Trump Says US Will Begin Directing Ships Through Strait of Hormuz

WASHINGTON – Said Arikat - 5/4/2026

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States would begin directing commercial ships to cross the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday morning, a move he described as a "humanitarian initiative" aimed at ending the crisis of thousands of sailors and ships being held captive and stranded for weeks in the Arabian Gulf, amid continued tension between Washington and Tehran despite the ceasefire agreement announced last month.

Trump said, in a post on the "Truth Social" platform, that the ship movement aims to "free people, companies, and countries that have done nothing wrong," considering the stranded ships "victims of circumstances." He also indicated that his representatives are holding "very positive discussions" with Iranian leaders, as part of efforts to formally end the confrontation between the United States and Iran.

Despite the announcement, the White House did not disclose the nature of the anticipated American measures, the extent of military involvement, or how the ship crossing operation would be managed. It also remained unclear whether Washington would merely provide navigational guidance to ships, or would practically secure sea lanes with military force.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important maritime passages in the world, with a large percentage of global oil and gas exports passing through it. Its closure by Iran to ships without prior permission, coinciding with the American blockade on ships heading to or coming from Iranian ports, has led to widespread paralysis in global trade and energy movement.

Estimates indicate that about two thousand ships are still stranded in the Gulf, while the International Maritime Organization, affiliated with the United Nations, announced that more than twenty thousand sailors are trapped on board ships unable to leave the region.

On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a war on Iran, which Trump then described as aiming to "liberate the Iranian people" and end the Iranian nuclear program. Despite reaching a ceasefire on April 7, subsequent negotiations stalled during the last two weeks, amid mutual accusations regarding responsibility for the political stalemate.

In a sign of continued disagreements, Trump said on Saturday evening that he was reviewing a "14-point Iranian plan" conveyed via Pakistan, but added that he "cannot imagine accepting it." In an interview with the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation "Kan," he stressed that the Iranian offer was "unacceptable," adding: "The Iranians want a deal, but I am not satisfied with what they have offered."

Just hours later, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that Tehran had indeed received the American response to the Iranian proposal and was currently studying it. The ministry's spokesman, Ismail Baqaei, said the response arrived via the Pakistani side.

Following Trump's post, the US Central Command announced that the US military would support what it described as "Project Freedom" to restore freedom of commercial navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, without clarifying the nature of the operational support. However, American reports spoke of the deployment of destroyers equipped with guided missiles, more than one hundred aircraft, and about fifteen thousand soldiers to participate in the plan, with a US official confirming that the operation "is not a direct escort mission for ships."

In contrast, Tehran warned that the American move could constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Iranian officials said that any additional military presence in the Strait would be seen as a new escalation.

This coincided with a mysterious incident in the Strait, after the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a tanker was hit by unknown projectiles, while confirming that all crew members were safe.

The US Central Command also revealed a new initiative called "Building Maritime Freedom," a joint project between the US Departments of State and Defense, aimed at coordinating diplomatic and military efforts to reopen commercial navigation, with calls for other countries to participate in bridging "existing gaps."

Britain and France had announced their readiness to contribute to "defensive and peaceful" efforts to reopen navigation after the war ended, while Trump strongly criticized NATO countries, including Spain, Italy, and Germany, for refusing to engage in the operation.

Economically, the ongoing crisis has led to a sharp rise in energy prices, with the average price of a gallon of gasoline in the United States reaching $4.45, an increase of nearly 50 percent since the start of the war, which increased pressure on American consumers and renewed fears of a new wave of inflation.

Trump's announcement regarding "directing ships" reflects a clear attempt to reframe the image of the United States from a party involved in military escalation to a humanitarian mediator seeking to ensure freedom of navigation. However, this rhetorical shift does not hide the fact that Washington itself contributed to complicating the crisis through the naval blockade it imposed on Iran, which led to the paralysis of regional trade. Therefore, observers believe that the US administration is trying to contain the repercussions of a maximum pressure policy that has gradually turned into a global economic burden that is difficult to defend even among Western allies.

The ambiguity surrounding the American plan reveals the extent of hesitation within Washington regarding sliding into a direct naval confrontation with Iran. The White House speaks of "freedom of navigation," while Central Command speaks of a massive military buildup including destroyers, aircraft, and thousands of soldiers. This contradiction reflects a chronic American dilemma: the desire to project power without bearing the cost of an all-out war. Moreover, any limited security incident in the Strait could push the region into a wide escalation, especially given the fragility of the current ceasefire.

The current crisis reaffirms that the Strait of Hormuz is not just a waterway, but a geopolitical pressure card capable of shaking the global economy within days. The significant rise in fuel prices within the United States since the outbreak of the war has begun to directly affect Trump's domestic popularity, which explains his haste to show diplomatic progress, however limited. In contrast, Iran realizes that continued tension gives it significant negotiating leverage, especially with growing international concern about disruptions in energy markets and global supply chains.