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

Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, released a brief video update Thursday evening, repeating President Donald Trump’s announcement earlier this week that U.S. forces have cleared Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz

"We have successfully cleared sea mines in the strait’s international shipping lanes, which were laid months ago," Cooper said in the video posted on social media.

Neither Trump nor Cooper specified how extensively Iran had mined the waterway.

Cooper said the mines were cleared through a combination of Navy divers, Navy SEALs and air power.

Cooper also said U.S. forces have overseen the safe passage of 1,500 commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, carrying a combined 750 million barrels of crude oil.

"Thousands of U.S. service members operating more than 20 warships and hundreds of aircraft have sustained our success, turning around 75 vessels attempting to run the blockade and disabling three vessels which did not comply when directed," Cooper said.

-ABC News' Steve Beynon

As the war in Iran reaches its six-month mark on Friday, President Donald Trump is digging into his argument that Iran is "failing" and "begging" the U.S. to make a deal.

"I don’t want to meet, they do. In fact, they are begging to make a deal," Trump said in a social media post, something he has repeatedly claimed over the course of the conflict.

"Iran Is a Failing Nation!" he added in a subsequent post.

Outgoing Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized Thursday morning that there are currently no talks happening with Iran. Trump said in a phone interview on Wednesday that he is "not in a hurry" to resume negotiations.

-ABC News' Emily Chang

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News and NewsNation on Thursday morning that the administration remains focused on upping the economic pressure on Iran.

"They are in a devastating place. Inflation is over 100%. They can't pay their police. They can't pay their military. They're in a very vacant position already," Leavitt said of the government in Tehran.

President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are "continuing to pull every economic lever," Leavitt said.

Leavitt noted that there are no negotiations currently happening and added that the president still retains "all options."

"The naval blockade continues to be in effect as well, which has proven hugely successful," she said.

"No negotiations are happening right now, and this will continue until the president feels that maybe they come to the table in a meaningful way. We have not seen that yet, but of course, that's at the discretion of the president as commander in chief," Leavitt said.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre on Thursday said it received a report of a tanker being attacked in the Strait of Hormuz.

The ship was "hit by an unknown projectile causing fire to the vessel which has since been extinguished," the UKMTO said in its alert.

There were no reported casualties or environmental damage, the UKMTO said.

-ABC News' Will Gretsky