Beril Çanakcı
14 March 2026•Update: 14 March 2026
ISTANBUL
US President Donald Trump said Friday that US Navy escorts for oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz could begin “soon,” as tensions in the region remain high in the US-Israeli war with Iran.
“It’ll happen soon,” Trump told reporters when asked about the possibility of naval escorts through the critical waterway, a major route for global oil shipments.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz since around March 1, amid escalating hostilities with the US and Israel. Disruptions to shipping through the strait have pushed up global oil and fertilizer prices and raised concerns about energy supplies.
Trump = said he expects a “big decrease in the price of gasoline and gas.”
Commenting on the goals of Washington and Tel Aviv in the conflict, Trump suggested the two allies may not share identical objectives. “I think they might be a little different,” he said, noting that Israel is “a different country than we are,” adding that the power of the US remains unmatched.
Regional tensions have surged since the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on Feb. 28. The strikes have killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Tehran responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said US forces had bombed “every military target” on Kharg Island, a strategic Iranian oil hub. He warned that the US could also strike the island’s oil infrastructure if Iran continues blocking ships from transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Located in the northern Gulf, Kharg Island serves as the backbone of Iran’s oil export system and a key source of government revenue. Roughly 90% to 95% of Iran’s crude exports, about 1.7 million barrels per day last year, pass through the island before heading to international markets.
