After Iran was continuously attacked by the US and Israel, Iran retaliated by attacking ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, making this vital energy transportation route difficult to navigate. On the 15th, US President Trump stated that after the US asked several countries whether they were willing to help protect the security of the Strait of Hormuz, some positive responses had already been received, but there were also some countries unwilling to get involved.
According to US media reports, on the 15th, Trump said in an interview aboard Air Force One: “We contacted them today and last night, and we got some positive responses. But there are a few countries that would rather not get involved.” Trump pointed out that some countries have minesweepers and certain types of ships that can help the US and will offer assistance.
Trump emphasized that he was actually asking these countries to join in and protect their own regions, because that is their area and also their avenue for acquiring energy.
“They should join and help us protect it together.”
However, Trump did not disclose which countries he had contacted.
At present, the Australian government has stated it will not send ships to the area, and Japanese government officials have revealed that sending Maritime Self-Defense Force ships to the Middle East to escort vessels would be highly difficult.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the US government plans to announce the formation of a “convoy coalition” for the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days. US officials familiar with the matter said some countries have agreed to escort ships passing through this key international oil shipping route.
These officials noted that whether the escort operation will begin before the US and Israel halt large-scale military actions against Iran is still under discussion.