The US Navy has declined daily shipping requests for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz, citing the risk of Iranian attacks as too high amid the ongoing conflict.

More than 150 commercial vessels sit anchored outside the Strait of Hormuz, unable to move. Their operators have been calling the US Navy almost every day since the war on Iran began, asking for military escorts through the waterway. The answer, each time, has been no.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Navy has declined near-daily requests from the global shipping industry for protection through the strait since fighting broke out on 28 February, telling companies that the risk of Iranian attack is too high.

The refusal contradictsPresident Donald Trump's repeated public pledges. He told reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Monday that the Navy would escort tankers 'if necessary' and 'if it's needed, we'll escort them right through.'

Shipping through the strait, just 21 miles wide at its narrowest point, has all but stopped since the conflict began. The passage normally carries around 20% of the world's oil and roughly a quarter of global liquefied natural gas exports.

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Three shipping industry sources toldReutersthat the Navy has been holding regular briefings with oil and shipping counterparts. During those calls, it has stated plainly that escorts are not possible for now. One source said the assessment from Tuesday's briefing had not shifted. Escorts would only become viable once the threat level dropped.

A maritime security source put it bluntly. Securing the strait could require the US to take control of Iran's entire coastline. 'There are not enough naval vessels to do that and the risks remain high even with an escort,' the source said, adding that even a small convoy could be overwhelmed by swarms of fast boats or drones.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared the strait closed. On Tuesday, a senior IRGC official warned that Iran would not allow 'one litre of oil' to leave the region while US and Israeli strikes continued. Five tankers have been damaged since the conflict started. Two crew members are dead.

Washington's own messaging added to the confusion on Tuesday. Energy Secretary Chris Wright posted on X that the Navy had successfully escorted a tanker through Hormuz, then deleted the post within half an hour. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed shortly afterwards that 'the US Navy has not escorted a tanker or a vessel at this time.' Iran's Revolutionary Guards called the deleted claim 'a complete lie.'

Source: International Business Times UK