Without consent of Iran, Project Freedom risks escalationpublished at 22:15 BST

22:15 BST

Joe Inwood
World news correspondent

Once it became clear that President Trump’s plan, dubbed "Project Freedom", was being done without the consent of Iran, escalation was always a risk.

Donald Trump’s social media post said that "interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully".

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responded by saying "any foreign armed forces - especially the aggressive U.S. military - that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted".

Early reports from Iranian news agencies said that the Iranian military had hit a US destroyer. These were then toned down by the IRGC to being "warning shots".

US Central Command explicitly denied that any ships had been hit, instead saying that two of them had crossed the Strait of Hormuz and destroyers were now "operating in the Gulf".

The following few hours have seen reports of merchant ships being struck, as well as reports of drones targeting the UAE, a key US ally.

It is far too early to say that there will be a return to open conflict, but this plan always contained escalatory risks. We may be seeing their initial consequences.

• Read more on what we know about Trump's "Project Freedom" in our explainer

Shipping company Maersk has told the BBC that one of its US-flagged commercial vessels has successfully exited the Strait of Hormuz under US military protection.

Maersk says the transit was "completed without incident, and all crew members are safe and unharmed".

The Alliance Fairfax, it says, had been unable to leave the Gulf since February 2026, when conflict between Iran and the US began.

Maersk says it was contacted by the US military and offered support. After the "development of a comprehensive security plan", the vessel was cleared to leave, according to the statement.

The shipping company says the ship then exited the Gulf "accompanied by US military assets" and thanks them for their "professionalism and effective coordination" in making the operation possible.

Earlier, US Central Command said two US-flagged merchant vessels had “successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz”. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has called the US claim “outright lies”.

US Central Command (Centcom) says it has used helicopters to destroy Iranian small boats.

It follows US President Donald Trump's suggestion that the US has struck seven Iranian small boats as it works to open the Strait of Hormuz.

"Earlier today, Sea Hawk and U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopters were used to eliminate Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping", Centcom writes in a social media update.

Iran is yet to respond to the claims.

Image source, Centcom

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

Image source, Reuters

I'm now in the East Room of the White House, where President Trump is speaking to several dozen officials and visitors.

The event is focused on domestic issues and the administration's policies, which they say will help small businesses across the country.

Trump, however, began his remarks by mentioning a "little detour" in Iran, saying it's "working out very nicely".

He hasn't mentioned today's escalation or the possible impact on oil prices.

There are domestic factors at play too. Today's event, and others in recent weeks, are aimed at convincing Americans that Trump and the Republican Party are good for their wallets.

Higher petrol prices at the pump complicate this message, creating a challenge for the White House as it tries to stabilise global markets during a conflict that's never been particularly popular with Americans.

Trump dismissed polls showing the war is unpopular as "fake", arguing the media is downplaying concerns about a nuclear-armed Iran.

The United Arab Emirates has published a summary of its defence actions today.

The Ministry of Defense says its air defence systems have engaged "12 ballistic missiles, 3 cruise missiles, and 4 UAVs launched from Iran, resulting in 3 moderate injuries".

This follows several reports of attacks in the UAE earlier today, including a reported drone strike in Fujairah, where three Indian nationals are said to be injured.

The ministry says this brings the total number of people injured in the country since the start of the conflict to 227, with three killed.

Iranian state TV has quoted an unnamed "senior military official" saying that "Iran has had no plans to target the UAE". No officials have responded further.

Oliver Smith
Live reporter

A group representing independent oil tanker operators has called for "clear, verified information" on how Trump's so called "Project Freedom" will work in practice.

On Sunday, Donald Trump said the US would help guide stranded ships out of the closed Strait of Hormuz; a process he has termed "Project Freedom".

"It is too early to assess whether this represents a positive step", reacts Philip Belcher, the Marine Director at Intertanko which has member companies operating a total of 105 tankers in the Gulf.

"Details remain limited, and the threat to merchant vessels from Iran persists. It is unclear whether the United States would intervene in the event of an Iranian response, or how traffic flows would be managed by the Omani Coast Guard", Belcher adds.

He explains that the group’s understanding is that the US would provide "oversight from naval and air assets" and that ships would be expected to transit within territorial waters, with the Omani Coast Guard responsible for co-ordinating ship movements.

