Trump Moves to Free Ships Stuck in Strait of Hormuz

A Military Commitment With a Clear Warning
Trump made his intentions known through a post on Truth Social, saying Washington would guide ships safely through the restricted waterway so crews and cargo could get moving again. The operation is substantial. U.S. Central Command confirmed it would back the mission with 15,000 military personnel, more than 100 aircraft operating from both land and sea, along with warships and drones. CENTCOM described the goal plainly — restoring freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the strait.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the CENTCOM commander, called the support essential not just for regional stability but for the global economy as a whole, noting the effort would run alongside the existing naval blockade. Trump himself left little room for ambiguity about consequences, warning that any attempt to interfere with the operation would be dealt with forcefully.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported the tanker strike shortly after Trump's remarks, adding that the vessel was hit around 78 nautical miles north of Fujairah in the UAE. All crew members were reported safe.

Iran has been restricting Gulf shipping — excluding its own vessels — for over two months now. That blockade has pushed energy prices sharply higher, with the Strait of Hormuz accounting for around 20 percent of the world's oil and gas supply. Some ships that tried to pass through have been fired upon, and Iran seized several others. Last month, the U.S. responded with its own blockade targeting ships from Iranian ports. Washington has also been working to pull together an international coalition to help secure the waterway, with CENTCOM saying the latest push would pair diplomatic efforts with military coordination.

Peace Talks Stall as Both Sides Hold Their Ground
While tensions play out at sea, back-channel diplomacy continues — though progress remains slow. Iran submitted a 14-point peace proposal, which was conveyed to Washington through Pakistan. Tehran is now waiting on a U.S. response. Iranian state media quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei confirming that nuclear negotiations are not currently on the table, with Iran apparently wanting to hold those discussions until after the conflict ends and both sides agree to lift their competing shipping blockades.

That position clashes directly with what Washington has been insisting on. The U.S. wants Iran to agree to strict limits on its nuclear program before any war can end — including giving up its stockpile of more than 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium. Iran says its nuclear activities are peaceful but has signaled some willingness to accept limits if sanctions are lifted, pointing to the 2015 agreement that Trump walked away from during his first term.

Trump said Sunday that talks were going well, though he offered nothing concrete to back that up. He had also said on Saturday that he had not yet read the full Iranian proposal but was leaning toward rejecting it, arguing that Iran had not paid a steep enough price. The U.S. and Israel paused their bombing campaign against Iran four weeks ago, and one round of talks followed — but efforts to arrange further meetings have hit a wall. Iran's proposal also calls for a U.S. troop withdrawal from nearby areas, the release of frozen assets, financial compensation, an end to hostilities, including in Lebanon, and a new mechanism to manage control of the strait.

With Trump facing domestic pressure over rising gasoline prices ahead of November's midterm congressional elections, finding a way to reopen the strait has become as much a political priority as a strategic one.