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."
Authorities in Oman issued an alert Saturday, warning vessels to exercise caution after an "object suspected to be a floating mine" was spotted in the Strait of Hormuz.
The object was reported in the Inshore Traffic Zone within Omani territorial waters, Oman's Maritime Security Center said in a post on X.
It is unclear if the suspected object had been recovered.
"All maritime users are advised to keep a safe distance from any suspicious objects and report them immediately to the relevant authorities," the post said.
A post from Oman's Ministry of Defense said "to exercise the utmost caution and vigilance while navigating, following the detection of a floating object suspected to be a sea mine west of the coastal traffic area."
-ABC News' Othon Leyva
Hamas called on several countries represented in the Peace Council to speak out against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comment that Israel now controls 60% of the Gaza Strip.
"We strongly condemn the complete silence of the so-called Peace Council and its Executive Director, Mladenov, regarding the dangerous statements issued by the occupation government concerning its intention to take control of 70% of the Gaza Strip and continue pursuing plans of displacement," Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement.
"Ignoring these aggressive statements and failing to condemn the occupation's expansionist policies and forced displacement plans raises serious questions about the extent of the sponsoring parties' commitment to holding the occupation accountable to its obligations and putting an end to its ongoing violations and breaches," Qassem added.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called talks with Iran “productive,” but signaled the possibility of the U.S. taking military action if needed.
Referring to President Donald Trump, Hegseth said, know he means it when he looks in the camera in the Cabinet Room and said they can either do this now through a deal, and we think we're in a good place to make that deal, or they can deal with the War Department.
“We are prepared, we're postured even stronger today than we were on day one to address it that way if we have to, but he prefers not to,” Hegseth said, speaking to reporters toward the end of his trip to Singapore. “So Iran knows very, very clearly what our expectations are, and that's on the negotiating team to deliver. They're coming in our direction. The talks have been productive. I think they know where it needs to go.”
The secretary also said “the Strait of Hormuz came up relatively often” during conversations with leaders and that “the blockade is very much still in place.”
-ABC News' Brittany Gaddy
Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said on X Saturday morning that U.S. President Donald Trump is "betraying diplomacy."
"As predicted, the President of the United States is betraying diplomacy for the third time," Rezaei said. "By continuing the naval blockade and making excessive demands in negotiations, he has once again proven that he is not inclined toward negotiation and is pursuing other objectives."
-ABC News' Rashid Haddou
