The United States and Iran launched new military attacks in the Gulf on Monday, escalating their struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz with competing maritime blockades that threatened a fragile truce. The fresh volleys of missiles and drones came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new effort to free stranded tankers and other ships through the vital energy-trade chokepoint, which has been virtually closed since the U.S. and Israel began attacks on Iran in February, a war that has killed thousands across the region.
Project Freedom and Immediate Aftermath
Trump, in a social media announcement, unveiled what he called "Project Freedom" to help stuck ships traverse the strait. This came two days after a legal deadline under U.S. law had passed for him to obtain congressional authorization for the war. Trump told Congress the war was "terminated," rendering the deadline moot, a claim disputed by some lawmakers. Before Monday ended, several merchant ships in the Gulf reported explosions or fires. The U.S. military stated it had destroyed six small Iranian military boats, and an oil port in the United Arab Emirates, which hosts a large U.S. military base, was set ablaze by Iranian missiles.
The apparent attempt to use military force to unblock the world's most important energy shipping route marked the first such effort since last month's ceasefire announcement. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has insisted that passage through the strait can only occur with its permission. Shipping insurance costs have also soared in response to the heightened tensions.
Blockade and Backfire
For weeks, the U.S. Navy has blockaded Iran's trade by sea, which Iran considers an act of war. Trump's latest move, however, initially appeared to backfire, failing to prompt a surge of merchant ship traffic while provoking a promised show of force from Iran. Tehran threatened to respond to any escalation with new attacks on neighboring countries that host U.S. soldiers. Major shipping companies indicated they would likely wait for an agreed end to hostilities before attempting to cross the strait.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stated that Monday's events demonstrated there is no military solution to the crisis. He noted that peace talks were progressing with Pakistan’s mediation while warning the U.S. and the UAE against being drawn into a "quagmire by ill-wishers." He wrote on social media, "Project Freedom is Project Deadlock." Nonetheless, the U.S. military claimed that two U.S. merchant ships made it through the strait with the support of Navy guided-missile destroyers, though it did not specify when. Iran denied any crossings had taken place in recent hours, but Maersk confirmed that the Alliance Fairfax, a U.S.-flagged ship, exited the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz accompanied by the U.S. military on Monday.
Iranian Response and Regional Impact
The commander of U.S. forces in the region, Admiral Brad Cooper, said his fleet had destroyed six small Iranian boats, a claim Iran also denied. He "strongly advised" Iranian forces to keep clear of U.S. military assets carrying out the mission. Iranian authorities released a map showing an expanded sea area under their control, extending far beyond the strait to include long stretches of the UAE’s coastline. South Korea reported that one of its merchant ships, HMM Namu, suffered an explosion and fire in its engine room while in the strait, though no one aboard was injured. A spokesman said it was unclear whether the fire was caused by an attack or originated internally.
The British maritime security agency UKMTO reported that two ships had been hit off the coast of the UAE. The Emirati oil company ADNOC stated that one of its empty oil tankers was struck by Iranian drones. Following reported drone and missile attacks inside the UAE throughout the day, including one that caused a fire at Fujairah, an important oil port, the UAE declared that Iranian attacks marked a serious escalation and reserved the right to respond. Fujairah lies beyond the strait, making it one of the few export routes for Middle East oil that does not require passing through it. The local government also implemented remote learning for school students for safety reasons.
Iran’s state television network reported that military officials confirmed they attacked the UAE in response to "U.S. military’s adventurism." Earlier, Iran said it had fired on a U.S. warship approaching the strait, forcing it to turn around. An initial Iranian report had claimed a U.S. warship was struck, but the U.S. denied this, and Iranian officials later described the fire as warning shots. Reuters could not independently verify the full situation in the strait on Monday, as both sides issued contradictory statements.
Economic and Diplomatic Fallout
Oil prices jumped more than 5% in volatile trade on reports of increased Iranian attacks. Iran’s unified command told commercial ships and oil tankers that they needed to coordinate with its armed forces. "We warn that any foreign armed forces, especially the aggressive U.S. Army, will be attacked if they intend to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz," it said. The U.S. and Israel suspended their bombing of Iran four weeks ago, and U.S. and Iranian officials held one round of face-to-face peace talks. However, attempts to set up further meetings have failed.
Iranian state media reported on Sunday that the U.S. had conveyed its response to a 14-point Iranian proposal via Pakistan, and Iran was reviewing it. Neither side provided details. The Iranian proposal would postpone discussion of Iran’s nuclear energy and research programs until after an agreement to end the war and resolve the standoff over shipping. Trump said over the weekend he was still studying the proposal but would probably reject it. The latest U.S. intelligence shows limited damage to Iran’s nuclear program, which Iran insists is a purely peaceful civilian effort, since the war began, officials told Reuters. Iran’s nuclear facilities were bombed by the U.S. and Israel in attacks last year. Trump wants to remove Iran’s stockpiles of enriched uranium to prevent Iran from processing it further to the point where it could make a nuclear weapon.
