diff --git a/tests/interop/test_validate_hub_site_components.py b/tests/interop/test_validate_hub_site_components.py
index 58f0a367..70b57fc9 100644
--- a/tests/interop/test_validate_hub_site_components.py
+++ b/tests/interop/test_validate_hub_site_components.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import logging
 import os
+import re
+import subprocess
 
 import pytest
 from ocp_resources.route import Route
@@ -44,7 +46,10 @@ def test_check_pod_status(openshift_dyn_client):
     logger.info("Checking pod status")
     projects = [
         "openshift-operators",
-        "openshift-gitops",
+        "openshift-gitops-operator",
+        "openshift-cluster-observability-operator",
+        "openshift-opentelemetry-operator",
+        "openshift-tempo-operator",
         "travel-agency",
         "travel-control",
         "travel-portal",
@@ -70,23 +75,23 @@ def test_validate_argocd_reachable_hub_site(openshift_dyn_client):
         logger.info("PASS: Argocd is reachable")
 
 
-@pytest.mark.validate_istio_ingressgateway_route
-def test_validate_istio_ingressgateway_route(openshift_dyn_client):
-    namespace = "istio-system"
-    logger.info("Check for the existence of the istio_ingressgateway route")
-    try:
-        for route in Route.get(
-            dyn_client=openshift_dyn_client,
-            namespace=namespace,
-            name="istio-ingressgateway",
-        ):
-            logger.info(route.instance.spec.host)
-    except NotFoundError:
-        err_msg = "istio-ingressgateway url/route is missing in istio-system namespace"
-        logger.error(f"FAIL: {err_msg}")
-        assert False, err_msg
+# @pytest.mark.validate_istio_ingressgateway_route
+# def test_validate_istio_ingressgateway_route(openshift_dyn_client):
+#     namespace = "istio-system"
+#     logger.info("Check for the existence of the istio_ingressgateway route")
+#     try:
+#         for route in Route.get(
+#             dyn_client=openshift_dyn_client,
+#             namespace=namespace,
+#             name="istio-ingressgateway",
+#         ):
+#             logger.info(route.instance.spec.host)
+#     except NotFoundError:
+#         err_msg = "istio-ingressgateway url/route is missing in istio-system namespace"
+#         logger.error(f"FAIL: {err_msg}")
+#         assert False, err_msg
 
-    logger.info("PASS: Found istio-ingressgateway route")
+#     logger.info("PASS: Found istio-ingressgateway route")
 
 
 @pytest.mark.validate_kiali_route
@@ -108,6 +113,30 @@ def test_validate_kiali_route(openshift_dyn_client):
     logger.info("PASS: Found kiali route")
 
 
+@pytest.mark.validate_mtls
+def test_validate_mtls(openshift_dyn_client):
+    peerauth = subprocess.run(
+        [
+            "oc",
+            "get",
+            "peerauthentication",
+            "-o",
+            "jsonpath='{.items[*].spec.mtls.mode}'",
+            "-n",
+            "istio-system",
+        ],
+        capture_output=True,
+    )
+    peerauth = peerauth.stdout.decode("utf-8")
+    logger.info(f"peerauthentication: {peerauth}")
+    if re.search("^'STRICT'$", peerauth):
+        logger.info("PASS: Peerauthentication is STRICT.")
+    else:
+        err_msg = "Peerauthentication is not STRICT"
+        logger.error(f"FAIL: {err_msg}")
+        assert False, err_msg
+
+
 @pytest.mark.validate_argocd_applications_health_hub_site
 def test_validate_argocd_applications_health_hub_site(openshift_dyn_client):
     logger.info("Get all applications deployed by argocd on hub site")