U.S. Media: Gulf Allies Push Back, U.S. 'Project Freedom' to Aid Ships Through Hormuz Called Off
President Trump's 'Project Freedom' to assist ships through the Strait of Hormuz was abruptly halted after a key Persian Gulf ally, Saudi Arabia, suspended U.S. military access to its bases and airspace for the operation. The announcement surprised allies and angered Saudi leadership.
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 16:17
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 16:31 (14 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 7, 2026 at 16:49 (17 min after Collected)
U.S.-Iran War Key News
Central Message
(Central News Agency Washington 6th Comprehensive Foreign Report) Two U.S. officials stated that President Trump had originally planned to assist ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but after a key Persian Gulf ally suspended the use of U.S. military bases and airspace for this operation, Trump suddenly changed course and called off the plan.
NBC News reported that officials said Trump's announcement of 'Project Freedom' on social media on the afternoon of the 3rd caught Gulf allies by surprise and angered the Saudi Arabian leadership. Officials revealed that in response, Saudi Arabia informed the U.S. that it would not allow U.S. military aircraft to take off from Prince Sultan Air Base southeast of Riyadh or fly over Saudi airspace to support the operation.
The two U.S. officials said that Trump had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but the issue was not resolved, forcing the president to suspend 'Project Freedom' to restore U.S. military access to this critical airspace.
America's 'Project Freedom' also caught other close Gulf allies off guard; Trump only spoke with Qatari leaders after the operation had begun.
A Saudi source told NBC News that Trump and the Crown Prince 'are in regular contact.' The source added that Saudi officials also had contact with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Central Command, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
When asked if Trump's announcement of 'Project Freedom' surprised the Saudi leadership, the Saudi source said: 'The problem with that premise is that everything is developing in real-time and rapidly.' The source added that Saudi Arabia 'strongly supports' Pakistan's 'diplomatic efforts' to mediate an end to the U.S.-Iran conflict.
When asked about the surprise among some Persian Gulf leaders regarding the U.S. announcement to assist ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a White House official stated that 'regional allies were notified in advance.'
A Middle East diplomat pointed out that the U.S. acted first and then coordinated, consulting with Oman only after Trump announced 'Project Freedom.' The diplomat said: 'The U.S. announced the relevant news first, and then coordinated with us. We were not dissatisfied or angry.'
Trump announced the launch of 'Project Freedom' last weekend, aiming to break Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. His top national security leaders heavily promoted the plan in public briefings at the Pentagon and White House on the 5th, but Trump abruptly called it off 36 hours after the operation began.
A U.S. official said that the U.S. military had already assembled multiple ships in the Persian Gulf, preparing to cross the Strait of Hormuz, but the operation was halted at that point. U.S. Central Command had earlier announced that two U.S.-flagged vessels had successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz during 'Project Freedom.'
Trump stated in a post that 'Project Freedom' would be 'paused for a short period to see if a deal to resolve the war can be finalized or signed.'
The U.S. military deploys fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and air defense systems at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia allows U.S. aircraft to take off from Prince Sultan Air Base to support U.S. operations against Iran, and also permits military aircraft stationed in neighboring countries to fly over Saudi airspace.
A U.S. official said: 'Due to geographical location, you need the cooperation of regional partners to use airspace along the border.' The official explained that in some cases, there is simply no other alternative. During 'Project Freedom,' military aircraft were crucial for protecting ships, effectively providing a defensive umbrella. (Compiled by: Chang Hsiao-wen) 1150507
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Central Message
(Central News Agency Washington 6th Comprehensive Foreign Report) Two U.S. officials stated that President Trump had originally planned to assist ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but after a key Persian Gulf ally suspended the use of U.S. military bases and airspace for this operation, Trump suddenly changed course and called off the plan.
NBC News reported that officials said Trump's announcement of 'Project Freedom' on social media on the afternoon of the 3rd caught Gulf allies by surprise and angered the Saudi Arabian leadership. Officials revealed that in response, Saudi Arabia informed the U.S. that it would not allow U.S. military aircraft to take off from Prince Sultan Air Base southeast of Riyadh or fly over Saudi airspace to support the operation.
The two U.S. officials said that Trump had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, but the issue was not resolved, forcing the president to suspend 'Project Freedom' to restore U.S. military access to this critical airspace.
America's 'Project Freedom' also caught other close Gulf allies off guard; Trump only spoke with Qatari leaders after the operation had begun.
A Saudi source told NBC News that Trump and the Crown Prince 'are in regular contact.' The source added that Saudi officials also had contact with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Central Command, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
When asked if Trump's announcement of 'Project Freedom' surprised the Saudi leadership, the Saudi source said: 'The problem with that premise is that everything is developing in real-time and rapidly.' The source added that Saudi Arabia 'strongly supports' Pakistan's 'diplomatic efforts' to mediate an end to the U.S.-Iran conflict.
When asked about the surprise among some Persian Gulf leaders regarding the U.S. announcement to assist ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a White House official stated that 'regional allies were notified in advance.'
A Middle East diplomat pointed out that the U.S. acted first and then coordinated, consulting with Oman only after Trump announced 'Project Freedom.' The diplomat said: 'The U.S. announced the relevant news first, and then coordinated with us. We were not dissatisfied or angry.'
Trump announced the launch of 'Project Freedom' last weekend, aiming to break Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. His top national security leaders heavily promoted the plan in public briefings at the Pentagon and White House on the 5th, but Trump abruptly called it off 36 hours after the operation began.
A U.S. official said that the U.S. military had already assembled multiple ships in the Persian Gulf, preparing to cross the Strait of Hormuz, but the operation was halted at that point. U.S. Central Command had earlier announced that two U.S.-flagged vessels had successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz during 'Project Freedom.'
Trump stated in a post that 'Project Freedom' would be 'paused for a short period to see if a deal to resolve the war can be finalized or signed.'
The U.S. military deploys fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and air defense systems at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia allows U.S. aircraft to take off from Prince Sultan Air Base to support U.S. operations against Iran, and also permits military aircraft stationed in neighboring countries to fly over Saudi airspace.
A U.S. official said: 'Due to geographical location, you need the cooperation of regional partners to use airspace along the border.' The official explained that in some cases, there is simply no other alternative. During 'Project Freedom,' military aircraft were crucial for protecting ships, effectively providing a defensive umbrella. (Compiled by: Chang Hsiao-wen) 1150507
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.