Riyadh reportedly blocked key military assets after Trump announced the Strait of Hormuz operation without coordination Saudi Arabia reportedly refused to allow the US military to use its airspace and a key airbase for President Donald Trump’s ‘Project Freedom’ in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing the operation to be paused, NBC News claims, citing US officials. The kingdom is said to have pulled support after Trump announced the operation on Sunday, stating that Western-flagged ships would be provided with US military escorts through the strait. Reportedly, however, neither Saudi Arabia nor any other Gulf states were informed of the plan ahead of time. In response, Saudi Arabia informed Washington that US aircraft would not be permitted to operate from Prince Sultan Airbase southeast of Riyadh or fly through Saudi airspace in support of the mission.…