Project Freedom
Explosion hits HMM ship near Hormuz as Trump claims Iran attack, urges Korea to join
Reported by AI Image generated by AI
An explosion and fire struck the South Korean-operated HMM Namu bulk carrier anchored off the UAE near the Strait of Hormuz late on May 4. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Iran 'shot at' the vessel for going 'it alone' and urged Seoul to join the U.S.-led Project Freedom mission. South Korea's government prioritizes investigating the cause before responding.
The U.S. military sank six Iranian small boats and defeated cruise missile and drone attacks in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, allowing two American-flagged merchant ships to complete a safe transit under President Trump's 'Project Freedom' initiative. Separate incidents included an explosion on a South Korean-operated vessel and Iranian missile and drone strikes on the UAE—the first since the early April ceasefire—with the UAE reporting interceptions and casualties.