WASHINGTON, May 5. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump may order the resumption of military operations against Iran this week, Axios reported, citing sources in the US and Israeli leadership.

According to the report, on May 3 the United States privately notified Iran of the launch of Operation Project Freedom in the Strait of Hormuz, aimed at ensuring the safe passage of ships through the waterway and reducing the risk of escalation. At the same time, Axios cited remarks by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, who said earlier on Tuesday that the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite the US military operation in the Strait of Hormuz.

However, some US and Israeli officials believe that if negotiations remain deadlocked, Trump may order a resumption of hostilities later this week, the report said.

The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28. On April 7, US President Donald Trump declared a two-week ceasefire with Iran. According to the Iranian side, as many as 3,375 people died in the US-Israeli attacks on Iran over 40 days of the war. On April 11, Iran and the US held several rounds of talks in Islamabad, however both sides later reported that they were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term settlement of the conflict due to a number of contradictions. On April 21, Trump announced his intention to extend the ceasefire with Iran. Meanwhile, according to the Iranian state television, Tehran does not recognize Washington’s unilateral ceasefire extension and will act as it deems necessary in its interests.

On May 1, the US president officially notified Congress that the war with Iran had ended. However, the move appears to have been driven largely by the need to comply with federal law governing the use of US troops in overseas conflicts.