U.S. President Donald Trump said he is considering restarting the "Liberation Project" (Project Freedom) to free merchant ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, on a larger scale than before.
According to foreign media reports on the 11th, Trump said in an interview with Fox News that he is "considering restarting the suspended Liberation Project," adding, "If we restart it, we will do it on a larger scale and in a stronger way than before. However, a final decision has not yet been made."
Trump's remarks are seen as a move to ratchet up pressure on Iran. The day before, Trump said of the cease-fire proposal Iran presented that he "does not like it" and indicated it was unacceptable.
The U.S. military began the Liberation Project on the 4th to extract civilian vessels trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, but halted it two days later at Trump's direction, citing major progress in cease-fire talks with Iran. As the talks have stalled, the Liberation Project appears to be resurfacing as a pressure tactic.