On August 17 (Washington time), according to TASS news agency, US President Donald Trump said that he continued to support the idea related to the US controlling the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking to reporters when asked about previous information related to the statement considering the Strait of Hormuz as US territory, Mr. Trump said that he "liked this idea very much".
According to the US leader, Washington is completely controlling the Strait of Hormuz through blockades.
The US President also affirmed that the Strait of Hormuz is still open. He said that the situation may change in the near future but did not make a specific forecast about the possibility of this shipping route being closed or expanding operations.
The ocean is still open. This could change or even expand further. However, the US is still taking millions of barrels of oil out of the region every week," Mr. Trump said.
The statement was made in the context that oil transportation through the Strait of Hormuz is being closely monitored by the energy market. This is a strategic shipping route connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arab Sea, playing an important role in the oil export activities of Middle Eastern countries.
Previously, Mr. Trump said that oil prices are falling and predicted that this trend will continue in the near future, unless the US decides to take action that he described as "more drastic".
Developments in the Strait of Hormuz are significantly affecting energy transport activities. According to previously published figures, the number of ships passing through this maritime route has decreased sharply compared to the time before the Middle East conflict broke out.
In early August, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that about 8-9 million barrels of oil per day are being transported through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, satellite data quoted by TASS shows that an average of 26 ships pass through this strait every day in July, much lower than before the conflict began.
The above developments make global oil supply, oil prices and sea transport activities continue to be affected by the situation in the Middle East. Any changes to maritime operations through the Strait of Hormuz could affect the energy market and economies dependent on oil imports.
