NPR News: 05-05-2026 11AM EDT

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth briefed on operations in the Strait of Hormuz, while Ukraine announced a short truce amid ongoing strikes against Russia. Other updates covered Iranian attacks on the UAE, a Supreme Court order on abortion medication, risks to the US electrical grid from AI data centers, a Secret Service shooting, and the Met Gala. These reports from NPR News Now capture a range of global and domestic developments.

Strait of Hormuz and UAE-Iran Clashes

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that US forces have cleared a safe passage for tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil shipping. This operation targets Iranian boats that have attacked ships there; US forces destroyed some of those boats. Hegseth emphasized that these actions remain separate from the ceasefire with Iran and do not cross the threshold for resuming major combat operations. He expressed hope that allies including South Korea, Japan, Australia, and European nations would increase their involvement but noted the US is proceeding independently to create conditions for a handover.