U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters Tuesday that a recently announced military effort to shield commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz is intended to be temporary and defensive in its purpose.
During a briefing, Hegseth said, "Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope and temporary in duration, with one mission, protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression. American forces won’t need to enter Iranian waters or airspace. It’s not necessary. We’re not looking for a fight."
The operation, identified by the White House as Project Freedom, was launched on Monday by President Donald Trump to secure control of the strategic waterway from Iran. The move follows Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. and Israel started the conflict on February 28.
Standing by that description of restraint, U.S. officials emphasized the limited objective: protect merchant traffic from actions described as Iranian aggression without conducting operations inside Iranian territorial waters or airspace.
Despite the stated defensive posture, tensions in the region have been active. The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in the Gulf on Tuesday as both nations sought control over the strait, underscoring the volatile and contested nature of the area.
Hegseth’s remarks framed Project Freedom as mission-specific and time-bound, with an explicit refrain that U.S. forces do not intend to pursue a larger confrontation. At the same time, the exchange of fire reported in the Gulf demonstrates that hostilities are ongoing between the two countries as they vie for influence over the waterway used by commercial shipping.
Summary of events and official statements:
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the operation as defensive, focused, and temporary.
- The White House identified the effort as Project Freedom, launched by President Donald Trump to secure the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian control.
- Iran had closed the strait after the conflict began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel started hostilities.
- The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in the Gulf on Tuesday amid competing efforts to control the strait.