Trump Launches “Project Freedom” to Clear Ships From Strait of Hormuz
President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States would escort stranded vessels safely through the Strait of Hormuz, BBC Business reported, naming the effort “Project Freedom.”
Trump posted the announcement on social media, describing the operation as a humanitarian gesture on behalf of the US, Iran, and other regional nations. He did not specify which countries would benefit. He warned that any interference with the convoy effort would be met with force.
A Massive Military Commitment
US Central Command confirmed the operation’s scale shortly after Trump’s post. The deployment involves 15,000 military personnel, guided-missile destroyers, and more than 100 aircraft. Roughly 20,000 sailors have been trapped inside the Gulf since fighting between the US and Iran began in February, with growing concern over sailors’ deteriorating health and dwindling onboard supplies.
Trump framed the mission narrowly. He said the ship movements were intended only to free crews, companies, and countries that had no role in the conflict. He gave no details on how operational coordination with Tehran would be handled.
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Background: The Strait and the War
The Strait of Hormuz sits at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Under normal conditions, roughly 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through it daily. Iran moved to restrict traffic through the waterway after the conflict escalated in February. The US responded with a naval blockade of Iranian ports. The combined disruption drove global energy prices sharply higher. Late Sunday, UK maritime authorities reported a tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the strait, though the crew survived.
Also Read: What the Strait of Hormuz Means for Global Energy Markets
Diplomacy Falters in Parallel
Even as the military operation launched, peace talks remained fragile. Iranian state media said Tehran had submitted a 14-point proposal to Washington via Pakistan. The plan called for a US military withdrawal from Iran’s borders, an end to the naval blockade, and a final agreement within 30 days. Trump told Israeli broadcaster Kan News on Sunday the proposal was unacceptable.
Senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commander, warned that any US interference in the strait would constitute a ceasefire violation. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei also clarified that nuclear negotiations were not part of the current diplomatic track, despite that being a core US demand.
Trump separately told reporters that renewed military strikes against Iranian targets remained possible if Tehran acted aggressively, adding that Washington had no intention of exiting the conflict.
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