The military scenario now on Washington's table for the crucial oil route in the Middle East

The talks are the first sign that US President Donald Trump is beginning to take seriously the rise in fuel prices that began after the start of the US-Israeli attacks against Iran.

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The Trump administration is considering giving military protection to tankers carrying oil and liquefied gas transiting the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to calm energy prices that have risen since Iran warned it would attack the ships at this crucial point for trade routes, two people familiar with the discussions told Politico on Tuesday.

“Military support for oil and gas supplies,” said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss domestic debates, when asked about the possibility of US warships escorting ships crossing the strait.

“There is growing concern that energy markets could come under pressure in the coming days as the military campaign intensifies and expands geographically. Access to the Strait of Hormuz is obviously vital for both natural gas and crude oil shipments, particularly from Qatar and Saudi Arabia,” the source said.

US oil prices have risen nearly $10 a barrel since late last week as the attacks continued. That increase has begun to be reflected in gasoline prices, which are on track to climb higher than when President Donald Trump took office last year.

The administration in Washington is also considering whether the U.S. government would cover insurance needed to allow oil tankers to continue crossing the strait, a third person familiar with the discussions said. Although the strait remains technically open, marine insurance companies are raising rates and in some cases canceling coverage for oil tankers crossing the area.

A former defense official familiar with the debate said the Pentagon is in ongoing discussions about a maritime mission that would closely resemble previous Pentagon operations in the Red Sea, where the US has sent aircraft carriers and destroyers to the region in an attempt to preserve freedom of navigation amid threats from the Tehran-aligned Houthi rebel group (from Yemen).

“The president is meeting with his energy and treasury secretaries today, and they will have more information to share after the meeting,” a White House spokeswoman said when asked about the options being discussed.

The talks are the first sign that Trump is getting serious about rising oil, natural gas and road fuel prices that began after the US-Israeli strikes against Iran launched on Saturday. The strikes killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and sparked a war in the Middle East.

Rapidly expanding war

The escalating war, which has so far resulted in the deaths of six US servicemen and attacks on the US embassy in Saudi Arabia, has made oil and gas facilities a major target for Iran.

Qatar shut down a major natural gas export plant, fuel refineries in Saudi Arabia were attacked, and Iran fired on ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a major artery for 20 percent of the world's seaborne oil shipments.

The US military says it has sunk 11 Iranian ships since the joint operation with Israel began on Saturday, meaning the mission will focus more on intercepting Tehran's missiles that could target civilian maritime traffic than deterring maritime incursions. That could put further pressure on US stockpiles of air defense interceptors, which are already at a low level due to the campaign against Houthi rebels and Israel's 12-day war against Iran last year.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the administration will unveil a plan to combat the spike in oil prices caused by US military strikes on Iran.

The head of US diplomacy did not disclose what those plans would be, saying only that “we will destroy their navy”.