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President Donald Trump said Thursday night that negotiations with Iran are ongoing, even after a confrontation earlier in the day near the Strait of Hormuz.

He also revealed that Pakistan had urged the United States to hold off on moving forward with his proposed “Project Freedom,” which would involve escorting ships through the strait, while diplomatic discussions are still underway.

“We’re negotiating with the Iranians. We have, you probably heard, we took our three destroyers and we rammed them through some pretty big stuff today, and we knocked the hell out of them,” Trump said, describing the exchange of fire with Iranian forces.

President Trump on Iran:

"We're negotiating with the Iranians.

We took our three destroyers and we rammed them through some pretty big stuff today and we knocked the hell out of them. The destroyers weren't hurt in any way.

The people weren't hurt but they were firing at us… pic.twitter.com/ZMZHn6M1bV

— World Source News (@Worldsource24) May 8, 2026

He added that American vessels and personnel were unharmed despite the incident. “The destroyers weren’t hurt in any way. The people weren’t hurt, but they were firing at us, and we were firing back at them. And our firepower was a hell of a lot stronger than theirs, and they knocked the hell out of them,” he said.

Addressing a proposed agreement to resolve tensions with Iran, Trump said the plan goes far beyond a simple, short document.

“Well, it’s more than a one-page offer. It’s an offer that basically said they will not have nuclear weapons, they are going to hand us the nuclear dust and many other things that we want,” Trump told reporters.

When asked whether Tehran has formally accepted the terms, Trump expressed skepticism about the reliability of any such agreement. “They have agreed. When they agree it doesn’t mean much because the next day they forgot they agreed.”

He noted that shifting leadership within Iran complicates the process. “And you know, we’re dealing with different sets of leaders,” Trump added.

Trump reiterated that the United States will not permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons. “We’re not going to give them the right to have a nuclear weapon, there’s zero chance, and they know that, and they’ve agreed to that. Let’s see if they are willing to sign it.”

Earlier in the day, a senior U.S. official told Fox News that American forces carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas.

The official emphasized that the actions were not intended as the start of a broader conflict.

A later update from another U.S. official indicated that additional strikes targeted Iran’s Bandar Kargan naval checkpoint in Minab.

Iranian media, however, offered a different account. The Tasnim news agency reported that Iran’s navy launched missile and drone attacks against three U.S. destroyers operating near the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the Iranian military’s Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters accused the United States of breaching the ceasefire by targeting Iranian ships.

“We will respond to any attack with force and without any hesitation,” the statement read.

Despite the flare-up, Trump downplayed the significance of the U.S. response in remarks to ABC News, calling the strikes a “love tap.”

Asked whether the ceasefire had collapsed, Trump insisted that it remains in place. “No, no, the ceasefire is going. It’s in effect.”

In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump warned Iran that failure to finalize an agreement could lead to stronger action, writing that “we’ll knock them out a lot harder, and a lot more violently, in the future, if they don’t get their Deal signed, FAST!”

Earlier in the week, Trump announced that Project Freedom would be paused to give diplomacy a chance, just two days after unveiling the initiative to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

On Wednesday, he issued a public warning to Iran, writing on Truth Social, “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.”

He added that failure to comply would trigger renewed military action: “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.”

Later, speaking at the White House, Trump said recent discussions with Iranian officials have been encouraging, while emphasizing their desire to reach an agreement.

“They want to make a deal badly. And we’ll see if we get there. If we get there, they can’t have nuclear weapons. It’s very simple,” Trump stated.

Sen. John Fetterman is rejecting suggestions that he is breaking with the Democratic Party, insisting he remains committed even as his positions continue to draw backlash from progressives over issues like border enforcement, cooperation with Republicans, and his strong backing of Israel.

In an opinion column published Thursday in The Washington Post, Fetterman addressed the criticism head-on, arguing that his principles have remained consistent despite claims that he has shifted politically. The Pennsylvania senator said his willingness to collaborate across party lines and occasionally align with the Trump administration has fueled misplaced concerns.

