Donald Trumps statements, Irans shots: Is the ceasefire in the Middle East coming to an end?

Published on May 4, 2026 at 9:12 PM, Updated May 4, 2026 at 11:35 PM

Reading time: 1 min – Video: 2 min

The situation is once again tense in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. military announced on Monday, May 4, that they had destroyed seven small Iranian boats. Tehran responded by firing missiles at boats. Is this the end of the ceasefire in the Middle East?

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The oil tanker off Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, is on fire, hit by an Iranian drone on Monday, May 4, in the afternoon. Iran resumes drone and missile attacks, despite the ceasefire agreed less than a month ago with the United States. The escalation follows the announcement on Monday, May 4, by Donald Trump of American military intervention in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation is named “Operation Freedom”. “We will safely guide ships out of restricted waterways so they can freely resume their business,” said the U.S. president.

The U.S. Command Center claims to have sent destroyers into the Persian Gulf, where hundreds of ships are blocked. The military says they are mobilizing 15,000 soldiers and a hundred aircraft to escort merchant ships out of the strait. On an aviation tracking app, several flyovers by U.S. military aircraft are observed on both sides of the strait on Monday, May 4. The United States claims to have allowed two American merchant ships to cross.

Iran denies and still claims total control of the Strait of Hormuz. “Ships, their owners, and shipping companies know that to ensure their security, they must coordinate with the various bodies of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

Provocative statements and provocations continue on social media between the two countries. In a montage, the U.S. president claims to hold all the cards. The Iranians, on the other hand, claim to have a better hand.

Beyond the posturing, a naval battle is brewing again. Washington claims to have destroyed seven small Iranian boats. Tehran denies, but the world of seafarers is worried. “Our fear is that it will turn into a battleground with more powerful weapons, with merchant ships being held hostage, but also becoming targets. It is a very great concern of a conflict greater than any we have seen before,” said Emmanuel Chalard, CGT delegate of the merchant navy.

Close to 900 ships and 20,000 sailors are still stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.