U.S. Gambit on the Strait of Hormuz Threatens Fragile Ceasefire

On Tuesday the United States launched “Project Freedom,” a bid to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for commercial traffic, even as a tenuous cease‑fire between Tehran and Washington held.

Strait of Hormuz: U.S. Push Risks Ceasefire

Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf blasted the move as a breach of the truce, warning Tehran would answer “in kind.” “The status quo is intolerable for America,” he wrote on X, hinting at a “new equation” in the Gulf.

The U.S. Navy reported two American‑flagged merchant vessels passed the waterway on Monday, and that it engaged six small Iranian craft, claiming they were sunk. An Iranian commander countered, saying two civilian cargo boats were hit, killing five civilians.

“Any attempt to force navigation will be met with decisive force,” President Donald Trump said on Sunday.

Ship‑tracking data later showed a Panamanian‑flagged crude tanker heading toward the strait’s centre, destination Singapore, though its intent to transit remained unclear.

The closure, which chokes ↓ 20% of global oil and gas flow, has pushed Brent crude to ↑ $110 a barrel, rattling markets worldwide, according to Reuters.

UAE defenses intercepted 15 missiles and four drones, igniting a fire at an oil plant in Fujairah and wounding three Indian workers. Britain reported two cargo ships ablaze off the Emirate’s coast. India’s prime minister condemned the attacks, pledging “firm solidarity” with the UAE.

Washington’s naval blockade, in place since April 13, has ordered nearly 50 commercial vessels to turn back and warned shippers of sanctions for paying Iran for transit. The pressure aims to force Tehran to abandon its leverage in ongoing nuclear talks.

Iran’s latest peace overture seeks a full lift of sanctions, an end to the blockade, withdrawal of U.S. forces and a halt to Israeli actions in Lebanon. U.S. officials remain skeptical, noting little movement in the dialogue.