US considering naval escorts and military support for Middle East oil and gas supplies

The U.S. military is actively weighing deployment of naval escorts to protect oil and gas tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

The Trump administration is considering direct military support for commercial shipping after Iran warned it would attack vessels and began targeting them in the world’s most critical energy chokepoint.

U.S. oil prices have surged nearly $10 per barrel since the conflict intensified. Gasoline prices at the pump are now climbing higher than when President Trump took office.

Officials are also discussing having the U.S. government backstop insurance for tankers. Marine insurers have sharply hiked rates or canceled coverage entirely despite the strait remaining technically open.

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20 percent of global seaborne oil deliveries. Qatar has shut a major natural gas export plant while Saudi refineries have come under direct Iranian attack.

Iran has already fired on ships in the waterway.

The proposed escort mission would mirror previous U.S. operations in the Red Sea involving carriers and destroyers to preserve freedom of navigation.

The U.S. Navy has already sunk 11 Iranian vessels since joint operations with Israel began.

Any new mission would place additional strain on critically depleted U.S. air defense interceptor stockpiles already exhausted by earlier campaigns against the Houthis and last year’s conflict with Iran.

White House officials confirmed President Trump met today with his Energy and Treasury secretaries to address the price surge. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the administration will unveil a plan to combat rising oil prices and added bluntly “We’re going to destroy their Navy.”