The Trump administration sent a private diplomatic message to Iran on Sunday warning it not to interfere with a new U.S. naval operation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to officials briefed on the communication. The warning came hours before the administration publicly announced the initiative, which aims to escort vessels through one of the world's most critical shipping lanes.
Despite the advance notice, Iranian forces launched multiple attacks on U.S. Navy ships, commercial vessels, and targets in the United Arab Emirates once the operation began Monday. The pattern suggests Tehran either disregarded the warning or that Iranian military units acted outside the control of civilian negotiators.
The private message about what officials call "Project Freedom" aligned with a Truth Social post from President Trump on Sunday evening describing the operation. Defense Secretary Hegseth later said the U.S. was "communicating both overtly and quietly to the Iranians to allow this defensive operation to take place on behalf of the world."
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly declined to elaborate on the diplomatic contacts, instead directing inquiries to Trump's public statement.
On Tuesday, Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine characterized the Iranian response as manageable, claiming the attacks remained "below the threshold of restarting major combat operations" and that the ceasefire remained intact. Both officials said the military was prepared to quickly resume major combat operations if Trump orders it.
Hegseth attributed some of Iran's actions to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps acting independently of what negotiators might prefer, suggesting internal divisions within Tehran's leadership over how to respond. "There are some actions the IRGC takes sometimes that are outside the bounds of what maybe Iranian negotiators would like," he said.
The operational results so far tell a different story. Only two U.S.-flagged ships transited the strait on Monday, with none on Tuesday, despite Hegseth's claim that "hundreds more" are waiting. Most shipping companies appear unconvinced the administration can guarantee safe passage through waters where Iranian attacks have continued.
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, signaled a different tone, claiming negotiations mediated by Pakistan "are making progress" and urging the Trump administration not to be "dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers." Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf framed Monday's attacks as creating "a new equation" for future talks.
The dynamics reveal the central tension underlying the operation: the White House hoped advance warning would prevent escalation, but the reality includes Iranian military action and minimal commercial shipping activity. Some U.S. and Israeli officials believe Trump could order a resumption of full-scale conflict later this week if the diplomatic stalemate persists.
The UAE's defense ministry reported Tuesday that Iranian forces launched another missile and drone attack against the country, suggesting the confrontation continues to simmer despite official claims of restraint.
Author James Rodriguez: "Quietly warning Iran about an operation and then claiming the ceasefire holds after they attack anyway is diplomatic fiction, not strategy."
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