WASHINGTON: Donald Trump abruptly halted a naval operation dubbed “Project Freedom” aimed at escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Saudi Arabia suspended Washington’s access to key military bases and airspace required for the mission, NBC News reported citing two US officials.
According to the report, Trump announced the operation over the weekend as part of efforts to break Iran’s blockade of the strategic waterway. However, the move reportedly angered Gulf allies, particularly Saudi Arabia, which was allegedly not consulted before the announcement.
NBC News reported that Riyadh responded by informing Washington that it would no longer allow US military aircraft to operate from Prince Sultan Air Base or transit through Saudi airspace in support of the mission. The restrictions reportedly forced the White House to pause the operation in an effort to restore military access in the region.
According to US officials cited by NBC, a phone call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the dispute, compelling the US president to suspend Project Freedom in order to regain access to the critical airspace.
The US military currently maintains fighter aircraft, refuelling tankers and air defence systems at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
Other Gulf allies, including Qatar, were also reportedly surprised by the announcement. NBC reported that Doha was contacted only after the operation had already commenced.
A Saudi source told NBC News that Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “have been in touch regularly.” The source added that Saudi officials were also communicating with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, United States Central Command and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The same source also said Riyadh supported Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts aimed at brokering a deal between Iran and the United States to end the ongoing conflict.
When asked whether the announcement of Project Freedom had caught Saudi leaders off guard, the Saudi source responded: “The problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time.”
NBC further reported that a White House official rejected claims that regional allies had been blindsided, insisting that partner countries had been informed beforehand.
A Middle Eastern diplomat also told NBC News that Oman was only consulted after Trump publicly announced the operation, although Muscat was reportedly “not upset or angry” over the matter.
According to the report, the US military had already begun preparations for additional naval deployments in the Gulf before the operation was suspended roughly 36 hours after it was launched. US Central Command had earlier announced that two US-flagged vessels had successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz under the initiative.
In a social media post, Trump stated that Project Freedom would be “paused for a short period of time to see whether or not” an agreement to end the war “can be finalized and signed.”
“Because of geography, you need cooperation from regional partners to utilise their airspace along their borders,” another US official told NBC, adding that in some cases there is no alternative route.
Trump also called the Emir of Qatar after Project Freedom had begun. A Qatari official later said the two leaders discussed the ceasefire agreement and its “implications for maritime security and global supply chains.” The statement added that the emir stressed the importance of de-escalation.