Trump urges UK & allies to send warships to strait of Hormuz

Donald Trump has urged the UK and other nations to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, to help secure the key shipping route out of the Middle East. The US president said he hoped China, France, Japan and South Korea would also send ships to the passage, where a number of tankers are said to have been attacked, since the US and Israel mounted their war against Iran a fortnight ago. Responding to Trump's comments, the UK Ministry of Defence said it was discussing "a range of options, to ensure the security of shipping in the region" with allies. Tehran has said it will keep blocking the strait - the world's busiest oil shipping channel, through which about 20% of world oil supplies usually pass. Its effective closure, as well as strikes on shipping and energy infrastructure since the war started, has led to a huge rise in global oil prices.