U.S. Plans ‘Project Freedom’ To Escort Seized Ships As Iran Standoff Deepens

Overview

• President Trump announced a U.S. naval operation called Project Freedom to guide trapped commercial vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a humanitarian escort and citing pleas from countries with ships stuck in the choke point.
• Iran has delivered a 14‑point offer via Pakistan that proposes reopening Hormuz in exchange for guarantees, sanctions relief, and other concessions, but Trump says the plan is unlikely to be acceptable.
• The Treasury rolled out new sanctions on Iranian exchange houses, front companies, and the Panama‑flagged tanker New Fusion, and it warned shippers that paying Iran for passage could trigger penalties.
• Trump told Congress that the hostilities that began on February 28 were “ended,” yet he kept the option to resume strikes, and a senior Iranian commander said renewed fighting with the U.S. is probable.
• The Pentagon said it will withdraw 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany over the next 6 to 12 months, as the Hormuz blockade continues to snarl about one‑fifth of global oil flows and leaves crews short on fuel and food.