US President Donald Trump has said that he was halting the US military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after just one day, in a bid to reach a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war.
"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 on his Truth Social network.
Citing requests from Pakistan and other countries, as well as progress toward a final agreement with Tehran, Trump announced the latest decision but insisted the naval blockade would remain fully in effect.
Earlier today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the combat phase of US operations launched against Iran in February had concluded and that the US was focused on the new operation to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
Potential agreement with Iran
“Project Freedom” was announced by Trump on Monday, and the operation was expected to help guide ships from countries not involved in the war with Iran safely out of the Strait of Hormuz.
Executed by US Central Command (CENTCOM), the operation involved guided-missile destroyers, over 100 aircraft, unmanned platforms, and thousands of service members providing guidance, mine avoidance support, and defensive readiness for commercial vessels without full escorts.
The initiative was aimed at countering Iranian blockades disrupting global oil flows and was framed as a limited, defensive effort focused on freedom of navigation and protecting innocent shipping.
The operations saw initial "churn" with exchanges of fire, but have now been paused to advance diplomatic efforts toward a potential agreement with Iran.
