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The US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, appears this Thursday, April 30, before the Senate, where he once again defended the request for a budget of 1.5 trillion dollars for 2027 in defense spending. In addition, he once again attacked Democrats and some Republicans who question the war against Iran as costly and failing to achieve objectives. Previously, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei declared that the place of the Americans in the Persian Gulf is "the bottom of its waters," while President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that the US naval blockade of its ports is "doomed to failure" and violates international law.

The essentials:

Below are the most relevant news of the day on April 30 related to the conflict situation in the Middle East:

Hegseth maintains that the historic increase in the defense budget is necessary

Hegseth tells senators that the Pentagon needs the $1.5 trillion proposed by Donald Trump's Administration, which would represent a historic increase in defense spending and would raise the Pentagon's budget by more than 40% over the previous year.

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., questioned whether such an increase was really necessary, telling Hegseth that "some of these things we either don't need or they're not going to work."

But Hegseth countered: "The budget reflects the realities of the world we live in and the capabilities we are going to need," he said.

Iran will participate in the World Cup and will play in the United States: FIFA President Gianni Infantino

Hegseth denies investing in defense companies before starting war against Iran

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth angrily responded to questions from Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren about whether he had invested in any defense manufacturers shortly before the war with Iran. "I'm telling you flat out: no," Hegseth responded.

Still, Warren pressed him to explain what limits have been put in place at the Pentagon to prevent defense officials from benefiting from their knowledge of planned military actions.

"I'm not looking for money. I'm not doing it for money (...) I'm not doing it for profit. I'm not doing it for the stock. And that's part of the reason why I can be effective in this job. Because no one controls me," Hegseth said.

Hegseth states that the legal period of 60 days for war is suspended due to the ceasefire

The Trump Administration faces the 60-day deadline for war with Iran established by the War Powers Act of 1973. The regulations require Congress to declare war or authorize the use of force, although it provides that presidents can have a 30-day extension to reduce hostilities if they notify Congress.

The 60-day limit for war against Iran will be reached on Friday, May 1. However, Hegseth assured senators: "Right now we are in a ceasefire, which in our understanding means that the 60-day clock is paused or stopped during a ceasefire."

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine responded, "I don't think the law supports that," adding that he had "serious constitutional concerns."

Top defense official confirms Russian involvement in Iran war

Gen. Dan Caine of the Joint Chiefs of Staff assured senators that Russian President Vladimir Putin has helped Iran's war effort.

However, he declined to go into details, citing the public nature of the hearing, but stated that "there is definitely some action there."

The committee's chairman, Republican Senator Roger Wicker, agreed, saying: "There is no doubt that Vladimir Putin's Russia is taking serious steps to undermine our efforts to achieve success in Iran."

"I tell the people of Iran that the time for freedom is near," senator questions Hegseth as an unfulfilled promise regarding the war

"I am not going to talk about the nature of the metrics that are classified (...) Our military objectives have been profoundly successful, they are incapable of rebuilding their defense capabilities (...) The objective is for Iran not to obtain a nuclear weapon, they came close before due to the bad Administrations of the past," Hegseth responds.

"That is rhetorical and not factual," replies the senator.

Lawmaker questions Hegseth for firing then-Chief of Staff Randy George

"Of the two dozen officers he has fired without having to do with their performance, 60% are black or women," says the senator.

"We base our decisions solely on merit and will continue to do so," Hegseth responds.

"I'm not talking about the nature of the firing," Hegseth continued after the lawmaker insisted that he give the reasons why he fired Randy George.

Hegseth and Trump have 'recklessly' led US into war with Iran: Senator Jack Reed

Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, pulled no punches in his opening remarks directed at Pete Hegseth. Hegseth and Trump have "recklessly" led the United States into war against Iran, he said.