“Being an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians might put me at odds with the party that I have stayed committed to and have no plans to leave — but I will continue to put the commonwealth and the country first,” Fetterman wrote. “Plus, I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.”

The essay, titled “John Fetterman: I haven’t changed. Here’s what has,” was framed as a direct rebuttal to growing talk that he is distancing himself from Democrats as the party moves further left, particularly on immigration and support for Israel.

Fetterman maintained that many of the stances drawing criticism today were once widely accepted within the party.

“My values have not changed, and I have always turned to those kinds of ideals that defined being a Democrat,” he wrote. “I refuse to cave on my conscience because Pennsylvania deserves someone who is honest and can work across the aisle.”

Reflecting on his early political career as mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, Fetterman said his focus was always on delivering tangible help to working-class residents, not engaging in partisan maneuvering.

“I wasn’t interested in playing political games. I wanted to help deliver change,” Fetterman wrote, adding that he still believes government should focus on results instead of ideological warfare.

He also criticized what he described as a reflexive tendency among Democrats to oppose President Donald Trump on nearly every issue.

“My party cannot simply be the opposite of whatever President Donald Trump says,” he wrote. “The president could come out for ice cream and lazy Sundays, and my party would suddenly hate them.”

Fetterman defended his stance on immigration, including support for stricter enforcement measures aimed at curbing illegal crossings and deporting violent offenders.

“I strongly believe that someone who comes here illegally and commits a violent crime should be deported. Full stop,” he wrote.

He further justified his votes to avert government shutdowns, arguing that Democrats should not have allowed federal workers or national security operations to be jeopardized over political disputes.

On international matters, Fetterman reiterated his firm support for Israel and voiced approval for efforts targeting Iran and its allied terror organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

“These once-common views have become increasingly toxic in the Democratic Party,” he wrote, blaming “the fringe and agitated parts of our base.”

Despite the pushback he has faced, Fetterman emphasized that he continues to back core liberal priorities, stating that he remains “strongly pro-choice, pro-weed, pro-LGBT, pro-SNAP, pro-labor.”

He also pointed to his bipartisan efforts with Republican colleagues on issues such as infrastructure, mental health services, and nutrition assistance, arguing that constituents expect practical solutions rather than ongoing political conflict.

{Matzav.com}

A political storm is brewing after comments attributed to Ateres Shlomo Rosh Yeshiva Hagaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, with a sitting member of Knesset calling for financial repercussions against the yeshiva he leads.

MK Vladimir Beliak of the Yesh Atid party sent an urgent letter on Thursday to Tax Authority Director Attorney Shay Aharonovitch, urging him to revoke the Section 46 tax-deductible status granted to donations made to Yeshiva Ateres Shlomo in Eretz Yisroel.

The request follows sharp remarks made by the rosh yeshiva, Hagaon Rav Chaim Feinstein, during a recent gathering of roshei yeshiva and rabbonim in the south addressing the issue of drafting bnei yeshiva into chareidi army frameworks.

In his letter, Beliak pointed to statements attributed to Rav Feinstein and cited in Channel 12 News, in which the rosh yeshiva said: “We must understand what we are facing — this is a terrible war, the enemy is not playing games.”

Earlier this week, a major gathering of roshei yeshiva and rabbonim from southern communities took place, at which Rav Feinstein delivered a powerful and uncompromising address warning of the dangers posed by enlistment initiatives targeting the chareidi public. His words generated significant reaction and were widely reported across the general media.

Letters of support for the gathering were also sent by leading gedolei Yisroel, including HaGaon Rav Dov Landau, HaGaon Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman and HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch.

Senior figures within the chareidi political parties strongly pushed back against the move, declaring: “The attempt to use economic terrorism to silence the cry of Torah emanating from the mouths of gedolei Torah will not succeed. These are Soviet-style tactics imported from the exile, and the gedolei Yisroel will continue to proclaim the daas Torah clearly and without fear.” They added that there had even been “a disgraceful attempt to silence voices” by inserting a provision into proposed draft legislation that would make a yeshiva’s eligibility for arrangements contingent on preventing roshei yeshiva from speaking out against the draft.

{Matzav.com}