US Iran war highlights: Trump says ‘Project Freedom’ paused to see if Iran peace deal can be finalised

US-Iran war highlights: Earlier, Trump announced ‘Project Freedom’ as an initiative to guide the ships stuck in Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump (L) and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian

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• May 06, 2026 09:06 am IST

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• May 06, 2026 05:40 am IST

  US Iran war LIVE: US proposes resolution to UNSC to defend free navigation

  US Iran war LIVE: The United States on Tuesday (local time) proposed a draft resolution in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) aimed at defending freedom of navigation and securing the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing crisis over transit through the strategic waterway due to the ongoing power struggle between Washington and Tehran.

  According to a statement from the US Department of State, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran is "holding the world's economy hostage" through threats and actions in the strategic waterway, including alleged attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz, attacks on ships, laying of sea mines, and efforts to impose tolls on maritime traffic.

May 06, 2026 04:28 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Trump pauses ‘Project Freedom’ to finalise peace deal with Iran
US Iran war LIVE: US President Donald Trump said that, following requests from Pakistan and other countries and citing what he described as a successful military campaign against Iran, Washington has agreed to pause “Project Freedom” — the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz — for a short period.
He said the decision comes as significant progress has been made toward a “complete and final” agreement with Iranian representatives. However, Trump added that the blockade will remain fully in place while both sides assess whether the agreement can be finalised and signed.
May 06, 2026 04:24 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: US declares Iran offensive over, warns force remains an option
US Iran war LIVE: The United States has completed its offensive operations against Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday, even as Washington warned it was ready to unleash a "devastating" response to any new attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio's remarks came after Washington's top military officer said American forces remain ready to resume combat operations if ordered, as clashes in the vital waterway threatened to unravel a fragile ceasefire.
May 06, 2026 03:39 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Rubio calls Hormuz resolution test for UN, urges against vetoes
US Iran war LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday called a US-proposed UN resolution demanding Iran stop attacks and laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz a test of the utility of the United Nations and urged China and Russia not to repeat vetoes.
UN Security Council members began closed talks on Tuesday on a text the US drafted with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, which, if it were to pass, could lead to sanctions against Iran, and potentially authorize force, if Tehran fails to halt attacks and threats to commercial shipping.
May 06, 2026 03:10 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Rubio discusses Ukraine, Iran in call with Russia's Lavrov
US Iran war LIVE: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Tuesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at Lavrov's request, the State Department said in a statement, adding the pair discussed the U.S.-Russia relationship, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Iran.
May 06, 2026 02:31 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Proposed UN resolution threatens Iran with sanctions if it doesn't allow freedom of navigation
US Iran war LIVE: A proposed UN resolution threatens Iran with sanctions or other measures if it doesn't halt attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, stop imposing "illegal tolls," and disclose the placement of all mines to allow freedom of navigation.
The draft Security Council resolution, co-sponsored by the United States and Gulf nations and obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, also demands that Iran "immediately participate in and enable" United Nations efforts to establish a humanitarian corridor in the strait to enable the delivery of vital aid, fertiliser and other goods.
May 06, 2026 02:10 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Trump says Xi ‘respectful’ on Iran, downplays strains
US Iran war LIVE: US President Donald Trump said he would discuss the Iran war with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during their summit next week and sought to downplay tensions over the conflict.
“That’ll be one subject, but he’s been very nice about this,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday in response to a question about what he hoped to achieve with Xi on Iran when they meet.
May 06, 2026 01:40 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Rubio says he hopes China tells Iran its actions in the Strait are causing its global isolation
US Iran war LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that he hopes China tells Iran what it is doing in the Strait of Hormuz is causing Tehran to be globally isolated.
May 06, 2026 01:32 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Rubio says offensive stage of Iran war is 'over'
US Iran war LIVE: The United States has completed its offensive operations against Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday, echoing statements to Congress nearly a month into a fragile ceasefire.
"The operation is over -- Epic Fury -- as the president notified Congress. We're done with that stage of it," Rubio told reporters at the White House.
May 06, 2026 01:21 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Ten civilian sailors have died in Strait of Hormuz, Rubio says
US Iran war LIVE: Ten civilian sailors have died due to the ongoing conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Tuesday.
