By Sarah Young and John Irish, Reuters
Photo: AFP / Jonathan Raa / NurPhoto
The Pentagon is looking at ways to escort ships safely through the Strait of Hormuz, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said on Tuesday.
About a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes through the strait but Iran, which lies on its northern coast, has effectively closed it. Traffic through the strait has dropped by 97 percent since the US-Israeli war against Iran began on 28 February, according to United Nations data.
The US is seeking to calm oil markets concerned that a protracted war could cause a global energy crisis.
What is at stake?
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage of water between Iran and Oman that links the Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is the only sea exit for oil- and gas-producing countries such as Kuw
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