President Donald Trump announced Monday will begin the launch of "Project Freedom," a new initiative aimed at helping ships from uninvolved nations move freely through the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
"Countries from all over the World, almost all of which are not involved in the Middle Eastern dispute going on so visibly, and violently, for all to see, have asked the United States if we could help free up their Ships, which are locked up in the Strait of Hormuz, on something which they have absolutely nothing to do with — They are merely neutral and innocent bystanders!" Trump said on his Truth Social platform. "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. Again, these are Ships from areas of the World that are not in any way involved with that which is currently taking place in the Middle East."
Trump described the effort as a "humanitarian gesture," suggesting some crews may be running low on food.
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U.S. Central Command said military support for the initiative will include "guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members."
It remains unclear how the initiative may impact energy markets, which are already facing challenges ranging from a jet fuel shortage in Europe to high gas prices in the U.S. The developments also raise questions about ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.
Over the weekend, Trump said he is reviewing a new Iranian proposal to end the war, though the White House has not yet issued an official response.
"I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can't imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years," Trump said in a statement.
