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Saudi Arabia’s anger reportedly caused the suspension of a U.S. maritime operation. Qatar was informed only after the mission was already underway, and NBC News reports that Oman was consulted following the announcement.
President Donald Trump abruptly paused a naval operation, called “Project Freedom,” intended to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz after Riyadh halted U.S. military access to critical bases and airspace, according to NBC, citing two U.S. officials. The operation was announced over the weekend as part of efforts to break Iran’s blockade of the strategic waterway, but it reportedly upset Gulf allies, especially Saudi Arabia, which was not consulted beforehand.
Saudi Arabia responded by telling Washington it would no longer allow U.S. military aircraft to operate from Prince Sultan Airbase or transit Saudi airspace to support the mission. These restrictions forced the White House to pause the operation in order to restore military access. Officials also mentioned that a call between Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the issue, leading to the temporary suspension of Project Freedom to regain U.S. military access.
The U.S. maintains fighter jets, refueling tankers, and air defenses at Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia. Other Gulf partners, including Qatar, were caught off guard by the announcement, with NBC noting that Doha was contacted only after the operation had begun.
A source within Saudi Arabia told NBC that Trump and the crown prince have been in regular contact. Saudi officials also engaged with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Central Command, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Saudi source added that Riyadh supported Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to mediate between Iran and the U.S. to resolve the conflict.
Asked if Saudi leaders were surprised by the Project Freedom announcement, the Saudi source replied, “The problem with that premise is the fast-moving nature of events.” NBC also reports that a White House official denied claims that regional allies weren’t informed in advance, asserting they had been briefed beforehand.
Oman was only consulted after Trump publicly announced the operation, according to a Middle Eastern diplomat, though Muscat was “not upset or angry” about the situation.
Before the operation was suspended about 36 hours after launch, the U.S. military had initiated additional naval deployments in the Gulf. Earlier, U.S. Central Command announced that two U.S.-flagged vessels successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz under the mission.
Trump stated that Project Freedom would be “paused for a short period” to see if a diplomatic solution to end the conflict can be reached and signed. An official explained that cooperation from regional partners’ airspace is essential due to geographic constraints, and in some cases, there are no alternatives.
Following the suspension, Trump called Qatar’s emir, who discussed the ceasefire and the implications for maritime security and global supply chains. The Qatari official emphasized the importance of de-escalation during their conversation.
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