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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 12, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, March 12, 2026
US military ‘not ready’ to escort tankers through Hormuz Strait, says energy secretary
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A navy vessel is seen sailing in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which much of the world's oil and gas passes on March 1, 2026. (Sahar Al Attar/AFP)
The US military is currently “not ready” to escort tankers through the critical Strait of Hormuz because all its assets are focused on striking Iran, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright says.
“It’ll happen relatively soon, but it can’t happen now. We’re simply not ready,” Wright tells CNBC. “All of our military assets right now are focused on destroying Iran’s offensive capabilities and the manufacturing industry that supplies their offensive capabilities.”
He adds that it is “quite likely” such escorts will be taking place by the end of the month.
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