Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, on May 4, 2026 [Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA via Reuters]By Al Jazeera StaffPublished On 5 May 20265 May 2026
United States President Donald Trump has said the US military operation to move stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz has been paused temporarily.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday.
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, 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,” he wrote.
