#美政府计划多国联合护航霍尔木兹 Why Does the US Want to Establish the "Hormuz Alliance"
The US plans to establish a so-called "Hormuz Alliance" in the coming days to control the Strait of Hormuz and urges countries like the UK and Japan to respond. With Middle East hostilities continuing, what is the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz? How have various parties reacted? How difficult is escort operations in the strait?
Current Situation in the Strait of Hormuz On the 14th, Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi told US media that the Strait of Hormuz is actually open and only closed to "Iran's enemies," saying "although many ships choose not to pass for security reasons, that's not our concern." Arne Loman Rasmussen, chief analyst at global risk management firm, told US media that while the Strait of Hormuz has not been physically blocked, Iranian threats coupled with drone and missile attacks have deterred many tankers from passing through the strait. "The strait has effectively closed. Tankers face attack risks, struggle to obtain insurance, or face exorbitant insurance costs, so they can only wait for the security situation to improve before resuming navigation." The website of the International Maritime Organization, headquartered in London, UK, shows that from the time the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran through March 13, there were 16 confirmed ship attack incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the deaths of at least 7 sailors and 1 shipyard worker, with at least 4 sailors missing. Lloyd's List Intelligence reported that from March 1-13, only 77 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz. In comparison, from March 1-11, 2025, 1229 vessels passed through the strait. According to the British Daily Telegraph, on March 14, no vessels transited the strait, marking the first time this has occurred since the conflict began. The current situation in the Strait of Hormuz has caused international oil prices to soar, with cascading consequences intensifying. Andy Haldane, former chief economist at the Bank of England, writes: "The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, leading to disruptions in one-fifth of global oil transportation, with daily losses approaching 20 million barrels. This is the largest shock the global oil market has ever experienced, leading to severe intraday oil price volatility and massive releases of strategic oil reserves. This is unprecedented in history."
How Have Various Parties Reacted? On the 16th, the US news website Axios cited multiple sources saying that US officials conducted intensive telephone diplomacy consultations with countries from Europe, Asia, and the Gulf region over the weekend to seek their political commitment to establishing the so-called "Hormuz Alliance." On the 15th, US President Trump stated that if NATO allies do not take action to help the US keep the Strait of Hormuz open, NATO faces a "very bad" future. Although Trump said on social media that many countries "will send warships together with the US," no country has yet made a public commitment. On the 15th, British Prime Minister Starmer spoke by phone with Trump regarding passage through the Strait of Hormuz. British Energy Security and Net Zero Minister Miliband told media that the British Cabinet is studying all possible options and has "consulted with allies including the US." On the 15th, German Foreign Minister Baerbock stated that Germany sees no need to participate in escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz. She expressed "high skepticism" about the possibility of expanding the EU "Shield" escort operation to the Strait of Hormuz. On the 15th, South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae released a statement saying it has noted Trump's relevant social media remarks, and the South Korean government is closely monitoring the Middle East situation and related countries' movements, exploring various measures to protect Korean citizens and ensure the safety of energy transportation channels. According to the Japan Economic News website on the 15th, the US hopes Japan will dispatch ships to "escort" the Strait of Hormuz, but Japan faces obstacles under domestic law. In 2019, the US attempted to establish a Hormuz Strait escort coalition and explored whether Japan was willing to cooperate. The Abe government at that time ultimately decided that Japan's Self-Defense Forces would not join the escort alliance. According to reports from the British Financial Times and other media, France, Italy, India, and other countries have conducted talks with Iran, hoping to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that direct dialogue with Iran is the most effective way to resume shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
How Difficult Are Escort Operations? An Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman said earlier this month that Iran "very much welcomes" the US providing escort for tankers, saying "we are waiting for their arrival." He said the US should "remember the 1987 fire incident of the American super tanker 'Bridgeton,' and recent tanker attack incidents" before making any decisions. What Nayini referred to was an incident during the Iran-Iraq War when the "Bridgeton" tanker under US escort hit a mine while passing through the Strait of Hormuz and was damaged. On the 14th, Araghchi said on social media: "The US-touted security umbrella has proven to be full of holes, failing to serve as a deterrent and instead inviting trouble. Now, the US has to beg other countries to help ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz." Iran's Supreme Leader Mujtaba Khamenei previously issued a statement vowing to continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz to counter the US. Analysts believe that even if the US successfully establishes an "escort coalition," the actual execution of such escort operations would be extremely difficult. Jonathan Schroeder, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses think tank, stated that Iran might adopt various countermeasures, including mines, attack speedboats, missiles, and attack drones. "If you lay mines in the water, combined with surface and air threats, threats extend from the sea bottom to the surface and then to the air. This makes escorting much more difficult." Democratic Senator Chris Murphy representing Connecticut recently wrote on social media: "How about providing naval escorts for tankers? It is indeed a viable option, but it is more difficult to implement than imagined. First, it requires deploying all of our naval forces. 100 tankers need to be escorted each day. Second, if we cannot clear mines and drones, our own warships will also face danger." Retired US Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby, former Pentagon spokesman, said that escort operations are high-cost, time-consuming activities and "may not ensure success." Analysts point out that with the conflict continuing and Iran retaining missile and drone strike capabilities, many US allies worry that dispatching warships will further entangle them in regional conflict, so there may be limited participants in establishing an international escort coalition. According to the Wall Street Journal, given the risks involved, many countries have maintained a "reserved attitude" toward conducting such escort missions before the fighting ends.
