U.S. begins 'humanitarian' escorts in Strait of Hormuz

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth provided a high-stakes update on Tuesday on the military’s newly launched mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Titled "Project Freedom," the operation is designed to guide approximately 1,550 commercial vessels currently stranded in the Persian Gulf safely through the contested waterway. During a Pentagon briefing alongside Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hegseth emphasized that the mission is "defensive in nature" and separate from major combat operations.