Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ in Hormuz to Deploy 15,000 Troops, 100 Warplanes; Iran Warns

Darwin, 04 May : U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a new military-backed initiative dubbed “Project Freedom” aimed at ensuring the safe passage of stranded commercial vessels through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the operation was set to begin Monday morning (Middle East time). He described the move as a “humanitarian effort” to help ships—some reportedly facing food shortages—exit the narrow waterway safely.

The U.S. military’s United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it would support the operation, deploying around 15,000 troops along with missile-defense destroyers and more than 100 combat aircraft.

“U.S. Central Command will begin supporting Project Freedom from May 4 to restore freedom of navigation for commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said in a statement.

Trump warned that any attempt to obstruct the mission would be met with a “strong response.”

The announcement comes amid an ongoing but fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Tehran has reacted sharply, cautioning that any U.S. military presence in the strait could be seen as a violation of the truce.

Senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi—a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—said the waterway falls under Iran’s sovereign rights.

“This is our fundamental right. What happens in this passage is Iran’s decision, including whether ships are allowed to pass,” Azizi told BBC Persian.

In a separate statement, the Iranian military emphasized that responsibility for the security of the waterway lies with the armed forces of the Islamic Republic. It warned that any foreign military—“especially aggressive U.S. forces”—attempting to enter or approach the strait would face military action.

The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical النفط transit chokepoints, making the escalating rhetoric a growing concern for global trade and energy security.