US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said America is not looking for a wider war with Iran, but made it clear that the US will protect commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking about President Donald Trump’s new initiative, Project Freedom, Hegseth said its main goal is to protect innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression. He said the project is separate from Operation Epic Fury, the US military operation launched against Iran on February 28.
.@SECWAR “President Trump has directed @CENTCOM to restart the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz under the umbrella of PROJECT FREEDOM.
To be clear, this operation is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury.
PROJECT FREEDOM is defensive in nature,… pic.twitter.com/gU9lB0sVGA
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) May 5, 2026
Hegseth stressed that Iran will not be allowed to block safe passage for other countries through the Strait. He also said the current ceasefire is still in place and that Project Freedom does not mean the ceasefire has ended.
Earlier, Trump said the US shot down seven small Iranian boats in the Gulf region.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said nearly 22,500 mariners on 1,550 commercial vessels are currently stuck in the Strait of Hormuz. He accused Iran of disrupting global trade and trying to pressure the world economy.
Caine also said US helicopters successfully defended against Iranian missile, drone, and small boat attacks on Monday.
