US Navy ‘will begin escorting’ oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway, if necessary, US President Trump says.
Published On 3 Mar 20263 Mar 2026
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President Donald Trump has announced that the United States government will offer insurance to ships in the Gulf after Iran largely succeeded in shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices soaring.
The US president added that the US military will accompany ships through Hormuz if necessary.
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“Effective IMMEDIATELY, I have ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide, at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees for the Financial Security of ALL Maritime Trade, especially Energy, traveling through the Gulf,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Tuesday.
DFC is the US government’s development finance agency. Its mission is to “advance US foreign policy and strengthen national security by mobilising private capital” across the world.
Trump added that the discounted risk insurance will be available for all shipping lanes.
“If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible,” he wrote.
“No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital trade artery that connects the Gulf to the Indian Ocean. Around 20 percent of the world’s oil flows through it.
The price of oil has shot up by more than 15 percent since the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran that started a war with Iran three days ago.
Costs are expected to rise even higher as oil supplies decrease as a result of Iran’s closure of the strait, as well as attacks on energy instalments in the Gulf.
Some insurance companies were reported to have cut back coverage amid the Iranian attacks.
Although the US is largely self-sufficient with its oil production, an uptick in prices globally could hike the cost for Americans at the gas or petrol pump, and could boost inflation.
The average price of one gallon of gas (3.8 liter) in the US jumped more than 11 cents overnight to $3.11 on Tuesday, according to the AAA Gas Prices website.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump stressed that the attack on Iran “had to happen” despite its human cost and the strain it is putting on the energy market.
“We have a little high oil prices for a little while, but as soon as this ends, those prices are going to drop – I believe – lower than even before,” he told reporters.
Opinion polls show that the attack on Iran is unpopular among the US public. Increasing economic costs from the war could further diminish support for the war, months ahead of the US midterm elecitons.
You can catch up with our latest coverage of Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran in our rolling coverage here.
The ship, the MKD VYOM, was initially thought to have been struck by a projectile on March 1, in a deadly attack about 50 nautical miles north of Muscat, Oman. However, the United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization, which is managed by the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom, gave an updated assessment of the incident Monday morning.
“UKMTO has received confirmation that the vessel was attacked by an Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV), and that the crew has been evacuated to shore,” the organization stated. “Authorities are investigating. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.”
“The vessel suffered an explosion and subsequent fire after being struck by a suspected projectile while off the coast of Muscat, Oman on 1 March,” MKD VYOM‘s owner, V.Ships Asia said in a statement. “It is with great sadness that we confirm one crew member, who was in the engine room at the time of the incident, has died.”
أعلن المركز العُماني للأمن البحري تعرّض ناقلة النفط MKD VYOM لهجوم بواسطة زورق محمّل بالمتفجرات أثناء إبحارها على بُعد 52 ميلا بحرياً من سواحل محافظة مسقط. pic.twitter.com/XUABktn3kt
While this is the first time Iran has used a USV to strike ships in the region, it should come as no surprise that it would deploy these weapons. Iran has steadily developed USVs and undersea vehicles capable of launching kamikaze attacks and added them to its arsenal. Iran, together with its Houthi allies in Yemen, has long been a pioneer in this space. As we have previously reported, the Houthis frequently used USVs in their campaign against Red Sea shipping.
The first image of the Houthi drone boat that struck the bulk cargo carrier M/V Tutor in June 2024.
The MKD VYOM was one of at least four ships struck by Iran since the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it was shutting down the Strait of Hormuz some 150 nautical miles to the northwest. That warning came after the U.S. and Israel started bombing Iranian targets on Feb. 28. We have previously examined in great detail what Iran could do to shut the Strait, a major chokepoint through which about 20% of the world’s crude oil passes.
“For your information, from now on…no ship of any type is…allowed to pass from the Strait of Hormuz.. From now on, the Strait of Hormuz is banned for all ships, the Strait of Hormuz is banned for all ships,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, via a radio transmission obtained by The War Zone.
The IRGC updated that warning on Monday, saying it was shutting the Strait and any ships attempting to pass through would be set on fire.
“The strait (of Hormuz) is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guards and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze,” Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the Guards commander-in-chief, said in remarks carried by state media.
BREAKING: Islamic Revolutionary Guards commander says that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed and that Iran will set fire to any ship trying to pass, according to Iranian media – Reuters pic.twitter.com/ra0B2x5oWq
In addition to three other tankers hit in the Gulf of Oman, the U.S.flagged oil tanker STENA IMPERATIVE suffered at least two direct hits from a suspected Iranian projectile while in the Port of Bahrain on Monday, a maritime security official confirmed to The War Zone.
