Trump Urges UK, China, Others to Send Warships as Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz Oil Route

Trump Urges UK, China, Others to Send Warships as Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz Oil Route

US President Donald Trump has called on major global powers to deploy warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, as Iranian attacks and threats continue to disrupt one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.

The appeal comes as the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran intensifies, triggering fears of a wider regional conflict and sending global energy markets into turmoil.

Trump said countries heavily reliant on oil transported through the strait should take part in protecting the passage alongside American forces.

“Many countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump said in a social media post.

He added that nations such as China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom should help safeguard the vital waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is considered one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, normally carrying about one-fifth of global oil supplies. However, the threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks has significantly disrupted tanker traffic in the area.

Energy markets have reacted sharply to the escalating conflict, with oil prices surging by about 40 percent amid fears that supplies from the Gulf could be severely disrupted if the strait is fully blocked.

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The conflict began on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched a large-scale military campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure. Despite sustaining heavy bombardment, Iran has rejected Trump’s claim that its military capabilities have been “100 percent destroyed.”

Iranian forces have continued launching drones and missiles targeting Israel, Gulf energy facilities and US-linked assets across the Middle East. Explosions were reported in several locations across the region over the weekend.

In Bahrain’s capital Manama, blasts were heard by journalists as black smoke rose from areas near oil facilities. In the United Arab Emirates port city of Fujairah, witnesses reported thick plumes of smoke near a major oil storage terminal.

Security sources also said a drone struck the US embassy compound in Iraq, marking the second such attack since the war began.

Trump warned that the United States would intensify military action against Iran if attacks on shipping or allied targets continue.

“In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline and continually shooting Iranian boats and ships out of the water,” the president said.

US forces on Friday struck military targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub through which most of the country’s crude shipments pass. Trump said the operation destroyed every Iranian military target on the island while deliberately avoiding damage to energy facilities.

Iran, however, warned that any attack on its oil infrastructure would trigger devastating retaliation against US-linked energy companies and facilities across the region. Tehran warned such companies could be “turned into a pile of ashes” if Iranian oil sites were targeted.

Iranian authorities say more than 1,200 people have been killed in US and Israeli strikes since the conflict began, although the figures have not been independently verified. The United Nations refugee agency estimates that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced, with many fleeing Tehran and other major cities.

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The Pentagon says more than 15,000 targets inside Iran have been struck by US and Israeli forces during the campaign. The US military has also suffered casualties, with 13 American personnel reported killed so far, including six crew members aboard a refuelling aircraft that crashed in Iraq in an incident officials say was not related to hostile fire.

Despite the sustained attacks, Iran has continued launching missiles and drones across the Middle East. Explosions were heard over Jerusalem after Israeli air defenses intercepted missiles fired from Iran.

Several Gulf states also reported new interceptions of Iranian drones and missiles. In Kuwait, a drone strike damaged the radar system at the country’s international airport, though authorities said no injuries were reported.

Qatar also intercepted missiles over its airspace, prompting evacuations in parts of the capital Doha.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had fired missiles at US forces stationed at the Al-Kharj military base in Saudi Arabia, though Saudi authorities said they intercepted several ballistic missiles headed toward the base.

The conflict has also expanded into Lebanon after the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel following the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei earlier in the war.

Israel has responded with extensive air and ground operations in Lebanon, with Lebanese authorities reporting that at least 826 people have been killed. Israeli evacuation orders covering large areas of southern Lebanon have displaced hundreds of thousands of residents, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.

Hezbollah fighters said they were engaged in direct clashes with Israeli forces in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam late Saturday.

The conflict is already affecting global activities beyond the battlefield. Motor sport authorities have cancelled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Formula One races scheduled for April, citing security concerns linked to the escalating war.

Meanwhile in Australia, three members of Iran’s visiting women’s football team abandoned their asylum applications and returned home after tensions rose over their participation in the tournament. Seven players had initially sought protection after being branded “traitors” in Iran for refusing to sing the national anthem during the Women’s Asian Cup.

Only three members of the group now remain in Australia.

With military strikes continuing and tensions escalating across multiple fronts, analysts warn the conflict could further destabilise global energy markets and trigger a wider regional war.

Trump Urges UK, China, Others to Send Warships as Iran Threatens Strait of Hormuz Oil Route