President Donald Trump has warned that Iran 'better hope' the current ceasefire agreement holds following attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran launched four missiles at a US-backed Middle Eastern ally on Monday, striking a major oil port shortly after Trump's move to reopen the strategic waterway.
Trump's Threats and Ceasefire Concerns
Trump later threatened to 'blow Iran off the face of the earth' if US warships and commercial vessels continue to be targeted. In an interview with ABC News, Trump claimed that Tehran had not technically violated the ceasefire despite the missile fire. 'It was not heavy firing. Ships are moving. We moved quite a few last night, big ones. There was no firing. I guess there has been some recently. I'm looking into it,' he said.
Trump added: 'Iran better hope [the ceasefire] remains in effect. The best thing that can happen to them is that we keep it in effect.'
Iranian Response and Diplomatic Maneuvers
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X: 'Events in Hormuz make clear that there's no military solution to a political crisis. As talks are making progress with Pakistan's gracious effort, the U.S. should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE. Project Freedom is Project Deadlock,' referring to Trump's plan to escort foreign ships through the waterway.
UAE Missile Alert and Interceptions
The United Arab Emirates issued a missile alert on Monday morning, the first since the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran was announced last month. The UAE's Defense Ministry said it intercepted three missiles, while a fourth 'fell into the sea.' An official noted that the country's air defenses 'are currently dealing with missile attacks and incoming drones from Iran.'
Project Freedom and Military Escalation
Trump said the US had 'shot down seven small boats' during the latest skirmish but reported only a South Korean ship had sustained damage. 'Perhaps it's time for South Korea to come and join the mission!' the President suggested on Truth Social.
Tehran's decision to launch these attacks officially resumes hostilities between Iran and the US in the Middle East. Project Freedom launched on Monday with the aim of guiding tankers through the Strait, where hundreds have been stuck since the Iran war began on February 28. Tehran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by warning that any ship found violating the regime's maritime rules will be stopped by force.
US Central Command later confirmed the Navy would help commercial ships transit the Strait of Hormuz under an operation dubbed 'Project Freedom,' advising them on how to avoid mines and protecting them from Iranian attacks. The uncertainty over control of the strait comes as two US-flagged vessels have successfully passed through the waterway, the US military said on Monday.
Economic Impact and Military Preparations
The closure of the strait has driven gas prices to some of their highest levels since 2022, averaging $4.40 a gallon, up 30 cents in a week. 'Project Freedom' will reportedly include a vast number of guided-missile destroyers, drones, more than 100 land and sea-based aircraft, and the infantry support of 15,000 troops, CENTCOM announced. Another US official told Axios that military officers have been authorized to strike immediate threats to naval assets, including Iran's speedboats.
Iran has managed to effectively close off the Strait of Hormuz in recent months through a combination of small attack boats, drones, and sea mines laid in the narrow waterway. US forces have also established an 'enhanced security area' that advises oil vessels to cross the waterway through Omani waters. However, vessel traffic remains at a standstill, with most ships transiting Hormuz using the Iranian traffic separation scheme rather than Trump's 'Project Freedom' corridor closer to Oman.
Trump announced that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine will hold a news conference Tuesday morning.
