US Seeks Multinational Coalition to Restore Strait of Hormuz Shipping

The US is seeking to form a multinational coalition to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and has asked allies to join.

The Wall Street Journal reported on April 29 that the State Department, in an internal cable sent to embassies, formally requested participation in a multinational initiative called the Maritime Freedom Construct. The effort is aimed at ensuring vessel traffic through the strait through intelligence sharing, diplomatic coordination and sanctions enforcement.

The move comes as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have escalated and commercial shipping has been disrupted. Iran has restricted passage by laying mines and attacking oil tankers, while the US has maintained blockade measures on vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global crude shipments and has emerged as a key issue in negotiations between the US and Iran. With traffic through the waterway still unresolved, concerns over energy supplies are growing.

The US says the coalition would expand international participation in managing the strait and help restore freedom of navigation. In the cable, the State Department wrote that a joint response is essential to protect the global economy and impose tangible costs on Iran's attempts to control maritime traffic.