President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. will "guide" ships out of the Strait of Hormuz amid a maritime standoff between Washington and Iran that has choked off commercial traffic along the critical trade route.
Trump said the effort, dubbed "Project Freedom," would free up "neutral" vessels stranded in the shipping lane and called the effort a "humanitarian gesture." The president said the operation is set to begin Monday morning and that any interference will be "dealt with forcefully."
The announcement comes after a merchant ship on Sunday reported being attacked by multiple "small" boats off the coast of Sirik, Iran, near the strait, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Meanwhile, Iran said it was reviewing a U.S. response to its proposal for peace talks, but added that negotiations would not immediately involve discussions about its nuclear program. The White House did not confirm whether it had responded to Iran's latest proposal.
A day earlier, Trump said he had not yet reviewed the proposition but said he would likely reject it, writing in a social media post that the Middle Eastern country has "not yet paid a big enough price." When asked by reporters if he's considering resuming strikes on Iran, Trump said there's a "possibility that could happen," if they "misbehave."
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