U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that protecting commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz by means of naval escorts was contemplated as part of operational planning amid the current conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran.
Speaking with Sky News, Bessent said that an escort mission - carried out either by the U.S. Navy or by a broader international coalition - had always been considered as an available course of action. He emphasized that the deployment of escorts would depend on military conditions and could proceed once it was militarily feasible.
He framed the prospect of escorting tankers as contingent on establishing control of the skies above the waterway. According to Bessent, that control is a key precondition before vessels would be shepherded through the strait.
Those comments come amid a notable move in energy markets. Oil prices climbed significantly following the escalation of the conflict and settled above $100 on Thursday, marking the first time crude traded above that threshold since August 2022.
Context and implications
While Bessent positioned escorts as an intended element of military planning, he linked their implementation explicitly to the achievement of air superiority in the operational environment. The remarks point to a phased approach in which maritime protection measures follow stabilization of the air picture.
The recent jump in oil prices underscores the market sensitivity to developments in the region. The combination of heightened military tensions and a stated plan for potential naval or coalition escorts frames both the security response and the market reaction as closely connected to near-term operational assessments.
Summary of statements
- Bessent said escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz was always part of the plan for the U.S. Navy or an international coalition.
- He said such escorting could occur as soon as it is militarily possible, contingent on control of the skies.
- The comments coincided with oil prices settling above $100 for the first time since August 2022.