President Donald Trump said Sunday afternoon that the United States will help escort stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Truth Social post.
A tanker was then reported to have been “hit by unknown projectiles while transiting about 78 nautical miles north of the city of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said,” according to Reuters.
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“Project Freedom” will begin Monday morning in the Middle East. Trump said it will help guide “Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business.” Top Iranian official Ebrahim Azizi responded on X by saying that U.S. action in the strait would be “considered a violation of the ceasefire.”
The U.S. Central Command said that “the mission, directed by the President, will support merchant vessels seeking to freely transit through the essential international trade corridor.” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brett Cooper also said that “this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade.”
Support includes 15,00 servicemembers, guided-missile destroyers, and over 100 land and sea-based aircraft.
CARGO SHIP REPORTS ATTACK NEAR STRAIT OF HORMUZ AFTER LATEST IRAN PEACE PROPOSAL
The project was framed as a humanitarian effort, with Trump adding that “my representatives are having very positive discussions with the Country of Iran.” Trump said yesterday that he’s reviewing Iran’s latest 14-point peace proposal, but he’s skeptical it will be “acceptable.”
About one-fifth of the world’s oil supply typically passes through the strait, but shipping has been disrupted for months after Iran imposed restrictions, prompting the U.S. to impose a retaliatory blockade.
