Trump calls Strait of Hormuz 'something that we don't need'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a team is on its way to the Gulf to "help protect lives and stabilize the situation," he said in a recorded message on X.

"No one in the world can yet say how long all of this will last, but it is important that the protection of life starts working effectively as soon as possible. Stability is important for us as well."

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is the most experienced when it comes to defending itself against drone attacks and without its help, it would be very difficult for its allies to "build strong protection."

"Those now seeking Ukraine’s help must continue to assist our own defense – first and foremost, our air defense. Last year we already proposed a drone agreement to the United States. This is the right way forward: to partner with us in the production and use of drones, and everyone now sees that there is no alternative to this approach," Zelenskyy said.

Tehran is not seeking a ceasefire and "the aggressor must be punished," Speaker of Iran's parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tuesday.

Ghalibaf said that the Islamic Republic will break Israel's "vicious cycle of war, negotiations, ceasefire, then war again," in a post on X.

Israel claims it "dismantled" several targets in western province of Ilam Province, saying they were linked to Iranian security forces and involved in the brutal crackdown of protesters earlier this year, as the IDF said in a statement Tuesday.

Infrastructure for Iran's Internal Security Forces, Basij forces and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was destroyed in Ilam province, the IDF said, adding that they were locations where forces "carried out many terror attacks and brutally repressed internal protests during demonstrations that took place across Iran in the December–January period."

However, Iranian news outlets have reported attacks on “residential buildings” and also some attacks on IRGC-related facilities in Ilam Province over the past few days.

President Donald Trump based his assessment of an imminent Iranian attack on the U.S. on intelligence he had received, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday.

"Iran chose this path" and Trump "was not going to sit back" and allow this to happen, Leavitt said.