Trump urges nations to help secure Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged nations affected by Tehran’s “attempted closure” of the Strait of Hormuz to send ships to secure the narrow shipping lane crucial for global oil supplies as the war with Iran entered the third week.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged countries such as China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and others to send ships to the Hormuz Strait, asserting that the US will continue to bomb the shoreline and target Iranian ships and boats.
Starting February 28, the US and Israel have launched a massive joint attack on Iran. Iranian strikes in Hormuz have affected maritime traffic in the Strait, which is crucial for global supply chains for crude and oil. “Many countries, especially those that are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships, in conjunction with the USA, to keep the Strait open and safe,” the US President said.
Iran on Saturday threatened for the first time to attack the infrastructure of a neighbouring country, urging people to evacuate three major ports in the United Arab Emirates it claimed the US military was using to launch strikes on Iran.
The warning sharpens fears of an escalating war on the vital infrastructure for global energy supplies, as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed.
Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Gulf neighbours, saying it targets US assets even as airports and oil facilities have been hit or threatened. America and Israel have struck thousands of targets across Iran during the war, now in its third week.
On Friday, President Donald Trump said US forces “obliterated” military sites on Iran’s Kharg Island, home to the country’s main oil export terminal, prompting Iranian officials to warn of further retaliation.
Meanwhile, Israel’s war against Hezbollah has deepened Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis, with about 800 people killed and more than 8,50,000 displaced.
