Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17780320186651776435480474AFP__20260304__99WD7EN__v1__HighRes__IranIsraelUsConflictTransport (1).webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A person points at a page on the Marinetraffic website that shows commercial boats traffic on the edge of the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian coast, in Paris on March 4, 2026. <em>Photo by Julien De Rosa/AFP</em><br/></span></span></span></div><p>WASHINGTON (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- President Donald Trump said he was pausing the US military operation to guide stranded commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz shortly after it began, citing a chance to seal a deal that would end two months of war with Iran.</p><p>The US leader said Washington&#x27;s blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place as Tehran kept up its own closure of the vital trade route in response to the US-Israeli war on the country, which has rocked markets and spiked fuel prices.</p><p>Trump wrote on social media that the decision to halt his so-called &quot;Project Freedom&quot; a day after it began came after requests from &quot;mediator Pakistan and other countries&quot;, saying &quot;Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement&quot; with Tehran.</p><p>&quot;We have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom... will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,&quot; Trump wrote late Tuesday.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/5/5/iran-warns-not-even-started-in-hormuz-1828">READ: Iran warns &#x27;not even started&#x27; in Hormuz</a></div><p>The decision means more than 22,000 seafarers and 1,500 commercial ships are still waiting to transit the strait, according to US officials.</p><p>Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif -- a key mediator in the Middle East war -- wrote on X that he was &quot;hopeful&quot; the current momentum would bring help bring an end to the conflict with a &quot;lasting agreement.&quot;</p><p>Trump made the abrupt U-turn as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing for talks on Wednesday, his first trip to Tehran&#x27;s close ally since the beginning of the war.</p><p>According to Iranian state TV, Araghchi told Wang that Tehran would &quot;only accept a fair and comprehensive agreement.&quot;</p><p>After the talks, Wang called for an end to hostilities and for both countries to reopen the Strait of Hormuz &quot;as soon as possible,&quot; his ministry said.</p><p>Before the visit, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a vocal China critic, called on Beijing to put pressure on Araghchi to end the blockade of the crucial waterway.</p><p>&quot;I hope the Chinese tell him (Araghchi) what he needs to be told, and that is that what you were doing in the straits is causing you to be globally isolated,&quot; Rubio said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Oil tumbles -</strong></div><p>Trump&#x27;s tone came hours after Rubio said the US had completed its offensive operations against Iran.</p><p>Investors welcomed the decision to pause the ship-guiding plan, with Brent oil price tumbling more than five percent and West Texas Intermediate back below $100 a barrel.</p><p>Araghchi was visiting China, days before Trump is also scheduled to visit on May 14 and 15 to meet President Xi Jinping -- a trip he had delayed due to the war.</p><p>The Iranian minister later held a phone call about the war with Saudi Arabia&#x27;s foreign minister, Iranian media said, as back-channel diplomacy to find a solution continues.</p><p>But progress in talks has largely stalled since a first round of negotiations in Pakistan last month ended without a deal as Tehran maintains its grip on the Hormuz strait, giving it key leverage.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/5/5/us-iran-ceasefire-on-brink-as-uae-reports-attacks-0905">READ: Trump urges Iran to &#x27;do the smart thing&#x27;</a></div><p>Despite Rubio&#x27;s announcement of the end to &quot;Operation Epic Fury&quot;, the standoff in the vital waterway has led to claims of attacks by both sides.</p><p>Iran fired missiles and drones at US forces on Monday, while Washington said it struck six Iranian boats it accused of threatening commercial shipping.</p><p>The United Arab Emirates said it had engaged a barrage of missiles and drones from Iran for the second consecutive day on Tuesday -- an accusation denied by Tehran.</p><p>It was the sharpest escalation since a truce took effect on April 8.</p><p>A container ship owned by French shipping company CMA CGM was also the &quot;target of an attack&quot; in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the major shipping firm said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;High alert&#x27; -</strong></div><p>Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said Washington was &quot;not looking for a fight&quot; over the waterway and downplayed the latest Iranian attacks while warning that any more would be met with a &quot;devastating response&quot;.</p><p>Washington and Gulf have meanwhile drafted a UN Security Council resolution demanding Tehran halt attacks, disclose the location of mines and end efforts to charge tolls, Rubio said.</p><p>The proposed measure would also require Iran to support a humanitarian corridor, with a vote expected in the coming days.</p><p>Despite that resolution, Iran&#x27;s powerful chief negotiator said on Tuesday that Tehran &quot;had not even started yet&quot; in the Hormuz strait.</p><p>On another front, Israel&#x27;s military on Wednesday issued a new evacuation warning for a dozen villages in southern Lebanon.</p><p>Israeli bombardment later hit at least two villages including one near a 12-century Crusader-era castle, according to AFP images.</p><p>Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have kept up their attacks despite a ceasefire in Lebanon.</p><p>On Iran, Israel&#x27;s new air force chief said Tuesday the country was prepared to deploy its entire fleet of fighter jets against Iran if necessary.</p><p>Israel&#x27;s military chief of staff Eyal Zamir also said the country remained &quot;on high alert across all fronts&quot;.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><br/><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iM046fTNw4k?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bz44L5ksiiM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dEQaD3Dmg-Q?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OHBANiayM54?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>President Donald Trump said he was pausing the US military operation to guide stranded commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz shortly after it began, citing a chance to seal a deal that would end two months of war with Iran.</p>

President Donald Trump said he was pausing the US military operation to guide stranded commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz shortly after it began, citing a chance to seal a deal that would end two months of war with Iran.

US pauses guiding ships through Hormuz, cites Iran deal hopes

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US pauses guiding ships through Hormuz, cites Iran deal hopes

AFP teams in Washington,

Tehran and Dubai

Published May 06, 2026 09:51 AM PHT

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Updated May 06, 2026 05:59 PM PHT

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Agence France-Presse

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