"They're isolated, they're starving, they're vulnerable and at least 10 sailors have died as a result, civilian sailors," Rubio said, without providing additional details.
May 06, 2026 01:09 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Rubio says Israel-Lebanon peace deal is achievable but Hezbollah is a problem
US Iran war LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that peace between Israel and Lebanon was achievable but that Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was a problem.
May 06, 2026 01:01 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Rubio says US envoys working on diplomatic path to Iran war
US Iran war LIVE: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are actively working to advance a diplomatic solution with Iran, even as tensions persist.
He stressed that Tehran must come to the negotiating table and accept US terms, while reaffirming that Washington will continue efforts to secure and clear the Strait of Hormuz to restore freedom of navigation.
May 06, 2026 12:52 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: US forces ready to resume combat operations against Iran if ordered
US Iran war LIVE: US forces are ready to resume combat operations against Iran if ordered, Washington's top military officer said on Tuesday, as the Pentagon threatened a "devastating" response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Hormuz strait.
The warnings came after Iran's powerful chief negotiator said Tehran "had not even started yet", after a spate of attacks in the crucial trade route by both sides on Monday threatened to reignite the Middle East war.
May 06, 2026 12:28 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Israel says ready to deploy 'entire air force' against Iran if needed
US Iran war LIVE: Israel's new air force chief Major General Omer Tischler said on Tuesday that the country was prepared to deploy its entire fleet of fighter jets against Iran if necessary.
He spoke weeks into a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East war, which erupted when Israel and the United States launched strikes against Iran in February.
May 06, 2026 12:06 am IST
US Iran war LIVE: Israel military chief says ready to 'respond with force' if attacked by Iran
US Iran war LIVE: Israel's military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said on Tuesday that the country was prepared to respond "with force" to any attack by Iran.
"The IDF remains on high alert across all fronts. We are closely monitoring developments in the Persian Gulf and are prepared to respond with force to any attempt to harm Israel," Zamir said at a ceremony marking the appointment of the new air force chief.
May 05, 2026 11:57 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iran says it has not carried out attacks against the UAE in recent days
US Iran war LIVE: Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya ​joint military ‌command said on Tuesday it has not carried out attacks against the United Arab Emirates in recent days, yet warned of a "crushing response" if any action is carried out by the Gulf country against Iran.
The UAE was subject to a second day of what it said were missile and drone attacks from Iran after four weeks of relative calm since the United States announced a ceasefire.
May 05, 2026 11:33 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: ‘Iran seeing military buildup despite dialogue,’ says president Pezeshkian
US Iran war LIVE: Iranian president on Tuesday said that the country is seeing a military buildup and threats by US despite the path of dailogue being underway.
Iran also claimed that US is putting ‘maximum pressure’ on Iran to surrender its unilateral demands.
May 05, 2026 11:20 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iran president says US pursuing ‘maximum pressure’ to force Iran to talks
US Iran war LIVE: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that the United States is pursuing a policy of “maximum pressure” to force Tehran into negotiations and compel it to accept unilateral demands, a position he described as unacceptable.
May 05, 2026 11:14 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iran sets up new mechanism to manage vessel transit through Hormuz
US Iran war LIVE: Iran has set up a new mechanism to manage the transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Press TV reported on Tuesday.
Iran has warned the U.S. Navy to stay out of the Strait of Hormuz and that ​commercial vessels will need to coordinate any passage with its military. It ​also issued a new ⁠map of the strait with an expanded Iranian area of control.
May 05, 2026 10:57 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iran's Guards vow ‘firm response’ if ships diverge from declared Hormuz corridor
US Iran war LIVE: Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned on Tuesday that they would respond firmly to any ships that diverge from the Islamic republic's approved route through the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reported.
“We warn all vessels planning to transit the Strait of Hormuz that the only safe passage is the corridor previously announced by Iran. Any diversion of ships to other routes is dangerous and will result in a firm response from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards navy,” according to a statement carried by the state television.
May 05, 2026 09:52 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Trump says Iran ‘should do the smart thing’
US Iran war LIVE: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Iran to do the “smart thing”, saying he does not want to kill more Iranians.