• Read more on what we know about Trump's "Project Freedom" in our explainer

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Image source, Isna/Wana/Reuters

It's been a day of back-and-forth claims and denials between the US and Iran over action in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions have reignited in the vital waterway.

It can be difficult to track vessels' movement in the key shipping route - our colleagues at BBC Verify explain why.

We've taken a brief look back at what we've heard about incidents in the strait today:

Fast boats sunk: Trump has said the US struck seven Iranian "small boats" in the Strait of Hormuz - Iran is yet to respond.

Crossing the strait: Earlier, the US Central Command claimed US-flagged merchant ships and US navy destroyers had crossed the strait. Iran called this claim "entirely false".

Warning shots: The Iranian Army Navy said it fired warning shots at US destroyers. Separately, Iranian media reported Iran had hit one US warship - a claim Washington denies.

A serious warning: The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has, according to Iranian state media, shared a warning with vessels in the strait that any who pass through the "closed" waterway will be "struck and destroyed".

UAE vessel reportedly hit: The United Arab Emirates reported a tanker affiliated with its state-owned oil company Adnoc has been hit. Iran has not commented.

'Suspected strike': Meanwhile,South Korea said it is investigating a "suspected strike" on a cargo vessel anchored in the strait after a reported explosion in the vessel's engine room. In his latest Truth Social, Trump blames Iran. Tehran has not commented.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

There's still considerable confusion in the US - and around the world - about what Project Freedom actually entails, and what comes next.

To try to get a clearer picture, I’ve been messaging current and former military officials for their take on the operation.

Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defence for the Middle East and a veteran of both the Marine Corps and the CIA’s paramilitary wing, told me he believes the project will provide air cover and defence from missile and drone attacks from ships - rather than physically escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

"Helping guide ships through would be helpful and well within international law," he said.

However, Mulroy said there’s no guarantee it will succeed in restoring freedom of movement and commerce in the strait.

"The question is whether ships will trust their ability to get through without being attacked, and more importantly, the insurance company," he said.

"If not, the effort will not have the impact we hoped."

In an update just now, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it is closely monitoring the situation in the Gulf.

"Our air defence systems and offensive capabilities remain at a high state of readiness, which has not changed since the ceasefire came into effect," it says.

In Lebanon, diplomacy has also failed to stop the warpublished at 19:04 BST

19:04 BST

Hugo Bachega
Middle East correspondent in Lebanon

Image source, EPA

Meanwhile, in southern Lebanon, this is a ceasefire in name only. Israeli air strikes have continued, every day.

According to the health ministry here, the attacks have killed at least a hundred people in the last four days alone, including civilians. And there have been new evacuation warnings for several villages outside the region currently occupied by the Israeli military - the self-declared security zone. Israel accuses Hezbollah of breaching the ceasefire deal that was struck with the Lebanese government.

And Hezbollah is attacking Israeli troops in Lebanon and northern Israel with rockets and drones, saying it is responding to Israel’s violations.

Diplomacy has so far failed to stop the war. Lebanese authorities hope direct talks with Israel will pave the way for a negotiated solution.

But Hezbollah has rejected those efforts. And without the group’s consent, any initiative to bring lasting peace is unlikely to succeed.

US-Iran military confrontation could returnpublished at 18:48 BST

18:48 BST

Sebastian Usher
Global affairs correspondent

The prospect of a renewed military confrontation between Iran and the US seems to be rising, as the UAE has faced several missile strikes.

As reported earlier, the emirate of Fujairah in the UAE says that a fire has broken out in a major petroleum complex after an Iranian drone attack, with three people injured.

The UAE has described the Iranian attacks as a dangerous escalation. It has certainly broken the lull in attacks since the ceasefire between the US and Iran began.

That truce now seems increasingly at risk, as Tehran has shown its readiness to respond to US efforts to break its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Do boat strikes signal a return to military operations for Trump?published at 18:37 BST

18:37 BST

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

Donald Trump says the US has struck seven Iranian "small boats" as it works to open the Strait of Hormuz.

For Trump, these limited operations are something he has previously signalled a willingness to do - but they fall well short of resuming the kind of large-scale, country-wide strikes seen earlier in the war.

