U.S. insists Iran ceasefire not over despite attacks in Strait of Hormuz - NBC News

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The ceasefire in the Middle East was in peril Tuesday after the U.S. and Iran traded fire and threats over President Donald Trump's new mission to force open the Strait of Hormuz.

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But Trump announced Tuesday evening that the effort to force the strait open, called "Project Freedom," was being put on hold.

"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump's “ Project Freedom ” aimed to use the U.S. military to break Tehran’s chokehold on the critical waterway, which has throttled international shipping and sent energy prices soaring.

But in its aggressive effort to retain its grip on the strait, Iran attacked U.S. ships, hit a neighboring Gulf state for the first time in weeks and came under American fire itself.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted at a Pentagon briefing Tuesday that the ceasefire was "not over" despite the clashes in the strait.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, said that since the ceasefire was announced, Iran had attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, but he said hostilities were still "below the threshold of restarting major combat operations."

Asked at a White House event Tuesday what Iran would need to do to violate the ceasefire, Trump replied: "Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know. They know what to do, and they know what to do. They know what not to do more importantly, actually."

The U.S. military said that Iran's forces attacked U.S. Navy and commercial ships with cruise missiles Monday and launched drones and small boats at the vessels under U.S. escort but that no American ships were struck. Trump said the U.S. destroyed eight Iranian boats.

Two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels made it through the strait Monday, the U.S. military also said, with shipping giant Maersk confirming that one of its vehicle carriers was escorted out "under U.S. military protection."

Hegseth said at Tuesday's briefing that hundreds of ships from countries around the world were lining up to transit the strait and that the U.S. military was in active communication with them. “As a direct gift from the United States to the world, we have established a powerful red, white and blue dome over the strait,” he said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a news conference Tuesday that Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. military's name for the war with Iran, is over and that the current military actions to help ships safely navigate the strait are not an "offensive operation."

"The operation is over. Epic Fury is — the president notified Congress we’re done with that stage of it. OK? We’re now on to this project of freedom," Rubio said.

He added: "This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation. And what that means is very simple: There’s no shooting unless we’re shot at first. OK, we’re not attacking them."

Rubio spoke before Trump announced that "Project Freedom" was being paused.

Rubio also said Iran's attacks on ships and mining of the strait were "criminal" acts.

"It’s completely illegal, completely illegitimate and completely unacceptable," he said.

Iran denied there had been any successful crossings of commercial vessels or oil tankers and said none of its navy ships were damaged.

Top Iranian officials sounded defiant Tuesday.

While the situation in the strait was clearly “unbearable” for America, Iran has “not even begun yet,” parliamentary speaker and lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on X.

Events in the strait make it clear that there is “no military solution to a political crisis,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also said late Monday on X. He added, “Project Freedom is Project Deadlock.”

The escalating tensions raised questions about whether the war might be about to reignite.