U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced the temporary suspension of 'Project Freedom,' a military initiative launched to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, citing diplomatic progress with Iran and requests from Pakistan and other countries. The move comes one day after the operation began and as Washington pushes for a comprehensive agreement to end hostilities in the region.

Trump stated the pause was agreed upon mutually, emphasizing that the blockade of Iranian ports would continue to maintain pressure on Tehran. The operation, described by the president as a humanitarian effort to aid stranded ships and crews, had already seen U.S. forces engage and sink several Iranian boats accused of threatening maritime traffic.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the offensive phase of U.S. operations, known as 'Operation Epic Fury,' had concluded and that U.S. actions in the Strait were now strictly defensive. He reiterated that while military objectives had been achieved, the U.S. preferred a negotiated settlement with Iran.

The State Department is expected to provide a formal briefing Wednesday morning, while the Pentagon has placed naval units in the region on standby pending further diplomatic developments. The White House has not specified how long the pause will last or what conditions would trigger the resumption of operations.