JD Vance opens a direct line of communication with Iran as the Strait of Hormuz burns: Three oil tankers ablaze and a US drone captured
Before a campaign event in Ohio, Trump stated that he had not pushed for the resumption of peace talks and that the contact was intended solely to facilitate medical supplies to the civilian population.
Vice President JD Vance speaks to the media at Joint Base Andrews
Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Mohsen Rezaei, to explore the possibility of reestablishing contacts and preventing a new military escalation. The initiative, ordered by Donald Trump according to The Wall Street Journal and channeled through Qatari mediators, proposed a preliminary meeting in which Vance would lead the U.S. delegation.
According to Axios, Vance's letter explicitly stated that any negotiations aimed at preventing further U.S. military strikes would require discussions about Iran's nuclear program.
Trump, however, distanced himself from the statement a few hours later. Before a campaign event in Ohio, he stated that he had not pushed for the resumption of peace talks and that the contact was intended solely to facilitate medical supplies and humanitarian aid to the civilian population. "JD Vance asked me what I thought, and I told him, 'If you want to do it, that's fine with me,'" he said. Rezaei was expected to respond formally on Thursday.
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Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz: Three oil tankers and a drone
At the same time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Thursday that three oil tankers had exploded and caught fire in the last 24 hours after colliding with naval mines while attempting to cross via the southern route, which Tehran considers unauthorized. According to the statement reported by AFP, the ships had turned off their radar and navigation systems and ignored warnings from the Iranian Navy.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has reiterated in recent weeks that the main transit routes have been cleared of landmines. The Revolutionary Guard spokesman, Hossein Mohebi, publicly challenged that claim on X: "Back up your claim that the Strait of Hormuz has been cleared of mines with independent evidence, not just statements." The British maritime agency UKMTO also reported a sighting of a burning vessel in the strait, though it did not specify the cause or whether there were any casualties.
In a separate statement, the Guardians claimed to have captured a U.S. reconnaissance drone of the MQM-170 type through an electronic warfare operation in the western part of the Strait of Hormuz. No images or independent confirmation of the incident have been released.
Hegseth fires the Pentagon's top military planner
The officer failed three polygraph tests regarding the disclosure of sensitive information to the press. The case has been referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ). This is the second general to be relieved of this position under Hegseth's administration; his predecessor, Joseph McGee, was forced to step down last October. A replacement has not yet been named.
The decision comes at a time when President Trump is considering resuming attacks against Iran as part of a conflict that has already lasted eight months. The information was first reported by The Atlantic.
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