ABC News

The Pentagon is zeroing in on mine-laying vessels that are helping Iran keep a stranglehold over the Strait of Hormuz, military leaders said Thursday, as markets continue to feel pain from the waterway's closure. abcnews.link/n3IFUTv

One of the founders of a company that makes high-performance computer servers used for AI conspired to divert billions of dollars' worth of that equipment to China, in violation of U.S. export controls, federal prosecutors in New York said Thursday. abcnews.link/HJ1nVNa

Dolores Huerta, the iconic civil rights leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers, said she decided to speak out to support other women who have come forward after a New York Times report revealed accusations of sexual assault against Cesar Chávez. abcnews.link/FApwl6n

Afroman celebrated his legal victory in a video this week after winning a defamation lawsuit filed by several Ohio sheriff's deputies who accused the rapper of mocking and allegedly lying about them in music videos, following a 2022 raid on his home. abcnews.link/iJTdx3g

For the first time in the war with Iran, an Air Force F-35 stealth fighter jet is believed to have been hit by Iranian fire during a combat mission, sources tell ABC News. The pilot landed safely at a U.S. base in the region. @JamesAALongman reports. abcnews.link/Tiw22FS

The Pentagon is planning to maintain the National Guard's federal mission in Washington, D.C., until Jan. 20, 2029, through the rest of President Trump’s second term, according to two U.S. officials. abcnews.link/xGIIRm3

Traumatic brain injuries are quickly emerging as the signature wound of the U.S. war with Iran so far, echoing a pattern of post-9/11 wars, according to a U.S. official. abcnews.link/Qk9UFYz

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Thursday again dodged questions on whether Iran posed an "imminent threat" to the U.S., repeating her view that only President Trump can make that determination. abcnews.link/Aw4BRM0

Heavy social media use contributes to a stark decline in well-being among young people, according to the World Happiness Report 2026. The annual report also found that Finland is the happiest land in the world for the ninth year in a row. abcnews.link/YOej5vm

Dolores Huerta, the labor activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, sits down with ABC News' John Quiñones, speaking about the sexual assault allegations against Chavez.

The Trump administration is expected to send the nearly $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio from the Department of Education to the Treasury Department amid its ongoing winding down of the agency, officials announced Thursday. abcnews.link/BfmRWuU

Answering questions from reporters on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu denied pressuring the U.S. government into war with Iran and spoke out about the cost of the conflict in American lives and the impact on the global economy. abcnews.link/L0afkHW

A meningococcal disease outbreak is continuing to spread in southeastern England, according to local health officials. abcnews.link/nRDnhFY

Uber says it will invest up to $1.25 billion in Rivian Automotive to help launch up to 50,000 robotaxis. abcnews.link/rFEPGhp

“I misled no one.” When asked by ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge whether he pressured the U.S. government into launching the war with Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “I didn't have to convince President Trump to prevent Iran from developing its nuclear program, putting it underground and being able to launch nuclear tipped missiles at the United States.”

Former reality TV star Joseph Duggar is facing a child molestation charge in Florida, almost five years after his brother Josh, who also starred in the TLC show “19 Kids and Counting,” was convicted of downloading child sexual abuse images. abcnews.link/osLQrxk

The federal Commission of Fine Arts officially voted Thursday to approve a new 24-karat commemorative gold coin featuring President Trump, amid backlash from Democrats and other stakeholders. abcnews.link/ThoGtzG

The former Alabama Supreme Court justice who wrote the controversial ruling that temporarily halted in vitro fertilization services is running for state attorney general — and a group of conservative IVF parents is banding together to try to stop him. abcnews.link/ge28EWq

President Trump on Thursday, while seated next to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the Oval Office, compared the first U.S. strikes against Iran to Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. abcnews.link/txfrdiY

Nearly one in 10 people enrolled in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace last year dropped their coverage in 2026, according to a new KFF survey published Thursday. Read more: abcnews.link/X5LoPVZ