Washington, May 6: U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a temporary suspension of an American plan to escort ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz out of the area.
Hundreds of oil tankers had been stuck there due to Iranian obstruction. The U.S. had earlier said it would deploy air force support and fighter jets to escort those vessels safely through the strait.
The operation had been named “Project Freedom.” Trump has now said the campaign is being put on hold for the time being.
He stated that the decision follows ongoing dialogue with Iran. According to him, there has been significant progress toward a possible agreement.
Trump said the pause is meant to test whether a final deal can be reached. However, there has been no immediate response from Iran.
The U.S. Central Command had earlier indicated that around 15,000 troops would be mobilized for the operation, along with more than 100 air and naval assets, including warships and drones.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said the operation had already begun on Monday, with efforts underway to escort oil tankers stranded in the Gulf region.
Iran, however, warned that it would launch heavy attacks if U.S. fighter jets or warships entered the Hormuz area.
The U.S. administration has made it clear that it will not allow Iran to control maritime traffic through the strait.
Iran has been accused of blocking the route using naval mines, drones, missiles, and high-speed boats. In response, the U.S. said it has been enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports while providing escort protection to commercial vessels.
The U.S. military also claimed that it destroyed several Iranian small boats, cruise missiles, and drones on Monday. According to Rubio, the joint military operation with Israel, launched on February 28 and named “Operation Epic Fury,” has now concluded.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the waterway has been secured and hundreds of commercial ships are ready to pass through. He added that a ceasefire has held for the past four weeks, though the situation will continue to be closely monitored.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said it is once again facing missile and drone attacks originating from Iran. It accused Iran of renewed provocation and said it reserves the right to respond. Iran, however, has denied carrying out such attacks.
The conflict has already claimed thousands of lives and significantly impacted the global economy. According to the International Monetary Fund, even if the war ends immediately, it could take three to four months to recover from its economic effects.
Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, while the U.S. has viewed it as a potential threat and taken military action.
Although efforts for peace talks are ongoing, no concrete breakthrough has been achieved. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations are progressing with mediation from Pakistan. (Source: Agencies)
People’s News Monitoring Service
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