TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump has warned that the US could escalate military operations in the Strait of Hormuz if a deal with Iran fails to be reached.
"We'll go a different route if everything doesn't get signed up, buttoned up," Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, May 8, 2026, as reported by Anadolu.
When asked if the US would resume the Project Freedom operation, Trump replied, "I don't think so," while adding that it's still possible.
Trump stated that Pakistan, which is mediating the US-Iran negotiations, requested the United States not to continue its military operations.
"We may go back to Project Freedom if things don't happen," he said.
Trump added that the operation could evolve into Project Freedom Plus, meaning the operation would be expanded, although he did not explain the additional steps involved.
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28, which prompted a retaliatory attack from Iran on Israel and US allies in the Gulf.
The tensions have also resulted in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for global energy supplies.
On April 8, a ceasefire took effect through Pakistan's mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a long-term agreement.
Trump then extended the indefinite ceasefire. Since April 13, the US Navy has been blocking Iranian maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
On Tuesday, Trump announced that the US military would temporarily halt Project Freedom aimed at restoring the freedom of navigation for commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. However, he stressed that the US blockade remained "in full force and effect."
Read: Trump Says Project Freedom 'Paused'
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