Project Freedom Is Back On: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Lift Base Restrictions — US to Restart Hormuz Escort Operation This Week
# Project Freedom Is Back On: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Lift Base Restrictions — US to Restart Hormuz Escort Operation This Week
> **Quick answer:** Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have reversed their decision to block US military access to regional bases and airspace, clearing the path for Operation Project Freedom — the US escort mission through the Strait of Hormuz — to restart as early as this week. The Wall Street Journal reported the development May 8, sending US equities to session lows (S&P 500 -0.5%, Russell 2000 -2%) while Brent crude strengthened near $101. The reversal came after high-level talks between President Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with Washington reportedly committing to a collective defense backstop with GCC partners against any Iranian retaliation.
Operation Project Freedom, the US military mission to escort merchant ships through the Iranian-contested Strait of Hormuz, had the shortest lifespan of any major geopolitical operation in recent memory — 36 hours. Launched May 4, blocked May 5. Now, as of May 8, it is back. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have quietly reversed their positions, US and Saudi officials told the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal reported the Trump administration plans to restart the operation this week. Markets noticed immediately.
## What Is Project Freedom and How Did It Start?
Operation Project Freedom launched May 4, 2026 as a direct response to ongoing Iranian harassment of commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of global oil supply passes. The Pentagon, under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, described the operation as a "red, white and blue dome" over the strait — a combination of naval destroyer escorts and air cover protecting merchant vessels attempting to transit the bottleneck.
The premise was straightforward: the US would provide armed escort to commercial ships, deterring Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) harassment, drone attacks, and seizure attempts. For the global shipping industry and oil markets, a functioning escort corridor would have been transformative. Roughly 45 vessels had already been turned back from Hormuz transits in the weeks prior, according to CENTCOM data, effectively shutting the strait to most international commerce.