The United States launched a new military operation aiming to restore commerce throughout the Strait of Hormuz.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the initiative, dubbed Project Freedom, this week on May 5 at the Pentagon.
“We're not looking for a fight, but Iran also cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from an international waterway,” Hegseth said. “Iran is the clear aggressor, harassing civilian vessels, threatening mariners from every nation, indiscriminately and weaponizing a critical choke point for its own financial benefit.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) began its maritime toll on March 13 shortly after the United States launched Operation Epic Fury.
The conflict stems from President Donald Trump pre-emptively striking Iran on Feb. 28, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Israeli Defense Forces.
Project Freedom is separate and distinct from Epic Fury, according to Hegseth.
“Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration with one mission…protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggressions,” he said.
For example, Iran carried out strikes on an Emirati oil port on May 4.
“For too long, Iran has been harassing ships, shooting at civilian tankers from all nations and trying to impose a tolling system,” Hegseth said. “Iran's plan, a form of international extortion, is unacceptable.”
Hegseth outlined the goals of Project Freedom. They include providing 24-hour protection with a red, white, and blue dome over the strait, enforcing the U.S. blockade, ending Iran’s tolling system, and preventing potential shortages of energy worldwide.
He warned that if American troops or innocent commercial ships are attacked, Iran will face overwhelming and devastating American firepower.
“The President has been very clear about this,” Hegseth said. “We prefer this to be a peaceful operation, but are locked and loaded.”
Hegseth was flanked by U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, who said 22,500 mariners on more than 1,550 vessels in the Persian Gulf were unable to travel through the strait.
Caine reassured reporters that a ceasefire negotiated between the United States and Iran that began on April 8 is not over.
"Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than ten times – all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,” he said.