Hegseth, Caine Detail How We're Removing Iran's Last Desperate Play With 'Project Freedom'

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine delivered a briefing on Tuesday on Project Freedom, the operation to restore free flow of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

.@SecWar on Project Freedom: "This operation is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury. Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration—with one mission: protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression." pic.twitter.com/nieRMAoVAj
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026

Hegseth said that the ceasefire was not over, and they expected some "churn" at the beginning of Project Freedom. "This operation is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury. Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration — with one mission: protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression," Hegseth explained.

Hegseth said the Iranians were threatening vessels from all nations. That ends now.

"Iran's plan — a form of international extortion — is unacceptable. That ends with Project Freedom. Two U.S. commercial ships, along with American destroyers, have already safely transited the Strait, showing the lane is clear. We know the Iranians are embarrassed by this fact. They said they control the Strait. They do not."

Hegseth revealed that they were in communication with hundreds of ships about getting out of the Persian Gulf. He said they'd established a "Red, White and Blue" dome of defense over the area, providing overwatch to help ensure freedom of navigation.

But not for Iran, which is still under the blockade. Hegseth explained they had stopped six more Iranian port-connected ships trying to run the blockade.

He said they were "locked and loaded" if the regime tried to take them on.

Caine laid out a lot of details, including that Iran had fired on commercial vessels nine times and seized two ships since the start of the ceasefire.

WATCH: @thejointstaff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine provides an update on the last few days of activities in the Gulf:

"The United States has established a significant presence over the strait here in order to open up the free flow of commerce, noting the blockade still continues..." pic.twitter.com/to5AiZrGJl
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026

Caine also said the regime attacked U.S. ships ten times, all "below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point." The U.S. appears to have stopped all the efforts, and there were no hits, as CENTCOM explained on Monday.

Iran Hilariously Claims It’s a ‘Superpower,’ but the US Isn’t Laughing - It’s Acting

There are 22,500 mariners on more than 1,550 commercial vessels trapped in the Arabian Gulf (Persian Gulf), he stated. The Iranians also attacked the UAE three times and Oman once.

Caine then detailed the depth of U..S. power.

.@thejointstaff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine outlines Project Freedom: "On the surface, guided missile destroyers and other warships are detecting and defeating Iranian threats. This includes fast boats and one-way attack drones. In the air, more than 100 fighters, attack aircraft,… pic.twitter.com/0scMwcvOed
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 5, 2026

Caine said U.S. Central Command has "established an enhanced security area on the southern side of the strait that is now protected by U.S. land, naval and air assets to help defeat further Iranian aggression against commercial shipping."
"On the surface, guided missile destroyers and other warships are detecting and defeating Iranian threats. This includes fast boats in one-way attack drones," he added. "In the air, more than 100 fighters, attack aircraft and other manned and unmanned aircraft synchronized by the 82nd Airborne Division are in the air 24 hours a day, providing defensive overwatch for the enhanced security area."

They're basically doing what we've been talking about — encouraging the ships to hug the coast of Oman in their transit — we wrote about how the cruise ships and others have demonstrated that area is likely not mined.

IMPORTANT: UKMTO says a new U.S. security corridor is now in place in the Strait of Hormuz, directing vessels to sail south of the old traffic lanes, closer to Oman’s coast, following President Trump’s launch of “Project Freedom.” pic.twitter.com/vlSFT8FU30
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) May 4, 2026

That's a big middle finger to Iran and will bust their "approved lane" and attempt to collect tolls further north.

Iran is still being crushed by the blockade, and now they can't hold people up. They have to be screaming.

Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.

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