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Trump says U.S. to help free ships stranded in Strait of Hormuz

Published: 04 May. 2026, 10:55

Ships and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Musandam, Oman, on April 18. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

U.S. President Donald Trump said Sunday that Washington will begin guiding some neutral ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz this week as a "humanitarian gesture" amid the prolonged Iran war.

About 2,000 vessels remain trapped in the strait, including 26 Korean-flagged ships, as the crucial waterway has effectively been shut down since late February, when the conflict began following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said "neutral and innocent" countries have been affected by the conflict, adding, "We have told these countries that we will guide their ships safely out of these restricted waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business."

The process, named Project Freedom, will begin Monday morning and any interference with the project "will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully," he warned.

The blockade of the waterway has disrupted global supplies of energy and other goods, as about 20 percent of the world's oil and natural gas trade typically passes through the strait.

Trump extended a cease-fire deadline in early April, urging Iran to present a new peace proposal while ramping up pressure on Tehran through naval blockades and economic sanctions.

Peace talks remain stalled after the first direct meeting between the two sides in Islamabad last month ended without agreement.

Yonhap