By Bonface Mulyungi
US President Donald Trump has said the military operation to guide stranded merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz will be paused just two days after he announced it.
Trump declared on Sunday that “Project Freedom” would begin the next morning in an attempt to unblock the crucial waterway which Tehran has effectively closed since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.
Iran’s threats to ships using the strait – through which some 20% of the world’s oil and gas flows – has led to large increases in the oil price and fears for the global economy.
But 50 hours later the president posted that the mission was being put on hold “for a short period of time”.His decision came on the same day his defence secretary had declared the US was “leading with strength, clarity and purpose for the benefit of the entire world”.BBC Verify has put together a timeline of what happened during the two days of “Project Freedom”.
Sunday – Trump announces ‘Project Freedom’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,” Trump posted on his Truth Social social media platform at 21:35 BST (20:35 GMT).
“I have told my Representatives to inform them that we will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait.”According to the Baltic and International Maritime Council shipping association some 1,000 vessels with around 20,000 seafarers on board are currently stranded in the region.
Trump said the “humanitarian gesture” would start on “Monday morning Middle East time”.”I am fully aware that my Representatives are having very positive discussions with the Country of Iran, and that these discussions could lead to something very positive for all,” he added.
Monday – Two ships reportedly pass through straitJust after midnight UK time on Monday, the US military’s Central Command (Centcom) posted that its forces “will begin supporting Project Freedom, 4 May, to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz”.Centcom said “Project Freedom” would involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land and sea-based aircraft, and 15,000 service personnel.
According to UKMTO – the British military’s operation tracking threats to shipping in the Middle East – the US was advising vessels to pass through a “security area” off the Oman coast.Route taken by ships through Strait of HormuzLater that day, Centcom posted:
“As a first step, two US-flagged merchant vessels have successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz and are safely headed on their journey.”And according to Trump, during the first day of the operation the US military struck seven Iranian “fast boats” in the strait – a claim disputed by Iranian media.
The Tasnim news agency reported military sources saying that two small cargo vessels had been hit killing five civilians.
On Monday the UAE’s foreign ministry reported a tanker affiliated with Adnoc – its state-owned oil company – was hit in the Strait of Hormuz and South Korea reported an explosion on one of its ships anchored just off the UAE.
A fire also broke out at the oil port of Fujairah after what the UAE said was an Iranian attack, which Iran denied.Tuesday – US officials talk up the projectUS Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine focused on “Project Freedom” at a Pentagon news conference on Tuesday.”Hundreds more ships from nations around the world are lining up to transit”, Hegseth said, while Caine added: “Merchant vessels have transited and we anticipate more to transit over the coming days.”Neither offered an exact timeline for how long the project would last, but Hegseth said it was “focused in scope and temporary in duration”.Getty Images Pete Hegseth calls on reporters during a press briefing at the Pentagon on 5 May.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the press about “Project Freedom” at the Pentagon on Tuesday”Project Freedom is under way, commerce will be flowing, and America is once again leading with strength, clarity and purpose for the benefit of the entire world. Our will is unshakable,” he added.
Later that day, America’s top diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, spoke to reporters at the White House – saying the US was carrying out the operation as a “favour to the world” as it was “the only country that can project power in that part of the world the way we’re doing now”.Later on Tuesday – Trump pauses the projectJust hours after Hegseth and Rubio had spoken, Trump paused “Project Freedom”.At 18:52 Washington time (23:52 BST) he posted on Truth Social saying the decision had been made by “mutual agreement” because there had been “great progress” towards a deal with Iran.”Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” the president posted.The project – which Hegseth said earlier the same day was part of a “laser-focused strategy” – had been put on hold.
A little over four hours before Trump’s announcement a ship belonging to the French CMA CGM group was hit in the Strait of Hormuz – injuring some of the crew and damaging the vessel.
According to the shipping publication Lloyd’s List ship owners and insurers said “Project Freedom” had not given them “sufficient clarity or credible protection to justify resuming transits” through the strait.”Transit volumes through the Strait of Hormuz continue to drop amid escalating security concerns,” it added.
Later that day, Centcom posted: “As a first step, two US-flagged merchant vessels have successfully transited through the Strait of Hormuz and are safely headed on their journey.”
