Donald Trump announced a temporary pause to the US military’s ‘Project Freedom’ operation in the Strait of Hormuz on May 6, 2026. The pause aims to assess the possibility of a complete agreement with Iran.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized the US for its ‘maximum pressure’ policy. Meanwhile, a cargo vessel was struck by an unknown projectile in the same region, escalating tensions.
Previously, Project Freedom was initiated to restore oil flow and stabilize the global economy. This operation’s halt comes after the US completed its offensive operations against Iran, according to Marco Rubio.
US forces remain ready to resume combat operations if ordered. Trump urged Iran to ‘do the smart thing’ and negotiate a deal to end hostilities.
Key quotes:
- “Project Freedom to be paused ‘for a short period of time’.” — Donald Trump
- “The operation is over – Epic Fury – as the president notified Congress. We’re done with that stage of it.” — Marco Rubio
- “They should do the smart thing, because we don’t want to go in and kill people. Really don’t.” — Donald Trump
