U.S. Officials Say Hormuz Strait Escort Initiative May Not Include Direct Escort by U.S. Ships

On May 3, Xinhua News Agency reported from Washington that the U.S. news site Axios quoted two American officials stating that the "guidance" announced by President Trump on that day for trapped vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz does not necessarily include direct escort of commercial ships by U.S. naval vessels.

The report said that one official indicated that U.S. warships would remain in the "nearby area" of the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iranian military forces from launching attacks on commercial vessels passing through the strait if necessary.

The two officials also stated that the U.S. military would provide commercial vessels with information about the optimal maritime routes through the Strait of Hormuz, particularly regarding routes that do not involve areas where Iranian military forces have laid mines.

According to a report by the U.S. Wall Street Journal on May 3, a senior U.S. official said that the "guidance" announced by Trump for trapped vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz does not involve U.S. warships providing escort for these vessels. The official described this new initiative as a set of "operational mechanisms aimed at coordinating shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz," with participants including various governments, insurance companies, and shipping organizations.