U.S.-led task force tells ships to reroute on first day of new effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States on Monday kicked off an effort to “guide” stranded ships from the Iran-gripped Strait of Hormuz, as it tries to counter economic disruptions that outlasted the peak of fighting with no peace deal in sight.

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A day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced what he called “Project Freedom,” the Joint Maritime Information Center said Monday that the U.S. had set up an “enhanced security area” south of typical shipping routes and urged mariners to coordinate closely with Omani authorities “due to anticipated high traffic volume.” The strait sits between Iranian and Omani territory.

The center warned that passing close to the usual routes, known as the traffic separation scheme, “should be considered extremely hazardous due the presence of mines that have not been fully surveyed and mitigated.”

The U.S.-led maritime task force’s announcement marked the start of the effort to revive traffic and restore confidence among commercial vessels transiting the strait. It risked unraveling the fragile ceasefire that has held even without progress on the issues that sparked the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28.

It was unclear as of Monday morning whether any vessels had accepted the U.S. offer and Iran’s military command told state broadcaster IRIB on Monday that ships passing must coordinate with them.

“We warn that any foreign military force — especially the aggressive U.S. military — that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” Major General Pilot Ali Abdollahi said.

The disruption of the waterway through which roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil typically passes has become one of the most enduring consequences of the war. It continues to squeeze countries that depend on Persian Gulf supplies and added new volatility to energy prices for households and businesses worldwide.

Moves to resolve the war, which likely would a plan to return traffic to prior levels, are still in proposal and review phase, with no negotiations between the U.S. and Iran underway.

New standoff over the Strait of Hormuz

Announcing the ship shepherding effort in a social media post Sunday, Trump promised “neutral and innocent” 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.”

U.S. Central Command said the initiative would involve guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft and 15,000 service members. The Pentagon did not answer questions about how they would be deployed.

Neither U.S. officials nor Trump said whether “Project Freedom” would include military escorts through the Iran-controlled strait, leaving an element of risk for any tempted to chance it. The uncertainty has deterred ships and insurers from exercising their freedom of navigation and testing the route, despite earlier U.S. pushes to restart traffic.

Seafarers, many on oil tankers or cargo ships, have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began, describing to The Associated Press seeing intercepted drones and missiles explode over the waters as their vessels run low on drinking water, food and other supplies.

“They are victims of circumstance,” Trump wrote, describing the effort as a humanitarian gesture “on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran.”

Trump also sounded a warning: “If, in any way, this Humanitarian process is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”