US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States will send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to protect vessels at risk of attack from Iranian drones and other threats.
Iran has been actively trying to disrupt and block international shipping through the critical waterway by deploying armed drones, laying naval mines, and firing short-range missiles at passing tankers and cargo ships. These aggressive tactics are part of Tehran’s broader strategy to impose an artificial blockade on the Strait, which handles nearly 20% of global oil trade, in retaliation for recent military setbacks. Iranian forces have repeatedly threatened to close the narrow passage entirely, using speedboats for hit-and-run attacks and positioning missile batteries along the coastline to target any vessel attempting to transit without their permission.
Trump also criticized countries that have not yet publicly backed the US-led operation, pointing out that nations such as China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom — all heavily reliant on the Strait for energy imports — stand to benefit directly from the protection effort.
“Iran’s military capacity has been destroyed 100%,” Trump stated, while warning that residual threats remain. He posted the following on Truth Social:
“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. 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. 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. 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! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The move comes amid heightened tensions following the near-total dismantling of Iran’s conventional military infrastructure, leaving asymmetric tactics like drone swarms and naval mining as Tehran’s primary remaining tools to harass global shipping.
