May 5 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump announced a pause to Project Freedom on Tuesday night, less than 48 hours after the U.S. military began the operation to escort commercial and tanker vessels through the Iran-restricted shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Trump says the US effort to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz is on pause amid a push for an Iran deal. The US says it will now only operate defensively to enforce a naval blockade. DW has more.