Amidst continued Israeli strikes against Lebanese Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and other regions in country, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a phone call earlier today. During the call the two decision-makers discussed Israel’s “aggressions” against Lebanese territory and the need for a “comprehensive ceasefire” to enable more progress at the next round of Israel-U.S.-Lebanon talks this upcoming week.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has said that the VC-25B Bridge donated to the U.S. by Qatar will take part in a flyover during July 4th celebrations in Washington. Per President Trump, amongst other aircraft, F-22s and F-35s will also take part in the flyover.

According to @HibaNasr of Asharq News, a White House official has commented on the guidelines for the Strait of Hormuz that were recently announced by Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), saying that Iran’s commitment to open the strait free of charge for 60-days clashes with the new PGSA directives and the U.S. will not tolerate a deviation from the agreed upon framework.

According to a release from the Dutch Ministry of Defense, the HNLMS De Ruyter, an air defense frigate, has been rerouted from the Indo-Pacific towards the Strait of Hormuz to possibly take part in the EU-led international coalition to secure safe passage for commercial shipping through the strategic maritime choke point. Per the ministry of defense release the final decision to include the vessel in a potential mission in the strait has not yet been made.

According to Axios, citing a U.S. official, White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is en route to Switzerland for the next U.S.-Qatar-Pakistan-Iran talks, which were previously scheduled and then canceled due to Israeli escalations in Lebanon. The Qatari delegation is already in Switzerland, having arrived earlier and have already met with Swiss officials. Per the Axios report, U.S. Vice President JD Vance is set to lead the delegation.

Following reports that paint was peeling at the bottom of the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., U.S. President Donald J. Trump has attributed the peeling to vandalism, saying that law enforcement is actively investigating.

Following the cancellation of the diplomatic visit by Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani after President Donald J. Trump's comments at the G7 about Italian Prime Minister Gigiorgia Meloni, Trump has taken to Truth Social to reiterate that PM Meloni "asked, over and over, for a picture with me during the G-7 meeting in France."

Over the last 24 hours, nearly 20 vessels have transited the Strait of Hormuz with 5 vessels using the U.S. established safe route through Omani waters visible via MarineTraffic.com. The remaining traffic is using the Iranian traffic separation scheme.

Speaking this morning on FOX & Friends, U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated that President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are currently on the ground in Switzerland for negotiations with Iran, and that talks are “going well,” adding that he will likely join the delegation “in the coming days” as he believes the ceasefire will hold between Iran and the United States.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces has issued a warning to all vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the Strait is currently closed due to “U.S. breaches of the war-ending deal and ongoing Israeli ceasefire violations/non-withdrawal in Lebanon,” similar to yesterday’s statement from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N). In the last day, roughly twenty vessels have transited the Hormuz Strait, most following routes near Oman, with so far no attacks by Iran.

Following the Iranian announcement of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told Iran’s state-backed news outlet IRNA that an Iranian delegation is indeed traveling to Switzerland. Per the report, the delegation is traveling to Switzerland with the hopes of impressing on their U.S. counterparts the need to fulfill what Iran says are their agreed upon commitments, as it relates to the MOU.

According to a release from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “technical-level” negotiations between the U.S. and Iran will be held in Switzerland tomorrow, the 21st. The announcement comes amidst Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, citing Israel’s operations against Lebanese Hezbollah in Lebanon, the U.S.’s slow movement on implementing sanctions waivers, and the still pending release of frozen assets and funds as a justification for the move.

According to a release from U.S. Central Command, despite Iran’s announcement of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the strait remains open. Per the release, 55 vessels transited the strait today, transporting 17 million barrels of oil.

Additionally, per the CENTCOM release, U.S. forces remain in the area to ensure safe passage for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that Iran says violates portions of the MOU.

According to reports from Israel’s N12 News, the Israel Defense Force has ceased fire in Lebanon but will not withdraw from current areas of control, following orders from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Amongst other issues, a key point of contention between the U.S. and Iran since the signing of the MOU has been Israel’s operations in Lebanon against Lebanese Hezbollah.

Audio posted by @_MartinKelly_ of an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Navy broadcast earlier from the Strait of Hormuz announces to all vessels that the Strait is closed warning that the security of any vessel who approaches will be at risk.

U.S. Air Force activity over the Strait of Hormuz at this hour includes at least 4 U.S. Air Force KC-135 "Stratotankers" active.

Activity over the Strait of Hormuz is increasing with the arrival of more U.S. Air Force KC-135 "Stratotankers" and an E-3 "Sentry" airborne early warning & control aircraft inbound to the area.

According to Israeli news outlets the recently announced cessation of Israel Defense Force fires in Lebanon came after “immense pressure” from the U.S. on Israel’s principal decision-makers. This comes amidst the work up for the next round of U.S.-Qatar-Pakistan-Iran talks in Switzerland, where principal-decision makers from the U.S. and Iran are expected to attend.

According to U.S. President Donald J. Trump on his Truth Social app, no tolls will be charged by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz before and after the 60-day negotiation period, following Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority directives and Iran’s subsequent announcement of the closure of the strait. Per President Trump, should a deal not be reached, the possibility of reimbursing the U.S. for guiding commercial maritime traffic through the strategic maritime choke point is on the table.

According to a release from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), a U.S. 1st Air Force F-16 intercepted a general aviation aircraft that violated the VIP Temporary Flight Restriction area over Hagerstown, Maryland today.