Arabic version: ترامب يوقف العملية العسكرية الأمريكية في مضيق هرمز
United States President Donald Trump has announced a temporary pause on the military operation aimed at moving stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement was made via his Truth Social platform on May 5, 2026.
According to Al Jazeera, Trump stated that the decision to pause the operation was made based on the request of Pakistan and other countries, citing that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with representatives of Iran. The operation, referred to as Project Freedom, will remain on hold while negotiations continue.
Despite the pause, Trump confirmed that the blockade would remain fully in effect. The military operation’s suspension comes amidst rising tensions in the Gulf, where the US military reported the destruction of several Iranian boats, cruise missiles, and drones. Additionally, multiple commercial ships have been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, and the United Arab Emirates has responded to missile and drone threats from Iran for two consecutive days.
In Washington D.C., US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that Iran must face consequences for its actions in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that the strait does not belong to Iran and that its attempts to control it are unacceptable. Rubio warned against normalizing such behavior, which could set a dangerous precedent globally.
