US President Donald Trump has announced that he will briefly suspend Operation Project Freedom, a mission to evacuate commercial ships stranded in the Gulf, the BBC writes.
Trump said that the operation, which began just days ago, was being suspended by mutual agreement because significant progress had been made in talks with Iran. Iranian state media presented it as a victory, indicating that the pause showed Trump’s resignation after repeated failed attempts to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.
The US president’s statement follows statements by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the initial US and Israeli offensive was over because its objectives had been achieved.
In a post on social media, Trump said that he made the decision based on a request from Pakistan. Pakistan has taken on the role of mediator in the US-Iran talks. He added that the US-imposed naval blockade will remain in place.
Trump’s statements may seem surprising because they contradict what other senior officials have said.
Rubio, US Defense Secretary Pete Heghseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, have all promised that the operation will ensure freedom of movement and trade in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf. Rubio told reporters on the 5th of May that he would prefer a peaceful path, but the president wants a deal.
It is unclear what will happen next. The US administration has stressed that Project Freedom is a separate and distinct operation from the naval blockade. The blockade is designed to put economic pressure on Iran, while the Project Freedom is intended to restore oil exports from the Persian Gulf region and normalize the situation in the international economy. However, if international shipping companies and insurance companies are hampered by Iranian interference during the pause, it will be difficult for Trump to say that the goal of the operation has been achieved. On the other hand, the US leadership may be hoping that the suspension of the operation will allow the Iranians (who have strongly opposed the American operation in the Strait of Hormuz) to return to the negotiating table.
Late Tuesday evening, the British Maritime Trade Operations reported that it had received information from a confirmed source about a ship that had been hit by a projectile of unknown origin in the Strait of Hormuz. No further details were available. The United Arab Emirates reported on the 5th of May that the country’s air defense systems had repelled missiles and drones launched by Iran for the second day. Iran has denied carrying out attacks on the UAE, and a military spokesman said that if it had, it would have been clearly announced.
The fighting in the region began on the 28th of February, when Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran.
Tehran responded by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the global economy, as about 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas are transported through it. In early April, the United States and Iran announced a ceasefire, which means that Tehran will not carry out strikes on other Gulf countries, including the UAE.
Hegseth said on the 5th of May that the ceasefire had not ended, but that the Americans were watching the situation very carefully. Kane said that since the ceasefire began, Iranian forces had attacked Americans ten times, but that the attacks were minor and did not constitute a reason to resume hostilities. Later, reporters asked Trump what would constitute a violation of the ceasefire, and the president replied that the public would know because he would say so. He also said that he believed it was possible to reach an agreement to end the hostilities through negotiations.
Statements by US officials indicate that the Americans do not feel the desire to return to full-scale hostilities, which would further damage the international market, causing prices to rise and, consequently, causing discontent among the US population.
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