#美政府计划多国联合护航霍尔木兹 Why Does the US Want to Establish the "Hormuz Alliance"
The US plans to establish a so-called "Hormuz Alliance" in the coming days to control the Strait of Hormuz and urges countries like the UK and Japan to respond. With Middle East hostilities continuing, what is the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz? How have various parties reacted? How difficult is escort operations in the strait?
Current Situation in the Strait of Hormuz
On the 14th, Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi told US media that the Strait of Hormuz is actually open and only closed to "Iran's enemies," saying "although many ships choose not to pass for security reasons, that's not our concern."
Arne Loman Rasmussen, chief analyst at global risk management firm, told US media that while the Strait of Hormuz has not been physically blocked, Iranian threats coupled with drone and missile attacks have deterred many tankers from passing through the strait. "The strait has effectively closed. Tankers face attack risks, struggle to obtain insurance, or face exorbitant insurance costs, so they can only wait for the security situation to improve before resuming navigation."
The website of the International Maritime Organization, headquartered in London, UK, shows that from the time the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran through March 13, there were 16 confirmed ship attack incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the deaths of at least 7 sailors and 1 shipyard worker, with at least 4 sailors missing.
Lloyd's List Intelligence reported that from March 1-13, only 77 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz. In comparison, from March 1-11, 2025, 1229 vessels passed through the strait. According to the British Daily Telegraph, on March 14, no vessels transited the strait, marking the first time this has occurred since the conflict began.
The current situation in the Strait of Hormuz has caused international oil prices to soar, with cascading consequences intensifying. Andy Haldane, former chief economist at the Bank of England, writes: "The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, leading to disruptions in one-fifth of global oil transportation, with daily losses approaching 20 million barrels. This is the largest shock the global oil market has ever experienced, leading to severe intraday oil price volatility and massive releases of strategic oil reserves. This is unprecedented in history."
How Have Various Parties Reacted?
On the 16th, the US news website Axios cited multiple sources saying that US officials conducted intensive telephone diplomacy consultations with countries from Europe, Asia, and the Gulf region over the weekend to seek their political commitment to establishing the so-called "Hormuz Alliance."
On the 15th, US President Trump stated that if NATO allies do not take action to help the US keep the Strait of Hormuz open, NATO faces a "very bad" future.
Although Trump said on social media that many countries "will send warships together with the US," no country has yet made a public commitment.
On the 15th, British Prime Minister Starmer spoke by phone with Trump regarding passage through the Strait of Hormuz. British Energy Security and Net Zero Minister Miliband told media that the British Cabinet is studying all possible options and has "consulted with allies including the US."
On the 15th, German Foreign Minister Baerbock stated that Germany sees no need to participate in escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz. She expressed "high skepticism" about the possibility of expanding the EU "Shield" escort operation to the Strait of Hormuz.
On the 15th, South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae released a statement saying it has noted Trump's relevant social media remarks, and the South Korean government is closely monitoring the Middle East situation and related countries' movements, exploring various measures to protect Korean citizens and ensure the safety of energy transportation channels.
According to the Japan Economic News website on the 15th, the US hopes Japan will dispatch ships to "escort" the Strait of Hormuz, but Japan faces obstacles under domestic law. In 2019, the US attempted to establish a Hormuz Strait escort coalition and explored whether Japan was willing to cooperate. The Abe government at that time ultimately decided that Japan's Self-Defense Forces would not join the escort alliance.
According to reports from the British Financial Times and other media, France, Italy, India, and other countries have conducted talks with Iran, hoping to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that direct dialogue with Iran is the most effective way to resume shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
How Difficult Are Escort Operations?
An Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman said earlier this month that Iran "very much welcomes" the US providing escort for tankers, saying "we are waiting for their arrival." He said the US should "remember the 1987 fire incident of the American super tanker 'Bridgeton,' and recent tanker attack incidents" before making any decisions.
What Nayini referred to was an incident during the Iran-Iraq War when the "Bridgeton" tanker under US escort hit a mine while passing through the Strait of Hormuz and was damaged.
On the 14th, Araghchi said on social media: "The US-touted security umbrella has proven to be full of holes, failing to serve as a deterrent and instead inviting trouble. Now, the US has to beg other countries to help ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz." Iran's Supreme Leader Mujtaba Khamenei previously issued a statement vowing to continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz to counter the US.
Analysts believe that even if the US successfully establishes an "escort coalition," the actual execution of such escort operations would be extremely difficult. Jonathan Schroeder, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses think tank, stated that Iran might adopt various countermeasures, including mines, attack speedboats, missiles, and attack drones. "If you lay mines in the water, combined with surface and air threats, threats extend from the sea bottom to the surface and then to the air. This makes escorting much more difficult." Democratic Senator Chris Murphy representing Connecticut recently wrote on social media: "How about providing naval escorts for tankers? It is indeed a viable option, but it is more difficult to implement than imagined. First, it requires deploying all of our naval forces. 100 tankers need to be escorted each day. Second, if we cannot clear mines and drones, our own warships will also face danger." Retired US Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby, former Pentagon spokesman, said that escort operations are high-cost, time-consuming activities and "may not ensure success." Analysts point out that with the conflict continuing and Iran retaining missile and drone strike capabilities, many US allies worry that dispatching warships will further entangle them in regional conflict, so there may be limited participants in establishing an international escort coalition. According to the Wall Street Journal, given the risks involved, many countries have maintained a "reserved attitude" toward conducting such escort missions before the fighting ends.