WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump abruptly halted a planned U.S. naval operation in the Strait of Hormuz after Saudi Arabia refused to let American forces use its bases and airspace, NBC News reported Wednesday, citing two U.S. officials.
The decision by Riyadh forced the White House to suspend “Project Freedom” roughly 36 hours after it began. The operation was intended to escort commercial ships through the strategic waterway, which Iran had effectively blockaded.
Trump announced Project Freedom on his social media platform on Sunday afternoon, May 3. The public announcement surprised Gulf allies and angered Saudi leadership, the officials told NBC News. Saudi Arabia had not been consulted in advance.
In response, Saudi Arabia informed Washington that it would not permit U.S. military aircraft to operate from Prince Sultan Air Base, located southeast of Riyadh, or to cross Saudi airspace in support of the mission. The base has hosted American fighter jets, refueling tankers, and air defense systems.
A phone call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the dispute, the two U.S. officials said. The president was left with no choice but to pause the operation to restore access to the critical airspace.
Other close Gulf allies were also caught off guard. Trump spoke with leaders in Qatar only after the operation had already started, according to the NBC report. A Middle Eastern diplomat told the network that the United States did not coordinate with Oman until after Trump's public announcement. “The U.S. made an announcement and then coordinated with us,” the diplomat said, adding that Oman was not angered by the sequence.
A Saudi source told NBC News that Trump and the crown prince “have been in touch regularly.” Saudi officials also communicated with Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Central Command, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Asked whether Project Freedom surprised Saudi leaders, the source said, “The problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time.” The source added that Saudi Arabia strongly supports diplomatic efforts led by Pakistan to broker a deal between Iran and the United States.
A White House official responded to questions about allied surprise by stating that “regional allies were notified in advance.”
The U.S. military had already positioned multiple vessels in the Persian Gulf in preparation for transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Central Command confirmed that two American-flagged ships successfully passed through the strait during the brief window when the operation was active.
Trump announced the suspension on May 5, writing that Project Freedom would be paused “for a short period of time” to see whether a peace agreement could be finalized.
The episode highlights growing strains in the U.S.-Saudi security partnership amid the broader conflict with Iran. The United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28. A truce took effect on April 8, but the naval standoff in the Strait of Hormuz threatened to reignite hostilities. Iran launched new attacks on the United Arab Emirates and U.S. forces fired on Iranian vessels during the brief operation, according to regional reports.
Pakistan has been mediating talks between Washington and Tehran. Those discussions have centered on Iran's nuclear program, sanctions relief, and control of the Strait of Hormuz. A potential memorandum of understanding would reportedly include a suspension of Iranian nuclear enrichment and the removal of highly enriched uranium stockpiles in exchange for sanctions relief.
The Saudi decision to deny access to Prince Sultan Air Base and its airspace reflects a broader pattern. Earlier in the conflict, Riyadh sought to maintain neutrality, barring the use of its facilities for strikes on Iran even as it hosted American forces for regional security purposes.