Trump confirmed to Axios in a phone interview that he had rejected Iran's latest proposal - the staged plan to reopen Hormuz for a blockade lift while deferring nuclear talks. His statement was unambiguous: "The blockade is somewhat more effective than the bombing. They are choking like a stuffed pig. And it is going to be worse for them. They can't have a nuclear weapon." He added he would "not lift a naval blockade of Iran's ports until he secures a deal with Tehran to address the country's nuclear program." On Truth Social, Trump posted a mocked-up image of himself holding a gun with the caption warning Iran to "better get smart soon." White House officials confirmed discussions from Tuesday's oil exec meeting - "steps we could take to continue the current blockade for months if needed and minimize impact on American consumers." Topics at the oil exec meeting had included Chevron, Trafigura, Vitol, and Mercuria on domestic production, Venezuela, oil futures, natural gas, and shipping. CNN sources said Pakistan expected to receive a revised Iranian proposal by Friday - the process was "ongoing and fluid." The Wall Street Journal reported the US had begun formal requests for allies including the UAE and NATO members to join a new international maritime force to forcibly reopen Hormuz. US average gasoline stood at $4.23/gallon per AAA - highest since 2022, creating growing midterm election pressure. Iran's oil minister separately urged Iranians to cut domestic energy consumption, a tacit acknowledgment of supply pressure.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before the House Armed Services Committee for the first time since the Iran war began - the most politically charged congressional session of the conflict. Hegseth called Democratic opposition lawmakers "the biggest adversary," sparking immediate outrage. When Democratic Rep. Houlahan asked how many more months and billions the war would require, Hegseth refused: "The US military would never tip its hand to an adversary about how long it would be committed to the mission." Rep. Adam Smith asked: "What is the plan to actually turn all this lethal kinetic action into an improvement in the nuclear situation?" Hegseth deflected by attacking the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. When Rep. Khanna asked about the elementary school strike in Iran in the war's early days, Hegseth said it was "under investigation" as an "unfortunate situation." Rep. Ryan grilled Hegseth on the Kuwait drone attack in which six Army Reserve soldiers were killed at a makeshift operations center at Shuaiba port on March 1 - CBS News survivors told them "there was not proper air defense at the position despite requests." Hegseth said he "did every conceivable thing" to protect troops. Ryan accused him of downplaying the deaths and called for his resignation. Hegseth refused to deny he fired Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George via text when pressed by Rep. Houlahan, saying he "wouldn't talk about it out of respect." Garamendi accused Hegseth and Trump of "lying to the American public about this war from day one." Hegseth snapped back: "Shame on you for staining the troops." Acting Undersecretary Hurst confirmed most war spending had been on munitions and pledged a supplemental budget request once a full assessment was complete. The White House was seeking $1.5 trillion for fiscal year 2027 defence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with President Trump, discussing the Iran war. Kremlin presidential adviser Yuri Ushakov briefed journalists after the call: Putin had told Trump that a ground operation on Iranian territory would be "completely unacceptable and dangerous." The Kremlin stressed the "dire consequences" of any resumption of large-scale military action against Iran, framing Russia's opposition in terms of broader Eurasian stability and the threat to "peoples of the region." The call came one day after Putin had met Araghchi in St. Petersburg and pledged full Russian solidarity with Iran. Trump's public response was surprisingly mild - he told reporters at one point: "I've known him a long time. I think he was ready to make a deal a while ago. I think some people made it difficult for him to make a deal." This comment appeared to be a subtle suggestion that Putin had been willing to pressure Iran toward a nuclear deal but that IRGC hardliners blocked it - consistent with the Vahidi assessment. The Putin warning on ground operations was credible: Russia has military assets in Syria and Iran, and a US ground invasion of Iran would fundamentally alter the geopolitical balance of power in the Middle East in ways Russia considers unacceptable.

Israeli forces conducted two successive airstrikes on a building in southern Lebanon. The second strike specifically targeted first responders who had arrived to assist victims of the first blast - a tactic described as a "double-tap" strike that is specifically prohibited under international humanitarian law when civilian rescue workers are targeted. The Lebanese Health Ministry confirmed five fatalities: three were recognised civil defense rescue workers responding to the first strike, and two additional civilians. The strikes prompted fresh international condemnation and accusations of ceasefire violations - the three-week extension announced on April 23 was nominally still in effect. The IDF did not immediately comment on the rescue worker deaths. Hezbollah continued drone operations targeting IDF troops along the Yellow Line security zone; Israel continued to characterise its strikes as responses to Hezbollah ceasefire violations and active threats. The double-tap confirmation was the second time in the conflict that rescue workers had been deliberately targeted - the first being the obstruction of Amal Khalil's rescue on April 22 (Day 55).