Trump Pauses Project Freedom as He Warns Iran Bombing Could Resume Without Deal
President Donald Trump has paused Project Freedom, the U.S. effort to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, while warning Iran that bombing could resume at a higher intensity if no deal is reached.
Reuters reported Wednesday that Trump said the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran could end if Iran honors what he described as an agreed proposal. But he also warned that if Iran does not agree, “the bombing starts” at a much higher level and intensity than before.
The move places diplomacy and military pressure on the same track. CBS News reported that Project Freedom was announced as a U.S.-led effort to help stranded ships move through the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime disruption has become one of the most consequential effects of the war.
The Strait of Hormuz matters because roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through it, CBS reported. Disruption there can affect shipping, energy prices, and countries that rely on Persian Gulf supplies.
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The pause also has diplomatic ripple effects. Reuters reported that South Korea suspended its review of whether to participate in Project Freedom after Trump put the operation on hold.
Iran has pushed back against U.S. involvement in the waterway. CBS reported that Iran’s military warned U.S. forces could be attacked if they entered the strait, and an Iranian parliamentary security official said American interference would be considered a ceasefire violation.
The policy consequence is direct: Trump is using the threat of renewed strikes as leverage for a deal, while the pause gives negotiations room to continue. The risk is that any failed talks or military encounter near the strait could reopen the conflict and deepen the economic shock from blocked shipping.
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