Project Freedom: Washington's Push to Reopen the Strait
US President Donald Trump launched the operation, named Project Freedom, on Monday with the stated goal of wresting back control of the Strait of Hormuz from Iran. The strait, which once carried a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, has been effectively blocked since the US and Israel entered into conflict on February 28, leaving vessels from 87 countries stranded in the Gulf.

The operation is anything but small in scale. Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, confirmed that the mission involves 15,000 American troops, Navy destroyers, more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, and undersea assets. Cooper described the defensive arrangement as far broader than a conventional escort mission — a multi-layered setup combining ships, helicopters, aircraft, and electronic warfare capabilities. Iranian fast boats were sunk using US Apache and Seahawk helicopters, he confirmed.

Cooper was direct in his warning to Iranian forces: stay well clear of US military assets. "The US commanders who are on the scene have all the authorities necessary to defend their units and to defend commercial shipping," he said. He added that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had launched cruise missiles, drones, and small boats at vessels under US protection, but that every single threat had been defeated. Despite this, he declined to comment on whether a ceasefire that began on April 8 was still considered active.

To demonstrate the route was safe, two US-flagged commercial ships were sent through the strait earlier Monday. Cooper said his team had reached out to dozens of ships and shipping companies over a 12-hour window to encourage movement through the passage, and described the response as enthusiastic. Iran's Revolutionary Guards, however, flatly denied that any commercial vessels had crossed the strait and dismissed US claims as false.

Stranded Ships, Disputed Claims, and a Wider Standoff
The human and economic cost of the blockade is significant. According to MarineTraffic data, some 805 commercial vessels — including fuel tankers, chemical tankers, container ships, auto carriers, and bulk ships — had sent automatic identification signals from within the Gulf in the past 24 hours alone. The disruption has rippled through global energy markets and international trade, making resolving this standoff a matter of urgency well beyond the region.

A South Korean ship was struck by an explosion in the strait on Monday, though Trump noted on social media that the vessel was not part of the US-protected operation. He suggested South Korea might consider joining American efforts to safeguard ship movements in the area. Trump also estimated that US forces had sunk approximately seven Iranian fast boats in total.

On a broader front, Cooper confirmed that a separate US blockade of Iran — preventing ships from traveling to or departing Iranian territory — also remained in place and was performing beyond expectations. Iran, for its part, continued to push back, with drone and missile attacks reported in the UAE on Monday as well. The situation in and around the Strait of Hormuz remains tense, and with both sides showing no sign of backing down, the coming days will be telling.