It is unclear at the moment if the ship was struck by a missile or a drone, the official added.
⭕️⚡️IRGC hit the US Navy-operated Oil tanker “Stena Imperative” docked in Bahrain.
Shortly before 5:30 a.m. Eastern, UKMTO stated that it “received a report of an incident in the Port of Bahrain. The Company Security Officer reported that the vessel had been struck by two unknown projectiles causing a fire. The fire has been extinguished and the vessel remains in port. All members of the ship’s crew are safe and have evacuated the vessel. Authorities are investigating.”
“Vessels are to remain cautious and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO,” the organization added.
It is believed that the STENA IMPERATIVE is the only U.S.-flagged vessel to be struck by Iran so far.
It has been reported that the tanker is part of the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Tanker Security Program, which “exists to enhance U.S. supply chain resiliency for liquid fuel products.” The Tanker Security Program came into effect in 2021 and empowered the Department of Transportation to create an ad-hoc 10-ship expanded U.S.-flagged tanker fleet for use in a crisis.
Weeks before the war broke out, the STENA IMPERATIVE was approached by Iranian gunboats, which threatened to board the vessel, in the Strait of Hormuz, before continuing on its way under military escort, according to CBS News.
U.S. Central Command issued a statement at the time confirming the incident, saying, “Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker.”
CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told CBS that the Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul immediately responded to the scene and escorted the ship with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force. “The situation de-escalated as a result, and the U.S.-flagged tanker is proceeding safely,” he said.
US Oil Tanker Approached By Iranian Gunboats In Strait Of Hormuz As Peace Talks Begins Soon
Since the launch of Epic Fury, shipping traffic through this vital body of water has plummeted by almost 85%, and a large number of ships have turned off their transponders to avoid being tracked.
New: Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen almost 85%, @Kpler‘s @DimAmpatzidis tells Hunterbrook.
“Since 00:00 UTC today, only six vessels have crossed the Strait with AIS signals active.” One of those vessels has since been bombed by Iran. pic.twitter.com/offUWTYGic
While Iran attacks tankers, the U.S. is striking Iranian Navy vessels. U.S. President Donald Trump has said “annihilating” Iran’s naval forces is a core objective of Epic Fury and that 10 Iranian ships have been “knocked out” so far.
Below is a satellite image showing damage to Iran’s main naval base in Bandar Abbas, including what looks to be the IRINS Makran sea base-type ship, following strikes as part of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli campaign. You can read more about that in our story here.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
U.S. President Donald Trump says that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed. Khamenei was among a number of senior Iranian officials targeted in the initial wave of U.S.-Israeli strikes earlier today.
Readers can first get caught up on the ongoing conflict in our previous rolling coverage here.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead. This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social social media network. “He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.”
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country. We are hearing that many of their IRGC, Military, and other Security and Police Forces, no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us,” Trump added. “As I said last night, ‘Now they can have Immunity, later they only get Death!’ Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said earlier today that, “this morning, in a powerful surprise strike, the compound of the tyrant Ali Khamenei was destroyed in the heart of Tehran… and there are many signs that this tyrant is no longer alive.”
Trump’s comment that Khamenei was “unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems” is notable.
“Getting asked a lot why this kicked off mid day and not at night. I don’t know for certain, but everything points to moving up a timeline based on time sensitive intelligence,” our own Tyler Rogoway highlighted earlier in a post on X. “Limitations to doing this for a large bi-national operation, but yeah, that’s where I would place my bet.”
Use your imagination on what would be worth doing that…
Exactly how this will impact the course of the conflict and especially the future of Iran is unclear, but as it sits now there is likely a gaping power vacuum in Iran.
“This is the very lifeblood of the Qatari economy.” Qatar has announced it is halting liquid natural gas (LNG) production because of Iranian attacks on key facilities. Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi explains the impact in Doha.
March 1 (UPI) — Three members of the U.S. military were killed and five were seriously wounded in the Iranian response to U.S. and Israeli strikes the day before.
President Donald Trump said in a video statement Sunday that the nation grieves “for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation,” while repeating the warning he made Saturday in announcing the strikes that more U.S. troops may die.
“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” he said. “Likely be more.”
The service members killed were part of an Army sustainment unit based in Kuwait, which is one of several American bases in the Middle East that Iran has targeted amid its response to Operation Epic Fury, which started early Saturday morning, NBC News and The New York Times reported.
“America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilization,” Trump said.
U.S. Central Command announced in a post on X on Sunday morning that the troops had been killed in action and wounded as the military continued to hit targets, while also receiving counterattacks from Iran.
