With 15,000 soldiers and 100 planes: Trump is embarking on a new battle against Iran

In a post he published on his social network, Trump called the effort “The Freedom Project”, and announced that it is expected to begin today (Monday). The president said that the effort is focused solely on removing civilian ships flying the flags of countries not involved in the conflict, so that they can “continue freely and competently in their affairs.”

“I have told my representatives to let them know that we will do our best to get their ships and crews safely out of the strait,” Trump wrote. “In all cases, they said they would not return until the area became safe to sail, and everything else.”

“The movement of the ships is intended solely to free people, companies and countries who have done nothing wrong – they are victims of circumstances,” Trump said in the post. “This is a humanitarian gesture.”

Trump did not provide details on how the US would attempt to carry out such an operation, and it is also unclear whether Iran will allow the US to carry out the operation without intervention, and when the strait will be reopened for regular transit.

At the same time, the US Department of Defense directed CNBC to a post on US Central Command’s social networks, which detailed the operation and presented a broader goal: “to restore freedom of navigation to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.”

“The mission, under the direction of the President, will support merchant ships seeking to move freely through the vital international trade corridor,” the post said. “A quarter of the world’s oil trade is at sea and significant amounts of fuel and fertilizer products are transported through the strait.”

The American Central Command stated that the forces involved in the operation will include guided missile destroyers, over 100 land and sea aircraft, multidisciplinary unmanned platforms and 15,000 soldiers.