The United State today announced plans to initiate efforts to liberate merchant vessels trapped by Iran’s blockade of the vital shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz, which has been in effect since the onset of the conflict.
President Donald Trump characterized “Project Freedom” as a “humanitarian initiative,” warning that any attempts to obstruct the operation would be met with decisive military action.
According to U.S. Central Command (Centcom), approximately 15,000 American military personnel, guided-missile destroyers, and over 100 aircraft will participate in the operation, while the blockade of Iranian ports will remain in place.
Iranian military officials claimed they had successfully prevented U.S. and Israeli naval forces from entering the strait.
The announcement follows a stern warning from Iran’s military that it would retaliate against any foreign forces entering the strait, particularly targeting the U.S. armed forces. The developments come as both nations observe a temporary ceasefire that began on April 8, while negotiations for a lasting peace agreement are underway.
However, a senior Iranian official cautioned that any U.S. interference in the strait would breach the ceasefire.
Iran’s closure of this critical channel, essential for oil exports from the Gulf, has led to a surge in global fuel prices and left thousands of sailors stranded aboard approximately 2,000 vessels caught in the blockade.
The strait typically facilitates around 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
In a social media post, President Trump noted that “countries from around the globe” had reached out to the U.S. for assistance in freeing the ships, describing the crews as “innocent bystanders caught in the conflict.”
The President stated that the operation would be conducted on behalf of the U.S., Iran, and other Middle Eastern nations, although he did not specify which countries were involved. He refrained from providing additional details on how the operation would be executed but mentioned that U.S. representatives were engaged in “very positive” discussions with Iran that could yield beneficial outcomes for all parties.
An estimated 20,000 sailors have been stranded in the Gulf since hostilities began with Iran, raising concerns about dwindling supplies and the impact on their physical and mental well-being.
Yesterday, the United Kingdom Maritime Transportation Operation (UKMTO) reported that a tanker in the strait had been struck by an “unknown projectile,” although all crew members were reported safe.
In a separate development, the Pakistani government announced that 22 crew members from the Iranian container ship “Touska”, seized by U.S. forces last month, would be returned to Iranian authorities. Reports indicated that 15 of the crew members had already arrived back in Iran.
The “Touska” was intercepted while en route to an Iranian port as part of the U.S. blockade, with its crew initially evacuated to Pakistan. Officials described this repatriation as a “confidence-building measure” by the United States.
President Trump’s statement came after Iranian state-affiliated media reported that Tehran had received a response from the U.S. regarding its latest peace proposal. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, this response was conveyed through Pakistan and is currently under review.
The U.S. has yet to formally confirm its reply to Iran; however, Trump reportedly told Israel’s Kan News that he found the proposal unacceptable.
Iranian state media reported that Tehran’s 14-point peace initiative requested the withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas near Iran’s borders and the termination of the naval blockade on Iranian ports, along with an end to all hostilities, including Israel’s military actions in Lebanon.
The proposal also called for a resolution between the two nations to be achieved within 30 days. According to Iranian state media, the plan emphasized the importance of prioritizing “the conclusion of the war” rather than merely extending the existing ceasefire.
Spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, was quoted as stating that “at this moment, we are not engaged in nuclear discussions,” a significant demand from Washington.
Iran has consistently asserted that it is not pursuing a nuclear weapon and maintains that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful applications, despite being the only non-nuclear-armed nation to have enriched uranium to near weapons-grade levels.
On Saturday, President Trump acknowledged that Washington had received the latest Iranian peace proposal. In a post on Truth Social, he indicated he would evaluate the plan but expressed skepticism about its acceptability, noting that Iran had not yet faced sufficient consequences for its actions over the past 47 years.
Later that day, while speaking to reporters, he mentioned being briefed on “the concept of the deal” and stated, “They are going to provide me with the exact wording now.”
When asked by the BBC if military strikes against Iranian targets could be reinstated, President Trump replied that it was “a possibility.”
He added, “If they misbehave. If they do something bad.” However, he also indicated a reluctance to fully withdraw from the conflict, asserting,
”We’re not leaving” and “we’re going to do it so that nobody has to return in two years or five years.”
Iranian state-affiliated agencies noted that Tehran’s recent proposal was a response to a nine-point U.S. plan, which included a two-month ceasefire.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong