US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that many countries would send warships to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remained open, emphasizing this move was in conjunction with the United States. He wrote on Truth Social, “Many countries, especially those affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships to keep the Strait open and safe.” Trump specifically mentioned China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain, and others should send ships.
“Meanwhile,” he continued in his post, “the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian boats and ships out of the water.”
Despite not providing specific details on which countries would join the effort, Trump’s statement drew attention to a tense situation. Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, had earlier made his stance clear, vowing to keep the Strait closed in an attempt to exert pressure on Washington.
“The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used,” Khamanei said during his first public remarks.
The White House did not immediately respond to inquiries about whether any countries had agreed to send warships. This news comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Iran and the United States, with Trump’s aggressive rhetoric complementing Tehran’s defiant stance over the waterway vital for global oil shipments.