US plans ‘Project Freedom’ to clear ships stranded in Strait of Hormuz

Washington: President Donald Trump has announced that, starting Monday, the United States will "help liberate" ships currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. This signals that the US intends to attempt to break Iran's blockade in the Strait of Hormuz—a move that could heighten the risk of a conflict erupting. On Sunday, Donald Trump stated that this initiative has been named 'Project Freedom.' It will serve as a "humanitarian measure" undertaken at the request of nations that remain "neutral" in this conflict and whose vessels are currently trapped within the strait. Furthermore, he issued a warning against any form of interference with this operation.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Donald Trump wrote, "For the well-being of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have informed these nations that we will safely extract their vessels from these restricted waterways, thereby enabling them to resume their operations freely and efficiently." However, the US President did not specify which nations had requested assistance from Washington.

US to Launch 'Project Freedom' in the Strait of Hormuz

It remains unclear, for the moment, how this operation will proceed or whether it will involve coordination with Tehran. Should Iran choose to oppose this move, this action could potentially shatter the fragile ceasefire that has been in effect since April. In a social media post, the US President noted, "Many of these vessels are running low on food and water, as well as other essential supplies required to ensure the health and hygiene of the large crews aboard." The US President further wrote, "I believe this will prove to be a major step in demonstrating goodwill on behalf of all those who have been struggling so intensely over the past several months. If, in any way, this humanitarian process is obstructed, then, unfortunately, such obstruction will have to be dealt with firmly." The US military has previously stated that it is "not prepared" to escort ships through this narrow waterway, as it could face shelling originating from Iranian territory.

Is this Donald Trump's negotiating style?

Although the ceasefire has held for the past three weeks, conflict with Iran could reignite if the US military begins escorting ships out of the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran's blockade of Hormuz—coupled with Washington's naval encirclement of Iranian ports beyond the strait—has sent oil prices skyrocketing. In the United States, the price of gasoline has surged to $4.44 per gallon—up from less than $3 before the war began. This is fueling inflation. According to recent opinion polls, rising energy costs are increasing public discontent regarding the war, while President Trump's approval ratings are simultaneously plummeting.

In a report by Al Jazeera, Negar Mortazavi—a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy—stated that the US effort to safely escort ships out of the strait would not be perceived by Iran as a humanitarian mission. Mortazavi remarked, "If the task of providing security to these ships is undertaken, it will bring US troops and assets even closer to the range of Iranian fire." She added, "Therefore, I do not know whether this constitutes a threat or not. Is it a negotiating tactic? Or is it, in fact, a genuine plan devised by the President? I mean, we know—and Tehran, too, anticipated—that there was a distinct possibility of tensions escalating in one form or another. I am unsure if this is that very scenario."