Tensions escalate after the “Project Freedom” kicked off
di Valentina Cordero (Corrispondente da New York)
The plan is to secure a passage through the Strait of Hormuz
The tensions in the Middle East keep going as the controll of a small strait called Hormuz became totally like if it were a competition between the USA and Iran.
The USA launched on Monday, May 4th, a military operation titled “Project Freedom” with the goal of securing a safe passage of commercial vessels through the strait, which has been blocked by Iran for the past two months. The military support to Project Freedom will include guided-missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea-based aircraft, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM).
USA President Trump said in a social media post on Sunday, May 3rd, that the United States would guide ships “safely out of these restricted Waterways,” which he described as a “humanitarian gesture,” that if it is interfered with, that interference will, unfortunately, have to be dealt forcefully.
So far, four ships were able to go through the strait on Monday, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence, while USA destroyed six small Iranian boats, and was able to intercept Iranian cruise missiles and drones fired by Teheran, which has been denying that some boats crossed the strait.
“Commercial ships and oil tankers should refrain from moving unless they coordinate with Iran,” Ali Abdollahi, the head of the Iranian military’s unified command, said in a statement on Monday.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the mission is temporary, and that the U.S. expects partner nations to eventually assume responsibility.
The price of a gallon of regular gasoline has climbed 31 cents in the past week, spiking to an average of $4.48 per gallon Tuesday, rising 50% since the war with Iran began (from an average of $2.98 a gallon before the war started), according to AAA.
