President Donald Trump abruptly paused “Project Freedom,” his short-lived operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, after a key Gulf ally suspended U.S. military access to bases and airspace, U.S. officials said — a breakdown in coordination that exposed how dependent Washington remains on regional permissions for operations in the strategically vital waterway.
Two U.S. officials told NBC News that Saudi Arabia informed the United States it would not permit U.S. aircraft to operate from Prince Sultan Airbase southeast of Riyadh or to transit Saudi airspace in support of the effort. Trump had announced Project Freedom on social media on Sunday, surprising Gulf partners; the Saudis’ move came after U.S. leaders pressed ahead without what Saudi officials described as adequate prior consultation. A presidential call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the dispute, the officials said, leaving Trump to halt the operation roughly 36 hours after it began so U.S. commanders could restore access.
U.S. Central Command had reported that two U.S.-flagged vessels made it through the strait under Project Freedom, and Pentagon officials said additional American ships were being positioned to transit when the pause was ordered. The operation offered U.S. surveillance, firepower and armed personnel aboard ships to protect commercial transits from Iranian attacks — a separate mission from the broader bombing campaign that began on Feb. 28, dubbed “Epic Fury” by Pentagon officials.
The Saudi decision underscored the practical limits on U.S. military options in the region: aircraft, tankers and support planes require permission from partners for basing and overflight, often abbreviated as ABO. U.S. planners rely on sites in Saudi Arabia and Jordan for basing, Kuwait for overflight corridors, and Oman for both overflight and naval logistics. “Because of geography, you need cooperation from regional partners to utilize their airspace along their borders,” one U.S. official said, noting in some cases there is no viable alternative route.
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Allies expressed frustration at the way the plan was announced. A Middle Eastern diplomat said Oman was only consulted after Trump went public, and some Gulf capitals said they were caught off guard. The White House, however, pushed back, saying regional partners had been notified in advance. Saudi sources told NBC that Riyadh remained engaged with U.S. officials — including contacts with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Central Command and, according to the source, Secretary of State Marco Rubio — and described Saudi support for Pakistan’s mediation efforts aimed at brokering a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
The pause also comes amid an intensified diplomatic push and rising political pressure in Washington. Trump said from the Oval Office that the operation was being paused to see whether an agreement to end the war could be finalized and signed, adding that he believed negotiators had a “very good chance” of striking a deal. Iran signaled it was reviewing a U.S. proposal and would consult with Pakistan, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during talks in Tehran, urged an urgent comprehensive ceasefire. Iranian and Jordanian officials gave contrasting public signals about the durability and seriousness of talks: a senior Iranian parliamentarian dismissed the offer as a “wish list,” while a Jordanian official told NBC that Iran’s faltering economy limited Tehran’s ability to sustain prolonged hostilities.
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With two carrier strike groups and expanded logistics and support already deployed in the Gulf, U.S. military leaders now face the dual challenge of maintaining maritime security around the Hormuz chokepoint while repairing frayed coordination with regional partners whose airspace and bases are essential for any sustained protection of commercial shipping. The pause on Project Freedom appears intended to buy time both for diplomacy and for Washington to re-secure the basing and overflight agreements needed to resume any similar operation.
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