Iran War Live Updates: UAE Reports Missiles and Drone Threats; Trump Says U.S. Will Guide Ships in Strait of Hormuz

Key Points:

• President Trump has launched a U.S. naval operation, dubbed "Project Freedom," to break Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by assisting stranded commercial vessels in transiting the waterway, with multiple Navy destroyers clearing a mine-free sea lane.
• So far, only two U.S.-flagged merchant ships have passed through the strait under U.S. protection, while other commercial vessels remain hesitant due to ongoing attacks, including a drone strike on an Emirati oil tanker and an explosion on a South Korean cargo ship.
• Iran has warned commercial ships to avoid transiting the strait without coordination with its armed forces and threatened retaliation against U.S. warships and vessels attempting to bypass its blockade, raising concerns about renewed hostilities despite a fragile cease-fire.
• The U.S. Treasury has intensified sanctions targeting Chinese refineries purchasing Iranian oil, prompting China to order its companies to disregard these sanctions, escalating tensions between the U.S. and China amid the broader conflict involving Iran.
• Pakistan continues its mediation efforts between the U.S. and Iran, facilitating cease-fire talks and the transfer of seized Iranian ship crew members, but negotiations remain stalled with both sides holding incompatible demands regarding the blockade and freedom of navigation.