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U.S. Central Command on Monday said that two U.S.-flagged merchant vessels safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz with support from American forces. That reported passage came after President Donald Trump said that the U.S. military would escort through the strait some ships stuck in the area, as part of an initiative he dubbed Project Freedom. He framed the action as a humanitarian gesture, saying that those ships belonged to countries not involved in the conflict with Iran and that their crews were running low on food and sanitation resources. Trump promised a forceful response if Iran interfered, though he said peace negotiations were ongoing.
Central Command said Sunday that Project Freedom would also include military escort for any merchant vessels seeking to resume commercial shipping routes through the strait. Several guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 land and sea-based aircraft, and 15,000 service members are assigned to the project, according to military headquarters.
How did Iran respond? The state-run Fars news agency on Monday reported that Iranian forces struck a U.S. Navy frigate near the Strait of Hormuz with two missiles, forcing it to flee the area. The Iranian Navy also blocked U.S. and Israeli destroyers from entering the strait, according to Fars. U.S. Central Command denied claims of the strike and said that the Navy continued to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports while also carrying out Project Freedom.
Dig deeper: Read my previous update on the Iran war and calls for congressional approval.