US Military Escort in Hormuz Strait Sees 2 Ships Pass on Day 1; Experts: Difficult to Restore Pre-War Traffic
The first day of the US military's 'Project Freedom' escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz successfully saw two ships pass, but experts warn that restoring pre-war traffic levels will be challenging due to Iran's continued non-cooperation and threats.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 15:28
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US-Iran War Key News
Central News Agency (CNA)
(CNA Washington, 4th, comprehensive foreign report) General Bradley Cooper, Commander of US Central Command, announced today that 'Project Freedom,' aimed at restoring smooth navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, had a successful first day of operations. However, experts are more cautious, believing that restoring traffic to pre-war levels still faces significant challenges.
According to a CNN report, on the first day of 'Project Freedom,' only two US-flagged vessels successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz under US military escort. Analysts point out that scaling up the operation to the pre-war level of approximately 120 ships per day seems difficult, especially if Iran does not cooperate.
General Cooper, Commander of US Central Command, told reporters in a telephone briefing today that the US deployed various military assets, including destroyers, helicopters, fighter jets, and drones, to assist the two American merchant ships in safely transiting the strait.
Cooper noted that US forces had shot down Iranian cruise missiles targeting naval destroyers and merchant ships, and helicopters had sunk six Iranian small boats attempting to attack merchant ships.
'We used precision defensive weapons to thoroughly repel all threats,' he said, also mentioning that other vessels are preparing to utilize this escort measure.
Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain and analyst, told CNN that if the US military escort remains unwavering, the number of merchant ships protected daily could quickly increase to 20 to 30.
However, he and other experts also warned: 'Iran still holds key influence.'
Retired Army Lieutenant General Karen Gibson stated on CNN's 'Anderson Cooper 360' that 'Project Freedom's' first day was indeed a 'tactical success,' but it still needs to be compared to the pre-war traffic of 120 ships per day.
She pointed out that as long as Iran continues to create a sense of risk, it can effectively suppress the number of commercial vessels, effectively keeping the strait in a near-closed state. (Compiled by Tsai Chia-Min) 1150505
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Central News Agency (CNA)
(CNA Washington, 4th, comprehensive foreign report) General Bradley Cooper, Commander of US Central Command, announced today that 'Project Freedom,' aimed at restoring smooth navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, had a successful first day of operations. However, experts are more cautious, believing that restoring traffic to pre-war levels still faces significant challenges.
According to a CNN report, on the first day of 'Project Freedom,' only two US-flagged vessels successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz under US military escort. Analysts point out that scaling up the operation to the pre-war level of approximately 120 ships per day seems difficult, especially if Iran does not cooperate.
General Cooper, Commander of US Central Command, told reporters in a telephone briefing today that the US deployed various military assets, including destroyers, helicopters, fighter jets, and drones, to assist the two American merchant ships in safely transiting the strait.
Cooper noted that US forces had shot down Iranian cruise missiles targeting naval destroyers and merchant ships, and helicopters had sunk six Iranian small boats attempting to attack merchant ships.
'We used precision defensive weapons to thoroughly repel all threats,' he said, also mentioning that other vessels are preparing to utilize this escort measure.
Carl Schuster, a former US Navy captain and analyst, told CNN that if the US military escort remains unwavering, the number of merchant ships protected daily could quickly increase to 20 to 30.
However, he and other experts also warned: 'Iran still holds key influence.'
Retired Army Lieutenant General Karen Gibson stated on CNN's 'Anderson Cooper 360' that 'Project Freedom's' first day was indeed a 'tactical success,' but it still needs to be compared to the pre-war traffic of 120 ships per day.
She pointed out that as long as Iran continues to create a sense of risk, it can effectively suppress the number of commercial vessels, effectively keeping the strait in a near-closed state. (Compiled by Tsai Chia-Min) 1150505
Choose to stand with the truth; every sponsorship you provide is a force for safeguarding journalistic freedom.
Download the CNA 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated instantly.
Unauthorized reproduction, public broadcast, transmission, or use of the text, images, and audio on this website is prohibited.