UKMTO reports attacks on 2 ships in Strait of Hormuz
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre reported attacks on two cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, as the U.S. Navy prepared to begin “Project Freedom” to restore shipping through the strategic waterway on Monday.
The first incident occurred 11 nautical miles west of Sirik, Iran, the UKMTO said, with a northbound bulk carrier reporting an attack by multiple small craft. All crew were reported safe and no environmental impact was reported.
Some hours later, the UKMTO said it received a report of another incident 78 nautical miles north of the Emirati port of Fujairah. A tanker reported being hit by unknown projectiles, the UKMTO said, with all crew reported safe and no environmental impact.
President Donald Trump announced “major combat operations” against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
Project Freedom’ to extend defensive umbrella over shipping, official says
U.S. Central Command posted a statement to X on Sunday confirming that its forces will begin supporting “Project Freedom” in the Strait of Hormuz at the direction of President Donald Trump, beginning on Monday.
“Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade,” Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in the statement.
The mission is intended “to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said.
The U.S. military role will be to extend a U.S. defensive umbrella over ships seeking to leave or enter the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official told ABC News. Project Freedom is not about providing escorts to ships, the official said.
“U.S. military support to Project Freedom will include guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms and 15,000 service members,” CENTCOM said in its statement.
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