Trump Paused Hormuz Naval Mission Amid Progress in Iran Talks: Israeli Officials

Despite diplomatic momentum, divisions within Tehran’s leadership continue to threaten prospects for a lasting agreement, the officials said.

An Iranian tugboat floats in the foreground as cargo ships sit at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on May 4, 2026. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP

Senior Israeli officials have said that President Donald Trump’s decision to pause a newly launched U.S. naval operation in the Strait of Hormuz came amid signs of progress in indirect talks with Iran, even as deep divisions within Tehran’s leadership cast doubt on prospects for a lasting agreement.

Trump announced on May 5 that “Project Freedom,” the U.S.-led mission to escort commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, would be suspended temporarily to allow diplomacy to continue, while maintaining the broader U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.