Saudi Arabia suspended U.S. rights to use Prince Sultan Air Base and Saudi airspace to support President Donald Trump's short-lived Project Freedom guiding mission in the Strait of Hormuz, NBC News reported on May 6. The Trump administration launched the mission on May 3 and abandoned it on May 6, citing progress in negotiations with Iran.

Project Freedom aimed to start a convoy system to free ships trapped in the Persian Gulf. However, it quickly sparked Iranian attacks on ships and the United Arab Emirates on May 4-5. The United States did not directly retaliate against these attacks by targeting the Iranian mainland, though it reportedly sank a number of Iranian fast attack craft. Saudi Arabia has been sending mixed messages about its support for the Iran war, ranging from public calls for de-escalation to private reports that Saudi officials largely support U.S. efforts to overthrow the Islamic Republic. These conflicting reports highlight Riyadh's complicated position, as it remains exposed to both Iranian attacks and Houthi strikes from Yemen.