US military secretly guiding ships through Strait of Hormuz – NYT
Washington has reportedly coordinated the passage of 70 cargo vessels despite Trump’s abrupt suspension of Project Freedom
Published 1 Jun, 2026 01:41 | Updated 1 Jun, 2026 05:55
The US military has been covertly guiding vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks, The New York Times reported on Sunday, citing officials familiar with the matter.
Iran closed the vital waterway, which previously handled around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, to ships from “hostile countries” in response to the US and Israeli airstrikes launched on February 28. Tehran later said that vessels from third countries could pass if they paid a toll and complied with military instructions.
In April, US President Donald Trump announced ‘Project Freedom’, aimed at escorting stranded merchant ships from neutral countries. He publicly suspended the initiative less than 48 hours later, reportedly after Saudi Arabia refused to allow US forces to fly through its airspace or use Prince Sultan Air Base.
https://www.rt.com/news/640799-us-guiding-ships-through-strait/