US to begin escorting ships through Strait of Hormuz, Trump says
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The United States will begin to "guide" commercial vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz beginning May 4, U.S. President Donald Trump announced.
The U.S. operation, announced by Trump on May 3 and dubbed Project Freedom, will aim to "restore freedom of navigation" through the narrow strait, according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), as hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers remain unable to pass the strait amid the threat of Iranian attacks.
The Strait of Hormuz has remained at the center of regional tensions since Tehran declared its closure after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28, prompting Washington to impose a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports.
Iran briefly reopened the waterway for commercial traffic on April 17 during a temporary ceasefire with Hezbollah, but later reversed the move and accused the U.S. of "piracy."
Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz each day, making any disruption to navigation a major concern for global energy markets.
Trump claimed that the escorting of ships will serve as a "humanitarian gesture" for countries whose vessels remain unable to pass through the strait.
"The Ship movement is merely meant to free up people, companies, and Countries that have done absolutely nothing wrong — They are victims of circumstance," Trump wrote. "For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business."
According to CENTCOM, the U.S. operation will utilize guided-missile destroyers as well as over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, with 15,000 U.S. soldiers supporting the efforts.
Iranian officials, responding to news of the operation, warned the United States that such a planned maneuver would violate a ceasefire agreed to between Tehran and Washington, CNN reported. The comments come amid ongoing negotiations aimed at achieving a peace deal between the warring countries.
In the hours before Trump's announcement, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported that a vessel was struck by an unknown projectile while in the strait. No casualties or environmental impacts were reported in the incident.
The effective closure of the strait has pushed up global energy prices in recent weeks, indirectly benefiting Russia through stronger oil revenues and expanded demand for its exports amid broader market disruptions.
