The WSJ is reporting that the US Navy has restarted assisting ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
- The U.S. Navy has restarted assisting commercial vessel crossings through the Strait of Hormuz.
- U.S. military officials told the WSJ that a Greek supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil was escorted through the waterway off the Omani coast.
The tanker had been stranded in the Middle East Gulf since early March and is now heading to India to unload its cargo.
The operation is part of a renewed version of “Project Freedom,” a prior U.S. effort designed to safely guide ships through the critical shipping lane.
The earlier Project Freedom initiative was halted roughly 36 hours after it initially began.
U.S. officials said the Navy plans to assist about a dozen additional vessels, including supertankers and container ships, over the coming days.
Despite the good news, the situation remains fragile with increased bombing in Lebanon and other posturing by both the US and Iran as each positions a deal in their favor.
Fingers crossed but getting the Strait open to traffic is paramount. Iran wants assets unfrozen.
UPDATE: US official denies that escorting ships has restarted.
