In a series of aggressive posts on his Truth Social platform, US President Donald Trump has urged the formation of a worldwide naval coalition to descend upon the Strait of Hormuz, pledging that the US would secure the waterway “one way or the other.” The President’s demand comes as maritime activity through the world’s most important energy chokepoint has dwindled to a trickle, as companies increasingly refuse to travel the slim passage as the conflict escalates.
Trump specifically identified China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK as nations that must contribute warships to the effort alongside the US to combat what Trump called the “artificial constraint” on worldwide commerce. He implied that since these nations are the biggest beneficiaries of the oil and gas passing through the Gulf, they must also contribute to its policing. “The Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a Nation that has been totally decapitated,” Trump wrote, referring to the US government’s assessment of Iran’s military capabilities.
Despite asserting that Iran’s conventional capabilities have been "100 pc destroyed," the President acknowledged the persistent threat of asymmetric warfare, such as mines, drones, and short-range missiles. "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 warned, signalling a significant shift toward active combat operations along the littoral zones.
The rhetoric has already begun to spook global markets, particularly following US strikes on Kharg Island on Friday. While those strikes reportedly targeted military installations, the threat to Iran’s primary oil export hub has pushed Tehran to issue its own ultimatum: that any attack on its energy infrastructure would result in US-linked oil facilities across the region being turned into "a pile of ashes." As the war on Iran enters its third week, the transition from a regional skirmish to a full-blown global energy crisis now seems less a possibility and more an imminent reality.
Also read: Trump, Xi to meet in Beijing amid escalating West Asia crisis
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