Iran latest: US fires missile at cargo ship for trying to breach Iranian port blockade

The fate of Iran peace negotiations remains unknown as President Donald Trump has yet to announce publicly if the United States will agree to the current ceasefire deal on the table.

Heading into the weekend, the president indicated he wanted to make the "final determination" on the proposal that has been weeks in the making and would be expected to allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen fully. With traffic through the strait slowed to a trickle, the U.S. blockade of Iranian shores remains in effect and, on Saturday, stopped another ship trying to run it.

A missile was fired into the engine room of a Gambia-flagged cargo ship after its crew ignored more than 20 warnings by American forces, U.S. Central Command confirmed. It is the sixth ship trying to breach the blockade that was stopped by the U.S., while another 116 have been redirected.

Ship attempts to breach US blockade of Iranian ports

The U.S. military has stopped another merchant vessel from trying to break through the American blockade of Iranian ports, U.S. officials reported that to the Associated press today. LiveNOW's Austin Westfall brings retired marine intelligence officer Hal Kempfer into the conversation to discuss. 

The current ceasefire has been in effect since April 7 and the deal being considered would extend that 60 days while the U.S. and Iran work to reach an accord on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. 

READ MORE: US launches 'self-defense strikes' in southern Iran as peace negotiations continue

Trump has repeatedly stated that Iran must give up its program and vowed that the country will never have a nuclear weapon or bomb, as Iran’s top negotiator claimed the U.S. and Israel have twice attacked his nation in the past year during nuclear talks.

A U.S. Sailor stands aft lookout watch while an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 83, prepares to land aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) while sailing in the Arabian Sea, May 26, 2026. US

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Here is the latest:

What's in the deal to end the war? 

In the 12 weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched the war with attacks that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials, Tehran has insisted that any deal focus on ending the fighting on all fronts. That includes Lebanon, where the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group has been fighting Israel since two days into the war.

A more permanent truce would allow for global shipping, including an estimated 20% of the world's oil, to begin flowing through the strait again. It also would allow the rebuilding of energy and other infrastructure in the region.

The draft deal also includes an end to the war between Israel and Hezbollah, officials told The Associated Press, as well as a commitment to not interfere in the domestic affairs of countries in the region. That’s a reference to Iran’s support for proxies, including Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hamas militants in Gaza and Shiite armed groups in Iraq.

Trump weighs Iran deal that would kickstart nuclear talks

President Donald Trump said Friday he was heading to the White House's Situation Room to make a "final determination" on the next steps involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. The meeting on Iran concluded Friday after approximately two hours, according to a White House official, with no formal announcement made. Edmund Fitton-Brown with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies joins LiveNOW to discuss.

The U.S. wants Israel to have a free hand to respond to what they view as threats in Lebanon, while Iran rejects it, one regional official said. The U.S. official said the deal would guarantee Israel’s right to act against imminent threats in self-defense.

Under the emerging agreement, the strait would gradually reopen. The memorandum makes clear that Iran will not be able to impose tolls on the strait and it will have to remove all mines from the waterway within 30 days, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. would allow Iran to sell its oil through sanctions waivers, said one of the regional officials, who has been briefed on the negotiations. Sanctions relief and the release of billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds would be negotiated during a 60-day period, the official said.

Tehran would also agree to give up its stockpile of enriched uranium, according to the regional officials. One official, with direct knowledge of the negotiations, said how Iran would give it up would be subject to further talks over the 60-day period. Some would likely be diluted and the rest transferred to a third country, the official said. Russia has offered to take it.