As the US military intercepts and redirects vessels in its ongoing naval blockade of Iranian ports, the war’s timeline remains uncertain as diplomacy stalls.
While peace talks between the US and Iran were canceled in Pakistan this week, eyes are now on Israel and Lebanon as they prepare to meet for a second round of negotiations in Washington later today.
Here’s what else to know on Thursday:
Diplomacy in limbo: A deadline for Iran to send a peace proposal to the US remains unsettled, with US President Donald Trump asserting Wednesday that there is “no time frame” for the conflict. Trump extended the ceasefire, after diplomatic efforts with Tehran stalled, and has pushed back on assumptions that political considerations are influencing his approach. A spokesperson for Trump said he doesn’t view Iran’s assertion that it seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz as a ceasefire violation.
US blockade holds: Late Wednesday night, US Central Command said that it redirected 31 vessels to return to port, or turn around, as part of the ongoing US Navy blockade against Iran. Most vessels have been oil tankers.
Navy shakeup: And as the maritime standoff continues, US Navy Secretary John Phelan was ousted from his position, six sources told CNN. It was “effective immediately,” per a Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell.
Strait of Hormuz timeline: A source said Pentagon officials briefed lawmakers on an intelligence assessment that found it could take up to six months to fully clear the Strait of Hormuz of mines after the war with Iran ends. A Pentagon spokesman said a six-month closure would be “unacceptable.”
Israel and Lebanon: Later today, Washington will host a second round of talks between Israel and Lebanon in hopes of extending a fragile truce. The talks come a day after Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities.
Rejected again: For the fifth time this year, the Senate rejected a measure aimed at restricting Trump’s war powers by requiring congressional approval for any future military action in Iran. The measure failed to advance, 46 to 51.
CNN’s Tori B. Powell, Charbel Mallo, Clay Voytek, Elise Hammond and Morgan Rimmer contributed reporting.