Trump says US to 'guide' stranded ships through Strait of Hormuz

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Washington DC: President Trump announced Sunday that the United States will begin ‘Project Freedom,’ a military-led operation to escort more than 850 commercial vessels currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

Starting Monday morning, U.S. naval forces will guide ships through the six-week-old blockade that has trapped approximately 20,000 seafarers and crippled global energy trade.

The operation comes as oil prices surged past $120 per barrel due to the ongoing conflict. While the White House described the mission as a humanitarian effort to provide food and medical supplies to neutral crews, the Iranian government has warned that U.S. intervention violates the current ceasefire.

U.S. Central Command has deployed 15,000 service members and guided-missile destroyers to oversee the passage. Despite the military buildup, President Trump stated that diplomatic discussions with Tehran are ongoing and characterized the recent dialogue as ‘very positive.’

Photo Credits: AFP