Trump reversed Hormuz ship escort plan after Saudi blocks US base, airspace access: report
- Saudi anger reportedly derailed US maritime operation.
- Qatar informed after mission already started.
- NBC says Oman consulted after announcement.
US President Donald Trump abruptly halted a naval operation, which he called “Project Freedom”, aimed at escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Saudi Arabia suspended Washington’s access to key military bases and airspace needed for the mission, NBC News reported, citing two US officials.
According to the report, Trump announced the operation over the weekend as part of efforts to break Iran’s blockade of the strategic waterway, but the move reportedly angered Gulf allies, particularly Saudi Arabia, which was reportedly not consulted beforehand.
NBC News reported that Riyadh responded by informing Washington it would no longer permit US military aircraft to operate from Prince Sultan Airbase or transit through Saudi airspace in support of the mission. The restrictions reportedly forced the White House to pause the operation to restore military access to the region.
Furthermore, the US officials told NBC that a call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not resolve the issue, forcing the president to pause Project Freedom in order to restore US military access to the critical airspace.
The US military maintains fighter aircraft, refuelling tankers and air defences at Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia.
Other Gulf allies, including Qatar, were also reportedly surprised by the announcement, with NBC reporting Doha was contacted only after the operation had already begun.
A Saudi source told NBC News that Trump and the crown prince “have been in touch regularly.” Saudi officials were also in touch with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, US Central Command and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the source added.
The source also said Riyadh supported Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts aimed at brokering a deal between Iran and the United States to end the conflict.
Asked whether the announcement of Project Freedom caught the Saudi leaders by surprise, the Saudi source said: “The problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time.”
NBC further reported that a White House official rejected suggestions that regional allies were blindsided, insisting they had been informed in advance.
A Middle Eastern diplomat also told NBC News that Oman was only consulted after Trump publicly announced the operation, though Muscat was “not upset or angry” over the matter.
According to the report, the US military had already begun preparing additional naval deployments in the Gulf before the operation was suspended roughly 36 hours after launch. US Central Command had earlier announced that two US-flagged vessels had successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz under the initiative.
In his post, Trump said Project Freedom would be “paused for a short period of time to see whether or not” an agreement to resolve the war “can be finalized and signed.”
“Because of geography, you need cooperation from regional partners to utilise their airspace along their borders,” another US official told NBC, adding in some cases there is no other way around.
Trump called the emir of Qatar after Project Freedom began, and a Qatari official said in a statement that they discussed the ceasefire agreement and “implications for maritime security and global supply chains.” The statement said the emir emphasised the importance of de-escalation.
