U.S. STRIKES IRAN TARGETS AS HORMUZ TALKS CONTINUE

The United States carried out fresh strikes in southern Iran as talks continued over a possible agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the wider conflict, according to Reuters. U.S. officials described the strikes as defensive and said they targeted threats including missile launch sites and boats connected to mine-laying near the strait. Iran condemned the strikes and said they violated the ceasefire.

The strikes came as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a deal with Iran could still take several days. Speaking Tuesday, Rubio said the Strait of Hormuz “has to be open,” while acknowledging that terms of a possible agreement remain under negotiation. The strait is one of the world’s most important shipping routes for oil and liquefied natural gas, making the talks significant for global energy markets as well as regional security.

The military action appears tied to the same practical issue now shaping the diplomacy: whether the waterway can be made safe for shipping. Reuters reported that current talks include proposals to reopen Hormuz, lift the U.S. naval blockade, address financial relief for Iran, and defer some nuclear issues into a later negotiation window. Mine-clearing, transit rules, and verification remain central questions because a political agreement would not automatically restore safe passage.

Iran’s position remains that no final agreement has been reached. Reuters reported that Iran acknowledged progress on many parts of a possible memorandum with the United States, while continuing to reject suggestions that a deal is imminent. Approval would still require Iran’s senior security leadership, and major unresolved issues include nuclear enrichment, sanctions relief, ballistic missile limits, and the handling of the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian officials accused Washington of bad faith after the strikes. The Associated Press reported that Iran called the attacks a violation of the ceasefire and warned of consequences, while the U.S. continued to describe the action as defensive. AP also reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed to have shot down drones and a fighter jet that violated Iranian airspace, adding another layer of uncertainty to the day’s competing military claims.

The ceasefire is therefore still functioning more like a contested pause than a settled halt in fighting. Reuters reported that the conflict began after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, disrupted global oil supplies, and pushed up energy and food-related costs. Even limited military exchanges around Hormuz can affect shipping confidence because the waterway sits at the center of global fuel and fertilizer supply chains.

The immediate question is whether the strikes remain a contained military action inside the ceasefire framework or become a trigger for renewed escalation. If talks continue, the U.S. and Iran may still reach a staged agreement around Hormuz and later nuclear negotiations. If the military track widens, the ceasefire could weaken before negotiators resolve the mine-clearing, sanctions, and security guarantees needed to reopen the strait safely.

Fact-check date: 26 May 2026
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press, U.S. Central Command reporting via outlets

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