Trump claims ‘many countries’ will send warships to keep Strait of Hormuz open

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US President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, the US on March 13. — Reuters
US President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, the US on March 13. — Reuters

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that many countries would send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but did not provide details on which countries would do so.

“Many countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending warships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Trump said he hoped that China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would send ships to the area.

“In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian boats and ships out of the water,” he wrote.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether any countries had agreed to send ships.

The comments come after Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed in his first public remarks to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed to “put pressure” on Washington.

“The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used,” Khamenei said of the waterway.

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