"Trump suspended Project Freedom after Saudi Arabia stopped the US military from using its bases or airspace to carry out the operation, which involved giving air cover to commercial shipping sailing through the strait. NBC News suggested it was because Riyadh, and other Gulf capitals, were not informed beforehand."
"Saudi commentary said the shutdown of US operations was only made after an Iranian attack on oil facilities in Fujairah, one of the seven emirates in the UAE—an attack that was played down by the US, which did not respond to it. That showed Riyadh that Washington was ready to launch major operations in the Gulf without consulting its allies or protecting them from the fallout."
"Two US-flagged ships took the opportunity to travel the strait and escape the Gulf, but the rest of the commercial shipping trapped by the war, estimated by the International Maritime Organization to number 2,000 vessels, stayed put. There was no diplomatic breakthrough behind the sharp change of policy, just a failure of the policy."
Project Freedom, Trump's initiative to protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, was abruptly suspended after Saudi Arabia withdrew support for US military operations. Reports indicate Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states were not informed beforehand about the operation. Additionally, after an Iranian attack on oil facilities in Fujairah that the US downplayed without responding, Saudi commentary suggested the suspension demonstrated Washington's willingness to launch major Gulf operations without consulting allies or protecting them from consequences. The suspension revealed fundamental planning failures. Only two US-flagged ships escaped the Gulf; approximately 2,000 commercial vessels remained trapped. No diplomatic breakthrough occurred despite Trump's claims, and Iran's parliamentary speaker mocked the failed operation.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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