US could deploy escort ships in Strait of Hormuz if needed, Trump says

President Trump stated that the US would escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary to ensure the flow of oil. While Trump urged ships to “show some guts” and use the passage, commercial traffic remains largely stopped due to Iranian attacks and mine-laying threats.

In an interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade, Trump promised to hit Iran “very hard over the next week.” He claimed that the Iranian Navy and Air Force have already been severely degraded during the first two weeks of the war as reported by Reuters.

His comments come as the United States and other countries face spiking oil and gas prices with the US-Israel war entering its 14th day, with oil prices hovering near $100 a barrel on Friday.

Brent crude rose by nearly 9% to top $100 a barrel in Asian trading, even after all 31 members of the International Energy Agency(IEA) committed to releasing 400 million barrels in response to supply concerns. Given the gravity of the situation, global oil markets have been extremely volatile since the US and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28, with Brent crude reaching almost $120 a barrel earlier this week.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright noted that while escorts are planned, the Navy is currently focusing on offensive strikes, making a regular escort service likely only by the end of March.

Nonetheless, US Central Command underscores the fact that approximately 6,000 targets inside Iran have been struck since the start of operations on February 28.