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Iran live update: Trump says 'Project Freedom' in Strait of Hormuz paused

It will be paused to see if an agreement can be reached with Iran, Trump said.

ByDavid Brennan, Meredith Deliso, and Nadine El-Bawab
Last Updated: May 5, 2026, 7:27 PM EDT

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."

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
12:46 PM EDT

Trump says 'I'll let you know' if ceasefire is breached

President Donald Trump suggested that Iran hasn’t yet violated the ceasefire despite firing shots in the Strait of Hormuz, saying “I’ll let you know” when it is breached.

"They didn't shoot the ships that were guarded by us," Trump said during an Oval Office event on Tuesday.

"The blockade has been amazing. It's like a piece of steel. Nobody is going to challenge a blockade," Trump said.

-ABC News' Emily Chang and Isabella Murray

10:52 AM EDT

UAE dealing with Iranian missile, drone attacks

Air defenses in the United Arab Emirates are dealing with projectiles launched from Iran, the Ministry of Defense said in a post on X Tuesday. It is unclear how many projectiles are involved.

"The Ministry of Defense confirms that the sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of the UAE's air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones," the ministry said.

This comes after the UAE's Ministry of Defense said 15 missiles and four drones launched from Iran were engaged on Monday.

8:37 AM EDT

Hegseth says Iran is 'embarrassed' that it does not control Hormuz

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz.

"They said they control the strait. They do not," Hegseth said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at a briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., May 5, 2026.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

"Iran has an ability to make that deal, but what we're demonstrating with Project Freedom is they don't control the strait. We know Iran is embarrassed by the fact that our blockade is holding, and we can run ships through, and we're going to help the world run ships through," Hegseth said Tuesday.

8:32 AM EDT

Iran's attacks on US below threshold of restarting fighting, Caine says

The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran continues to hold, with Iranian attacks being below the threshold of ending the agreement, U.S. officials told reporters on Tuesday.

"Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they've attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point," Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Tuesday.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine hold a briefing on the Iran war, at the Pentagon in Washington, May 5, 2026.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

The decision to restart military operations is a political one Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not comment on.

"Right now the ceasefire certainly holds but we're going to be watching very, very closely," Hegseth said.

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