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US initiates maritime rescue mission in Strait of Hormuz
Washington announced the start of Project Freedom, a military-led effort to release merchant vessels stranded by Iran's blockade of the critical waterway. The operation involves 15,000 troops, guided-missile destroyers, and over 100 aircraft, according to US Central Command.
Humanitarian claims and military posture
President Donald Trump described the mission as a "humanitarian gesture" but warned that any interference would be met with decisive force. The US will maintain its existing blockade of Iranian ports despite the operation.
The move coincides with a temporary ceasefire between the two nations, effective since 8 April, as negotiations continue toward a permanent peace agreement.
Iran issues stark warning
A senior Iranian official stated that any US attempt to breach the strait would violate the ceasefire. Iran's military vowed to attack foreign forces entering the waterway, singling out the "aggressive US army."
The strait, a vital conduit for 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas, has been closed since the war's onset, stranding roughly 2,000 ships and 20,000 sailors. Fuel prices have surged worldwide as a result.
International reactions and diplomatic signals
Trump claimed "countries from all over the world" had requested US intervention to free the vessels, which he called "neutral and innocent bystanders." He framed the operation as benefiting the US, Iran, and other Middle Eastern nations but did not specify which countries were involved.
On Sunday, the UK Maritime Transportation Operation reported a tanker struck by an unidentified projectile in the strait, though the crew remained unharmed.
Crew repatriation and peace talks
Pakistan announced the handover of 22 crew members from the Iranian container ship Touska, seized by the US last month. Islamabad called the repatriation a "confidence-building measure" by Washington.
Meanwhile, Iranian state-linked media reported receiving a US response to Tehran's latest peace proposal, delivered via Pakistan. The 14-point plan demands the withdrawal of US forces near Iran's borders, an end to the naval blockade, and a halt to hostilities, including Israel's offensive in Lebanon. It also sets a 30-day deadline for an agreement.
"At this stage, we do not have nuclear negotiations,"
Esmaeil Baghaei, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman
Trump confirmed reviewing the proposal but deemed it unacceptable, citing insufficient concessions. He left open the possibility of resuming military strikes inside Iran if provoked but affirmed the US would not withdraw from the region.
