Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Lift Restrictions, US to Resume Project Freedom in Hormuz
The United States is considering resuming “Project Freedom” in the Strait of Hormuz, which was temporarily halted by President Donald Trump. This comes after Saudi Arabia and Kuwait lifted restrictions on US military access to their bases and airspace.
Project Freedom is a US military mission aimed at guiding ships from neutral countries safely across the Strait of Hormuz, which began on Monday (4/5) local time. The mission has the potential to challenge Iran’s efforts to restrict shipping in the strategic waterway.
A report from the leading US media outlet Wall Street Journal (WSJ), citing several US and Saudi officials, as reported by TRT World on Friday (8/5/2026), indicates that the Trump administration is preparing to restart military escort operations for commercial ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, with support from the US Navy and Air Force.
The US military mission was suspended earlier this week after operating for 36 hours.
According to WSJ, policy planners at the Pentagon, or the US Department of Defense, are now assessing the timeframe for resuming the military escort operations.
Several US officials, cited in WSJ’s report, indicated that the escort mission could resume as early as this week.
Such considerations arise after Saudi Arabia and Kuwait lifted restrictions on the use of their military bases and airspace by the US military, which had been imposed following Washington’s launch of Project Freedom aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The move by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait removes a significant obstacle to Trump’s efforts to secure commercial shipping routes through the strategically vital waterway amid rising tensions in the region.
Shipping activities across the Strait of Hormuz have been effectively closed by Iran due to battles against the US and Israel since 28 February. The US responded by imposing a naval blockade targeting Iranian maritime traffic around the Strait of Hormuz since mid-April.
On Tuesday (5/5) local time, Trump announced the temporary suspension of Project Freedom to restore freedom of navigation for commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. However, he emphasised that the US naval blockade remains “fully in effect”.
The Strait of Hormuz has been a focal point of the US-Iran dispute during the ongoing war, particularly after a ceasefire was imposed on 8 April, which was then unilaterally extended by Trump without a specified end date.
Peace negotiations held in Islamabad, Pakistan, following the ceasefire failed to produce an agreement to permanently end the war.