US Launches 'Project Freedom' to Protect Ships from Iran in Hormuz Strait

Hegseth said the operation was ordered by President Donald Trump to "restart the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz under the umbrella of Project Freedom," stressing that it is "separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury."

He described the mission as "defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration, with one mission, protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression."

According to Hegseth, US forces will not enter Iranian waters or airspace, adding, "We're not looking for a fight," but warning that Iran "cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway."

The Secretary of War accused Iran of "harassing civilian vessels, threatening mariners from every nation indiscriminately and weaponising a critical choke point," calling it "a form of international extortion."

Caine said the objective of the operation is to "facilitate the safe passage of international commercial shipping" through the strait, which has seen repeated Iranian attacks in recent weeks.

He noted that the Strait of Hormuz is a "vital transit route for approximately one-fifth of the global oil consumption," underlining the global stakes involved.

The US has deployed significant military assets to support the mission, including more than 15,000 personnel, guided-missile destroyers, helicopters and over 100 aircraft to provide round-the-clock protection for vessels transiting the area.

Caine said an "enhanced security area" has been established along the southern side of the strait, where US land, naval and air forces are positioned to detect and defeat threats.

Hegseth described the effort as creating a "red, white and blue dome" over the strait, providing continuous overwatch for commercial shipping.

He said two US-flagged merchant vessels have already transited the strait under escort, demonstrating that "the lane is clear," with more ships expected to follow in the coming days.

Caine said Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times since a ceasefire was announced, seized two container ships and attacked US forces more than ten times, though "all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations."

Despite these incidents, Hegseth emphasised that "the ceasefire is not over" and that the operation is designed to remain limited while ensuring freedom of navigation.

He also said the mission is intended to be temporary, with the United States expecting allies and global stakeholders to eventually assume responsibility for securing the waterway.

- IANS