Overview
US President Donald Trump has announced a naval operation called Project Freedom to help move ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively blocked. The operation, Trump said, will begin on Monday. Iran seized control of the strait — a choke point for about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas — days after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28. Despite the announcement, oil markets were largely unchanged, with Brent crude essentially flat.
Key developments as the conflict reaches day 66:
In Iran
– Iran’s military warned it would attack any foreign armed force, especially US forces, attempting to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz.
– Tehran said it had received a US response to its latest peace-talks proposal, after Trump had described the offer as “unacceptable.”
– Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said regional US allies understand the US-Israeli action against Iran is illegal and constitutes a unilateral violation of international law.
Diplomacy
– Pakistan’s foreign minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Iran’s Abbas Araghchi spoke by phone about the regional situation and Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to secure peace and stability, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said.
– After Trump criticized NATO allies for a perceived lack of support, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said European nations had “gotten the message” and were enforcing agreements on the use of military bases.
– Australia and Japan agreed to increase cooperation on energy and critical minerals as the conflict continues to disrupt global trade.
In the US and maritime operations
– Trump said the US will begin assisting to free ships stranded in the Gulf, but provided few operational details about how crews low on food and supplies will be aided after more than two months of confinement.
– Iran’s unified command warned US forces to stay out of the strait and vowed a harsh response to any threat, advising commercial ships and tankers not to move without coordination with Iran’s military.
– Pakistan said it received 22 crew members who had been evacuated from an Iranian container ship by the US; Pakistan will hand them over to Iranian authorities on Monday as a “confidence-building measure.”
– The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) maintained that the maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz remains critical because of ongoing military operations.
In Lebanon
– Israeli strikes hit at least eight locations in southern Lebanon, including Debaal, Qana, Srifa, Qalaouiyah, Zawtar al-Sharqiya, Toulin, Shehour and Braachit, after Israeli authorities ordered local residents to evacuate.
– Lebanon’s National News Agency reported Israeli forces dropped flares over Braachit overnight and shelled the outskirts of Safad El Battikh, Yater, Majdel Selm and Chaitiyeh.
What to watch next
– The implementation and scope of Project Freedom and whether it will provoke a response from Iran.
– Any further diplomatic exchanges over Iran’s peace proposal and how regional states respond to US and NATO positioning.
– Developments affecting commercial shipping and global energy markets if the Strait of Hormuz remains contested.