President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.
Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations are concluded "one way or the other."
Iran announced a new system in its effort to "formalize" the mechanisms to allow traffic to go through the Strait of Hormuz, calling it the "Persian Gulf Strait Authority."
-ABC News' Desiree Adib
There are three U.S. Navy destroyers inside the Persian Gulf, west of the Strait of Hormuz, as part of the “Project Freedom” defensive shield, according to two U.S. officials.
This includes a multiple layered system of ships, aircraft, and air defense systems to protect any commercial ships seeking to transit the Strait, according to officials.
The three destroyers are the USS Truxtun, USS Mason, and the USS Rafael Peralta, according to the officials.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a new warning to all vessels intending to transit in the strait, saying "the only safe route to pass through the Strait of Hormuz is the corridor previously announced by Iran," in a statement Tuesday.
"The diversion of vessels to other routes is unsafe and will face a decisive response from the IRGC Navy," the IRGC said.
President Donald Trump suggested that Iran hasn’t yet violated the ceasefire despite firing shots in the Strait of Hormuz, saying “I’ll let you know” when it is breached.
"They didn't shoot the ships that were guarded by us," Trump said during an Oval Office event on Tuesday.
"The blockade has been amazing. It's like a piece of steel. Nobody is going to challenge a blockade," Trump said.
-ABC News' Emily Chang and Isabella Murray
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the U.S. is "locked and loaded" in the Strait of Hormuz as it moves to open up the waterway.
"We prefer this to be a peaceful operation, but are locked and loaded to defend our people, our ships, our aircraft, and this mission without hesitation," Hegseth said during a press conference at the Pentagon Tuesday.
Hegseth warned Iran, telling it to "let innocent ships pass freely."
American ships are "shouldering the initial risk from the front" in its efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth said Tuesday.
"We're not looking for a fight. But Iran also cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway," Hegseth said.
