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Trump to Launch 'Project Freedom' to Guard Hormuz Shipping Lane
(MENAFN) US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Sunday it would deploy a formidable naval and air presence to safeguard commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz under President Donald Trump's newly unveiled "Project Freedom" — a sweeping maritime security initiative set to take effect Monday.
"U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces will begin supporting Project Freedom, May 4, to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said in a post on the US social media platform X.
The operation's firepower is substantial. CENTCOM confirmed the mission will draw on guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members deployed to support merchant vessels navigating the strategically vital waterway.
"Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade," said CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper.
However, Axios reported Sunday — citing two American officials — that the initiative may stop short of US Navy vessels directly escorting commercial ships through the strait. One official indicated that Navy ships would instead remain "in the vicinity" as a deterrent against Iranian military targeting of transiting vessels. The Navy also plans to furnish commercial operators with routing guidance designed to steer clear of waterways mined by Iranian forces.
Trump framed the effort in humanitarian terms, announcing Sunday on his Truth Social platform that the United States would begin escorting neutral foreign vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning Middle East time. He described it as "a humanitarian gesture" toward nations entangled in a conflict not of their making, noting that many stranded ships were running critically low on food and essential supplies needed to sustain large crews.
The launch of Project Freedom comes as months of mounting disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint through which a significant share of the world's energy supplies flows — have sent shockwaves through global commodity markets, with energy prices, fertilizer costs, and key industrial goods all posting sharp gains over the past two months.
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