Trump says US shot down 7 Iranian boats, urges South Korea to join 'Project Freedom'

Project Freedom is an initiative which Trump announced earlier under which US will ‘guide’ the ships of several countries safely out of the Strait of Hormuz

Published on: May 5, 2026, 24:00:53 IST

Edited by Akansha Purohit

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US President Donald Trump on Monday called out Iran for attacking ships of what he called ‘unrelated nations’ in the Strait of Hormuz, including a South Korean cargo ship, as part of what he described as escalating tensions around “Project Freedom.”

In his post, Trump also claimed that US forces had intercepted and shot down seven small “fast” boats allegedly used by Iran. (AP)

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump said that, “Iran has taken some shots at unrelated Nations with respect to the Ship Movement, PROJECT FREEDOM.”

Follow for live updates on US Iran war

Project Freedom is an initiative which Trump announced earlier under which US will ‘guide’ the ships of several countries safely out of the Strait of Hormuz, so they can continue their business.

In his post, Trump also claimed that US forces had intercepted and shot down seven small “fast” boats allegedly used by Iran, adding that no significant damage had been reported in the waterway so far apart from the South Korean vessel.

Also read: Iran vows kinetic response to Trump's ‘Project Freedom’ naval mission in Hormuz Strait

He also suggested that South Korea should consider joining the mission."Perhaps it’s time for South Korea to come and join the mission!" Trump wrote.

Trump announced that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine would address the media in a press conference scheduled for the morning (local time).

Also read: 'US has limited decision-making space': Iran says US losing support from Russia, China, Europe

The post by Trump comes at a time when an oil terminal in the United Arab Emirates city of Fujairah was hit in an aerial attack amid an up-tick of Iranian strikes on Monday in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz. Three Indian nationals were injured in the attack.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Akansha Purohit
Akansha Purohit is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she is part of the online news desk. She began her journey with the organisation as an intern and later joined the newsroom in a full-time editorial role. With close to a year of experience at Hindustan Times, she contributes to the daily news cycle by writing, curating, and editing digital content. Her work primarily focuses on national and international news, along with explainers that simplify complex developments and ongoing issues. She also writes on matters of public interest, and handles blogs with live updates. Akansha holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi, and completed her postgraduate studies in Digital Media from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi. During her postgraduate programme, she worked on several research and journalism projects that strengthened her reporting, editing, and digital storytelling skills.Read More

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