US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces will begin supporting President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom" to “restore freedom of navigation" in the Strait of Hormuz as of Monday, the military announced on Sunday night.
“The mission, directed by the President, will support merchant vessels seeking to freely transit through the essential international trade corridor. A quarter of the world’s oil trade at sea and significant volumes of fuel and fertilizer products are transported through the strait," CENTCOM said in a statement.
“Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander.
The CENTCOM statement further said that last week, the US Department of State announced a new initiative, in partnership with the Department of War, “to enhance coordination and information sharing among international partners in support of maritime security in the strait. The Maritime Freedom Construct aims to combine diplomatic action with military coordination, which will be critical during Project Freedom."
“US military support to Project Freedom will include guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members," said CENTCOM.
Trump announced earlier on Sunday that the United States will lead a humanitarian operation, starting on Monday morning, to free dozens of neutral foreign vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a detailed Truth Social post, the President emphasized that the ships belong to countries uninvolved in the Middle East conflict and described the effort as a goodwill measure benefiting global commerce, the region, and even Iran itself.
A senior Iranian lawmaker later responded to Trump’s announcement, warning the US against interfering in the operation of the Strait.
“Any American interference in the new maritime regime of the Strait of Hormuz will be considered a violation of the ceasefire," said Ebrahim Azizi, head of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee.
“The Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf would not be managed by Trump's delusional posts. “No one would believe Blame Game scenarios!" he added.
The Iranian regime has kept the Strait of Hormuz closed since the beginning of the current war, in response to the US-Israeli strikes.
In mid-April, the US began a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump announced the blockade after delegations from Iran and the United States held extended negotiations in Islamabad but failed to produce an agreement.