“They should do the smart thing, because we don't want to go in and kill people. Really don't,” AFP cited Trump as saying at the Oval Office. “I don't want to, it's too tough,” the US President said.
May 05, 2026 09:22 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Fire breaks out in Meighan Wetland near Iran's central city of Arak
US Iran war LIVE: Fire broke out in Reeds area in Meighan Wetland near Iran's central city of Arak, Reuters news agency reported citing Nour News.
Winds are spreading the blaze, according to the report.
May 05, 2026 08:19 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Israeli forces continue attacks in southern Lebanon
US Iran war LIVE: Israeli forces have continued attacks on southern Lebanon, launching strikes on al-Sayyad and al-Mansouri in the Tyre district, according to Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA).
This comes after Israel struck the town of Qounine in the Bint Jbeil district. In the district, the towns of Qounine and Beit Yahoun also faced shelling, Al Jazeera reported.
May 05, 2026 08:00 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: UAE says air defences dealing with Iranian missile and drone attacks
US Iran war LIVE: The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday said its air defences were dealing with Iranian missile and drone attacks.
“The UAE's air defenses are currently dealing with missile and drone attacks originating from Iran. 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 country's defence ministry said.
This is the second conecutive day that the UAE has reported Iranian attacks, with strikes taking place on Monday after US-Iran clashes in the Strait of Hormuz.
May 05, 2026 07:22 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Fire breaks out at shopping centre west of Iran's capital city
US Iran war LIVE: A fire broke out at a shopping centre located west of Tehran, the capital city of Iran, Reuters news agency reported citing IRNA.
May 05, 2026 07:19 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: UN Security Council to begin talks on US and Bahrain-backed resolution for sanctions against Iran
US Iran war LIVE: The UN Security Council members will begin talks on Tuesday on a US and Bahrain-backed draft resolution that could lead to sanctions against Iran.
It could also potentially authorise force if Tehran does not halt attacks nd threats to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters news agency cited three diplomats as saying.
May 05, 2026 07:09 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iranian Nobel winner ‘between life and death’ after hospitalisation, says report
US Iran war LIVE: Iranian Nobel winner Narges Mohammadi, who was hospitalised after her health deteriorated in prison, is “between life and death”, AFP cited her supporters as saying.
Mohammadi was taken from jail ​to hospital last week. Mohammadi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while in prison for her campaign to advance women's rights and abolish the death penalty in Iran.
May 05, 2026 06:31 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iran attacks so far below threshold for restarting combat, says top US general
US Iran war LIVE: The US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine on Tuesday said Iranian attacks so far had been below the threshold for restarting any combat operations, Reuters news agency reported.
However, he said US forces were ready to resume major combat operations against Iran if they are ordered to do so, according to AFP.
May 05, 2026 06:11 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Ceasefire still in effect, says Pentagon chief
US Iran war LIVE: US Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the ceasefire with Iran continues to hold, Reuters news agency reported.
However, Hegseth said Iran must be prudent in its actions.
May 05, 2026 06:01 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: World needs to step up, says Hegseth
US Iran war LIVE: US defense secretary Pete Hegseth said the “world needs to step up”, even as he talked about ‘Project Freedom’ announced by US President Donald Trump. He said the US would not need to enter Iranian airspace or waters for the operation.
The Pentagon chief further said that the US blockade on Iranian ports was still in place, Reuters news agency reported.
May 05, 2026 05:59 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iran will face overwhelming firepower if it attacks commercial shipping, says Hegseth
US Iran war LIVE: US defense secretary Pete Hegseth warned that Iran would face “overwhelming firepower” if it attacked any commercial ships during ‘Operation Project Freedom’, Reuters news agency reported.
Hegseth further said that the US Central Command (CENTCOM) was in active communication with hundreds of ships, shipping companies and insurers.
May 05, 2026 05:56 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: US Pentagon chief Hegseth says hundreds more ships lining to transit Hormuz
US Iran war LIVE: US Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has said that hundreds more ships are lining to transit the Strait of Hormuz as part of ‘Operation Project Freedom’ by America. The operation, under which US is guiding ships through Hormuz, had led to US-Iran clashes on Monday, despite a ceasefire in place.
However, Hegseth said that Iran “does not control” the Strait, adding that the country had been “harassing” ships for too long in the waterway.
May 05, 2026 05:46 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: France's Macron says he will speak with Iran President ‘shortly’
US Iran war LIVE: French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said he will be speaking to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian “soon.”
“I will be speaking with the Iranian president shortly,” Macron told reporters at a press conference in Yerevan, AFP reported. He added that France had been advocating for “the restoration of freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz.
May 05, 2026 05:43 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: ‘Operation Project Freedom’ separate from ‘Epic Fury’, is temporary, says Hegseth
US Iran war LIVE: US Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said that ‘Operation Project Freedom’, announced by US President Donald Trump, is separate from ‘Operation Epic Fury’. Hegseth said that the operation is temporary, claiming that Iran was the “clear aggressor” in the clashes in Hormuz on Monday.
Trump on Monday said that the US would begin guiding ships through the Strait of Hormuz, in an effort he dubbed “Project Freedom.”
“For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social.
May 05, 2026 05:41 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: US looking to protect ships from Iranian aggression, says Pentagon chief
US Iran war LIVE: Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth on Tuesday said the US wanted to protect ships “from Iranian aggression”, Reuters news agency reported. Hegseth further said the US was not looking for a fight.
May 05, 2026 05:19 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: UAE restricts flights to some approved routes until May 11
US Iran war LIVE: A day after UAE said its air defences were dealing with Iranian missiles and drones, the country restricted flights to a handful of approved routes until at least May 11.
It further activated emergency security protocols, according to Notices to Air Men (NOTAMs) published by its General Civil Aviation Authority, Reuters news agency reported.
May 05, 2026 05:15 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Abu Dhabi considering setting up new fund for defence deals
US Iran war LIVE: Preliminary talks are underway among officials in Abu Dhabi on creating a new defense-focused investment vehicle, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter.
This comes even as the fragile truce in Middle East was jolted on Monday as the US and Iran exchanged fire in clashes that also drew in the UAE.
Therefore, this move is aimed at centralising efforts to build stakes in global defense manufacturers and expand domestic production, the people said.
May 05, 2026 04:35 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Two Israeli attacks reported in southern Lebanon's Tebnine
US Iran war LIVE: Two Israel attacks were reported in Tebnine on Tuesday, Al Jazeera reported. This came after Hezbollah attacked Israeli positions in southern Lebanon.
Israeli forces remain stationed in the south despite an October ceasefire between the two countries, which called for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces. A second ceasefire came into effect on April 17.
May 05, 2026 04:32 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Israeli air strike targets southern Lebanon again
US Iran war LIVE: An Israeli air strike targetedhe town of Zrarieh al-Sharqiya in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, Al Jazeera reported.
This comes after Al Jazeera reported of Hezbollah attacks on Israeli positions in southern Lebanon.
May 05, 2026 04:29 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: What is the ceasefire situation after clashes in Hormuz?
US Iran war LIVE: The US and Iran were involved in clashes involving shipping in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, with missile attacks targeting UAE. However, the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran held Tuesday as relative calm returned to the Persian Gulf, Bloomberg reported.
The tensions rose after US President Donald Trump announced ‘Project Freedom’, saying it was a humanitarian effort to guide neutral ships stranded in the Gulf through Hormuz.
Iran warned all ships against trying to get through Hormuz without its permission. It hit a South Korean bulk carrier and attacked an empty tanker belonging to the UAE’s state oil firm, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.
May 05, 2026 04:25 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Why is Iran FM's visit to China significant in present situation?
US Iran war LIVE: Iran foreign minister Abbas Araghchi is set to Visit China on Tuesday, for the first time since the conflict in West Asia began. Araghchi is supposed to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
Iran has not revealed the duration of the visit, but said the two will dicuss regional and international developments. The visit is significant in that the two diplomats have maintained close communication during the conflict.
Araghchi's visit is also right before Donald Trump is scheduled to make a trip to China next week, the first trip by a US President in nearly a decade.
May 05, 2026 04:10 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: US rejects Iranian report of American vessel being struck with missiles
US Iran war LIVE: he US denied a report by Iranian media on Monday that the country had struck an American naval vessel with missiles, Axios reported citing a senior official.
Following the report of the strike, brent crude had jumped around 5% to over $113 a barrel and stocks fell.
