The Trump administration is arguing that the war in Iran has already ended because of the ceasefire that began in early April, an interpretation that would allow the White House to avoid the need to seek congressional approval. The statement furthers an argument laid out by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during testimony in the Senate earlier on Thursday (April 30, 2026), when he said the ceasefire effectively paused the war.
Read: The war on Iran and the Gulf’s shattered illusions
While the ceasefire has since been extended, Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. Navy is maintaining a blockade to prevent Iran’s oil tankers from getting out to sea.
Air defences were heard in the Iranian capital Tehran on Thursday night after they were activated to counter small aircraft and drones, Iran’s Tasnim and Fars news agencies reported.
The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon called for a meeting between Lebanese and Israeli leaders as the Health Ministry said Israeli strikes on the country’s south killed at least 15 people despite an ongoing ceasefire.
