Project Freedom to have the United States Navy open up the Strait of Hormuz for commercial vessels and most importantly oil supertankers is on its own merits a terrific idea. And according to analysts, the Navy has charted a pathway to Oman, away from Iran and fortified by military protection. Sea mines have been cleared, a protective dome stretching well into Iran has been set up. All this is terrific. It’s a great move.

It’s kind of the flip side of the Iranian port blockade, which has now turned around 51 ships at last count. That blockade was also a brilliant strategic move by President Trump and our military. No oil sales, no money for Iran. No making payroll for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Nothing but bankrupt businesses.  And all the looting and robbing of moneys taken from the people of Iran and transferred into offshore bank accounts has been frozen or even outright seized by Secretary Scott Bessent’s Treasury plan to prevent the criminals running Iran from ever getting their stolen stash and somehow living high on the hog even after they are totally defeated and obliterated by the Israeli-American coalition. In other words, the embargo is working.

Now we come back to Project Freedom, which officially started Monday. It must prove its worth as rapidly as possible. As far as we know, only 2 commercial ships have yet gotten through. There are however 1,550 commercial vessels sitting at the top of the Arabian Gulf. Most of it is oil. The fact that it’s still sitting there is one key reason why oil prices and gasoline at the pump have jumped up so high.

So the trick here is to get Project Freedom totally geared up so we can be talking about 30 ships, then 50 ships getting through, then 100 ships. At which point, oil prices will start coming down quite a bit. If we don’t, then we risk some embarrassment. And Iran will squawk about it.

Mr. Trump can’t seem to make up his mind just yet about breaking the ceasefire and starting the next round of bombing missions. On “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” he was asked “Is the ceasefire over, Mr. President? Is it over? Are we going to hit them tonight?” Mr. Trump replied: “Well, I can’t tell you that.”

At the White House today, a reporter asked: “What do they need to do to violate the ceasefire?” Mr. Trump replied: “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know. They know what to do, and they know what to do, and they know what not to do.”

Mr. Trump is surveying his options. That is what a judicious commander in chief must do. The time is drawing nearer, though, when he has to make up his mind. If the Navy can push a couple of hundred oil tankers through the Strait that’s a huge win for America and its allies. And of course if Iran keeps bombing, it will become a death wish as the American-Israeli military alliance finishes the job. Yet Project Freedom has got to deliver. We must make it very clear that America owns the entire Arabian gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.