has suspended security cooperation and dollar shipments to Iraq. While no definite reasoning for the move has been announced, the Iraqi government has struggled with the appointment of a “consensus candidate,” as they try to balance both the influences of the U.S. and the deep inroads that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has made into their governance and security frameworks.

Asked about U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s assessment yesterday that gas prices may not return to normal until 2027, President Trump told The Hill that Wright is “Wrong… totally wrong,” and that prices will fall to normal levels as soon as the war with Iran ends in the Middle East.