The United States is reportedly considering sending more warships to the Middle East in preparation for escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, sources told the Wall Street Journal that even with the additional warships, the United States will not begin escorting the vessels until the threat from Iran is reduced.
“This could take a month or more” as the US and Israel continue to pound Tehran with missiles and drones.
“The US would escort ships in the Strait of Hormuz if . . .”
US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News that the United States would escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary.
When asked about helping oil tankers get through the key shipping channel, Trump said: “We would do it if we had to. But, you know, hopefully things will go very well. We’ll see what happens.”
He did not provide any further details.
His comments come as the United States and other countries face rising oil and gas prices and the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran enters its 14th day.
Trump warns Iran – “Iran will hit them very hard”
US President Donald Trump said in an interview on Friday that Iran could face increased attacks within the next week. “(The United States is going to attack them (Iran) very hard over the next week,” he told Fox News, according to Reuters.
“We’re going to hit them very hard over the next week,” he added in an interview with Fox’s Brian Kilmeade that aired in part on “Fox & Friends.”
Oil prices remain above $100 per barrel
With global fears of a possible energy crisis growing and no end to the war in sight, the price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, remained above $100 a barrel.
Brent crude prices have jumped as high as $120 a barrel, about 40% higher than when Israel and the United States went to war on February 28.
But Reuters reported that oil prices fell on Friday as an Indian tanker sailed from the Strait of Hormuz and the US introduced measures to try to ease supply concerns, but were on track for weekly gains as disruptions in the Persian Gulf from the Middle East conflict generally persisted.
Is the end of the Iran war near?
While Trump reportedly said earlier this week that “Iran is about to capitulate,” Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran would fight on and keep the Strait of Hormuz closed as leverage against the United States and Israel.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States wants to make significant money from oil prices that have been boosted by the Iran conflict. But, according to him, it is much more important to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
