US resumes naval escorts for ships in Strait of Hormuz, WSJ reports
Illustrative photo: The US helped the first civilian vessel pass through the Strait of Hormuz (Getty Images)
The US Navy has resumed operations to escort commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz, according to The Wall Street Journal.
American warships have already completed the escort mission for the first civilian vessel off the coast of Oman. The vessel was a Greek supertanker loaded with two million barrels of oil.
The ship had remained stranded in the Persian Gulf since early March this year. The tanker has now successfully resumed its voyage and is heading to India for unloading.
The current mission marks the revival of the American operation Project Freedom aimed at guaranteeing safe navigation through this strategically important maritime corridor. The program’s previous launch ended unsuccessfully, as it was suspended about 36 hours after it began.
In the coming days, the US Navy plans to ensure safe passage through the strait for around a dozen civilian vessels. The list includes both large container ships and oil supertankers.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump said that a deal was "largely agreed upon," and that only details remained to be finalized. Iran, however, denied his claims regarding the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that control over the strait, routes, and permits would remain with the Islamic Republic.
Recently, the Financial Times reported that mediators between the US and Iran are working on a memorandum to extend the ceasefire for 60 days and create a framework for negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program.
It is worth noting that on May 26, the US military attacked Iranian boats and air defense systems that were attempting to place mines in the Strait of Hormuz and opened fire on US aircraft.
