Bessent: "Once militarily feasible, the U.S. Navy will escort tankers in the Strait of Hormuz"
- Input
- 2026-03-13 05:36:01
- Updated
- 2026-03-13 05:36:01
Bessent said in a Sky News interview on the 12th (local time), "As soon as it is militarily feasible, the U.S. Navy will begin escorting vessels." He added, "The possibility that the U.S. Navy or an international coalition would escort tankers has always been part of our planning," and reiterated, "We will implement ship escorts as soon as it becomes militarily possible."
The Treasury Secretary explained that the United States has been running scenario analyses for months on potential disruptions to crude oil shipments even before the war began.
He said, "We will start U.S. Navy escorts as soon as we can ensure the safe passage of tankers," asserting that "the United States currently has complete control of the airspace." He also claimed, "Iran’s air force is virtually nonexistent, and most of its navy has been neutralized."
Bessent’s remarks came as ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively halted following joint military operations by the United States and Israel against Iran. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime chokepoint through which about 20% of the world’s crude oil shipments pass. The closure of the strait has driven international oil prices sharply higher.
The Trump administration has been mentioning for more than a week that the U.S. Navy could escort tankers, but no actual operation has begun yet.
At the same time, officials have indicated that the U.S. Navy is not yet ready to launch an immediate escort mission.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in an interview with CNBC, "Tanker escorts could take place relatively soon, but they are not possible right now," noting that "all military assets are currently focused on neutralizing Iran’s attack capabilities and defense industry." He projected that an escort mission could be feasible toward the end of this month.
President Donald Trump has also said that major oil companies need to send their tankers through the strait.
By contrast, Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei, has described the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as "a means of pressuring the enemy" and has stressed his intention to maintain the closure.
Experts say that if the U.S. Navy begins escorting tankers, crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could partially resume, which in turn may affect volatility in global oil prices.
pride@fnnews.com Lee Byung-chul Reporter