Trump says US to pause operation to guide vessels through Strait of Hormuz

The announcement from the U.S. president came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the initial U.S.-Israeli offensive in Iran, named Operation Epic Fury, had ended successfully. Trump mentioned on social media that he made the decision to pause based on a request from Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran. He also noted that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would continue. This decision might catch some by surprise. It contradicts a day’s worth of statements from Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, all of whom insisted that the operation would guarantee freedom of navigation and trade in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. Rubio told reporters, “We would prefer the path of peace. What the president [Donald Trump] would prefer is a deal.” The future remains uncertain. The administration had emphasized that Project Freedom was a “separate and distinct” initiative from the blockade aimed at pressuring Iran economically. Project Freedom aimed to restore oil flow from the region and help the global economy return to normal by guiding stranded ships out of the Gulf through the mostly closed waterway. However, if global shipping companies and their insurance partners face challenges due to Iranian actions during the “pause,” it will be hard for Trump to claim success. Conversely, the administration might hope that stopping Project Freedom, which Iran opposed strongly, could bring them back to the negotiation table. Earlier in the day, Rubio’s comments followed a series of attacks in the Strait of Hormuz that raised concerns about the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran being at risk. Iran did not respond directly to Rubio’s statement, but Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf said, “We know well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America, while we are just getting started.” Ghalibaf, who was Iran’s chief negotiator in last month’s talks with the U.S., added that “Shipping security and energy transit have been jeopardized by the U.S. and its allies with the ceasefire violations and blockade. However, their evil acts will fail.” Late on Tuesday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a verified source indicated a cargo vessel had been hit “by an unknown projectile” in the Strait of Hormuz. More information was not available immediately. Earlier in the day, the UAE stated that its air defenses were targeting missiles and drones from Iran for the second consecutive day. On Monday, it accused Iran of launching missiles and drones, including an attack on an oil port in Fujairah, which is outside the Strait of Hormuz, labeling it a “dangerous escalation.”