The Middle East ceasefire faced its most serious test yet Tuesday as American and Iranian forces clashed repeatedly over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint handling a massive share of global oil shipments. The Trump administration launched what it calls "Project Freedom" to break what it describes as Iran's stranglehold on the waterway, but Tehran showed no signs of backing down, attacking U.S. vessels and striking targets across the Gulf region.
Despite the escalating violence, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon that the ceasefire remained intact. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine acknowledged Iran had struck U.S. forces more than 10 times since the ceasefire began, but characterized the attacks as "below the threshold of restarting major combat operations."
The military said Iranian forces launched cruise missiles, drones, and small boats at U.S. Navy vessels and commercial shipping under American escort on Monday. None of the American ships were hit, according to Pentagon statements. Trump claimed the U.S. destroyed eight Iranian boats in response. Two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels successfully transited the strait, including a MAERSK vehicle carrier that moved through under military protection.
Iran disputed that account entirely. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared on social media that Iran had "not even begun yet" in its response, signaling more confrontation ahead. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that "Project Freedom is Project Deadlock" and dismissed military solutions to what he framed as a political crisis.
The situation grew more complicated when Iran fired ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones at the United Arab Emirates, a crucial American ally in the region. The UAE intercepted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles, and four drones, though at least one projectile sparked a fire at an oil facility and injured three Indian nationals. Iran stopped short of explicitly confirming or denying responsibility but said it had no intention of striking its neighbor.
Trump warned Iranian forces would be "blown off the face of the Earth" if they continued attacking American ships. He also called on South Korea to "join the mission" after a South Korean-operated vessel suffered damage from an explosion and fire. Seoul said it was reviewing the request.
Hegseth described the operation as temporary, intended to "stabilize the situation so commerce can flow again," and said the U.S. expected the international community to share the burden eventually. He told reporters that hundreds of ships from countries worldwide were already queuing to transit the strait, with the Pentagon maintaining active contact with vessel operators.
The shipping industry remained deeply skeptical. Bjorn Hojgaard, CEO of Anglo-Eastern Univan Group, told NBC News that without clear signals of sustained cooperation from both sides, the risk profile for crews and cargo remained unchanged. Most cautious ship owners were still holding their vessels in place rather than exposing them to uncertainty, he said.
John Stawpert, marine principal director at the International Chamber of Shipping, pressed for concrete details about what protection Washington would actually provide vessels under Iranian attack. "There is still a huge amount of uncertainty as to what 'Project Freedom' actually means," he said in a phone interview.
International pressure mounted for de-escalation. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged both sides to maintain the ceasefire and preserve "necessary diplomatic space for dialogue leading to enduring peace." Foreign Minister Araghchi warned both Washington and Abu Dhabi against "being dragged back into quagmire," and said he was traveling to Beijing, where China faces growing pressure to use its ties with Tehran to help resolve the conflict.
Oil markets registered the turbulence by retreating from recent highs but staying above $100 a barrel. U.S. gasoline prices ticked up slightly to $4.48 a gallon, reflecting ongoing unease about supply disruptions from one of the world's most volatile regions.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The Pentagon's insistence that a ceasefire still exists rings hollow when Iranian missiles are hitting American-protected vessels and allied infrastructure in the same breath."
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