Welcome to our live coverage of US politics and the US and Israel’s war with Iran.
The US has made the claim that the “ceasefire is not over” even as the US and Iran trade blows on the Persian Gulf.
Rather, said US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, US time, Iranian boats firing on tankers and American warships is “harassment” that is more annoyance than armed conflict.
That harassment has occurred ten times since the ceasefire began.
There’s a good reason why the US doesn’t want to say a conflict has restarted. If the war has continued for more than 60 days, Congress can get involved as the US president is supposed to seek permission for armed conflict.
US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine has accused Iran of attempting to “hold the entire global economy hostage” by its actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
While away from Iran, a major airport in Florida will be renamed after Donald Trump. But in a seemingly unprecedented move, the airport has entered into a trademark agreement with Mr Trump that means he could benefit financially from merchandise with his name on.
Read on for more updates.
