The Donald Trump administration has abruptly ended Operation "Project Freedom" in the Strait of Hormuz after Saudi Arabia denied US military access to its bases and airspace, two US officials said.
The operation was announced by Trump in a surprise announcement on social media on Sunday to protect shipping through the strategic strait amid Iranian threats. According to regional officials, the decision angered the Saudi leadership, which subsequently refused to use the "Prince Sultan" airbase and the overflight of US aircraft over the country.
A conversation between Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to yield a breakthrough, and the White House was forced to pause the operation about 36 hours after it began. The US military has already been preparing additional ships to transit the strait, and US Central Command confirmed that two US-flagged ships had successfully passed through.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that "Project Freedom" would be "paused for a short period of time to see if" a peace agreement could be finalized.
The White House insisted that regional allies were notified in advance, although officials from Oman and Qatar acknowledged that they were informed after the operation began. A Saudi source said Trump and the crown prince "have been in regular contact." The U.S. military relies on access to the airspace of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait and Oman for operations in the region. A U.S. official said the warplanes were key to protecting the ships in the operation. Washington is also stepping up diplomatic efforts to end the war. Iran is considering a new U.S. proposal brokered by Pakistan. Trump said "they want to make a deal," adding that there had been "very good talks in the last 24 hours." China has also called for an immediate ceasefire. Iranian officials have warned, however, that Tehran is prepared to respond forcefully if talks fail.