Trump Calls on Nations to Send Warships to Open Strait of Hormuz
President of the United States Donald Trump has called on nations worldwide to send warships to reopen shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway near Iran’s coast.
According to Trump, the presence of military fleets is necessary to allow commercial vessels to pass safely through the region. In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump said warships from various nations are “expected” to be sent to the area immediately, though he did not provide a specific deployment timeline.
The comments came just hours after Trump ordered strikes against military facilities on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export terminal.
Between Friday evening 13 March and Saturday 14 March, attacks involving Israel, the United States, and Iran continued. Iran also launched strikes against Gulf Arab nations.
The US government on Saturday 14 March even urged its citizens to leave Iraq immediately due to rising threats from Iranian-affiliated militia groups. The warning came a day after reports from Associated Press indicating that a missile had struck a helipad at the US Embassy compound in Baghdad.
However, Trump warned that the United States could attack oil facilities if Iran disrupts free and safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Many nations, particularly those affected by Iran’s attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz, will send warships together with the United States to ensure that strait remains open and safe,” Trump wrote.
He also expressed hope that countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom would send warships.
Trump claimed that Iranian military forces had been “100 per cent destroyed,” but acknowledged that Tehran could still threaten vessels with drones, naval mines, and short-range missiles. To counter this, he stated that the US would “devastate” Iran’s coastline.
For its part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the Strait of Hormuz is only closed to vessels from “enemy nations.” The waterway normally carries approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies.
According to Reuters reports, the Trump administration has rejected attempts by its Middle Eastern allies to initiate diplomatic negotiations to end the conflict. Iran has thus far also rejected ceasefire proposals.