US President Donald Trump told reporters on Saturday that the United States would initiate renewed operations in the Strait of Hormuz if peace talks with Iran fail to move forward.
"We may go back to Project Freedom if things don't happen," said Trump, "but it would be 'Project Freedom Plus,' meaning Project Freedom plus other things."
Trump did not elaborate on what elements may be added to Project Freedom.
Trump added that Pakistan had asked the US "not to do" Project Freedom.
On Tuesday, Trump announced that he would pause Operation Project Freedom, which was initiated to guide ships through the Strait under US military escort.
According to an NBC News report on Thursday, pressure from Saudi Arabia also played a role in Trump’s decision to pause the operation.
Also on Saturday, a reporter asked Trump if he thought Iran was "slow-rolling" talks, to which the President replied, "We'll find out soon enough."
On Friday, US forces disabled two Iranian-flagged oil tankers attempting to violate the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by firing precision munitions into their smokestacks, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Friday, saying the vessels were "no longer transiting to Iran."
The ships had attempted to enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman when US forces disabled them.
On Thursday, the US also carried out retaliatory strikes on Iranian military facilities after Iran launched missile and drone attacks on US ships in the region, CENTCOM confirmed.
US imposes sanctions on 10 individuals, companies for aiding Iran's weapons sector
The US Treasury on Friday announced sanctions against 10 individuals and companies, including several in China and Hong Kong, over accusations they aided Iran's efforts to secure weapons and the raw materials needed to build its Shahed drones and ballistic missiles.
The Treasury move, first reported by Reuters, comes days before US President Donald Trump plans to travel to China for a meeting with President Xi Jinping and as efforts to end the war with Iran have stalled.
IDF issues evacuation warning for multiple towns in southern Lebanon
IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation warning on Saturday for several locations in southern Lebanon.
The locations listed in the warning include: Tayr Debba, Al-Abbasiyeh, Burj Rahhal, Maroub, Barish, Arzun, Jannata (Tyre), Al-Zrariyeh, and Ain Baal.
In the statement posted on X/Twitter, Adraee addressed the residents, emphasizing that the IDF does not intend to harm civilians.
WATCH: IDF strikes over 85 Hezbollah sites in 24 hours, following rocket fire in southern Lebanon
In response to rocket fire near IDF soldiers, the IDF carried out strikes on over 85 Hezbollah sites, including weapon storage facilities and production sites, in southern Lebanon.
The IDF struck over 85 infrastructure sites belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the past 24 hours, the military announced on Saturday.
These strikes were carried out both from the air and on the ground, hitting various locations including weapon storage facilities, launchers, and structures used by Hezbollah to further their terrorist activities against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.
In the Beqaa Valley, the IDF targeted an underground site utilized by Hezbollah for the production of weapons intended to harm IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.
Additionally, Hezbollah operatives who were involved in advancing terrorist actions against IDF soldiers in southern Lebanon were also struck.
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