The president is launching new threats against Iran in *** phone call with Fox News on Monday. The president said that Iran would be blown off the face of the earth if they attack US ships. Now this comes after the United Arab Emirates, *** key American ally, said Iran attacked it yesterday. Tensions are certainly escalating in the region in the latest test of the ceasefire. US Central Command reported the military sunk 6 Iranian boats that were targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran launched multiple cruise missiles and drones at US military ships and civilian ships that the military is protecting, but American forces shot them down. Now this was the first day of Project Freedom. It’s the president’s new effort to. Open the key waterway by guiding ships from the Strait that have nothing to do with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Now US officials say two American ships actually made it through the Strait yesterday with the help of Project Freedom, but many experts are now warning there is still *** long way to go as hundreds of ships are still stuck by the blockade at the White House. I’m Rachel Hirsheimer.
Trump warns Iran will be ‘blown off the face of the Earth’ if it attacks US ships as both sides exchange fire
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran intensified Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides trading fire as President Donald Trump launched “Project Freedom” to protect commercial ships.
Updated: 8:15 AM EDT May 5, 2026
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalated Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, as both sides exchanged fire and the U.S. launched “Project Freedom” to guide commercial ships through the critical waterway.President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iran during a phone call with Fox News on Monday, saying Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacks U.S. ships.The United Arab Emirates, a key American ally, said it intercepted nearly 19 incoming drone attacks, cruise missile attacks and ballistic missile attacks, further heightening concerns in the region.U.S. Central Command sank six Iranian boats targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran launched multiple cruise missiles and drones at U.S. military ships and civilian vessels under U.S. protection, but American forces successfully shot them down.Monday marked the first day of “Project Freedom,” Trump’s initiative to reopen the vital waterway by guiding ships uninvolved in the Middle East conflict through the strait.U.S. officials said two American-flagged ships successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz on Monday with assistance from U.S. forces. However, experts warn that significant challenges remain, as hundreds of boats are still stuck behind the blockade.”We need to see the Strait cleared. We need to see the free flow of tankers,” Professor Ed Hirs, at the University of Houston, said. “We’re facing a reckoning coming up with summer driving, summer travel and much higher gasoline prices through the summer.” Today, AAA is reporting the average price for a gallon of regular gas is $4.48. That’s 54 cents off the all-time high of $5.02 set back in 2022. Diesel is $5.66, just 16 cents off the record high of $5.82 from that same year. Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
WASHINGTON —
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalated Monday in the Strait of Hormuz, as both sides exchanged fire and the U.S. launched “Project Freedom” to guide commercial ships through the critical waterway.
President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iran during a phone call with Fox News on Monday, saying Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacks U.S. ships.
The United Arab Emirates, a key American ally, said it intercepted nearly 19 incoming drone attacks, cruise missile attacks and ballistic missile attacks, further heightening concerns in the region.
U.S. Central Command sank six Iranian boats targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran launched multiple cruise missiles and drones at U.S. military ships and civilian vessels under U.S. protection, but American forces successfully shot them down.
Monday marked the first day of “Project Freedom,” Trump’s initiative to reopen the vital waterway by guiding ships uninvolved in the Middle East conflict through the strait.
U.S. officials said two American-flagged ships successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz on Monday with assistance from U.S. forces. However, experts warn that significant challenges remain, as hundreds of boats are still stuck behind the blockade.
“We need to see the Strait cleared. We need to see the free flow of tankers,” Professor Ed Hirs, at the University of Houston, said. “We’re facing a reckoning coming up with summer driving, summer travel and much higher gasoline prices through the summer.”
Today, AAA is reporting the average price for a gallon of regular gas is $4.48. That’s 54 cents off the all-time high of $5.02 set back in 2022. Diesel is $5.66, just 16 cents off the record high of $5.82 from that same year.
Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau: