President Donald Trump announced “major combat operations” against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.
Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations are concluded “one way or the other.”
Latest Developments
May 5, 7:25 PM
Trump says ‘Project Freedom’ paused
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “Project Freedom” — the U.S. operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz — will be paused “for a short period of time” to see if an agreement can be reached with Iran.
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” Trump said in a post on social media.
The pause comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in the White House briefing room just hours earlier that Project Freedom, which began Monday, was the next phase of the war.
Trump first announced Project Freedom on Sunday in a post, promising the Navy would “guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways.”
The administration has said that two vessels have been helped through the strait by Project Freedom.
May 5, 4:16 PM
Rubio says Operation Epic Fury is over
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the White House that Operation Epic Fury is now over, saying the U.S. is now involved in a “defensive” operation as it seeks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“If they pose a threat to our forces, we’ll shoot down drones, we’ll shoot down missiles. But it’s defensive in nature,” Rubio said.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images – PHOTO: Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives to speak during a press conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, May 5, 2026 in Washington.
“There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first. We’re not attacking them. We’re not. But if they are attacking us … you need to respond to that,” Rubio said.
May 5, 3:18 PM
Rubio announces new UNSC draft resolution to ‘defend freedom of navigation’ in Strait of HormuzAs the administration continues its efforts to ramp up international support for opening the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. would put a new draft resolution before the United Nations Security Council to “defend freedom of navigation” in the waterway.
“The draft resolution requires Iran to cease attacks, mining, and tolling,” Rubio said in a statement. “It demands that Iran disclose the number and location of the sea mines it has laid and cooperate with efforts to remove them, while also supporting the establishment of a humanitarian corridor.”
Amirhossein Khorgooei/ISNA/AFP via Getty Images – PHOTO: Vessels are pictured anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, May 4, 2026.
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar co-authored the draft resolution, which is expected to be put to a vote “in the coming days,” according to the announcement.
Last month, the U.S. put forward a similar resolution at the UNSC—but it was vetoed by China and Russia.
It’s unclear whether this resolution can gain the necessary support, but earlier this week U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz described it as a “narrower effort” designed to win support from Asian countries and expressed hope that, if adopted, the resolution would embolden countries to step up efforts to protect the waterway.
-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston
May 5, 2:06 PM
Iran announces system to ‘formalize’ strait traffic mechanisms
Iran announced a new system in its effort to “formalize” the mechanisms to allow traffic to go through the Strait of Hormuz, calling it the “Persian Gulf Strait Authority.”
-ABC News’ Desiree Adib
May 5, 2:05 PM
3 US Navy Destroyers are in Persian Gulf, west of the Strait of Hormuz, officials say
There are three U.S. Navy destroyers inside the Persian Gulf, west of the Strait of Hormuz, as part of the “Project Freedom” defensive shield, according to two U.S. officials.
This includes a multiple layered system of ships, aircraft, and air defense systems to protect any commercial ships seeking to transit the Strait, according to officials.
The three destroyers are the USS Truxtun, USS Mason, and the USS Rafael Peralta, according to the officials.
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
May 5, 1:24 PM
IRGC issues new warning on strait transit
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a new warning to all vessels intending to transit in the strait, saying “the only safe route to pass through the Strait of Hormuz is the corridor previously announced by Iran,” in a statement Tuesday.
“The diversion of vessels to other routes is unsafe and will face a decisive response from the IRGC Navy,” the IRGC said.
May 5, 12:46 PM
Trump says ‘I’ll let you know’ if ceasefire is breached
President Donald Trump suggested that Iran hasn’t yet violated the ceasefire despite firing shots in the Strait of Hormuz, saying “I’ll let you know” when it is breached.
“They didn’t shoot the ships that were guarded by us,” Trump said during an Oval Office event on Tuesday.
“The blockade has been amazing. It’s like a piece of steel. Nobody is going to challenge a blockade,” Trump said.
-ABC News’ Emily Chang and Isabella Murray
May 5, 10:52 AM
UAE dealing with Iranian missile, drone attacks
Air defenses in the United Arab Emirates are dealing with projectiles launched from Iran, the Ministry of Defense said in a post on X Tuesday. It is unclear how many projectiles are involved.
“The Ministry of Defense confirms that the sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of the UAE’s air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones,” the ministry said.
This comes after the UAE’s Ministry of Defense said 15 missiles and four drones launched from Iran were engaged on Monday.
May 5, 8:37 AM
Hegseth says Iran is ’embarrassed’ that it does not control Hormuz
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz.
“They said they control the strait. They do not,” Hegseth said.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters – PHOTO: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at a briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., May 5, 2026.
“Iran has an ability to make that deal, but what we’re demonstrating with Project Freedom is they don’t control the strait. We know Iran is embarrassed by the fact that our blockade is holding, and we can run ships through, and we’re going to help the world run ships through,” Hegseth said Tuesday.
May 5, 8:32 AM
Iran’s attacks on US below threshold of restarting fighting, Caine says
The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran continues to hold, with Iranian attacks being below the threshold of ending the agreement, U.S. officials told reporters on Tuesday.
“Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,” Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Tuesday.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters – PHOTO: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine hold a briefing on the Iran war, at the Pentagon in Washington, May 5, 2026.
The decision to restart military operations is a political one Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not comment on.
“Right now the ceasefire certainly holds but we’re going to be watching very, very closely,” Hegseth said.
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