US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that on the morning of May 4, the US plans to launch an operation called "Project Freedom" to escort ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz due to the military conflict.
He noted that many countries have expressed concern about commercial ships "blocked in the Strait of Hormuz". "I have instructed my representatives to inform them that we will make every effort to ensure the safe removal of their ships and crews from the strait. They said they would not return under any circumstances until the area is safe for shipping, etc. This operation, known as "Project Freedom", will begin Monday morning, Middle Eastern time," Trump said.
Approximately 15,000 U.S. military personnel, missile destroyers and more than 100 aircraft will participate in Operation "Project Freedom", which will escort ships blocked in the Strait of Hormuz due to the military conflict, U.S. Central Command announced.
„U.S. military support for "Project Freedom" will include missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea aircraft, various unmanned platforms and 15,000 service members“, the command said in a statement.
“This is a humanitarian gesture by the United States towards the Middle East and Iran in particular. "Many of these ships have run out of food and other supplies needed to keep their numerous crews on board safe and sanitary," Trump added. "If this humanitarian process is subject to any interference, then, unfortunately, that interference will have to be met with force," the US president concluded. "Tehran will view any US interference in shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as a violation of the ceasefire," said Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security Committee. "Any US interference in the new regime in the Strait of Hormuz will be viewed as a violation of the ceasefire." The management of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf will not be based on Trump's misleading statements!“, Azizi wrote in X.
"Project Freedom“, announced by US President Donald Trump to escort ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz due to the military conflict, does not currently include an escort by US Navy ships, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing an unnamed senior US administration official.
According to the Journal, "Project Freedom“ will be a process through which countries, insurance companies and shipping organizations can coordinate the passage of ships. The operation, the publication notes, “does not currently involve the use of US Navy ships to escort ships through the strait“.
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN that Washington continues to discuss a peaceful resolution to the conflict with Iran.
“We are having discussions“, Witkoff was quoted as saying in response to a question about the current state of the negotiations.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Israeli state TV Kan that he considered Tehran's new peace proposal unacceptable.