Trump Withdraws Hormuz Escort for 1,000 Ships as Iran Tightens Control of 20% Oil Chokepoint
Updated
Updated · Ynetnews · May 20
Trump Withdraws Hormuz Escort for 1,000 Ships as Iran Tightens Control of 20% Oil Chokepoint
8 articles · Updated · Ynetnews · May 20
More than 1,000 vessels remained stranded after Trump abandoned a U.S. escort operation in the Strait of Hormuz just two days after announcing it.
Iran has kept effective control of the strait since mid-March, using threats to shipping and attacks on Gulf energy sites to raise the cost of renewed U.S. or Israeli strikes.
About 20% of global oil passes through the waterway, and Iran’s pressure on Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait helped push oil prices to their highest level of the war.
That leverage helped force an April 8 ceasefire and created what analysts called an intrawar deterrence ceiling, even though the strait has stayed closed.
Experts say Tehran may try to preserve partial control of Hormuz as a lasting bargaining chip, testing how far U.S. military power can protect partners and global markets.
Iran's coercion strategy succeeded. Which nation will next weaponize global economic chokepoints against a superpower?
With America's security guarantee faltering, how will global alliances be redrawn after the Hormuz crisis?
As the U.S. struggles to reopen the Strait, what is the 'final battle' both sides are anticipating?
Strait of Hormuz Crisis 2026: Economic, Energy, and Security Impacts of the U.S.-Iran Standoff
Overview
In May 2026, President Trump launched Project Freedom to guide and protect commercial ships and reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz. However, the operation was quickly paused, which sparked hopes for a peace agreement to end the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran and restore shipping. News of the pause led to a rise in stock futures, showing cautious optimism in global markets. Despite this, Iran signaled its readiness to escalate, with its parliament speaker declaring that Iran had not yet fully responded to the U.S. move. The situation remains tense, with both sides holding firm and uncertainty continuing in the region.