United States President Donald Trump has called on several nations to deploy naval vessels to help secure the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions linked to the widening Middle East conflict.
In a message posted on the social media platform Truth Social on Saturday, Trump said countries affected by disruptions to the critical waterway should support efforts to keep the passage open for international shipping.
“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,” the president wrote.
Trump also urged several major global economies to contribute naval support to the effort, naming China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom among those that could participate in securing the vital shipping corridor.
The White House reinforced the president’s message in a separate statement posted on X, declaring that the United States would ensure the strait becomes “open, safe, and free.”
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is widely regarded as one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. According to industry estimates, more than 20 million barrels of oil — roughly one-fifth of global consumption — pass through the narrow waterway each day.
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Tensions around the strait have intensified following the escalation of hostilities involving Iran, Israel and the United States. The conflict worsened after joint US–Israeli strikes targeted Iranian military sites in late February.
Since then, Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the region and warned that shipping linked to the United States and its allies could face threats in the waterway.
The crisis has already begun to disrupt shipping across the Gulf region. Several tanker movements have been affected, while analysts warn that a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could severely disrupt global oil supplies and trigger significant economic consequences worldwide.
Energy markets have responded nervously to the developments, with oil prices climbing sharply amid fears that any sustained disruption could lead to major supply shortages.
Security analysts say the waterway’s importance to global energy markets makes it a central flashpoint in the current Middle East crisis, raising concerns that further escalation could have far-reaching geopolitical and economic implications.