News and Analysis 5/6/26

Trump, Rubio and Hegseth insist the war is over …

White House Insists Iran War Is Over, Even While Missiles Fly (NY Times)
‘Operation Epic Fury Is Over…’: Rubio Says US Has Achieved Objectives of Iran Operation (India Times)
Hegseth Says Battle for Hormuz Is ‘Separate and Distinct’ from the Iran War (Politico)

… but for some reason, some don’t believe them:

US Lawmaker Questions Trump’s Claim Iran War ‘Terminated,’ Seeks Intelligence Briefing (Andalu Ajansi)

“Sudan’s military said it has evidence that four drone attacks have been launched from neighbouring Ethiopia since early March, alleging that the UAE supplied the drones”:

Sudan Accuses Ethiopia, UAE of Being Behind Recent Drone Attacks (Aljazeera)

“‘Project Freedom will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social”:

Trump Suspends Hormuz Operation, Claims Progress on Iran Deal (Axios)
CMA CGM Ship Hit off Iran as Trump Stops ‘Project Freedom’ (Trade Winds)
Iran Says It Wants a ‘Comprehensive Agreement’ with US (Reuters / Straits Times)

“We are, in the fullest sense, fighting this war side by side with a country whose potential nuclear weapons program the United States government officially refuses to acknowledge”:

Democrats Urge Rubio to Acknowledge Israel Possesses Nuclear Weapons amid Iran War (The Guardian)

“The World Health Organization reports 217 attacks on health care infrastructure and workers in Sudan since 15, April 2025″:

UN Experts Condemn Attacks on Sudan Healthcare System (Jurist)

Settler violence and Israeli war crimes continue:

“The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not advertised as a supporter—despite funding upwards of half of the lobbying push”:

Prominent Christian Zionist Group Is Lobbying U.S. Lawmakers on Israel—Without Revealing It’s Funded by Israel (Drop Site)

“[W]hether the regime of transit passage under article 38 UNCLOS applies to the strait of Hormuz is a contentious issue especially for the current situation, since Iran, Israel and the US are not parties to the UNCLOS”: