Trump Urges Allies to Protect Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Iran Tensions

Washington, March 2026 : US President Donald Trump has called on several countries, including South Korea, Japan, China, France, and the United Kingdom, to send naval ships to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz as tensions escalate following Iran’s attempts to disrupt shipping through the vital waterway.

In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump expressed hope that nations dependent on oil supplies passing through the strait would join efforts to keep the route open and secure. The strait, located between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, is one of the world’s most crucial maritime oil transit points and handles nearly one-fifth of global oil shipments.

“Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others affected by this artificial constraint will send ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat,” Trump wrote. He claimed that Iran’s military power had been almost completely destroyed during ongoing US operations but warned that Tehran could still pose limited threats to shipping in the narrow waterway.

Trump asserted that the US military had eliminated “100 percent” of Iran’s military capability during its ongoing campaign. However, he cautioned that Iran could still attempt smaller-scale disruptions using drones, sea mines, or short-range missile strikes along the strategic route.

“But it’s easy for them to send a drone or two, drop a mine, or deliver a close-range missile somewhere along this waterway,” Trump said, adding that such actions could threaten global oil supplies despite Iran’s weakened military condition.

The President also made strong remarks regarding US military actions along the Iranian coastline. He said the United States would continue aggressive operations to ensure that the strait remains open for international shipping.

“In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the shoreline and shooting Iranian boats and ships out of the water,” Trump said, stressing that Washington would ensure that the strait becomes “open, safe, and free” for global trade.

In another message, Trump stated that the United States had already “completely decimated” Iran both militarily and economically. He urged nations that rely on oil transported through the strait to take a greater role in securing the passage.

“The countries of the world that receive oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage,” he said, adding that the United States would assist and coordinate with those countries to ensure that efforts to maintain safe shipping lanes proceed smoothly.

Trump also described the effort to secure the waterway as a collective international responsibility. According to him, joint action by affected nations could strengthen global cooperation and stability.

“This should have always been a team effort,” Trump said. “It will bring the world together toward harmony, security, and everlasting peace.”

Meanwhile, South Korea already maintains a naval presence in the region through its Cheonghae unit, which is currently stationed in the Gulf of Aden to conduct anti-piracy operations. In 2020, Seoul expanded the operational scope of this naval unit to cover the Strait of Hormuz as well, amid pressure from Washington to contribute to international efforts to safeguard maritime routes in the Middle East.

The stability of the strait is particularly important for South Korea, which imports more than 70 percent of its crude oil from Middle Eastern countries. Any disruption to shipping in the area could have serious consequences for its energy security and economy.

The current US military campaign against Iran began on February 28 and has intensified in recent weeks. Washington says the objective of the operation is to destroy Iran’s missile systems, weaken its naval forces, curb the influence of Iranian-backed militant groups in the region, and prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.

Despite the sustained military strikes, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has issued a defiant message. He vowed that Iran would continue to use the threat of blocking the Strait of Hormuz as strategic leverage and promised retaliation for what he described as the “blood of martyrs” killed in the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel.

The situation has heightened global concerns over energy security and regional stability, as the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the most sensitive chokepoints in the global oil supply chain. Any prolonged disruption could trigger sharp fluctuations in energy markets and intensify geopolitical tensions across the Middle East and beyond.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)