The Royal Navy announced today that HMS Dragon will be switching its tasking from defensive missions near Cyprus to a potential Strait of Hormuz mission, as European surface combatants, including the French Charles de Gaulle carrier strike group, continue to converge on the local region in preparation of a European naval mission aimed at securing safe passage for maritime trade through the contested strait.

Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hasset has said that there is “no rush” on Iran negotiations, citing their economic woes, as a result of the ongoing blockade and joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.

According to a release from U.S. Central Command, since the start of the U.S. blockade of vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports, 62 vessels have been redirected back to Iran/directed to turn away from the Strait of Hormuz and 4 vessels have been disabled to ensure that they comply with directives.

Iran’s state-backed news agency Irib News details Iranian conditions for negotiations with the U.S., following U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s reaction that called their response “totally unacceptable.” The terms, just a reiteration of their previous statements, include, but are not limited to, releasing frozen Iranian funds and assets, war reparations, and Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Today, the White House Correspondents Dinner shooter, Cole Tomas Allen, has plead not guilty to the charge of attempting to assassinate the president of the United States.

Expect some comments from President Trump today on Iran, visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and other pertinent matters.
Schedule via @rollcall

According to a release from the Israel Defense Force, following the second desecration of Christian symbols, such as the Mother Mary, in Southern Lebanon by Israeli soldiers, “At the conclusion of the investigation, the soldier documented carrying out the act was sentenced to 21 days of military prison, and the soldier who filmed the incident was sentenced to 14 days of military prison.”

Confirming previous reports following the lifting of Saudi and Kuwaiti restrictions on the U.S.’s use of their bases, U.S. President Donald J. Trump has told Fox News that he is indeed considering renewing Project Freedom. Additionally, per the reports, President Trump has said that it would include U.S. vessels directly escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

While speaking to press from the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald J. Trump characterized the current state of U.S.-Iranian negotiations as being on “massive life support.”

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre has reported no incidents in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in the last 24 hours.

Speaking to press from the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald J. Trump said that the subject of Taiwan will likely come up during his visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, saying “it always comes up.”

According to Axios, citing senior U.S. officials, U.S. President Donald J. Trump met with his National Security Team today to discuss how to move forward with Iran. Per the report, discussions also included the possibility of resuming combat operations against Iran, something that has been reported before. Key officials, including but not limited to, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, and CIA director John Ratcliffe are all expected to join the meeting.

Citing two U.S. officials, Axios is also reporting that U.S. President Donald J. Trump is mulling conducting limited strikes against Iran in an effort to coerce them to accede to nuclear talks. Per one U.S. official, “he will tune them up a bit,” while another official said “I think we all know where this is going.”

Per the report, one option on the table is to strike 25% of the targets the U.S. has marked out but hasn’t hit yet.

According to CBS, citing U.S. officials speaking on the condition of anonymity, Pakistan, a key mediator in the ongoing but stalled U.S.-Iran negotiations, allowed Iran to reposition key aircraft on their bases, likely to avoid losing them to U.S. airstrikes. Per the report, both Pakistan and Afghanistan allowed them to do this. Iran sent one of its ISR aircraft, a converted RC-130 “Saba,” and other aircraft, both military and civilian, to Pakistan’s Nur Khan Air Force Base in the early days of the war.

According to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has indeed been conducting strikes against Iran. Per the report, these strikes included the those on Iran’s refinery on Lavan Island soon after the announcement of the nominal ceasefire. Additionally, the U.S. was reportedly not only aware of their involvement, but ‘quietly welcomed’ the UAE and potentially other Gulf nations in joining offensive actions against Iran. To date, the UAE has been inundated by disproportionately more Iranian missiles and drones than any of their Gulf neighbors and has consistently said that they reserve the right to deter Iranian attacks by any means possible.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hosted South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back in Washington at the Pentagon today. Per a Department of War release on the meeting, areas of discussion included increased burden-sharing with South Korea and other Indo-Pacific allies and the upcoming Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue, set to take place later this week.

U.S. Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby was also present at today’s meeting at the Pentagon with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and South Korean Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back.

The incarceration of Hong Kong media personality and politician Jimmy Lai and U.S. arms sales to Taiwan will be among the topics U.S. President Donald J. Trump will discuss during his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week in Beijing, China.

Kellie Meyer of NewsNation spoke with U.S. President Donald J. Trump on the potential for U.S. action against Iran before his visit to China this week and President Trump declined to comment on the matter, saying “I’m not going to talk to you about that, obviously.”

This comes amidst reports from Axios that the administration is mulling a limited strike campaign against 25% of identified Iranian targets that have not been struck yet, in an effort to coerce Iranian decision-makers into negotiating on their nuclear program.