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President says U.S. struck Iran recently, anticipates progress on ceasefire and opening Strait of Hormuz
Summary
In response to reporters, the President said U.S. forces "hit them pretty hard the night before and actually last night," said negotiations over a ceasefire "have gone very well," and said the Hormuz Strait would open "immediately upon signing" a memorandum of understanding, contingent on minesweeping.
During a White House question-and-answer session, reporters asked whether the ceasefire with Iran was still in effect after recent attacks. The President said the United States had struck Iranian targets in recent nights and that, "when it was explained to me, I said, 'All right, so we'll do that.'" He described negotiations as "going very well" and said he expected agreement language imminently.
On the Strait of Hormuz, the President said: "Immediately upon signing the memorandum of understanding, the Hormuz Strait will open," and added that minesweeping and naval clearance were under way. He said U.S. assets, including "underwater minesweepers," had been used and that the naval blockade had prevented ships from transiting unless allowed.
The President also addressed retrieval of buried nuclear material in Iran, saying specialized capabilities exist and that recent B-2 strikes had damaged sites; he characterized recovery operations as difficult but said "we will go in at some time in the not too distant future" and that the material would be destroyed.
What was not specified: The President made operational and assessment claims about strikes, recovery capabilities and timelines but did not provide independent verification, locations or legal authorities for future recoveries; details about coordinating partners and rules of engagement were not given in the exchange.
