U.S. Navy Tells Shipping Industry Hormuz Escorts Not Possible For Now
HuffPost
The U.S. Navy says the risk of attacks is too high for now, according to sources familiar with the matter.
LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy has refused near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war on Iran, saying the risk of attacks is too high for now, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The Navy’s assessments spell continued disruption to Middle East oil exports and reflect a divergence from President Donald Trump’s statements that the U.S. is prepared to provide naval escorts whenever needed to restart regular shipments along the key waterway.
Shipping along the narrow strait has all but halted since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran more than a week ago, preventing exports of around a fifth of the world’s oil supply and sending global oil prices surging to highs not seen since 2022.
A senior official with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has said the strait is closed and Iran will fire on any ship trying to pass, Iranian media reported last week. Several ships have already been hit.
The U.S. Navy has held regular briefings with shipping and oil industry counterparts and has said during those briefings it is unable to provide escorts for the time being, three shipping industry sources familiar with the matter said.
Ten people were killed when protesters breached the compound’s outer wall after the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The military campaign has killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sunk at least 10 Iranian warships and struck more than 1,000 targets.
As the American and Israeli airstrikes continued, a top Iranian security official vowed defiantly that “we will not negotiate with the United States.”
Blasts in Tehran sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky in an area of government buildings.
Four people were injured at the airport, the emirate's media office said early on Sunday.