Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz: US prepares military escort for tankers in strategic route
Фото: Reuters
The United States is preparing to begin naval escorts of commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz as tensions with Iran escalate, a move aimed at protecting global oil supplies through one of the world’s key shipping lanes.
This is reported by Axios .
Journalists note that preparations for escorting tankers are taking place against the backdrop of the escalating situation around Iran and growing threats to international shipping in the region.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant said the operation could be carried out jointly with international partners.
“Naval escort of tankers can be carried out together with the international coalition,” said Scott Bessent.
According to him, the operation will begin once it becomes militarily feasible and safe for ships to pass through.
“The operation will begin as soon as it becomes militarily feasible,” said Scott Bessant.
Journalists note that before the start of the escort, the US seeks to establish complete air control over the region and weaken Iran’s missile capabilities.
At the same time, the situation has already affected the global energy market. According to the International Energy Agency, the current conflict has caused the largest oil supply disruption in history.
The Strait of Hormuz carries about 20% of the world’s seaborne oil shipments, so any threat to this route has a direct impact on the global energy market. Against the backdrop of risks to shipping, oil prices have already exceeded $100 per barrel.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the naval escort could begin operating soon.
“A naval escort of ships could be operational relatively soon,” said Chris Wright.
According to him, the launch of the operation is possible by the end of the month. At the same time, he noted that currently the main US military resources are aimed at destroying Iran’s offensive capabilities.
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has almost ground to a halt after Tehran threatened to attack ships. According to analyst firm ClearView Energy Partners, non-Iranian energy cargo has been virtually non-existent through the route for about two weeks.
By the way, amid the escalation of the conflict over Iran and disruptions to oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, Russian budget revenues have increased sharply . According to analysts, additional revenues could reach up to $150 million daily.
It is worth adding that the US has eased sanctions for 30 days and allowed the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products that are already being transported by sea. This only concerns raw materials that are on tankers en route.
As a reminder, global oil prices have exceeded $100 per barrel amid the worsening situation in the Middle East. This happened for the first time since 2022, and investors are taking into account the risks of prolonged disruptions in energy supplies.
As reported, Iran’s threats to ships in the Strait of Hormuz have caused a sharp increase in world oil prices and may reverse the trend of declining Russian oil revenues.
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