Suspension of Project Freedom After Saudi Disagreement
According to two unnamed US officials, NBC News reported that President Donald Trump’s military initiative, known as Project Freedom, which aimed to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, was “suspended” shortly after Saudi Arabia rejected a request to use its air base for protection against potential Iranian threats.
Sources from NBC indicated that Saudi officials were reportedly “surprised” and “outraged” by Trump’s remarks regarding the project, which he had announced via a post on Truth Social.
Trump asserted that his actions were in response to appeals from “countries around the world” that are “neutral and innocent bystanders” in the ongoing tensions between the US and Iran. He stated, “In the interests of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these countries that we will safely guide ships out of these restricted waterways.”
The initiative was branded as “Project Freedom,” with plans to launch just hours after his Truth Social announcement. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) conveyed that they were prepared to support this operation immediately as part of the commitment to assure freedom of navigation.
CENTCOM Commander Adm. Bradley Cooper emphasized the importance of this mission for regional security and the global economy, noting it also serves to maintain a naval blockade. Following this, it was communicated that Project Freedom aligns with previous efforts by the Department of the Army to improve coordination among international partners focused on maritime security in the area.
Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth clarified that the initiative was purely defensive, intended to shield merchant vessels from Iranian aggression. As of Monday, two ships had already successfully navigated the Strait with the escort of a U.S. destroyer, Hegseth mentioned, implying that Iran “cannot be allowed” to hinder access to international waterways.
However, on Tuesday, Trump unexpectedly declared a “suspension” of Project Freedom, stating it was at the request of Pakistan, which is mediating discussions between the U.S. and Iran. He framed the suspension as a “bilateral agreement,” citing progress towards a final resolution with Iranian representatives.
Yet, NBC’s sources suggested that the actual impetus for the suspension stemmed from Saudi Arabia’s strong objection, confirming that their Prince Sultan Air Base wouldn’t be available for U.S. military support, ultimately affecting air support critical to the operation. U.S. officials noted Trump attempted to resolve this directly with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but the situation remained unresolved.
Reports indicated that other Gulf allies were similarly caught off guard by the timing. The White House contended that all regional allies were informed ahead of time, although a Middle Eastern diplomat contradicted this, stating that some, including Oman, were not given prior notice. Despite this, the diplomat mentioned they were not upset about the sudden changes.
Saudi sources also challenged claims of their anger over the decision. An official suggested that understanding the rapidly evolving situation in real-time mitigated any frustration regarding the announcement’s timing.
Further speculations indicated that the anxiety among Gulf states about the U.S. response to Iran’s recent aggressive actions, particularly concerning incidents in the UAE, contributed to the project’s abrupt halt. Former intelligence operative Imen Dean noted that concerns arose about the US negotiating with Iran while possibly neglecting allies’ security from retaliation. He highlighted previous attacks on Emirati infrastructure and criticized Washington’s reaction as minimal, only labeling the events as “minor incidents.”
On Monday, President Trump had remarked that the attack on infrastructure in Fujairah did not constitute serious provocation under any ceasefire agreements.
