Hormuz whiplash / Russia, Ukraine shred ceasefires / Modern warfare

Hormuz whiplash / Russia, Ukraine shred ceasefires / Modern warfare

From Sources & Methods by NPR

May 7, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the recent developments in the Iran war, the collapse of ceasefires in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the implications of modern warfare.

We unpack a week of whiplash in the Iran war, with the President quickly calling off an effort to take control of the Strait of Hormuz, citing progress on talks. But a blockade remains. Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman and Moscow correspondent Charles Maynes discuss the shifting messages and what's happening diplomatically behind the scenes. Plus -- why ceasefires between Moscow and Kiev fell apart, and how modern warfare and prior assumptions have made it possible for countries like Iran and Ukraine to take on larger, more powerful adversaries in the U.S. and Russia. Email the show at sourcesandmethods@npr.org NPR+ supporters hear every episode without sponsor messages and unlock access to our complete archive. Sign up at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Guests: Tom Bowman, Charles Maynes

Topics covered

  • Iran war
  • Strait of Hormuz
  • diplomatic talks
  • ceasefires
  • modern warfare
  • Russia-Ukraine conflict

Keywords

  • Iran
  • Ukraine
  • Russia
  • Strait of Hormuz
  • ceasefires
  • modern warfare
  • diplomacy
  • Pentagon
  • conflict

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Iran, Ukraine, Russia, Strait of Hormuz

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