Trump calls for global naval coalition to reopen Strait of Hormuz; vows to ‘bomb the shoreline’

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday called on a coalition of global powers to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz, seeking international assistance to secure the vital maritime corridor currently paralysed by the Middle East conflict.

In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump signalled that the United States is preparing to lead an escort mission for commercial tankers. He asserted that "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."

The president specifically identified China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom as nations that should contribute naval assets to mitigate what he described as an "artificial constraint" on global energy.

The 34-mile-wide waterway serves as the transit point for 20% of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas. Ongoing Iranian strikes have effectively frozen traffic through the chokepoint, causing a sharp spike in global energy prices. When questioned on Friday regarding a timeline for U.S. Navy intervention, Trump replied, "It'll happen soon, very soon."

Despite his administration’s claims of military success, Trump acknowledged Saturday that Tehran retains the ability to harass shipping.

"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 wrote.

The president vowed a high-intensity response to any further Iranian interference, stating that "the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water." He concluded with a pledge that the waterway would "soon" be made "OPEN, SAFE, and FREE!"

With inputs from AFP