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The U.S. and Iran sent contradictory signals on the status of peace negotiations Tuesday, as Israel's assault in southern Lebanon threatened to derail the process entirely.

Reporters have been barred from the Pentagon press office after the Trump administration this week declared it a "Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility."

President Trump on Tuesday insisted that talks with Iran have been continuous, despite recent turmoil in the Middle East and a flare-up over Israel's actions in Lebanon.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday he believes Mojtaba Khamenei is alive and "increasingly engaging at some level" in decision-making, even though he hasn't appeared in public.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday reiterated that the U.S. is dedicated to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and securing necessary concessions from Iran during negotiations.

Sen. Lindsey Graham pushed President Trump on Tuesday to include strict limits on Iran's support for terror proxies in Lebanon as part of any peace deal with Tehran.

Israel's defense exports rose by nearly 30% in 2025 to a record $19.2 billion, the fifth consecutive year on increases, Israeli Defense Ministry officials said.

Iran is considering the full text of a memorandum of understanding proposed by the United States despite recent blows to diplomacy between the two countries, the state-affiliated Mehr News reported Tuesday.

Israeli drone strikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed eight people, including a father and his two children, a day after U.S. President Trump said Israel and Hezbollah agreed to dial back fighting.

An apparent hack targeted a key U.S. Space Force official's Instagram account recently and reportedly posted pro-Iran and anti-American content.