The consequences of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz may be felt before the end of the year. What the media is writing
- Новости
- World
- The consequences of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz may be felt before the end of the year. What the media is writing
The United States and Iran are at an impasse over the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Against this background, the head of the US Navy, John Phelan, was dismissed. The United States intercepts Iranian oil tankers, and Iran, in turn, threatens and partially restricts the passage of ships through the strait. At the same time, US allies are preparing for possible mine clearance operations, but the clearance of the Strait of Hormuz may take up to six months, which delays the crisis and its consequences. What the foreign media write about the situation around the strait is in the Izvestia digest.
The Military Times: The Pentagon announced the resignation of the head of the naval forces
On Wednesday, April 23, Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell announced that Navy Commander-in-Chief John Phelan was leaving his post, and the decision was "effective immediately." The acting commander-in-chief will be replaced by his deputy, Hong Cao, a former candidate for the Virginia State Senate and a veteran of special operations.
The Guardian
Although the Pentagon did not specify a reason for such a move in its initial statement, a senior administration official told the Military Times that “President Trump and Secretary of State Hegseth agreed that the Navy needs new leadership.”
"Secretary Hegseth informed John Phelan of this news before it was made public," the Pentagon spokesman said. At the same time, just the day before, Phelan spoke with reporters at a media roundtable about the priorities of the Navy and talked about the importance of shipbuilding, since, according to the defense budget for 2027, the service plans to double its requests for ships.
Politico: British divers are preparing for mine clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz
British military divers are preparing for possible mine clearance operations in the Strait of Hormuz. The UK also confirmed its readiness to provide autonomous minesweepers as part of a potential multinational mission to ensure the safety of navigation in the Strait.
Politico
The United Kingdom and France jointly organized a series of meetings aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and reducing the economic pressure caused by its closure. However, countries disagree about the role of the United States in this area. At the same time, the White House insists that it does not need European help.
The situation around the strait remains tense: the United States has extended the ceasefire, while maintaining the blockade. Iran, in turn, refused to continue negotiations until it was lifted and has already seized two foreign vessels passing through the strait. The UK stresses that the possible deployment of its forces will depend on the stability of the truce, but at the same time it is stepping up preparations for the operation.
Al Arabiya: US intercepted three Iranian oil tankers in Asian waters
The United States has diverted at least three Iranian tankers. Among them are the supertanker Deep Sea, partially loaded with oil, spotted off the coast of Malaysia; the tanker Sevin, filled to about 65%; and the fully loaded supertanker Dorena with 2 million barrels of oil, which was located off the southern coast of India.
Al Arabiya
Washington imposed a naval blockade on Iran's trade, while Iran opened fire on ships to prevent their passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Almost two months after the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran, there are few signs of a resumption of peace talks, despite the tense truce.
Since the beginning of the blockade, American forces have ordered a total of 29 ships to turn around or return to port. They try to conduct operations away from the Strait of Hormuz in order to reduce the risks associated with sea mines. In general, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted the supply of about a fifth of the world's oil and gas reserves and triggered a global energy crisis.
Al Jazeera: Iran blames Trump for diplomatic impasse over naval blockade
Iran has accused the United States of disrupting negotiations and escalating tensions, saying the diplomatic process has reached an impasse due to the American naval blockade and pressure. Tehran stressed that it does not intend to make concessions and calls the actions of Washington and Israel a form of "intimidation."
Al Jazeera
As the blockade continues and no new date has been set for negotiations, there is concern that the fighting could resume at any moment. Al Jazeera correspondent Ali Hashem, who is in Tehran, described the situation in Iran as uncertain and tense: the country is not formally engaged in active hostilities, but there is no full-fledged peace either.
The situation around the Strait of Hormuz remains a key factor in the conflict.: Iran uses its partial or complete closure as a response to the blockade and sanctions, which are already affecting global oil supplies. The United States, in turn, views the blockade as an instrument of pressure and declares its readiness to maintain a tough stance. The truce between the sides remains fragile and unstable: despite the formal ceasefire, the sides continue to accuse each other of violations and maintain military readiness.
The Washington Post: clearance of the Strait of Hormuz may take six months
The complete clearance of the Strait of Hormuz from mines laid by the Iranian military may take up to six months, and such an operation probably will not be carried out until the end of the US war with Iran, the Pentagon told Congress. This assessment means that the economic consequences of the conflict may persist until the end of the year or longer.
The Washington Post
A senior Defense official made the assessment Tuesday at a closed-door briefing for members of the House Armed Services Committee, three sources familiar with the discussion said. According to two of them, the timing caused discontent among both Democrats and Republicans. This is another sign that gasoline and oil prices may remain high for a long time, even after any peace agreement.
In addition to the economic consequences, such a scenario could have serious political consequences in the United States — especially for Republicans — as the November midterm elections approach. US President Donald Trump's decision to start a war turned out to be unpopular among the majority of Americans, recent polls show. It split his political base, which voted for him, partly because of his promises to avoid external military conflicts and focus on internal problems.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
