Thousands of civilian sailors have been stranded for more than a month in waters surrounded by a conflict zone because of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
For the second time in recent days, President Trump declared that one of the key objectives of the war had been accomplished.
The White House said the president would address the nation about Iran on Wednesday evening.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on Tuesday that Israel was “openly and unashamedly bombing pharmaceutical companies.”
Global shipping companies looking for safer routes are turning to the Cape of Good Hope, a much longer, more expensive journey.
After resisting calls for public hearings for weeks, House Republicans have called the secretary of defense to testify at a budget hearing in late April for the first time since the attacks on Iran began.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, took questions from reporters for the first time in nearly two weeks.
Members of the United Nations Security Council condemned deadly attacks on U.N. peacekeepers in south Lebanon and called for de-escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.
The freelance journalist was identified as Shelly Kittleson, who has worked for various news organizations, including Al-Monitor, which called for her safe and immediate release.
Iran continued to retaliate across the region on Tuesday but markets saw hopes that fighting might ebb. Israel said it would occupy a large chunk of Lebanon even after the war ends.