US wants to escort ships crossing Strait of Hormuz as soon as Washington has “full control over Iranian airspace”
The US Navy, possibly together with an international coalition, will escort ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz when the military situation permits, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with Sky News, quoted by Reuters on Thursday.
“I believe that as soon as it is militarily possible, the US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will escort ships passing through the strait,” Bessent said.
The plan to escort the ships will be implemented as soon as the United States has “complete control of the airspace and Iran's ability to rebuild its missile arsenal is completely degraded,” he said.
The US and Israeli strikes on Iran, as well as Tehran's retaliation, have heightened regional tensions and crippled shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting vital oil and gas flows from the Middle East and pushing up energy prices.
Raising the stakes for the global economy, Iran's Revolutionary Guards have said they will block oil shipments from the Gulf if US and Israeli attacks do not stop.
“There are actually oil tankers transiting the strait right now — Iranian oil tankers, and I believe some Chinese-flagged ones as well. So we know the strait has not been mined,” Bessent said.
