President Trump said the United States will begin guiding stranded commercial ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, opening a risky new phase in a maritime standoff that has trapped vessels, unsettled oil markets and helped push U.S. gasoline prices higher.
The effort, which Trump called Project Freedom, is aimed at ships from countries not involved in the war with Iran. Trump said the United States would maintain its blockade on Iranian ports while helping those vessels leave the restricted waterway. CBS News reported that U.S. gas prices have risen 35 cents in the past week as the disruption continues to ripple through energy markets.
The strait, which sits between Iranian and Omani territory, is one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil typically moves through it, making any extended closure a direct concern for governments, shippers, businesses and consumers far beyond the Persian Gulf.
A limited mission with broad military backing
Trump described the effort as a humanitarian move for ships and crews caught in the conflict. In a Truth Social post, he said the United States had told affected countries that “we will guide their Ships safely out” so they could resume business, while adding that the vessels would not return until navigation is considered safe.
U.S. Central Command said the mission would involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, unmanned platforms and 15,000 service members. A U.S.-led maritime task force also said Monday that it had established an “enhanced security area” south of typical shipping routes and urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities because of expected high traffic.
The Joint Maritime Information Center warned that travel near the usual shipping lanes should be considered extremely hazardous because mines in the area had not been fully surveyed or cleared. That warning underscores the practical difficulty of moving commercial ships through a contested waterway even if the mission is framed as a limited exit operation rather than a full reopening.
Iran warns against U.S. entry
Iran has sharply objected to the U.S. plan. A senior Iranian military official, Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, said in a statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB that any foreign armed force, “especially the aggressive U.S. military,” approaching or entering the Strait of Hormuz would be targeted and attacked.
Iranian officials have also said any U.S. role in managing passage through the strait would violate the ceasefire. Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s National Security Commission, wrote that “any American interference in the new maritime regime of the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the ceasefire.”
The competing statements leave a central uncertainty: whether the U.S. operation can move ships out without triggering a direct confrontation. Trump warned that interference with the process would be dealt with forcefully, while also saying negotiations with Iran were going “very well.”
Energy pressure and diplomacy
The maritime crisis has outlasted the heaviest fighting and remains one of the clearest economic consequences of the war. CNBC reported that vessels have been largely unable to pass through the strait since the conflict began, disrupting supply chains and contributing to higher oil and gasoline prices.
There are signs of diplomatic activity, but no settled path forward. Iran’s latest proposal to the United States calls for issues between the countries to be resolved within 30 days and is aimed at ending the war rather than extending the ceasefire, according to Iran’s state-linked media cited by CBS News. Trump has said he is reviewing the proposal, while NPR reported that he has not ruled out the option of war.
Oil producers are also trying to signal stability. Seven OPEC+ members — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Algeria, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait and Oman — said they would modestly increase production in June. CBS News reported the increase would amount to 188,000 barrels per day, a move it described as mostly symbolic given the scale of the disruption caused by the Strait of Hormuz closure.
For now, the immediate test is whether Project Freedom can move stranded vessels and crews out of danger without widening the conflict. A broader reopening of the strait, and any relief for energy markets, still depends on whether the United States and Iran can avoid a clash while talks continue.
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