President Trump holds Camp David meeting on Iran
By Easton Martin | July 31, 2026
Military operations between the United States and Iran continue as President Donald Trump indicated a loss of confidence in reaching a negotiated settlement.
During a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday, President Trump stated that five months into the conflict, the U.S. military has significantly reduced Iran’s military capacity. He noted that negotiations were disrupted overnight Thursday when Iranian forces launched five ballistic missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan. U.S. air defense systems intercepted all five incoming missiles.
The missile strike followed earlier engagements in Iraq, where combined U.S. and Saudi air operations targeted bases used by pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi militants. In response to those strikes, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered military forces to maximum alertness and prioritized immediate upgrades to national air defense and early detection systems.
Maritime transport remains suspended through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced Friday that transit through the waterway is not possible due to military activity. The statement followed claims by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that it struck two non-compliant oil tankers navigating under U.S. aerial escort, forcing four other vessels to turn back. U.S. Central Command reported it had redirected 24 commercial vessels as part of its ongoing blockade of Iranian ports.
Federal authorities are also investigating a cyberattack that disrupted operations at water utilities across at least seven states, forcing some systems to switch to manual management.
