US Navy tests long-range maritime strike weapon

The US Central Command said on Friday the guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta enforced Washington’s blockade on Iranian ports by directing an Iranian-flagged vessel attempting to sail toward Iran.

Former US deputy national security adviser Victoria Coates said on Friday Iran’s leadership has effectively collapsed, leaving Tehran confused and unable to respond coherently to current developments.

Speaking on Fox News, Coates said the situation facing Iran is not a matter of negotiation, but of pressure and ultimatums backed by the threat of force.

“This really isn’t a discussion… it’s saying, here are the terms: if you want to survive as an entity, you will accept this—if you won’t, we’re going to go in and destroy you,” Coates said.

Chevron Chief Executive Mike Wirth said on Friday it is likely that US naval escorts will be required when commercial shipping resumes through the Strait of Hormuz, citing security risks in the waterway.

Speaking to CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Wirth said vessels would need to operate with a “high degree of confidence” that both crews and cargo would be safe before transit resumes.

“We’d have to believe that our people on the ship will be safe, the cargo will be safe, and they can be transited with a high degree of confidence,” he said.

Republican Representative Wesley Hunt said on Friday Iran is currently weakened and should be met with sustained US pressure, arguing that recent developments show the country is acting out of desperation.

"Think of it like this: you don’t walk away mid-project. You complete it, check it, and make sure it’s done right. That’s where we are. Stay focused. Finish strong. With President Trump, we WILL," Hunt said on Fox.

The House Select Committee on China said it “applauds” the US Treasury Department for what it described as action aimed at preventing China from purchasing Iranian oil.

"As a recent investigation detailed, China is acquiring oil from Iran using its shadow fleet of thousands of foreign-flagged tankers. This report’s policy recommendations called for Treasury to sanction ports and terminal operators receiving shadow fleet cargo, such as illegal crude," Committee posted on X on Friday.