Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted an area in Beirut's southern suburbs on March 10, 2026. President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged other global powers to send warships to escort convoys of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Iran has effectively closed the Strait since the United States and Israel began a war on the Islamic Republic last month, sending global oil prices up by more than 40 percent. Putting these measures in place slows convoys, as specialist vessels take time to clear any devices and they themselves need further protection. The overall complexity of protecting tankers in the wider region means any operation would probably not resemble a traditional convoy at all, RUSI’s Kaushal argued.

Source: Punch March 18, 2026 22:19 UTC