President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that a multinational group is sending warships to defend the Strait of Hormuz from Iranian military forces blockading the oil shipping waterway.
Trump’s announcement comes less than a day after he told reporters that the U.S. Navy could start to escort oil tankers through the narrow strait “very soon.”
“Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “We have already destroyed 100% of Iran’s Military capability, but it’s easy for them to send a drone or two, drop a mine, or deliver a close range missile somewhere along, or in, this Waterway, no matter how badly defeated they are.”
STRAIT OF HORMUZ TRAFFIC HAS GROUND TO A HALT. HERE’S WHY IT’S VITAL TO GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began to choke off the vital oil shipping waterway after the first U.S.-Israeli joint attacks on Feb. 28. There have been several reported Iranian attacks on ships in the strait since the start of the war.
Trump did not specify which countries would be sending ships to defend the Strait of Hormuz. The Washington Examiner has reached out to the White House and the Pentagon for comment on which countries will be included in the coalition and when the mission will begin.
The president urged at least five other countries to join the effort, including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others, that are affected by this artificial constraint, will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated,” Trump posted.
“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. One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!”
The U.S. military conducted a bombing raid of the military targets on Iran’s oil lifeline of Kharg Island on Friday. Trump said the campaign “totally obliterated every MILITARY target” on the island while sparing the island’s oil infrastructure, which is critical to the global energy supply. He warned that this decision could be in jeopardy if Iran continues to target the Strait of Hormuz.
“However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” Trump said on Friday.
Following the military strikes on Kharg Island, Trump announced Saturday morning that the Iranian military has been “totally defeated.” He said the regime wants to make a deal with the U.S., though Trump says it’s a deal he would not accept.
As the war with Iran enters its third week, the United States has hit over 15,000 targets as part of Operation Epic Fury. War Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon is now in the phase of decimating Iran’s defense manufacturing infrastructure.
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Thirteen American service members have died since the start of the war. Six of these service members died on Thursday, when a refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq.
About 200 American service members have been injured, 30 of whom have not been cleared to return to duty.
