Iran live updates: As war nears 6 months, Trump continues to say Iran is 'failing'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters during a visit to a defense contractor in Wisconsin on Monday that the nearly nine-month deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Middle East had been "tough."

Several family members of those aboard the Lincoln have spoken out in recent days, suggesting that President Donald Trump's administration was downplaying the difficult conditions aboard the aircraft carrier, which is now heading back to the U.S. after more than 270 days at sea.

"To the sailors and families of the Lincoln, I say, 'Godspeed on a historic mission. Congratulations. You're on your way home. You've done epic things to secure the American people,'" Hegseth said.

"It's been a tough deployment. They haven't had as much port business as anyone would like. It's been longer than most, but they've done incredible things -- in the harshest of environments against an enemy, a determined enemy -- that will change the course of history for American security," Hegseth said.

Hegseth said he looks forward to greeting the sailors when they return home. He did not respond to my question about whether he's concerned about similar conditions on other carriers which are also currently deployed.

Pressed on the status of the ongoing conflict, Hegseth expressed confidence that the U.S. can outlast Iran in the standoff over the Strait of Hormuz. "We know that Iran can't handle it ultimately," he said. "They also know we control the Strait of Hormuz."

Trump's plan to increase economic pressure on Tehran means that the "only real choice they have is to come to the table and talk about their nuclear program," Hegseth said.

Asked if U.S. strikes were now paused, Hegseth replied, "If we need to use kinetic strikes we'll use them."

"We'll do what we need to do," Hegseth added. "Economic pressure is what we know hurts them the most."

Hegseth also denied that the U.S. is facing a munitions shortage, despite external analysis pointing toward a critical shortfall of munitions which take years to replace. "We had plenty when we needed it, we have plenty now and we'll have plenty when we'll need them in the future," he said.

-ABC News' Mariam Khan and Steve Beynon

A tanker was struck by an "unknown projectile" off the coast of Oman, according to UK Marine Trade Operations.

The projectile damaged the engine room, disabling the vessel, UKMTO said. All crew were reported safe, it said.

"Environmental impact is unknown at time of report," UKMTO said on social media. "Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO. Authorities are investigating."

The State Department said it has concurrently sanctioned entities targeted under the Treasury Department's actions announced earlier Monday.

"Today, the Department of State is sanctioning numerous entities, individuals, and vessels to further expose individuals and entities that enabled strikes against U.S. forces and allies and to restrict the revenue that the Iranian regime uses to attack its neighbors, support terrorism abroad, brutally oppress its own people, and hold the global economy hostage," the State Department said in a press release.

The sanctions target entities that enable Iran's military procurements and cyber operations and engage in the "illicit trade of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products," the State Department said.

The Treasury Department said Monday that the Trump administration is expanding "secondary sanctions exposure for those who continue doing business with the Iranian regime and will accelerate the pace of U.S. enforcement."

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U.S. Treasury unveils new sanctions on entities that do business with IranTreasury secretary Scott Bessent announced secondary sanctions on entities and countries that maintain business ties with Iran.

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "the reason we are able to use secondary sanctions is because we do not take their use lightly -- so we believe that a warning shot and a level set of expectations is appropriate."

"Every country, every entity should know that they should be prepared to face U.S. sanctions," Bessent said in remarks on Monday. "And no one is above this -- we are going to hold everyone accountable. And this is the economic asphyxiation of this regime."

The Treasury Department said in a statement that "every country will be given a defined timeline to shut down the Iran-related activity we have identified," and if the country fails to act, "Treasury will act."

Bessent in a statement compared these actions with D-Day from WWII, saying, “in that same spirit, we are launching an economic onslaught against Iran’s financial connections around the globe.” Bessent said the goal is to “sever every economic lifeline” that sustains Iran.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart