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

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

This live blog has ended. For more updates, click here US-Iran war highlights: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that ‘Project Freedom’ will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed”

Iran's military on Tuesday denied launching any attacks on the United Arab Emirates in recent days, after the Gulf country accused Tehran of launching drone and missile barrages.

"The armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran did not launch any missile or drone operation against the United Arab Emirates these past days," the Khatam al-Anbiya central command said in a statement.

"Therefore, the report of that country's Ministry of Defence is categorically denied and completely unfounded," it said, however, warning that any attacks launched from Emirati territory would be met with a "firm response".

Iran and the US tested an already fragile ceasefire as both nations fired munitions at each other in the crucial waterway of the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours. While US President Donald Trump refused to comment on whether the truce holds or not, in an interview to Fox News, he warned that Iran will be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it targets US ships.

What triggered the attacks?

It all started when 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.

Following this, Iran warned that “any foreign military force, especially the invading American army … will be attacked” if they try to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz.

Here’s where things stand

Echoing Trump’s statements, US Central Command chief Adm. Bradley Cooper also declined to weigh in on whether the nearly monthlong ceasefire will continue.

“I wouldn’t go into details of whether the ceasefire is over or not,” Adm. Bradley Cooper, head of US Central Command, told reporters Monday, as reported by CNN. “I think the key thing is, for us, is we’re merely there as a defensive force and to give a very thick layer of defense to commercial shipping to allow them to proceed out of the (Persian Gulf),”

Iran reportedly launched several cruise missiles, drones, and small boats targeting US Navy vessels as well as commercial ships under U.S. protection, according to Cooper, as cited by CNN. In response, the US military said it destroyed six small Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. However, Iranian state media rejected this claim, disputing that any boats were sunk. Later, Trump stated that the US had actually shot down seven small Iranian boats.

The US military said Monday that two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and that Navy guided-missile destroyers in the Persian Gulf were helping to restore shipping traffic. Iran denied these reports, saying no US-flagged merchants crossed the Hormuz.

The US also refuted Iran’s claims that its navy had fired warning shots near US Navy destroyers operating near the Strait of Hormuz. “No U.S. Navy ships have been struck,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.

Is the Middle East under fire again?

The Middle East, which bore the brunt of the US-Iran war, has once again come under fire as hostilities between the two nations increase. UAE on Monday said it had come under attack from Iran for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April. The Gulf nation condemned Iranian strikes, saying its air defenses “engaged” 19 Iranian missiles and drones.

Three Indians were also injured following a drone strike that sparked a “major fire” at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone. UAE also accused Iran of targeting an empty crude oil tanker owned by ADNOC with drones as it transited the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters. ADNOC’s maritime logistics unit said the vessel, Barakah, was empty at the time of the attack and no injuries were reported.

Iran later clarified that it had no premeditated plan to target oil facilities in Fujairah in the UAE, state television reported, citing a military official.

Oman also reported that a residential building housing employees was targeted on Monday, though they did not provide details of the incident.

Iran sends a 14-point peace proposal to US

Iran has put forward a 14-point peace proposal to the United States through Pakistan. While the US suggested a two-month ceasefire; Iran wants a complete settlement within 30 days.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, in response to the ongoing US Project Freedom and the recent strikes on the UAE on Tuesday, said that the events in the Strait of Hormuz region highlight the limits of military approaches to political disputes.

In a post on X, he said, "Events in Hormuz make clear that there's no military solution to a political crisis."