US President Donald Trump warned Friday that Washington may escalate its military posture in the Strait of Hormuz if a deal with Iran is not finalized, threatening to revive and expand the paused "Project Freedom" operation.

"We'll go a different route if everything doesn't get signed up, buttoned up," Trump told reporters at the White House.

When asked whether the US would return to "Project Freedom," Trump responded, "I don’t think so," but added that it still "might do it."

He explained that Pakistan, which is mediating talks between Washington and Tehran, asked the US not to resume the military operation.

"We may go back to Project Freedom if things don't happen," he said. "It’ll be Project Freedom Plus, meaning Project Freedom plus other things," without elaborating on what additional measures the expanded operation would entail.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, triggering retaliation from Tehran against Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. The truce was later extended by Trump without a set deadline.

Since April 13, the US has enforced a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic in the waterway. Trump announced Tuesday that the US military will temporarily pause "Project Freedom" to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and said the American blockade will remain "in full force and effect." (AA)

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