{"id":3122,"date":"2026-05-03T23:35:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T23:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/?p=3122"},"modified":"2026-05-03T23:35:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T23:35:03","slug":"trump-says-the-us-will-guide-stranded-ships-from-the-strait-of-hormuz-starting-on-monday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/?p=3122","title":{"rendered":"Trump says the US will ‘guide’ stranded ships from the Strait of Hormuz, starting on Monday"},"content":{"rendered":"

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) \u2014 The United States will launch an effort on Monday to \u201cguide\u201d stranded ships from the Iran-gripped\u00a0Strait of Hormuz, President\u00a0Donald Trump\u00a0said, giving few details about what could be a sweeping effort to help hundreds of vessels and some 20,000 seafarers.<\/p>\n

Trump said in a social media post on Sunday that \u201cneutral and innocent\u201d countries have been affected by the\u00a0Iran war, and \u201cwe have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Freedom\u201d would begin on Monday morning in the Middle East, Trump said, adding that his representatives are having discussions with Iran that could lead to something \u201cvery positive for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Iran\u2019s effective closure of the strait, imposed after the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28, has shaken global markets.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Ships and seafarers, many on oil and gas tankers and cargo ships, have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crew members have\u00a0described to The Associated Press\u00a0watching intercepted drones and missiles explode over the waters, and running low on drinking water, food and other supplies.<\/p>\n

Many sailors come from India and other countries in south and southeast Asia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are victims of circumstance,\u201d Trump wrote, and described the effort as a humanitarian gesture \u201con behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran.\u201d But he sounded a warning: \u201cIf, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Trump\u2019s statement was quickly shared by some Iranian outlets, which described his announcement as a \u201cclaim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump spoke hours after Iran said it was reviewing the U.S. response to its latest proposal to end the war and made clear these are not nuclear negotiations. The fragile\u00a0three-week ceasefire\u00a0appears to be holding.<\/p>\n

A cargo ship is attacked near the strait<\/h2>\n

Earlier Sunday, a cargo ship near the Strait of Hormuz said it was attacked by multiple small craft, the British military\u2019s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported. It was the latest in at least two dozen attacks in and around the strait since the Iran war began, and a reminder of the risks if the new U.S. effort goes forward.<\/p>\n

All crew on the unidentified northbound cargo ship were safe after the attack off Sirik, Iran, east of the strait, the British monitor said. Iranian officials have asserted that they control the strait and that ships not affiliated with the United States or Israel can pass if they\u00a0pay a toll, challenging the freedom of navigation\u00a0guaranteed by international law.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Iran denied an attack, the semiofficial Iranian outlets Fars and Tabnak reported, and said a passing ship had been stopped for a documents check as part of monitoring.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n