The United States has launched "Project Freedom" on May 4, 2026, a military-backed maritime operation to guide stranded commercial vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. Announced by President Donald Trump and confirmed by U.S. Central Command, the mission deploys 15,000 service members, guided-missile destroyers, and over 100 aircraft to restore freedom of navigation through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints. The strait, which once carried 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade, has seen traffic collapse to just 5% of pre-war levels since March 2026, stranding approximately 20,000 seafarers and sending global oil prices above $120 per barrel. Framed as a humanitarian operation under U.S. constitutional authority, Project Freedom carries significant implications under international maritime law. Iran has warned the move could constitute a ceasefire violation, while diplomatic negotiations between Washington and Tehran continue in parallel.