NPR News: 05-05-2026 2PM EDT

The latest NPR News Now roundup covers ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, high oil prices, a hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, a Department of Justice subpoena related to the 2020 election, and lighter notes on Cinco de Mayo celebrations and the decline of British pubs.

Strait of Hormuz Operations and Oil Market Pressures

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth clarified that U.S. efforts to secure safe passage for tankers through the Strait of Hormuz constitute a separate operation from the ceasefire with Iran. At a briefing, he stated U.S. forces have opened the strait despite Iranian boat attacks on ships, which the U.S. has countered by destroying those boats. Hegseth emphasized this does not cross the threshold to restart major combat operations or end the ceasefire, which could otherwise require congressional approval for continued war efforts. He expressed hope that allies like South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Europe would step up to take over, but the U.S. is proceeding independently to set conditions for handover. Iran's state broadcaster countered by claiming intensified control of the strait.