In mid-April, Trump suggested strikes against Iranian boats were possible, warning they would be "immediately eliminated" using the "same system" being used against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

"It is quick and brutal," he added.

While more "kinetic" than the blockade, these small-scale strikes also allow the Trump administration to avoid returning to a war that was already unpopular among many Americans, instead adopting a "slow burn" approach.

That isn't to say wider strikes are off the table if Trump believes he has run out of alternatives to secure the strait or pressure the Iranians.

Just this weekend, he said further strikes are a "possibility" if Iran "misbehaves" or "does something bad".

He did not, however, provide any details on what that could be.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
White House reporter

Image source, EPA

We've just heard from US President Donald Trump, who says US forces struck seven Iranian "small boats" as they work to open the Strait of Hormuz.

In a brief post, Trump also says Iran has "taken some shots at unrelated nations", including a South Korean vessel.

He again encourages other nations to step up and do more to support US efforts to secure commerce in the region.

"Perhaps it's time for South Korea to come and join the mission," he says.

Trump adds that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen Dan Caine will hold a news conference tomorrow morning to provide further updates.

We're expecting to see Trump at an unrelated event at the White House in about an hour and a half.

We've just seen a new statement from the United Arab Emirates, saying it holds Iran "fully responsible" for new strikes today.

"These attacks constitute a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable transgression," the statement says, adding that it violates the principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

The UAE also says it "reserves its full and legitimate right to respond to these attacks" in line with international law.

Iranian state TV has quoted an unnamed "senior military official" saying that "Iran has had no plans to target the UAE". No officials have responded further.

Ben King
Business reporter

It has been another day of wild swings on the oil market, and the benchmark Brent crude oil price hit its highest levels of the day following reports of drone strikes in the UAE.

Brent passed $115 a barrel shortly after 17:00 BST after reports that the key oil port of Fujairah had come under attack, up more than 5% on the day.

Fujairah lies on the east coast of the UAE, beyond the Strait of Hormuz.

A pipeline from the oilfields of Abu Dhabi runs to Fujairah, allowing limited amounts of crude to be loaded on to tankers and shipped to world markets despite the strait being effectively blockaded.

Brent crude hit $114 earlier in the day after reports that Iran's military had hit a US destroyer. Prices fell back again when the US said its ships had not been hit.

Now an update from Fujairah, which reported a large fire after a drone attack from Iran earlier.

Three Indian nationals have been taken to hospital for treatment after the strike on the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (Foiz), according to the city's media office.

In a statement, the media office says the three nationals sustained "moderate injuries".

The Foiz is an energy hub hosting one of the largest oil storage facilities in the Middle East.

The latest reports from Fujairah in the UAE come after a tanker linked to Adnoc, the state-owned oil company, was reportedly hit in the Strait of Hormuz.

Neighbouring Qatar has condemned the tanker attack. In a statement, its foreign ministry called the attack "a blatant violation of international law and the principle of freedom of maritime navigation".

It has again called for the strait's "unconditional reopening".

Meanwhile, the UAE continues to report missile attacks, with its latest warning issued at 19:49 local time (16:49 BST).

We're yet to hear from any Iranian officials confirming the attacks.

We're also hearing from local officials in Fujairah, who say a large fire has broken out at the key UAE oil port after it was hit by a drone attack from Iran.

Fujairah is the Emirates' biggest port and oil storage facility. Before the ceasefire, it was also targeted in drone attacks.

In a statement shared on social media, the Fujairah Government Media Office says civil defence teams are working to contain the fire.

The report of the strike came after the UAE defence ministry said it had intercepted three missiles launched from Iran.

The Iranian government has not commented on the attack.

The UAE's defence ministry says it has intercepted three missiles launched from Iran, while a fourth fell into the sea.

In a post on social media, it says explosions heard in parts of the country were due to the interceptions.

This comes shortly after the country's emergency management authority said it was responding to missile threats.

Iran has not commented on the attack.

The UAE says its air defences are responding to a missile threat.

The country's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority is urging people to stay in a safe place.

This comes after an earlier missile alert was sent to UAE residents. South Korean officials have also said a cargo vessel anchored in waters near the UAE may have been struck, causing an explosion.