President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement halting “Project Freedom”—a military operation to break Iran’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz—came after Saudi Arabia suspended the U.S. military’s access to critical airbases and airspace, according to NBC News.

The reversal exposed a significant diplomatic rift between the Trump administration and a key Gulf ally, with the Kingdom moving to block flights from Prince Sultan Airbase southeast of Riyadh and denying U.S. aircraft overflight rights essential to the mission.

Trump announced Project Freedom on social media Sunday afternoon without advance coordination with regional partners, according to officials familiar with the matter. The unilateral approach angered Saudi leadership, who quickly moved to withdraw support for the operation.

U.S. national security officials had spent much of Tuesday publicly promoting the effort at the Pentagon and White House before Trump halted the operation roughly 36 hours after it began.

“The problem with that premise is that things are happening quickly in real time,” a Saudi source told NBC News when asked if regional leaders were caught off guard, though the characterization appeared to acknowledge the lack of coordination.

A White House official disputed the account, stating in a written statement that “Regional allies were notified in advance,” though other Gulf allies told reporters otherwise.

The operation’s collapse underscored the geographic reality of military operations in the Middle East: without Saudi cooperation, the U.S. cannot adequately support maritime security in the Persian Gulf.

Prince Sultan Airbase houses U.S. fighter aircraft, refueling tankers, and air defense systems. Project Freedom required these assets to provide what military officials described as a “defensive umbrella” over merchant vessels transiting the critical waterway, where Iranian forces have continued to threaten shipping.

“Because of geography, you need cooperation from regional partners to utilize their airspace along their borders,” one U.S. official said. “In some cases there is no other way around.”

A phone call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not resolve the dispute, officials said, forcing the president to shelve the initiative to restore U.S. military access.

Other Gulf states reported learning about Project Freedom after the fact. A Middle Eastern diplomat said Oman was not consulted until after Trump’s announcement. “The U.S. made an announcement and then coordinated with us,” the diplomat said, adding the response was not hostile but reflected the uncoordinated nature of the rollout.

Qatar’s emir was called by Trump only after the operation had begun. In a statement, Qatar said the conversation focused on the ceasefire agreement and “implications for maritime security and global supply chains,” with the emir emphasizing the importance of de-escalation.

A Saudi source confirmed that Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “have been in touch regularly,” and that Saudi officials maintained contact with Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Central Command, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The source added that Riyadh was “very supportive of the diplomatic efforts” by Pakistan to broker a deal between Iran and the United States.

The U.S. military had been positioning additional ships in the Gulf for transit through the strait when the operation was suspended. U.S. Central Command had earlier announced that two U.S.-flagged vessels had successfully transited as part of Project Freedom before the pause.

In his announcement of the pause, Trump said Project Freedom would be halted “for a short period of time to see whether or not” an agreement to end the war “can be finalized and signed.”

The timing of Project Freedom reflected internal tension within the Trump administration over whether to pursue negotiations or intensify military pressure on Iran.

The administration has been engaged in quiet diplomacy with Tehran through Pakistan as a mediator. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the regime was reviewing a new U.S. peace proposal and would discuss it with Pakistani intermediaries.

In an interview with PBS, Trump said negotiators could potentially reach a deal before his planned trip to Beijing next week. “I think it’s got a very good chance of ending, and if it doesn’t end, we have to go back to bombing the hell out of them,” he said.

However, several Trump confidants have reportedly urged the president to “finish the job” by eliminating remaining conventional military assets held by Iran’s regime, with some insisting the operation could be completed before the China trip.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who met with Iranian leaders Wednesday, called for an immediate ceasefire and warned against a resumption of hostilities. “We believe that a comprehensive ceasefire is urgently needed,” Wang said.

Iranian officials have treated the U.S. diplomatic overture with skepticism. An Iranian parliament official dismissed the latest proposal as a “wish list until it becomes a reality.”

“Americans will not obtain through a failed war what they failed to gain in face-to-face negotiations,” Ebrahim Rezaei said in a post on social media. He added that Iran was “ready” and would deliver a “harsh and regret-inducing response” if the U.S. or allies attempted further military action.

However, a Jordanian official suggested the diplomatic pressure on Tehran is mounting. “The Iranians don’t have the economic means to keep this going,” the official told NBC News. “Their economy is failing, they can’t pay salaries.”
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