Trump threatens renewed Strait of Hormuz mission amid stalled Iran diplomacy

US President Donald Trump informed reporters on Saturday that the United States plans to launch enhanced operations in the Strait of Hormuz should ongoing peace discussions with Iran fail to advance.

"We may go back to Project Freedom if things don't happen," Trump stated, "but it would be 'Project Freedom Plus,' meaning Project Freedom plus other things."

The leader provided no details on the additional components planned for the upgraded initiative.

Trump also mentioned that Pakistan had requested the US refrain from implementing Project Freedom.

On Tuesday, the president had halted Operation Project Freedom, a mission designed to escort commercial ships through the Strait under protection from US military forces.

An NBC News report from Thursday suggested that lobbying from Saudi Arabia influenced the choice to suspend the operation.

In the same briefing, a journalist questioned whether Iran was "slow-rolling" the talks, and Trump answered, "We'll find out soon enough."

US targets Iranian tankers and bases in recent clashes

Friday saw US troops disable two oil tankers registered to Iran that tried to breach the American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. By launching precision munitions at their smokestacks, the vessels were stopped, US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported, noting they were "no longer transiting to Iran."

The tankers were heading for an Iranian harbor in the Gulf of Oman during the incident.

Thursday brought US counterattacks on Iranian military sites after Tehran fired missiles and drones at American vessels nearby, according to CENTCOM.

"US forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defense strikes as US Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman," CENTCOM explained.

James Genn and Reuters contributed to this report.