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The Cradle – May 7, 2026

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait suspended US access to their military sites in opposition to Washington’s so-called Project Freedom, according to a 6 May report by NBC News.

“Trump’s abrupt reversal on his plan to help ships go through the Strait of Hormuz came after [Saudi Arabia] suspended the US military’s ability to use its bases and airspace to carry out the operation,” two US officials told the US outlet.

 

The officials said Washington’s Persian Gulf allies were “surprised” by Trump’s announcement of Project Freedom over the weekend, which the US leader framed as a means of breaking Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz.

“In response, the Kingdom informed the US it would not allow the US military to fly aircraft from Prince Sultan Airbase southeast of Riyadh or fly through Saudi airspace to support the effort,” the sources added.

The report claims the issue remained unresolved even after a call between Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MbS), highlighting Riyadh’s support for Pakistani-mediated diplomacy.

This forced Trump “to pause Project Freedom in order to restore US military access to the critical airspace.”

NBC News also reported that other Gulf states were “caught off guard” by the US scheme. Qatar was informed only after the US operation had begun, and Oman was notified only after Trump announced it.

“Because of geography, you need cooperation from regional partners to utilize their airspace along their borders,” an official stressed.

According to Drop Site News’s Ryan Grim, Kuwait also “cut off access, basing, and overflight (ABO)” to their western allies.

 

During the US-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran, Persian Gulf states, especially Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, faced frequent Iranian retaliatory attacks, mainly because their bases and territory were used to launch strikes.

As a result, US bases in those countries suffered severe damage.

Trump announced Project Freedom on Sunday. It was described as an effort to divert stranded ships from the Strait of Hormuz.

A day later, two Iranian missiles were fired at a US warship near the Strait of Hormuz, while energy targets in the UAE came under attack.

 

Tehran confirmed the attack on the US vessel, but the country’s military denied striking the UAE.

On Tuesday, Trump paused the operation, allegedly at Pakistan’s request and due to “great progress” in negotiations.

The US has continued its illegal blockade of Iranian ports during the ceasefire and has imposed new sanctions. In response, Tehran has seized several vessels after Washington’s recent seizure of Iranian-linked ships.

The Islamic Republic is seeking long-term management of Hormuz without US involvement, but has said it is open to discussing a joint process involving regional states.

It also calls for a full ceasefire across West Asia and reparations for the damage caused by the US and Israel. Iran has vowed a “crushing” response if Trump renews the bombing campaign, which he has repeatedly threatened to launch.

US media reported this week that Tehran and Washington were getting close on a deal involving a halt to uranium enrichment. An Iranian official referred to the report as a US “wish list.”

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