President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.
Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations are concluded "one way or the other."
US Strait of Hormuz mission will violate ceasefire, Iran official says
Ebrahim Azizi, the chairman of the Iranian parliament's national security committee, warned on Sunday that the planned U.S. mission to escort commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will be considered "a violation of the ceasefire" by Tehran.
"The Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf will not be managed by Trump's delusional posts," Azizi said, as quoted by the semi-official Fars News Agency.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
2 hours and 12 minutes ago
Trump says Iran negotiations are going 'very well'
While exiting Air Force One in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, President Donald Trump briefly responded to a shouted question from reporters asking him how negotiations with Iran were going.
"Very well," Trump said. The president did not answer any additional questions.
President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on May 3, 2026.
Matt Rourke/AP
-ABC News' Isabella Murray
2 hours and 38 minutes ago
'Project Freedom' to extend defensive umbrella over shipping, official says
U.S. Central Command posted a statement to X on Sunday confirming that its forces will begin supporting "Project Freedom" in the Strait of Hormuz at the direction of President Donald Trump, beginning on Monday.
"Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade," Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in the statement.
The mission is intended "to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said.
The U.S. military role will be to extend a U.S. defensive umbrella over ships seeking to leave or enter the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official told ABC News. Project Freedom is not about providing escorts to 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 its statement.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces began setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz, April 11, as two U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers conducted operations. (U.S. Central Command Photo)
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Hunnisett/U.S. Central Command Public Affairs
-ABC News' Lauren Minore and Luis Martinez
3 hours and 1 minute ago
UKMTO reports attacks on 2 ships in Strait of Hormuz
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre reported attacks on two cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, as the U.S. Navy prepared to begin "Project Freedom" to restore shipping through the strategic waterway on Monday.
The first incident occurred 11 nautical miles west of Sirik, Iran, the UKMTO said, with a northbound bulk carrier reporting an attack by multiple small craft. All crew were reported safe and no environmental impact was reported.
Some hours later, the UKMTO said it received a report of another incident 78 nautical miles north of the Emirati port of Fujairah. A tanker reported being hit by unknown projectiles, the UKMTO said, with all crew reported safe and no environmental impact.
Cargo ships are seen at sea near the Strait of Hormuz, as viewed from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, on May 1, 2026.
