President Donald Trump declared Saturday that "many countries" will send warships alongside the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway Iran has tried to choke shut since the conflict began.
The announcement signals a major escalation in the effort to break Tehran's blockade of the corridor that normally carries roughly 20 percent of the world's oil, about 20 million barrels per day.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump laid out the stakes in blunt terms:
"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."
He named China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK as nations he expects to contribute ships. All depend heavily on oil that flows through the strait, which runs between Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south.
Trump made clear the U.S. would not wait for allies to arrive before acting:
"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."
He closed with a promise: "One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!"
The president's announcement followed a Thursday proposal from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who called for an "international coalition" to escort oil tankers through the strait. Bessent said such a coalition would have a "big effect."
That momentum appears to be gaining traction. A French official said work has begun with various countries on the possibility of escorting vessels with military assets, though conditions remain too dangerous right now, as the New York Post reported.
Iran, for its part, appears to be softening. Tehran said the strait is open to countries other than the U.S. and Israel, a partial climbdown from its earlier posture. Experts cited by the Post cautioned that fully clearing the waterway could still take weeks or months.
The blockade has real costs. Since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, a number of ships have been attacked in the region and transits through the strait have all but stopped. Gasoline prices in the U.S. are surging. Prices for other petroleum-based goods, including fertilizer, are climbing too.
That pain at the pump makes the left's years of hostility toward domestic energy production look even worse, a dynamic already visible in Chuck Schumer's reversal on oil reserves.
A statement purported to be from Mojtaba Khamenei, described by the source as Iran's new "supreme leader," ordered on Thursday that the strait remain closed as long as the war continues. That order set the stage for Trump's forceful response.
The danger in the region is not theoretical. AP News reported that an attack on Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait on Sunday morning destroyed an Italian drone inside a shelter. No Italian personnel were injured, Gen. Luciano Portolano said. Italian troops at the base serve as part of a coalition task force fighting the Islamic State group, and some assets had already been pre-emptively reduced due to the ongoing war.
The incident underscores why a multinational naval presence matters. Iran's conventional military may be shattered, but asymmetric threats, drones, mines, small boats, remain potent.
The Washington Examiner noted that Trump declared Iran's military "totally defeated" and said the regime wants a deal, though he indicated he would not accept the terms being offered. That posture, pressing an advantage rather than rushing to negotiate, stands in sharp contrast to the previous administration's eagerness to revive the Iran nuclear deal on Tehran's terms.
Trump's willingness to rally allies while keeping maximum pressure fits a broader pattern. He has publicly rebuked leaders who waited until the fighting was over to join, making clear that American leadership sets the pace.
The administration has been notching wins across multiple fronts, from the courts to the battlefield. The Hormuz coalition, if it materializes as described, would be among the most consequential.
Several questions remain unanswered. Which nations beyond France have confirmed participation? How long will it take to clear mines and secure safe passage? And will Iran's partial climbdown hold, or will Khamenei's order to keep the strait closed reassert itself?
What is clear: the United States is not waiting for permission. Trump has drawn the line, named the countries that should step up, and promised continued strikes until the waterway is free.
When American strength leads, allies follow. When it doesn't, everybody pays more at the pump, and adversaries fill the vacuum.
