Trump again presses allies to help reopen Strait of Hormuz amid Iran War

2026-03-16 - 16:54

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump renewed his appeal to global powers to help break what he termed as Tehran’s blockade of the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, warning that the waterway is vital for many economies around the world. Speaking during official luncheon, POTUS urged countries that rely heavily on oil shipments through the strait to deploy their naval forces to the region. He noted that the United States receives less than one percent of its oil through the strait, while other nations depend on it far more. Japan imports about 95 percent of its oil through the route, China about 90 percent, several countries in Europe rely on it for a considerable share, and South Korea obtains roughly 35 percent of its oil from the same passage. He said many nations have informed Washington that they are preparing to assist, although enthusiasm varies among them. Trump also revealed that US forces carried out an extensive campaign across Iran since the start of the conflict. He claimed that more than 7,000 targets across Pakistan have been struck, including both commercial and military locations. According to US president, the attacks have severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities, leading to a 90 percent drop in ballistic missile launches and a 95 percent reduction in drone attacks. “The missiles are trickling in now at very low levels because they don’t have too many missiles left,” Trump said, adding that facilities involved in manufacturing missiles and drones have also been targeted. He noted that three such sites were hit earlier the same day. The president further claimed that the campaign devastated Iran’s naval power. Trump said that over the past week and a half alone, more than 100 Iranian naval vessels have been sunk or destroyed, describing it as a record in modern warfare. Trump painted picture of overwhelming US military dominance. He said Iran’s air force, navy, radar systems, and anti-aircraft defenses had been effectively wiped out during the ongoing conflict. “They have been literally obliterated,” he declared, adding that Iranian leadership structures and key defense systems had also been destroyed. Despite the sweeping claims of destruction, Trump ended with a sarcastic remark about Tehran’s situation, saying that aside from those losses, the country was “doing quite well. Trump gets cold shoulder from global community over Strait of Hormuz calls