Quill Lawrence

The Trump administration says the U.S.

is at war with narcotraffickers and that these strikes save American lives.

It's not clear how the strategy has affected the flow of cocaine, but a majority of overdose deaths in the U.S.

are from fentanyl, which is mostly smuggled by land from Mexico.

Many legal experts say these strikes amount to execution without trial or simply murder.

And some allies in South America and Europe have stopped sharing some intelligence with the U.S.

military as a result.

Quill Lawrence, NPR News.

President Trump didn't say much that was new, repeating that Iran's military has been destroyed and promising more bombing to come.

The president said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz was not America's problem, but should be dealt with by other countries that rely on it more heavily.

Iran's closure of the strait has driven up the price of oil worldwide, and it's not clear any other country besides the U.S.

could open it by force.

Trump did not suggest a major ground operation is imminent, despite thousands of additional troops in or en route to the region.

Quill Lawrence, NPR News.

Hegseth visited troops over the weekend.

He said morale was high and the U.S.

is rapidly building bunkers to protect troops and aircraft from Iranian strikes.

Hegseth echoed President Trump's claim that Iran's new leadership is now more moderate.

Many Iran experts believe it's more hardline.

Hegseth said opening the Strait of Hormuz and rocketing worldwide oil prices are not America's problem.