Several other troops also “sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions — and are in the process of being returned to duty,” CENTCOM said in the post. “Major combat operations continue and our response effort is ongoing.”
“The situation is fluid,” the post noted, adding that the names of the deceased troops would be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.
Iran has also targeted other countries nearby, including Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The Iranian regime’s reckless use and proliferation of ballistic missiles have been a dangerous threat for decades. Now, at the President’s direction, U.S. forces are eliminating the threat. pic.twitter.com/zTsqjwVCMO— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 1, 2026
CENTCOM on Saturday refuted Iranian claims that at least 50 U.S. service members had been killed, as well as other claims that a U.S. Navy ship had been struck by missiles and that severe damage was seen at “multiple U.S. bases.”
Through the first day-and-a-half of Operation Epic Fury, the United States and Israel have said that they hit dozens of military and government sites throughout Iran.
CENTCOM has specifically announced the sinking of Iranian naval vessels, sending B-2 stealth bombers to hit Iran’s ballistic missile facilities and various communication, air defense and command and control centers.
Trump early Saturday announced that Iranian spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was dead — along with other high-ranking leaders of Iran — in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.
U.S. intelligence and military assets had been tracking Khamenei for months and opted for a rare daylight strike on the meeting because of the opportunity to hit multiple targets, including Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, Revolutionary Guard Corps head Gen. Mohammad Pakpour and Khamenei’s defense adviser, Ali Shamkhani.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks during a press conference after the weekly Republican Senate caucus luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Footage captured the moment an Iranian drone struck the US military’s Camp Buehring in northwestern Kuwait, impacting with an explosion and cloud of smoke.
Video from Abu Dhabi captured the moment a second Iranian drone struck the Al Salam Naval Base. A fire was already burning from an earlier hit and what appears to be a cruise ship could be seen docked in the background.
An Iranian missile attack on the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh, 30 kilometers west of Jerusalem, has killed at least nine people and wounded dozens more. The strikes reportedly targeted an army headquarters and a weapons manufacturing complex.
Loud explosions have been heard in Doha, the capital of Qatar, as defence systems shot down incoming Iranian missiles. Falling debris ignited large fire that sent plumes of black smoke rising above the city. Iran has hit multiple Gulf states as it responds to US-Israeli attacks.
Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani denounced US-Israeli military strikes across the country, decrying the deaths and injuries of hundreds of civilians as a war crime.
Senior Iranian official Ali Larijani has said Tehran is ready to engage in ‘realistic’ nuclear talks with the United States. Speaking in Muscat during a visit to mediator nation Oman, he said issues must be resolved through dialogue and not the ‘language of force’.
1 of 2 | Ali Rahmani, Kiana Rahmani and Nobel Committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen attend The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony for Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi at the Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway in December 2023. File Photo by Paul Treadway/ UPI | License Photo
Feb. 9 (UPI) — Iranian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Narges Mohammadi has been sentenced to a second prison sentence by the Iranian courts while still serving her first sentence.
Mohammadi, who accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 2023 while in prison, was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for “gathering and collusion,” and “propaganda activities” against the Islamic Republic Regime, her attorney announced Sunday.
Mohammadi was detained on Dec. 12 for making “provocative remarks.” Her family said that during her arrest, she was beaten by Iranian authorities and had to be hospitalized.
Nili said in a statement that Mohammadi was sentenced at Branch 1 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court. It was the first time she had spoken to her attorney since Dec. 14.
Mohammadi, 53, was on the sixth day of a hunger strike but ended it on Sunday.
“Given Narges Mohammadi’s critical history, including heart attacks, chest pain, high blood pressure, as well as spinal disc issues and other illnesses, her continued detention is life threatening and a violation of human rights laws,” a statement from the Narges Mohammadi Foundation said.
Nili added that Mohammadi was hospitalized last week due to her “poor physical condition.”
Mohammadi faces more than 17 years in prison. In total, she has been sentenced to 44 years in prison. She has also been banned from leaving Iran for two years and is ordered to live in “internal exile” for two years.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported last month that more than 5,000 people have been executed by Iranian authorities amid widespread protests.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
An F-35C Joint Strike Fighter flying from the supercarrier USS Abraham Lincoln has shot down an Iranian drone said to have “aggressively approached” the ship. Separately, American officials say that small boats and a drone belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) harassed a U.S.-flagged merchant ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. All of this comes amid a major ongoing U.S. military build-up in the region aimed squarely at Iran, as well as reports that American officials could be set to meet with their Iranian counterparts later in the week.
Reuters was first to report on the F-35C downing the Iranian drone, which was reportedly a Shahed-139. The Shahed-139 is a design roughly in the same class as the U.S. MQ-1 Predator, which could potentially carry small munitions. The Nimitz class USS Abraham Lincoln and elements of its strike group arrived in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility last month after being ordered to head to the region from the Pacific.
