US President Donald Trump paused the effort to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a day after it began.
“Project Freedom” saw two ships pass through the waterway, while hundreds remain stranded. Trump said the operation was on hold because “Great Progress” had been made towards a deal, and Axios reported that the White House does believe it is close to an agreement, despite several Iranian attacks on US forces and allies.
The strait’s 10-week closure is projected to slow global GDP growth and deal a blow to US influence: Washington’s Gulf allies fear that Trump is so intent on extricating himself from the conflict that he is ignoring Tehran’s provocations, The Wall Street Journal’s chief foreign-affairs correspondent wrote.