U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Tuesday that a fragile ceasefire with Iran remains intact, even as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported a second consecutive day of missile and drone strikes targeting its territory.
The escalation follows an exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, where U.S. forces moved to reopen the vital waterway under a new mission dubbed "Project Freedom."
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. military confirmed it destroyed six Iranian small boats, along with several cruise missiles and drones, on Monday. The engagement occurred as Navy destroyers began escorting merchant ships through the strait, which has been largely blocked since conflict broke out in late February.
Hegseth described the escort mission as a "temporary solution" to free hundreds of stranded commercial vessels. "We're not looking for a fight," Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon. "Right now, the ceasefire certainly holds, but we're going to be watching very, very closely."
UAE Under Attack
While Washington maintains the truce is holding, the UAE Ministry of Defence reported that its air defenses intercepted multiple Iranian missiles and drones on Tuesday. The UAE Foreign Ministry called the attacks a "serious escalation" and a direct threat to national security, asserting its right to respond.
Iran has not officially commented on the UAE strikes, but Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that U.S. "interference" in the strait violates the ceasefire terms. He noted that the current situation is "unbearable" for the United States, suggesting Tehran has yet to use its full military capacity.
Background: Project Freedom
Launched by President Donald Trump, "Project Freedom" aims to break the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint responsible for a fifth of the world’s oil supply.
Includes guided-missile destroyers, 100 aircraft, and 15,000 service members. A Pakistan-mediated truce began on April 7, but disputes over maritime control have brought both nations back to the brink of combat.
Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that Iran has attacked commercial vessels nine times and U.S. forces over 10 times since the truce began, though he categorized these as staying "below the threshold" of full-scale war.
