What is Operation Liberty Project?
President Donald Trump announced on Monday, May 4, about a month after the ceasefire agreement between the United States, Israel, and Iran, the launch of a military operation named “Operation Liberty Project,” aimed at restoring the movement of ships blocked in the Strait of Hormuz. He emphasized that this measure would only apply to boats linked to countries not involved in the war in Iran.
“For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have informed these countries that we would escort their ships safely through these waterways,” wrote the White House tenant on his Truth Social platform.
The Iranian army, through General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, chief of the command of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic, threatened to strike any ship trying to pass through this strategic maritime strait. “We warn foreign armed forces, especially the army of the American aggressor. We will respond to any attempt to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz,” he declared, as reported by the Financial Times.
SOURCES: “THE GUARDIAN,” “THE WALL STREET JOURNAL”
This risky move taken by Washington is seen as a consequence of the Republican’s impatience to reach an agreement with Iran, according to several high-level sources anonymously cited by Axios. “The president wants something to happen. He cannot stand waiting. He wants to put pressure on them. He wants to get a deal,” assured one of them to the American site.
Mullahs claim to have hit a U.S. military vessel
Shortly after the announcement of the American operation, the Revolutionary Guard announced that they had hit a U.S. ship that ignored their warnings. “Two missiles hit a U.S. warship near the Jask rule,” wrote the Iranian-based site Iran International, citing the official Fars agency.
This claim was promptly denied by the Central Command of the U.S. military (Centcom). “No U.S. Navy ship has been hit. The U.S. military is accompanying Operation Liberty Project and enforcing the naval blockade of Iranian ports,” reads a statement from the inter-armed forces.
The Iranian navy also fired missile shots as a warning against U.S. military ships entering the Strait of Hormuz.
Two escorted ships out of the strait by the US Navy
During the day, Centcom announced, on X, that they had escorted two American commercial ships out of the Strait of Hormuz. The two boats “continue their journey safely,” said the U.S. military.
“The unobstructed passage through the strait comes after Trump’s promise to have ships pass through this sea route that Iran is trying to control,” notes CNN in its live coverage.
A South Korean ship catches fire after an “explosion”
“A cargo ship flying the Panamanian flag and operated by a South Korean maritime company caught fire after an explosion while anchored in the Strait of Hormuz,” reports The Korea Herald. The ship, identified as the HMM Namu, has 24 crew members on board, including six South Koreans and 18 foreigners. No casualties have been reported so far by Seoul.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries specified that the explosion occurred on the starboard side of the engine room. The causes of this incident have not been disclosed by South Korean authorities, nor by Iran or the United States.
Trump claims the US destroyed seven Iranian vessels
In the evening, Donald Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social, quoted by the New York Times, that the U.S. military had destroyed “seven small boats” owned by the Iranian navy.
The White House tenant added that “except for the South Korean ship, no other vessel has been damaged while passing through the strait until now.” In his message, the Republican suggests “it might be time for South Korea to join the mission” to restore traffic in the strait.
An Iranian ship boarded and its crew evacuated
The Qatari site Al-Jazeera reports that the U.S. Navy boarded an Iranian ship, the MV Touska, which “did not comply” with its instructions. The 22 crew members “were transferred to Pakistan, and fifteen of them were then repatriated to Iran,” adds the pan-Arab site.
This mediation, confirmed in a statement by a spokesperson for the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was described as a “sign of goodwill from the United States.” “The Iranian ship will also be towed to Pakistani territorial waters before being returned to its owners after necessary repairs,” the ministry stated.
According to the Financial Times, a total of “1,000 merchant ships and around 20,000 sailors are stranded in the Gulf since the beginning of the conflict.”
US military adjusts its rules of engagement
In a statement, the U.S. military command for the Middle East clarified that Operation Liberty Project would involve missile-launching destroyers, over a hundred aircraft, and 15,000 soldiers.
According to Axios, the U.S. military has also adjusted its rules of engagement. “According to a U.S. official, the rules of engagement governing the use of force by the U.S. military in the region have been modified. The armed forces are now authorized to shoot at any immediate threat to ships passing through the strait, such as the fast boats of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or Iranian missile positions.”