May 05, 2026 03:37 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: ‘Have not even started yet,’ warns Iran on Hormuz attacks
US Iran war LIVE: Following the spate of attacks launched by Iran and US against each other, the former has warned that they had “not even started yet.”
“We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; whilst we have not even started yet,” Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, negotiatior for Iran and also its parliament speaker, said in a post on X.
The US military said its Apache and Seahawk helicopters hit six Iranian boats threatening commercial shipping and its forces repelled missile and drones on Monday, while the UAE reported fresh Iranian attacks on its territory, AFP reported. The latest warning came after US President Donald Trump revealed a plan to guide ships from neutral countries out of the Gulf.
May 05, 2026 03:33 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Meanwhile, court in Israel extends detention of two Gaza flotilla activists
US Iran war LIVE: While the tensions in Middle East have flared up again, in Israel, a court has extended the detention of two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla until Sunday, AFP reported.
Spanish national Saif Abu Keshek and Brazilian Thiago Avila appeared before a court in the city of Ashkelon for their second hearing on Tuesday, after they were brought to Israel for questioning last week.
May 05, 2026 03:17 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iran FM Araghchi to leave for China on Tuesday
US Iran war LIVE: Iran foreign minister Abbas Araghchi will leave for China on Tuesday for talks, the foreign ministry said, AFP reported. This comes as negotiations between US and Iran have seen a stall.
“During the visit, he will meet his Chinese counterpart (Wang Yi) to discuss bilateral ties and regional and international developments,” Iran's foreign ministry said.
May 05, 2026 03:15 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Several Delhi to West Asia flights cancelled
US Iran war LIVE: At least six flights from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Baghdad to Delhi have been cancelled since 23.00 hours on May 4.
Meanwhile, four flights from Delhi to these destinations have also seen cancellations.
May 05, 2026 03:01 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE | At least 5 'beautiful' US destroyers would be at bottom of the sea’: Iran rebuts Trump’s speedboat claim
US Iran war LIVE: Iran’s embassy in Austria on Tuesday responded to claims by US President Donald Trump that American forces had shot down seven small boats in the Strait of Hormuz during “Project Freedom.”
In a post on X, the embassy accused US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth of ordering an attack on two Iranian civilian cargo vessels to “cover up his defeat,” alleging that five people were killed.
The embassy also claimed that Hegseth misled Trump by reporting that US forces had destroyed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speedboats, adding that the US president was “gullible enough to buy the lie.”
“To cover up his defeat in the Strait of #Hormuz, Hegseth ordered U.S. terrorist forces to attack two small Iranian civilian cargo boats, killing five innocent people. He then falsely reported to the #POTUS that they had destroyed five #IRGC speedboats—knowing #Trump is gullible enough to buy the lie,” the post read.
“But the rest of the world understands: if the U.S. had actually taken out five Iranian speedboats, at least five ‘beautiful’ U.S. destroyers would already be at the bottom of the sea,” it added.
May 05, 2026 02:30 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Ships cluster further from Hormuz Strait as Iran widens control
US Iran war LIVE: Hundreds of vessels clustered off Dubai on Tuesday as ships continued to steer clear of the still-empty Strait of Hormuz, reacting to Iran’s attempts to expand its zone of control, reported Bloomberg.
A ceasefire between the US and Iran appeared increasingly fragile, with both sides exchanging fire even as Washington said it had opened a passage through the waterway and CBS reported that two American destroyers had entered the Persian Gulf.
May 05, 2026 02:07 pm IST
US Iran war LIVE: Iran says fire at UAE’s Fujairah port caused by ‘US adventurism’
US Iran war LIVE: An unnamed Iranian military official says the fire at Fujairah port was not a planned Iranian attack and instead blamed the United States.
“The Islamic Republic had no pre‑planned programme to attack the mentioned oil facilities, and what happened was the result of US military adventurism aimed at creating a passage for the illegal transit of ships through the restricted waterways of the Strait of Hormuz,” the official told Iran’s IRIB news agency.
“The US military must be held accountable for this. US officials must put an end to the improper practice of using force in the diplomatic process and stop military adventurism in this sensitive oil region, which affects the economies of countries around the world.”
-Aljazeera

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