[48771] Donald Trump announces "Project Freedom": The U.S. will begin escorting ships in the Strait of Hormuz

Trump announces "Project Freedom" operation

United States President Donald Trump announced that the United States will launch an operation dubbed "Project Freedom," aimed at freeing and securing the movement of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. According to a report by Al Jazeera, the operation is expected to be launched on Monday morning, Middle East time.

According to Trump, as reported by Quds News Network, the move comes following appeals from many countries around the world that requested American assistance in freeing their ships trapped in the strait. Trump emphasized that these are countries that "most of which are not participating in the conflict in the Middle East." The American president added that the U.S. has conveyed a clear message to those countries: "We will lead their ships and take them out safely from the straits so they can resume their activities freely" (according to Al Jazeera).

On the security front, Quds News Network quotes Trump with a sharp warning: "If this operation encounters blockages, we will deal with it by force." These remarks were also reiterated in Wahat Al-Iraq, where it was noted that the U.S. is determined to ensure freedom of navigation.

At the same time, Al-Qahera News reported that Trump hinted at a possible channel for dialogue, saying that "discussions with Iran may lead to positive results for everyone." However, the official announcement focuses on establishing an American military presence designed to extract crews and ships and ensure that the flotilla situation does not repeat itself until the area is declared safe for navigation.