He announced on Tuesday that he was pausing Project Freedom, just days after announcing it. The operation was meant to help restore the flow of oil and the global economy’s eventual return to normalcy by guiding stranded ships out of the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has yet to react publicly to the pause but the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) alluded to the strait reopening if there is an “end of the aggressors’ threats”.
The crucial waterway, through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes, has effectively been blockaded by Iran since the US and Israel began attacking it in late February.
In early April, the US and Iran announced a ceasefire under which Iran ended its drone and missile strikes on Gulf countries including the UAE, but few vessels have been able to transit the strait since then.
The US also imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports, saying it has stopped dozens of ships. US Central Command said on Wednesday it had shot at and disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman that was trying to break the blockade.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that there was “full coordination” between himself and Trump over Iran.
“There are no surprises. We share common goals, and the most important objective is the removal of all enriched material from Iran and the dismantling of Iran’s enrichment capabilities,” he said.
His comments came after launched its first strike on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, since a ceasefire was agreed in April.
Netanyahu wrote on social media that forces had targeted a senior Hezbollah commander “responsible for firing at Israeli settlements and harming IDF [Israel Defense Forces] soldiers”.
Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia and political party, began striking Israel in early March in retaliation for its attacks on Iran.
Despite the ceasefire agreement, Israel and Hezbollah have continued with their attacks, accusing each other of violations.
Most of Israel’s air strikes have hit southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah has carried out attacks on Israeli troops in Lebanon and northern Israel with rockets and drones.