U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday called on other countries to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz following a series of strikes on Iranian targets and a sharp escalation in threats from Tehran. The president said on social media that nations which receive oil via the Hormuz channel should contribute to securing the passage, and that the United States would coordinate assistance.
The appeal came as Iran warned of expanded retaliatory measures after U.S. forces struck military sites on Kharg Island, an offshore facility that handles roughly 90% of Iran's oil exports. Iran's ability to interfere with tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz - a chokepoint for energy shipments - was highlighted as a source of potential leverage over the United States and its partners.
In his post, Trump named a range of countries he hoped would send vessels - including China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain - and added that the United States would help ensure operations proceeded "quickly, smoothly, and well." He also wrote that "in the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water." There was no immediate indication that the countries he mentioned had committed to sending warships.
Diplomatic and military developments unfolded across the region as the conflict stretched into its third week.
- A U.S. embassy advisory in Baghdad warned American citizens to leave Iraq.
- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps urged U.S. industries to relocate out of the region.
- Since Feb. 28, when Israel and the United States began striking Iranian targets, more than 2,000 people have been reported killed, mostly in Iran, according to compiled figures referenced by officials.
At least 15 people were killed when an airstrike hit a refrigerator and heater factory in Isfahan, state-affiliated media reported on Saturday. The Israeli military had not offered an immediate comment on that incident.
U.S. Central Command said it struck more than 90 targets on Kharg Island, including naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers and other military sites. The U.S. has said it targeted military infrastructure and not energy assets on the island.
Iranian officials responded with defiance and warnings. Iran's supreme leadership was referenced in statements indicating the Strait of Hormuz should remain closed, and Tehran suggested it could escalate the use of more powerful weaponry. Separately, Iran's foreign minister dismissed reports from a U.S. defense official that the new supreme leader had been wounded, saying there was no problem and that the leader had sent messages and would continue his duties. The supreme leader has not appeared in public; a message attributed to him was read on television by a presenter.
Tehran also accused the United Arab Emirates of harboring sites used to launch attacks on Iranian islands, and warned that parts of the UAE could be legitimate targets for retaliation. Iran said residents should evacuate areas near several UAE ports - including Jebel Ali in Dubai, Khalifa in Abu Dhabi and the Fujairah port - and warned it was aiming at branches of U.S. banks in the Gulf.
The UAE's authorities reported a drone interception near Fujairah, and civil defence teams were still tackling a fire caused by falling debris late on Saturday. Industry and trade sources said some oil-loading operations were halted in Fujairah, a global ship-refueling hub. Fujairah handles the outlet for about 1 million barrels per day of the UAE's Murban crude - a volume equal to roughly 1% of global demand.
Iran launched a salvo of projectiles toward the UAE on Saturday, with the UAE Ministry of Defence saying nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones were launched from Iranian territory toward the country. The Iranian military also called on civilians in Emirati port areas to evacuate docks, ports and locations it termed "American hideouts," alleging U.S. forces had used those areas as staging points.
Officials in the Gulf have expressed frustration at being drawn into a conflict they did not start. A diplomatic adviser to the UAE president posted on social media that Iran's strategy - which he described as targeting Arab Gulf states in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes - reflected military impotence and political isolation.
European and other partners gave cautious responses. French officials said they were pursuing efforts to assemble a coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz once the security situation stabilizes. A British Ministry of Defence spokesperson said discussions were ongoing with allies and partners about a range of options to protect shipping in the region.
Switzerland, historically neutral, indicated it would not participate in reconnaissance operations for attacks on Iran. The Swiss Federal Council said it rejected two U.S. requests to permit reconnaissance aircraft to transit Swiss airspace en route to Iran on Sunday, though it did approve a maintenance flight and two transport aircraft.
The heightened military activity has disrupted regional logistics and energy operations.
- Some oil-loading operations in Fujairah were suspended following drone activity and falling debris.
- Warnings to evacuate port areas and threats against financial institutions have added to commercial uncertainty in the Gulf.
- The strikes on Kharg Island affected military storage facilities and other installations that the U.S. described as military targets.
Iranian foreign ministry officials also said the country would respond to any attack on its energy infrastructure and threatened to target U.S. companies operating in the region or firms in which U.S. entities hold shares. The UAE foreign ministry did not immediately respond to Iran's accusation that its territory had been used to facilitate the strike on Kharg Island.
The situation remains fluid, with competing public statements and evolving military and diplomatic moves. For now, the most immediate consequences are on shipping lanes, energy export operations and regional security postures - areas that could reverberate through global oil markets and maritime logistics until a clearer de-escalation path emerges.