Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday praised Project Freedom, a day-old U.S. military operation to help merchant ships stranded in the Persian Gulf escape through the Strait of Hormuz, a departure from hostilities with Iran that began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.

“This operation is separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury. Project Freedom is defensive in nature, focused in scope, and temporary in duration, with one mission: to protect innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression,” Hegseth said in a press briefing.

Hegseth said US forces would not need to enter Iranian waters or airspace for Project Freedom, adding: “We are not looking for a fight.”

“But Iran also cannot be allowed to block innocent countries and their goods from international waterways,” he said, calling Iran a “clear aggressor” and accusing the Islamic Republic government of “weaponizing a critical checkpoint for its own financial gain.”

“Iran’s plan, which is a form of international extortion, is unacceptable,” Hegseth said. “It ends with Project Freedom.”

U.S. warships and aircraft helped two merchant ships pass through the strait Monday to ensure “the lane is clear,” Hegseth said.

U.S. Central Command is actively communicating with hundreds of ships around the world that “want to get out of the Iranian trap that they’re caught in,” he said.

“We would prefer this as a peaceful operation, but locked and loaded to defend our people, our ships, our aircraft and the mission without any compromise,” he said. “To Iran: Let innocent ships pass freely. These international waters belong to all nations, a tax for Iran, not a toll for control.”