Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ begins Monday amid attacks in strait
President Donald Trump announced “major combat operations” against Iran on February 28; There were massive joint US-Israeli attacks targeting military, government and infrastructure facilities.
After a two-week ceasefire declaration, First phase of US-Iran talks A peace agreement was not reached in Pakistan in April.
Trump later announced that the ceasefire would be extended on an open-ended basis and that the US blockade would continue until negotiations were concluded “one way or another”.
Latest Developments
4 May 12:25
UAE says it seized Iran’s missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles
The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defense said they were “currently” engaged in air strikes from Iran and that their air defense systems were intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
According to Flightradar24 data, a large number of flights bound for the UAE are now diverting to Muscat, Oman, following reports of drone and missile attacks.
Amid the reports, the British army’s UK Merchant Marine Operations center also said that a cargo ship had burned off the coast of the UAE. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.
4 May 12:04
Revolutionary Guards deny that two US-flagged ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz
Hours after US Central Command said two US-flagged commercial ships had passed through the waterway, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard said no ships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz recently.
In the statement made by the IRGC, it was said: “No commercial ships or oil tankers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last few hours.” “The claims of American officials are baseless and completely false. Any naval action that violates the principles declared by the Revolutionary Guard Navy will face serious risks, and ships that violate these principles will be stopped once and for all.”
There was CENTCOM I told you before He said American forces were “actively assisting efforts to restore transit for commercial shipping” and that two U.S.-flagged commercial ships “successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and continued their voyage safely.”
Amirhosein Khorgooi/AP – PHOTO: A patrol boat moves through the water as cargo ships anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, May 2, 2026.
4 May 07:36
UAE announced that tanker was targeted by 2 Iranian aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz
The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that a tanker belonging to the state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Company was targeted by two drones while passing through the Strait of Hormuz in what it called an “Iranian terrorist attack.”
4 May 07:14
CENTCOM denies the allegation of an attack on a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. Central Command on Monday denied a report by Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency that an American warship was hit by two missiles while trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
“No US Navy ships were hit. US forces support Project Freedom and maintain a naval blockade of Iranian ports,” CENTCOM said in a post to X. he said.
-Luis Martinez of ABC News
4 May 05:46
Baghaei says Iran received counteroffer from US to end war
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei said at a press conference on Monday that Tehran had received a counter-offer from the United States to end the war through mediators in Pakistan.
Baghaei said, “The message of the United States has been received through Pakistan and I will not discuss the details of the issues raised at this time because these issues are still under review.” he said.
“The issues raised regarding enrichment or nuclear materials are purely speculative, and at this stage we are talking about nothing other than a complete cessation of war,” Baghaei said. Baghaei said, “The direction we will follow in the future will be determined in the future.”
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
4 May 05:37
Commander says Iran will attack all US forces in Strait of Hormuz
Major General Ali Abdullahi, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said in a statement carried by state media on Monday that “any foreign armed force, especially the occupying US army, will be subject to attack if they approach and intend to enter the Strait of Hormuz.”
Abdullahi said, “We will protect the security of the Strait of Hormuz with all our might and manage it strongly.” The commander said that “all commercial ships and tankers should refrain from any action aimed at passage without coordination with the armed forces stationed in the Strait of Hormuz so that their safety is not endangered.”
The warning came after US Central Command said on Monday it would launch operation “Project Freedom” “to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.” President Donald Trump announced the mission Sunday.
Fatima Shbair/AP – PHOTO: An Emirati patrol boat (L) is pictured near a tanker anchored in the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from a coastal road near Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, on May 1, 2026.
-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti
4 May 02:37
Iranian official says US Strait of Hormuz mission would violate ceasefire
Ibrahim Azizi, chairman of Iran’s parliament’s national security committee, warned on Sunday that a US mission to escort merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz would be considered a “violation of the ceasefire” by Tehran.
“The Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf will not be governed by Trump’s imaginary posts,” Azizi said, according to the semi-official Fars News Agency.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
4 May 01:54
Trump says Iran talks are going ‘very well’
As he exited Air Force One in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, President Donald Trump briefly responded to a loud question from reporters who asked him how negotiations with Iran were going.
“Very good,” Trump said. The President did not answer any other questions.
Matt Rourke/AP – PHOTO: President Donald Trump arrives at Joint Base Andrews aboard Air Force One on May 3, 2026.
-ABC News’ Isabella Murray
4 May 01:28
Official says ‘Freedom Project’ will expand defense umbrella to include shipping
U.S. Central Command issued a statement to
“Our support for this defense mission is vital to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain a naval blockade,” CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper said in a statement.
CENTCOM said the mission aims to “restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”
The US military role will be to extend the US defense umbrella over ships seeking to leave or enter the Strait of Hormuz, a US official told ABC News. Project Freedom is not about providing escorts for ships, the official said.
“U.S. military support to Project Freedom will include guided missile destroyers, over 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members,” CENTCOM said in a statement. he said.
Sergeant. 1st Class Michael Hunnisett/U.S. Central Command Public Affairs – PHOTO: U.S. Forces Begin Demining Mission in the Strait of Hormuz
-ABC News’ Lauren Minore and Luis Martinez
4 May 01:05
UKMTO reported that 2 ships were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Center said two cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz were attacked on Sunday, as the US Navy prepared to launch “Project Freedom” to restart shipping through the strategic waterway on Monday.
UKMTO said the first incident occurred 11 nautical miles west of Sirik, Iran, when a northbound bulk carrier reported an attack by several smaller vessels. All crew were reported safe and no environmental impacts were reported.
A few hours later, UKMTO said it received a report of another incident 78 nautical miles north of the Emirati port of Fujairah. UKMTO said a tanker was reported to have been hit by unknown shells, all crew were safe and there was no impact to the environment.
Fatima Shbair/AP – PHOTO: Cargo ships are seen at sea near the Strait of Hormuz as viewed from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, on May 1, 2026.
-ABC News’ Will Gretsky