The USS Abraham Lincoln seen sailing the South China Sea in December 2025. USN
“An F-35C fighter jet from Abraham Lincoln shot down the Iranian drone in self-defense and to protect the aircraft carrier and personnel on board. No American service members were harmed during the incident, and no U.S. equipment was damaged,” U.S. Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said in a statement to TWZ. “The unmanned aircraft aggressively approached a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent.”
“USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) was transiting the Arabian Sea approximately 500 miles from Iran’s southern coast when an Iranian Shahed-139 drone unnecessarily maneuvered toward the ship,” Hawkins added. “The Iranian drone continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters.”
U.S. Marines also notably used a counter-drone vehicle lashed to the deck of the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Boxerto knock down an Iranian drone as the ship transited the Strait of Hormuz back in 2019. In that instance, the uncrewed aircraft was described as having come within a “threatening range” of the Boxer.
As a general aside, drones inherently present a lower risk of escalation because there is no danger of crew on board being harmed. This also has impacts on the risk calculus for employing uncrewed aerial systems more provocatively, as well as shooting them down.
“During a separate incident hours later in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces harassed a U.S.-flagged, U.S.-crewed merchant vessel lawfully transiting the international sea passage. Two IRGC boats and an Iranian Mohajer drone approached M/V Stena Imperative at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the tanker,” Hawkins, the CENTCOM spokesperson, also said in his statement to TWZ. “Guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) was operating in the area and immediately responded to the scene to escort M/V Stena Imperative with defensive air support from the U.S. Air Force.”
A stock picture of the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS McFaul. USN
“The situation de-escalated as a result, and the U.S.-flagged tanker is proceeding safely. CENTCOM forces are operating at the highest levels of professionalism and ensuring the safety of U.S. personnel, ships, and aircraft in the Middle East,” Hawkins added. “Continued Iranian harassment and threats in international waters and airspace will not be tolerated. Iran’s unnecessary aggression near U.S. forces, regional partners and commercial vessels increases risks of collision, miscalculation, and regional destabilization.”
The Joint Maritime Information Center of the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office has also issued a notice regarding what appears to be the same incident, which also does not name the ship that was harassed. Iran has a long history of harassing (and even seizing) foreign commercial and naval vessels in and around the Persian Gulf, especially at times of increased geopolitical friction with the United States.
As already noted, this all comes as U.S. military forces continue to flow into the Middle East. There have been reports for weeks now about the prospect of new American strikes on Iran, at least in part in retaliation for the country’s violent crackdown on recent nationwide protests. More recently, U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced interest in reaching some kind of deal with authorities in Iran, including over the future of that country’s nuclear program. There are reports that U.S. and Iranian officials could meet as soon as Friday in Turkey.
“We have ships heading to Iran right now, big ones — the biggest and the best — and we have talks going on with Iran and we’ll see how it all works out,” Trump said just yesterday while speaking to members of the press at the White House. “If we can work something out, that would be great and if we can’t, probably bad things would happen.”
How today’s events will impact U.S. decision-making going forward remains to be seen.
Update: 2:52 PM Eastern –
Despite the incident, Trump still prefers a diplomatic solution to the tensions with Iran, according to the White House.
Trump “remains committed to always pursuing diplomacy first,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. “But in order for diplomacy to work, of course, it takes two to tango. You need a willing partner to engage. And so that’s something the president and Special Envoy Witkoff are exploring and discussing right now.”
Witkoff, she added, “is set to have conversations with the Iranians later this week. Those are still scheduled as of right now, but of course, the president has always a range of options on the table, and that includes the use of military force. The Iranians know that better than anyone. Just look no further than the highly successful Operation Midnight Hammer, which took not just Iran but the entire world by surprise and completely obliterated their nuclear capabilities earlier last year.”
Speaking earlier on Fox News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirms the shoot down of an Iranian drone that was “acting aggressively” towards the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) today over the Arabian Sea, though states that President Trump remains committed to… pic.twitter.com/sVPzPjZIy8
“The Shahed 129 drone was on its usual and legal mission in international waters, engaged in reconnaissance, monitoring, and filming, which is considered a normal and lawful action,” Tasnim posited. “This drone successfully sent its reconnaissance and identification images to the center but then lost communication. However, the reason for this communication loss is being investigated, and details will be provided once confirmed.”
The War Zone cannot independently verify Tasnim’s claims.
Iranian state media says the drone (that the US shot down) successfully carried out its reconnaissance mission before it abruptly “lost contact”
