U.S. President Donald Trump called on international allies to deploy naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz after announcing U.S. forces struck Iranian military targets on the Kharg Island oil hub. The escalating conflict currently threatens the transit of 20 million barrels of oil per day.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Iran will attack the Middle Eastern facilities of U.S. companies if the country’s energy infrastructure is targeted. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued concurrent warnings, stating that U.S. locations in the United Arab Emirates are considered legitimate targets.
In statements posted to Truth Social, Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the U.K. to deploy naval vessels alongside the U.S. to secure the waterway. Trump stated the U.S. has destroyed “100%” of Iran’s military capability, though he noted Iran retains the ability to deploy drones, mines, and short-range missiles in the strait.
The French Navy is deploying approximately a dozen vessels, including an aircraft carrier strike group, to the Mediterranean with potential routing to the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. The U.K. Ministry of Defence is exploring deployment options, though former Royal Navy commanders warned the threat level for escorts is “too great.”
Trump threatened further strikes on Iran's Kharg Island oil export hub and urged allies to send warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran vowed to step up its response and the war showed no sign of coming to an end https://t.co/XYJO7zAXXx
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 15, 2026
Iranian officials stated the Strait of Hormuz is not entirely closed, clarifying that the blockade exclusively targets U.S. and Israeli tankers while allowing other nations to pass.
U.S. and Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,450 people in Iran since the conflict began on February 28. Recent missile strikes in central Iran’s Isfahan province killed 15 people. The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that nearly 43,000 civilian units, including 36,500 residential units, have been damaged.
The conflict has triggered defense responses across the Arabian Peninsula. Early on March 15, defense systems intercepted drones over Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE, as well as Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Bahrain reported intercepting 125 missiles and 203 drones since the start of the conflict.
The FIA officially canceled the upcoming April Formula 1 Grand Prix races in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the security crisis.