WASHINGTON – Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has begun to increase again as the “Project Freedom” campaign, launched by the Donald Trump administration, takes effect.
In the 24-hour period ending at 6 p.m. on May 5, at least 11 ships traveled through this strategic maritime route—an improvement from just two ships the previous day.
While this figure only reaches about 18% of normal traffic, officials assess it as a signal that the campaign is starting to have an impact.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the campaign is about “helping the world,” aiming to rescue approximately 23,000 civilians from 87 countries stranded in the area due to Iran’s control of the route.
Defense officials emphasized that this is a defensive operation, not intended to initiate conflict. However, tensions remain as Iran continues military actions in the region, including drone attacks on oil facilities in the UAE.
President Trump has not provided specific red lines regarding what Iran must do to be seen as violating the ceasefire but said Tehran “knows what they should do and what they should not do.”
Meanwhile, experts noted that the risk of escalating conflict persists, particularly as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continues to play a dominant role in military decisions.
