President of the United States Donald Trump has threatened to send military forces to the Strait of Hormuz to resolve its blockade.
The Strait of Hormuz, an important maritime route, is currently closed by Iran, which has led to numerous oil and liquefied gas tankers being blocked in the Persian Gulf. This has created an unstable situation and negatively affected global stock markets. Trump is actively responding to this crisis.
On the evening of March 3, he posted a message on Truth Social:
“If necessary, the U.S. Navy will immediately escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. We guarantee the FREE FLOW OF ENERGY in the WORLD under any circumstances.”
Thus, Trump is prepared to deploy the military to maintain stable oil prices. Trade expert Gerrit Heineman (Hochschule Niederrhein) warns of a possible sharp rise in inflation if the situation does not change: “Every day of the Hormuz blockade increases the likelihood of double-digit inflation.” Rising fuel prices will inevitably lead to increased costs for many goods.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime corridor between Iran and Oman, is a key route for about 20% of global oil supplies and significant volumes of liquefied natural gas. At its narrowest point, it is only 33 km wide, and the blockage of this route immediately reflects on international oil prices.
The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury accused the Spanish authorities of threatening behavior towards Americans.
Scott Bessent stated in an interview with CNBC that any actions that hinder the ability of the U.S. to conduct operations against Iran “as quickly and efficiently as possible” jeopardize the safety of American citizens.
“President Trump has every reason to be dissatisfied with the Spanish government, as they are exhibiting extremely inadequate behavior. Spain is the only NATO member that is not fulfilling its obligations; this is called ‘free-riding’…
Every delay in our ability to conduct this operation endangers the lives of Americans. The Spanish authorities are endangering the lives of U.S. citizens,” Bessent noted.
The U.S. Secretary of Defense announced the sinking of an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean.
According to him, the destruction of the Iranian submarine was carried out by the U.S.
The Iranian frigate was sunk in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka, resulting in the disappearance of more than 100 people.
The U.S. Secretary of Defense added that his country and Israel are just beginning to attack Iran, and more waves of such operations can be expected in the future.
He also emphasized that the U.S. will use an unlimited number of precision-guided gravity bombs.
Hegset noted that American and Israeli forces plan to establish “full control over Iranian airspace” within the coming days, less than a week after the conflict began.
The head of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hakan Fidan, protested to Iran over the launch of a ballistic missile into Turkish airspace, according to Anadolu.
Fidan made this statement during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Araqchi, urging to avoid actions that could lead to an escalation of the conflict.
Earlier, the Turkish Ministry of Defense reported that NATO systems intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran, and the downed missile fell in the Dortyol area of Turkey, near the Mediterranean Sea, causing no damage.
What is happening with some regional airlines?
- Air Arabia has suspended flights to and from the UAE until March 9.
- SriLankan Airlines reported the resumption of flights to Dubai.
- Gulf Air has also temporarily suspended its flights at least until March 5.
- Qatar Airways announced a temporary suspension of flights, with additional information to be available on March 6.
After the destruction of Iranian air defense systems, the U.S. will be able to save on expensive precision munitions and replace them with guided gravity bombs, said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Keen.
According to him, this will help accelerate the already deployed air campaign.
“We are attacking Iranian ballistic missile systems to eliminate the threat they pose to American forces and interests in the region,” Keen stated.
“Secondly, we are destroying the naval fleet, reducing its potential and capabilities for operations worldwide.”
“And, thirdly, we are ensuring that Iran cannot quickly restore its combat capability, and these phases will continue throughout the campaign,” he added.
The next step, according to Keen, will be “to expand the operation into the country, with a gradual advance deeper into Iranian territory and increasing freedom of action for American troops.”
In his 10-minute televised address, Sánchez mentioned the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the conflict in Iraq that occurred over 20 years ago, emphasizing that the position of the Spanish government is “no to war.”
Trump threatened to impose a full-scale trade embargo against Spain in response to Madrid's refusal to grant the U.S. access to jointly managed bases in Morón and Rota for attacks on Iran.
“The situation in Spain is terrible,” Trump noted during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday.
In his televised address from the residence in La Moncloa the following day, Sánchez stated that the government is considering measures to mitigate the conflict's impact on Spaniards.
“It’s not about whose side we are on—no one is on our side. The question is whether we support peace and international legality.”
Sánchez, a socialist, explained that his position is similar to his views on Ukraine and Gaza. He actively criticizes Israel's military actions in response to Hamas attacks in 2023.
Spain has been one of the most open countries in Europe regarding the Gaza conflict, calling Israel's actions “genocide” and recognizing the existence of a Palestinian state earlier than many other EU countries.
This position aligns with the views of his leftist coalition partners and, in general, Spain's attitude towards the Middle East.
Recalling the invasion of Iraq in 2003, which he said did not achieve its goals and worsened the living conditions of ordinary people, he warned that attacks on Iran could have similar economic consequences for millions.
The mention of the Iraq war may resonate with many Spanish voters, as the support of the conservative People's Party (PP) government at that time was extremely unpopular and led to mass protests against the war.
Many believe this also played a key role in the unexpected victory of the Socialist Party in the March 2004 elections, shortly after the Madrid bombings.
Sánchez reminded of the “Azores trio,” consisting of U.S. President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Spanish leader José María Aznar, who met at a Spanish base shortly before the invasion of Iraq.
He stated that they brought Europeans a “gift” in the form of “a more unstable world and deteriorating quality of life.”
The position of the Spanish Prime Minister sharply contrasts with Merz's viewpoint, who stated in an interview with German television that regime change in Iran “could somewhat improve the situation in the world,” although he also added that it “comes with risks, and we will have to bear the consequences.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) today issued an official statement regarding the seventeenth wave of Operation “Truthful Promise-4,” carried out a few hours ago.
The statement said that during this operation, more than 40 missiles were launched by the IRGC Aerospace Forces at U.S. and Israeli targets.
Russia is ready to redirect oil to India to compensate for supply disruptions from the Middle East — Reuters.
According to Reuters, about 9.5 million barrels of Russian oil are on tankers near Indian waters and could arrive within a few weeks. This could quickly improve the situation at oil refineries.
India is vulnerable to supply disruptions, as its oil reserves are only enough for 25 days, and refineries have similarly limited stocks of gasoil, gasoline, and liquefied gas. A source in the Indian government reported that New Delhi is seeking alternative supply sources, preparing for a possible continuation of the conflict in the Middle East for more than 10–15 days.
About 40% of India’s oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The near-total closure of this route has forced the world’s third-largest oil consumer to seek alternatives.
According to an industry source, Russia is ready to meet up to 40% of India’s crude oil needs.
Indian oil refining companies maintain constant contact with traders selling Russian oil; however, any increase in supplies from Moscow will depend on government directives, as trade negotiations with the U.S. continue.
A source from the agency also reported that Russia is ready to sell liquefied natural gas to India after Qatar suspended production on Monday.
The record “Trump threatens to send military to the Strait of Hormuz to unblock it. What else has happened in Iran?” was first published on K-News.
