5 May 2026 | The Pentagon, Washington D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A dome of American military power now hangs over the world's most contested waterway. The Pentagon says it is a gift to the world. Iran calls it a provocation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine briefed reporters at the Pentagon on Monday, unveiling the latest phase of "Project Freedom" – the US mission to guide hundreds of stranded ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
"Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope and temporary in duration, with one mission: protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression," Hegseth said. "American forces won't need to enter Iranian waters or airspace. It's not necessary. We're not looking for a fight."
⚡ THE NUMBERS: 22,500 mariners trapped • 9 Iranian attacks on commercial vessels since ceasefire • 2 container ships seized • 6 ships stopped trying to break blockade • 2 US-flagged vessels successfully transited
"A Dome Across the Strait": America's Gift to the World
Hegseth declared that the United States has established a "dome" across the strait – a protective umbrella of naval power, surveillance aircraft, and missile defense systems designed to shield commercial shipping from Iranian harassment. He called it a "gift to the rest of the world."
The blockade of Iranian ports, he added, remains "iron-clad" and in force. Six ships tried to break through the blockade from Iranian ports, he said, but they were stopped by US forces.
"Iran is embarrassed," Hegseth said. "Although it says it controls the strait, it does not."
But the numbers tell a more complicated story. Of the hundreds of stranded ships, only two US-flagged merchant vessels have "successfully transited" the strait, according to US Central Command (Centcom).
"Ready to Resume Major Combat Operations": Caine's Warning
Earlier, Caine said some 22,500 mariners remain trapped in the strait and are unable to transit. He said commercial vessels in the region will feel US military power around them – in the seas and in the skies.
The joint force is "ready to resume major combat operations" against Iran if ordered to do so, he added.
Caine said Iran has continued to attack its neighbours, referring to strikes on Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, he said. However, he noted that the Iranian attacks have all fallen below the threshold of restarting major combat operations – at least for now.
— General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Trump's Warning: "Blown Off the Face of the Earth"
Donald Trump has threatened that Iran will be "blown off the face of the earth" if it attacks US vessels trying to reopen a route through the strait of Hormuz. The US launched an operation to help hundreds of ships trapped with their crews in the Gulf, dragging the region back to the brink of full-scale war.
While the US military claimed to have destroyed six Iranian small boats and intercepted both Iranian cruise missiles and drones, this was denied by Iran. The fog of war – and the fog of propaganda – continues to thicken.
The Ceasefire That Isn't Over – Yet
Hegseth insisted, in response to reporters' questions, that the ongoing ceasefire "is not over." He called Project Freedom "separate and distinct" from the broader war effort, but the administration will be watching "very, very closely" to ensure that Iran does not violate the ceasefire agreement.
Hegseth maintained that Iranians do not control the strait. The mission to guide stranded ships through the passageway, he said, shows that the Trump administration ultimately "holds the cards."
However, he warned that Iran "will face overwhelming firepower" if it attacks commercial shipping. He also said he expects the rest of the world to "step up" to protect the waterway "at the appropriate time."
Other Developments: Climate Lawsuit Blocked, Voting Rights Gutted
Climate Lawsuit Blocked: The Trump administration moved to block a lawsuit Minnesota officials filed almost six years ago alleging oil companies and a petroleum trade group deceived state residents about climate change. The justice department argued that the federal government has the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, not states, and that Minnesota officials are trying to improperly impose their policy preferences on the rest of the country.
Voting Rights Gutted: The US Supreme Court went out of its way to help Louisiana Republicans redraw their congressional maps ahead of this year's midterm elections. The procedural move comes less than a week after the court's landmark decision striking down Louisiana's congressional map and gutting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.
Food Aid Under Attack: The Trump administration's attack on the 87-year-old food aid program that supports tens of millions of low-income Americans escalated last week as Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins claimed that 14,000 Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients included owners of luxury vehicles such as Ferraris, Bentleys, and Teslas.
📊 PROJECT FREEDOM AT A GLANCE
- Mariners trapped: 22,500
- Iranian attacks on vessels (since ceasefire): 9
- Container ships seized: 2
- Ships stopped breaking blockade: 6
- US-flagged vessels transited: 2
- US military posture: "Ready to resume major combat operations"
- Ceasefire status: "Not over" (according to Hegseth)
What Comes Next?
The "dome" is up. The warnings have been issued. The ships are waiting. And the world is watching to see whether Project Freedom becomes a peaceful humanitarian mission – or the spark that reignites a war.
Twenty-two thousand five hundred mariners are trapped. Two hundred ships are stranded. And only two US-flagged vessels have made it through. The US military says it holds the cards. Iran says it holds the strait. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle – and on the water, where the next shot could change everything.
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