U.S. forces will “help free up” ships trapped in the Strait of Hormuz starting on Monday morning, President Donald Trump said on May 3.

Trump said countries from across the world had asked the United States to help move the stranded ships.

“They are merely neutral and innocent bystanders!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “For the good of Iran, the Middle East, and the United States, we have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business.”

Trump said on Sunday that the ships the United States will help move are “not in any way involved” with the conflict in the Middle East and described the operation as a “humanitarian gesture.”

“I have told my Representatives to inform them that we will use best efforts to get their Ships and Crews safely out of the Strait,” Trump added.

“In all cases, they said they will not be returning until the area becomes safe for navigation, and everything else.”

Trump did not reveal whether the U.S. Navy would be involved.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on May 4 that its forces will begin assisting merchant vessels “seeking to freely transit” through the Strait of Hormuz as part of a mission known as “Project Freedom.”

The command said that 15,000 U.S. service members, guided-missile destroyers, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and over 100 land and sea-based aircraft will take part in the mission.

“Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said in a statement.

The announcement was made hours after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a bulk carrier was attacked by multiple small craft as it transited toward the Strait of Hormuz near Iran on Sunday.

All crew members were reported safe after the attack, and there was no reported environmental damage or pollution.

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and gas shipments, has been disrupted by Iran in response to attacks on its leadership, military, and nuclear sites by the United States and Israel at the end of February. Iran retaliated with drone and missile attacks on Israeli and U.S. military assets across Gulf nations and laid sea mines in the strait.

The United States also has imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports, which took effect last month. The command has said that U.S. forces won’t interfere with freedom of navigation for vessels traveling in the waterway, so long as those ships are not visiting Iranian ports.

Tom Gantert contributed to this report.