Iran

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine conduct a press briefing on Operation Epic Fury at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., April 8, 2026. DOW photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Eric Brann)

As US Announces Ceasefire with Iran, Pentagon Says Forces Will ‘Stay Ready’ By Greg Hadley Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claimed “a historic military victory” after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire late April 7, even as he and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine said American forces will remain “ready” to resume operations should the ceasefire expire without a longer peace deal.  Iran Tightens Its Grip on Hormuz Despite Cease-Fire The Wall Street Journal (Gift Link) Iran told mediators it would limit the number of ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz to around a dozen a day and charge tolls under the cease-fire struck by President Trump, showing Tehran plans to tighten its grip on the world’s most important energy-shipping lane. Lebanon May Pose a Stumbling Block in Fragile US-Iran Ceasefire The Hill Israel launched a barrage of attacks without warning in Lebanon on April 8, striking more than 100 sites in 10 minutes as a fragile ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran hangs in the balance. Pentagon Brass Tout Destruction of Iran’s Drone Arsenal, but Questions Linger About What’s Left DefenseScoop Iran’s drone arsenal and weapons stockpiles are mostly depleted and its capacity to produce new assets is nearly gone, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. ... However, some analysts warned it might be too soon to know the full extent of damage and Iran’s potential to rapidly resupply its armory, particularly without the completion of comprehensive combat assessments.