President Donald Trump said the U.S. would escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz if needed, adding that the U.S. would strike Iran “very hard over the next week.”
In a Fox News Radio interview with Brian Kilmeade, set to air at 10 AM ET on Friday, Trump gave no other details when asked about helping oil tankers pass through the crucial waterway. He said, “We would do it if we needed to. But, you know, hopefully things are going to go very well,” according to Reuters.
Several foreign ships in or near the strait, which has seen a blockade amid the escalating conflict, have been struck this week.
Oil Hovers Around $100 A Barrel
Trump’s interview, which aired in part on the publication’s “Fox & Friends” program on Friday, comes as the world grapples with high oil and gas prices amid the U.S-Israel war, which is entering its 14th day.
Meanwhile, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, said on Thursday the country would fight on and keep the Strait of Hormuz shut as leverage against the U.S. and Israel.
Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, held near $100 on Friday morning. Brent futures were 1.31% lower at $99.34 per barrel at last check, after closing above $100 on Thursday. West Texas Intermediate crude futures are down by 2.29% at $93.35 per barrel.
An India-flagged oil tanker passed through the east of the strait carrying gasoline bound for Africa, an Indian government official told Reuters on Friday.
Trump On Khamenei: Probably Alive But ‘Damaged’
In the same interview, a part of which was aired by Fox, Trump said he believes that Khamenei is still alive, despite his absence from public view since the war in Iran began.
Khamenei’s absence from the public eye has raised questions about his current status and the future leadership of Iran. He suffered a fractured foot along with minor facial injuries, including a bruised eye and small cuts, during the first day of the U.S.–Israel bombardment campaign, according to a CNN report published earlier this week.
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