CIREBON NEWS – Operation Freedom launched by the President of the United States (US), Donald Trump, in the form of deploying warships to escort tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, is only two days old.
Previously, Donald Trump confidently stated that starting Monday, May 4 2026, US warships would guide tankers from a number of countries to safely cross the Strait of Hormuz.
However, Trump surprisingly canceled Operation Freedom on Wednesday 6 May 2026. However, Trump said the blockade of Iranian ports would “remain in full force” until a final agreement with Tehran was reached.
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There are allegations by a number of military analysts that the cancellation of Operation Freedom was due to a missile attack from Iran. Tehran claims to have launched two missiles that hit US warships.
Iran was forced to carry out the attack because the US warship ignored warnings while crossing the Strait of Hormuz. The two Iranian missiles forced US warships back away from the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s Operation Freedom is intended to guide tankers and other commercial vessels through a key energy route that accounts for about a fifth of global oil flows. When announcing the mission on Sunday, Trump described it as a humanitarian effort rather than an offensive operation.
Also read: United States claims to have sunk six Iranian warships in the Strait of Hormuz, attack involving Apache helicopters
“Based on the requests of Pakistan and other countries, as well as major progress in talks with Iranian representatives, Washington and Tehran have mutually agreed to suspend ship movement operations for a short period of time,” Trump suddenly announced on Truth Social two days later.
Hours earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the initial operation (Epic Fury) had ended, adding: “Now we turn to this Freedom Project.”
War Minister Pete Hegseth also appeared surprised by the announcement. Earlier on Tuesday, he boasted in a press conference that hundreds more ships from various countries around the world were preparing to pass, after US forces “embarrassed” Iran with the success of Project Freedom.
Also read: Two Iranian missiles hit a United States warship in the Strait of Hormuz, tanker escort has not yet been implemented
The now-canceled operation is the latest point of conflict between Washington and Tehran. Iran warned that any foreign military entering the strait would be targeted, and insisted that safe passage through the waterway must be coordinated with Iranian forces.
