The United States said it will begin an operation on Monday to guide ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump announced on social media, calling the initiative “Project Freedom.” Trump gave few operational details but said the effort aims to help “neutral and innocent” countries whose vessels have been affected by the conflict, and warned that any interference with the humanitarian effort “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.” He said U.S. representatives are in talks with Iran that could yield a positive outcome.
U.S. Central Command said the operation will include guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and about 15,000 service members; the Pentagon did not immediately provide a full deployment breakdown. Iran reacted sharply: state-run IRNA called the announcement part of Trump’s “delirium,” and Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliamentary national security commission, said any interference in the strait would violate the ceasefire. Iran said it is reviewing the U.S. response to its latest 14-point proposal and reiterated that the talks are not about nuclear issues. A fragile three-week ceasefire in the broader conflict appears to be holding.
Tehran has effectively restricted traffic through the strait since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, disrupting global markets and leaving hundreds of vessels and an estimated 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf. Many of those aboard oil, gas and cargo ships are nationals of India and other countries across South and Southeast Asia. Crews have reported drones and missiles overhead and dwindling supplies of drinking water and food.
Separately, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center reported that a cargo ship near the strait was attacked by multiple small craft and another vessel was struck by “unknown projectiles.” No injuries were reported. The first was an unidentified cargo ship north of Sirik, Iran; Iranian outlets denied an attack, saying the vessel was stopped for document checks. The second was a tanker hit off Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. These were the first reported incidents in the area since April 22 and are among at least two dozen episodes tied to the war.
Iranian patrol boats, often small and agile, complicate detection and response. Last month, Trump ordered U.S. forces to “shoot and kill” small Iranian boats that deploy mines in the strait. There have also been reports of VHF radio warnings telling ships near Ras al-Khaimah to move from anchorages; the source of those messages remains unclear.
Iran’s 14-point proposal to end the war, as reported by state-linked agencies, calls for the U.S. to lift sanctions, end the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, withdraw forces from the region and cease all hostilities, including Israeli operations in Lebanon. Trump said he was reviewing the plan but expressed doubts it would produce a deal. Pakistan has continued to push for direct talks and hosted face-to-face meetings last month, relaying messages between the parties.
The U.S. has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying Iran in any form, including digital assets, to transit the strait. A U.S. naval blockade in place since April 13 has also reduced Iranian oil revenue; U.S. Central Command said 49 commercial ships have been told to turn back. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News the U.S. believes Iran has received less than $1.3 million in tolls — a small fraction of its previous daily oil income — and said Iran’s oil storage is filling, which could force it to shut in wells within about a week.
