Back at it with Iran?

Comments: by Ellen Mitchell - 06/26/26 6:35 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Ellen Mitchell - 06/26/26 6:35 PM ET Comments: Link copied Welcome to The Hill s Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon} The U.S. military said it conducted strikes against Iranian sites on Friday, less than an hour after President Trump indicated action would be taken against Tehran. The president cited Thursday s attack by Iran s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes by U.S. Central Command (Centcom) hit Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar locations after Iran damaged a Singapore-flagged container ship, Ever Lovely, near the coast of Oman. Iran struck the ship, which was exiting a key waterway, with a one-way attack drone, according to Centcom. The vessel s starboard side and its bridge sustained damage, but no one on board was reported injured. Centcom accused Iran of violating the fragile ceasefire with the ship attack. The U.S. forces in the region continue to provide a safe passage coordination and support to commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world s oil and gas flows through, Centcom said, adding the military remains present and vigilant to ensure all aspects of the agreement with Iran are adhered to, obeyed and in full force and effect. On Friday, Iran asserted its authority over the strait, warning that safe passage can only be guaranteed for vessels that coordinate their routes with Tehran. Safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, with ambiguous arrangements, parallel routes, or decision-making outside of Iran s considerations as the coastal state, cannot be guaranteed, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on social platform X. President Trump earlier Friday signaled kinetic action against Iran may be considered, when asked if Iran would face consequences for hitting the container ship. We ll find out, he said from the Oval Office. Asked whether he considers the ceasefire to still be in place, Trump replied: I don t like the fact that they took a shot yesterday. Actually four. Not an allied ship, but a ship. A very expensive ship and it was fine, but it took a little beating. They shouldn t be doing that. Welcome to The Hill s Defense & National Security newsletter, I m Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. A new premium access digital subscription — into the rooms, conversations, and analysis that shape Washington s most important moments. Launching July 2026. Join the waitlist today. How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: Flu cases at Texas base hit 275 as services again require recruits to get shots The number of flu cases at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas continues to rise in the wake of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth s banishment of the influenza vaccine mandate for service members. The Air Force confirmed 275 cases as of Wednesday, up from 160 just last week, a figure Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) said the service had relayed to his office. In addition, four people have been hospitalized as of Tuesday, ABC News … US military stumped by UFO sightings over bases: Ex-defense official (NewsNation) — Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) disclosure advocate Christopher Mellon says a large part of the discussion about UFOs hinges on incursions over American military bases and the possibility that adversaries are using drones or another tech to surveil the U.S. I m sorry to say these kind of incursions have been happening at bases all over the United States and overseas. It isn t as widely known as it ought … GOP lawmakers divided over Hegseth s ouster of top Army commander Republican lawmakers are divided over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth s ouster of Gen. Chris Donahue, the commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa. Some GOP lawmakers hammered Hegseth, who served in the National Guard and fought in Iraq, accusing him of rankling the ranks at the Pentagon and pushing out an experienced and well-respected military officer, while others were reluctant to weigh in, arguing all of the facts about … UN agency pauses evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz after attack on vessel DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A United Nations agency paused the evacuation of ships through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after the British military said a vessel was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman following the passage of several tankers that used a route backed by the U.N. The head of the International Maritime Organization said the plan to move stranded ships out of the Persian Gulf through the strait … Upcoming things we re watching on our beat: Branch out with a different read from The Hill: Judge blocks Tennessee from reporting sick children to immigration authorities, for now NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) —

Back at it with Iran?

Key takeaways

More in politics