NBC News: Saudi Arabia has barred Washington from using its bases and airspace to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
NBC News revealed that US President Donald Trump backed down from a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz following objections from Gulf allies, most notably Saudi Arabia.
According to the report, Trump’s announcement of what he called Project Freedom on social media surprised several Gulf states and angered the Saudi leadership, which subsequently informed Washington that it wouldn’t allow the use of Prince Sultan Air Base or Saudi airspace to support any military action related to the plan.
Two US officials confirmed that a call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman failed to resolve the dispute, prompting the US administration to temporarily suspend the project in order to maintain military coordination with Riyadh.
NBC News also indicated that other Gulf states were surprised by the US announcement, while diplomatic sources clarified that coordination with Oman occurred after the official announcement of the plan, not before.
Meanwhile, Saudi sources confirmed that communication between Riyadh and Washington continues, along with the Kingdom’s support for Pakistani-led diplomatic efforts to reach an understanding between Iran and the United States regarding the current crisis.
These developments come amid escalating regional tensions related to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil and energy shipping lanes.
