President Donald Trump announced that ships loaded with oil are moving through the Strait of Hormuz again, claiming the US facilitated the transit of over 100 million barrels of oil and more than 200 commercial vessels through the critical waterway. The announcement, made via Truth Social and remarks from the Oval Office on June 10-11, frames the operation as a major American victory in a standoff with Iran that has rattled global energy markets since late February.
The operation, dubbed Operation Project Freedom, reportedly involved naval escorts and diplomatic measures aimed at restoring shipping safety in a corridor that handles approximately 20% of the world’s oil trade.
How the crisis unfolded
The trouble started on February 28, 2026, when Iran began blocking shipping traffic through the strait. Shipping traffic dropped to approximately 15% of pre-war levels.
The US response, according to Trump’s account, was to organize escort operations that gradually restored flow. By mid-June, escorted shipments were reportedly handling around 7 million barrels per day.
