President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Following the announcement of a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan in April failed to reach a peace deal.
Trump later announced the open-ended extension of the ceasefire and the continuation of a U.S. blockade until negotiations are concluded "one way or the other."
Latest Developments
May 5, 8:37 AM
Hegseth says Iran is 'embarrassed' that it does not control Hormuz
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz.
"They said they control the strait. They do not," Hegseth said.
"Iran has an ability to make that deal, but what we're demonstrating with Project Freedom is they don't control the strait. We know Iran is embarrassed by the fact that our blockade is holding, and we can run ships through, and we're going to help the world run ships through," Hegseth said Tuesday.
May 5, 8:32 AM
Iran's attacks on US below threshold of restarting fighting, Caine says
The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran continues to hold, with Iranian attacks being below the threshold of ending the agreement, U.S. officials told reporters on Tuesday.
"Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they've attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times, all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point," Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters Tuesday.
The decision to restart military operations is a political one Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not comment on.
"Right now the ceasefire certainly holds but we're going to be watching very, very closely," Hegseth said.
May 5, 8:13 AM
US is 'locked and loaded' in Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth says
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the U.S. is "locked and loaded" in the Strait of Hormuz as it moves to open up the waterway.
"We prefer this to be a peaceful operation, but are locked and loaded to defend our people, our ships, our aircraft, and this mission without hesitation," Hegseth said during a press conference at the Pentagon Tuesday.
Hegseth warned Iran, telling it to "let innocent ships pass freely."
American ships are "shouldering the initial risk from the front" in its efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Hegseth said Tuesday.
"We're not looking for a fight. But Iran also cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway," Hegseth said.
May 5, 7:16 AM
Hegseth, Caine to address reporters on Iran
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are scheduled to hold a press conference at 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday, according to the Department of Defense.
May 5, 6:26 AM
South Korea to review Strait of Hormuz situation after reported attack: Ministry
South Korea's Defense Ministry on Tuesday said it is "communicating closely with the United States and other relevant countries" regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, after a South Korean-owned tanker was hit by an alleged Iranian attack off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Monday.
President Donald Trump blamed Tehran for the incident, writing on social media of his "Project Freedom" operation that began Monday, "Perhaps it's time for South Korea to come and join the mission!"
The South Korean Defense Ministry said Tuesday that it had been "actively participating in discussions on international cooperation to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz."
The statement added that the ministry will "carefully review our position while comprehensively taking into account international law, the safety of international maritime routes, the [Republic of Korea]-U.S. alliance and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and domestic legal procedures."
-ABC News' Joohee Cho and Joe Simonetti
May 5, 3:59 AM
Status quo 'intolerable' for the US, Ghalibaf claims
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament who led Tehran's negotiating delegation to Islamabad in April, said in a post to X on Tuesday that Iran knows "full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet."
"The new equation of the Strait of Hormuz is in the process of being solidified," Ghalibaf wrote on X, in a reference to Tehran's claimed control of the strait. "The security of shipping and energy transit has been jeopardized by the United States and its allies through the violation of the ceasefire and the imposition of a blockade; of course, their evil will diminish."
U.S. Central Command began its "Project Freedom" mission on Monday to guide commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz despite continued Iranian threats against and attacks on cargo vessels in the strategic waterway.
Top Iranian officials have warned that the operation could prompt a new round of fighting, and on Monday the United Arab Emirates accused Iran of launching new missile and drone attacks against it.
May 5, 3:34 AM
Trump says war could stretch 3 more weeks, claims US 'already won'
During a phone interview with Hugh Hewitt on Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump refused to say whether the ceasefire with Iran was over after Iran fired at the United Arab Emirates and projected that the war could continue for another two or three weeks.
"Well, I can't tell you that," Trump said when pressed on whether the ceasefire is over. When asked if Monday's hostilities meant the beginning of a renewed conflict with Iran, Trump said that "one way or the other, we win."
"We either make the right deal or we win very easily. From the military standpoint, we've already won that. You know, you've heard me say it a million times, and other people say it. They had 159 ships. Hugh, now they have none. They're all at the bottom of the sea," Trump said.
The president stopped short of confirming whether Iran violated the ceasefire, saying "we'll see what happens" and instead touting the U.S. military capabilities.
Trump said the conflict could continue for "probably another two weeks" or "maybe three weeks," and emphasized that he is not operating under any time constraints. "Time is not of the essence for us," Trump said, while claiming significant public support for the war.
The president said the U.S. has "control" over the Strait of Hormuz amid the launch of the "Project Freedom" operation. "They said they were going to take over the Homruz Strait, and then we thought they might have. We took it over from them," Trump said of Iran.
On concerns over spiking oil prices, Trump said he thought prices might rise higher than they have -- perhaps as high as $250 -- claiming that the "genius" thing happening was ships were now heading to the U.S. for oil.
Asked about the future of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile -- Tehran's surrendering of which has been a key sticking point for the U.S. -- Trump downplayed its importance.
"From a standpoint of value, it's not very valuable. Probably can't be used. They may not be able to get it," Trump said, before touting the June military operation -- Operation Midnight Hammer -- to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities. "I'd like to get it back so that they can't be tempted," Trump said of the enriched uranium.
Trump also said he is "convinced" that if the Iranian people had sufficient weapons, they would "fight back" against the regime.
-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr, Emily Chang and Michelle Stoddart
May 5, 3:04 AM
US, UAE should be wary of 'quagmire,' Araghchi says
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post to X on Monday that there can be "no military solution to a political crisis" in the Strait of Hormuz.
"As talks are making progress with Pakistan's gracious effort, the U.S. should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire by ill-wishers. So should the UAE," Araghchi wrote.
"Project Freedom is Project Deadlock," the foreign minister said, referring to the U.S. military mission to escort stranded shipping out of the strategic waterway that began on Monday.
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
May 5, 2:53 AM
MBS condemns Iranian attacks on UAE
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman -- colloquially known as MBS -- spoke with United Arab Emirates counterpart Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday after the UAE reported fresh Iranian drone and missile attacks, according to a readout from the Saudi Foreign Ministry.
MBS "expressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's strong condemnation and denunciation of the unjustified Iranian attacks targeting the United Arab Emirates," the readout said. "He reaffirmed the Kingdom's support for the UAE in its defense of its security and stability."
-ABC News' Will Gretsky
May 4, 4:59 PM
US mission to the UAE warns of 'potential aerial threats'
The U.S. mission to the United Arab Emirates issued a security alert moments ago advising Americans in the country of "potential aerial threats."
This marks the first notice from the embassy since the country's government issued warnings about incoming attacks from Iran more than five hours ago.
"On May 4, 2026, the UAE Ministry of Interior issued several public alerts via mobile phone that warned of potential aerial threats," the alert from the U.S. embassy reads. "The U.S. Mission to the UAE is monitoring the situation and urges Americans to please follow instructions from UAE authorities and be prepared to take shelter if instructed."
The alert makes no mention of Iran or the specifics of those aerial threats.
-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston
