WASHINGTON: United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied reports claiming that Washington has restarted Project Freedom, the initiative aimed at escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, which had been suspended earlier this month.
“Recent media reporting claims that the US Navy has restarted escorting or assisting commercial vessels during transits through the Strait of Hormuz [is] false,” Centcom says in a post on X.
“Project Freedom has not resumed, and US forces are not currently escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz,” Centcom added.
🚫CLAIM: Recent media reporting claims that the U.S. Navy has restarted escorting or assisting commercial vessels during transits through the Strait of Hormuz. FALSE.
✅TRUTH: Project Freedom has not resumed, and U.S. forces are not currently escorting commercial vessels through… pic.twitter.com/JD9cY5FUNN
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 26, 2026
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced earlier this month that the United States had decided to halt “Project Freedom” after a request from Pakistan, with Islamabad arguing that suspending the initiative could improve prospects for broader diplomatic engagement and possible negotiations involving Iran.
Project Freedom was a US naval operation launched on May 4, 2026, to support merchant shipping through the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tensions with Iran and growing instability in the Gulf region.
The mission was paused shortly after its launch as diplomatic efforts intensified. The operation had been described as part of broader maritime security measures linked to the ongoing US-Iran crisis and concerns over shipping routes in the strategically important waterway.
US military launches new strikes in Southern Iran
Earlier, the US military said it had launched new strikes on targets in southern Iran, hitting Iranian missile sites and boats allegedly attempting to place naval mines.
US Central Command said in a statement that the strikes were carried out in “self-defence” and aimed at “protecting our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces”.
A Central Command spokesperson said the US military “continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire”.
“US forces conducted self-defence strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,” Tim Hawkins, a US Central Command spokesman, said in a statement.
It gave no details of the attacks and said only that the targets included missile launch sites and boats trying to “emplace mines.”
Iran warns of retaliation
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday warned that it will retaliate against US strikes carried out earlier describing the attacks as a “blatant violation” of the ongoing ceasefire agreement.
“The terrorist US military has, over the past 48 hours, committed a blatant violation of the ceasefire in the Hormozgan region,” the statement said.
