After Attack on CMA CGM Boxship, Trump Suspends Hormuz Transit Corridor
On Tuesday, a cargo vessel was struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, according to UKMTO - the latest in a series of ship strikes that Iran has launched following the initiation of a U.S.-led maritime security corridor. Shortly after, President Donald Trump announced a temporary "pause" for the corridor program, which was intended to provide a security "umbrella" for merchant ships trapped in the Arabian Gulf to escape via the Omani sector of the strait. The initiative had been in effect for two days, and several participants - and apparent nonparticipants - had come under Iranian attack.
CBS reports that the vessel struck in Tuesday's attack was the Maltese-flagged boxship CMA CGM San Antonio, and officials told the network that the ship may have been hit by a cruise missile. Several crewmembers were injured in the strike, two officials told CBS.
Like other ships operating in the strait in the last few days, CMA CGM San Antonio has gone dark for security purposes, and her AIS transmission has not been received since Tuesday. Her last known position was off Dubai.
Hours after news broke of the strike on the boxship, President Donald Trump declared Project Freedom a "tremendous military success" and announced that it would be paused for diplomatic negotiations.
"Based on the request of Pakistan and other countries . . . we have mutually agreed that, while the blockade [on Iranian traffic] will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom . . . will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the agreement [with Iran] can be finalized," Trump said in a statement.
Just hours earlier, in a Pentagon press briefing, top officials said that the now-suspended Project Freedom corridor was beyond a success - it was a "gift." They gave no predictions that it would be put on hold later in the day.
"As a direct gift from the United States to the world, we have established a powerful red, white and blue dome over the strait. American destroyers are on station, supported by hundreds of fighter jets, helicopters, drones and surveillance aircraft providing 24/7 overwatch for peaceful commercial vessels, except Iran’s of course," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters.
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"We have a much better defensive arrangement [than traditional escort operations], where we have multiple layers that include ships, helicopters, aircraft, airborne early warning, electronic warfare – we have a much broader defensive package than you would have ever had if you were just escorting. I feel good about that, and it was proven just in the last couple of hours," said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of Central Command, speaking to TWZ earlier in the morning.