“Project Freedom” began with an oil tanker hit in the Strait of Hormuz / What is known about Trump's program for ships blocked in the Gulf
President Donald Trump announced that the United States would begin on Monday to help free ships stuck in the Gulf as a result of the US-Israel war against Iran, but an oil tanker reported being hit by projectiles of unknown origin in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Reuters.
Trump offered few details on the “Freedom Project,” the plan to help ships and their crews stranded in the vital waterway and facing a shortage of food and other supplies.
“We have told these countries that we will guide their ships safely out of these restricted waterways so they can operate freely and efficiently,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social website.
Hundreds of ships and up to 20,000 sailors were unable to transit the strait during the conflict, according to the International Maritime Organization.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it would support the effort with 15,000 troops, more than 100 aircraft, as well as warships and drones.
“Our support for this defensive mission is critical to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade,” Admiral Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement.
Oil tanker bombed in the Strait of Hormuz
Shortly after Trump's remarks, Britain's Commercial Maritime Operations Agency announced that an oil tanker had reported being hit by unknown projectiles in the strait.
The agency said all crew members were safe following the incident, which occurred 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, but few details were immediately available.
78 nautical miles north of the port of Fujairah is about 145 kilometers, which places the incident in the Strait of Hormuz.
For more than two months, Iran has blocked almost all maritime traffic in the Gulf except for vessels connected to Tehran, which has sent energy prices soaring.
Some ships attempting to transit the strait have reported being attacked, and Iran has captured several other ships. Last month, the United States imposed its own blockade on ships leaving Iranian ports.
The Trump administration has sought the help of other countries to form an international coalition to ensure the safety of shipping in the strait. CENTCOM said the latest initiative would combine “diplomatic action with military coordination.”
It is not clear at this point, however, which countries will benefit from the US operation or how it will work. It won't necessarily include US Navy ships escorting merchant ships, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Trump threatened that any interference with the US operation “will have to be dealt with forcefully”.