The lawmaker argued that the war has left the US in a worse strategic position than when it began, with the Strait of Hormuz closed and 13 US service members dead. Many others have been injured and equipment has been destroyed, he added. "American families are paying the cost of a war they wanted nothing to do with and from which they have gained nothing," he continued.

Reed then asserted that Hegseth's statements about the war are "dangerously exaggerated," since the Iranian regime and its military and nuclear capabilities remain intact. "Mr. Secretary, I am concerned that you have been telling the president what he wants to hear instead of what he needs to hear," he told Hegseth.

Hegseth has often made "dangerous statements that are counterproductive to the mission," Reed added, including "orders that would constitute war crimes."

"We will maintain our decisive advantage and doing this depends on our partnership": Dan Caine

"Budget 2027 seeks to supercharge defense industry and secure military advantage": Dan Caine

"Our successes are not guaranteed by the past, we must look to the future"

"Today I hope to discuss how we can maintain the American military advantage (...) We are facing dangerous times that are escalating": Dan Caine

"Our forces demonstrated the ability to synchronize actions from the sea and even space": Dan Caine before the Senate

"The biggest adversary we face is the defeatist words of Democrats and some Republicans": Hegseth

“As I said yesterday, and I repeat today, the greatest adversary we face right now are the reckless naysayers and defeatist words of congressional Democrats and some Republicans,” Hegseth declared in his opening statement to the Senate committee.

"They seek to undermine the incredible efforts that have been undertaken and the courage that no other president has had," he added.

Defending Donald Trump's budget request, Hegseth asserted that the president "inherited a defense industrial base weakened for years by policies that prioritized the well-being of the United States over that of the rest, resulting in a diminished ability to project strength."

Similar to his remarks Wednesday before a House committee, Gen. Dan Caine said his duty as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is “to ensure that our civilian leadership has the full range of military options and associated risks necessary to make the nation's most difficult and complex decisions.”

Committee president denounces the “axis of aggressors” in Hegseth's appearance

In his opening remarks, Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi described threats to the United States that he says constitute a “growing alliance” between China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, saying the current moment represents “the most dangerous security environment since World War II.”

Wicker noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping leads a “growing alliance” between these countries and that they share the goal of “opposing the interests of the United States and those of other like-minded democratic countries around the world.”

“The ties between these four dictatorships have never been closer,” Wicker declared. “These four dictatorships support each other in their aggressive actions.”

Hegseth begins new appearance before the US Congress over the war in Iran

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces another day of interrogations at the Capitol this Thursday, April 30. Now, senators will have their first opportunity to confront or praise the Pentagon chief for his handling of the war against Iran.

The day before, Hegseth faced Democrats — and some Republicans — during a nearly six-hour hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, where he was subjected to tough questioning about the cost of the war in dollars, human lives and dwindling stockpiles of critical weapons.

The House Armed Services Committee will hear a similar presentation on the Donald Trump Administration's 2027 military budget proposal, which would raise defense spending to a historic $1.5 trillion. Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine will again emphasize the need for more drones, missile defense systems and warships.

Trump criticizes the German chancellor and asks him to stop interfering in the US and Israel's war against Iran

US President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday, saying he should focus on trying to end the war between Russia and Ukraine and spend less time interfering in efforts to address the Iranian nuclear threat.

"Germany's chancellor should spend more time ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (where he has been totally ineffective!) and solving his country's problems, especially immigration and energy, and less time interfering with those who are eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat, thus making the world, including Germany, a safer place!" the American wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Iranian president affirms that Tehran is willing to resume diplomatic channels once Washington changes its actions

This was stated by the president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, to the Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, according to the semi-official Mehr News agency.

Oil rises to highest level in four years on threat of prolonged Hormuz closure

"Insecurity in the Gulf is caused by the US and Israel": Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian

"American piracy against Iranian ships must be stopped and condemned," added the Iranian president in a conversation with the Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, quoted by the semi-official Mehr News agency.

With EFE, AFP, AP, Reuters and local media

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