Reuters: The U.S. Navy has refused near-daily requests from the shipping industry for military escorts through the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the war on Iran, saying the risk of attacks is too high for now

This is some great journalism coming out of Reuters despite Hegseth’s attempts to shut down war reporting. Per “three shipping industry sources familiar with ​the matter”:

* The USN is holding daily briefings with shipping corps.

* Requests for USN escorts from shipping corps are being made “almost daily.”

* **The USN has repeatedly rejected those requests because it doesn’t believe that it can provide those escorts safely.** I think this attests to the degraded security situation at the Strait of Hormuz, despite Trump’s claims that it’s under control.

Per Adel Bakawan, director of the European Institute for Studies on the Middle East and North Africa:

* “Neither France, the United States, an international coalition or anybody is in a ​position to secure the ⁠Strait of Hormuz”

Per a “maritime security source”:

* **Securing the strait is unlikely to be achieved with naval vessels and may require ground control of Iran’s coast.** “There ​are not enough naval vessels to do that and the risks remain high even with an escort. One ​or two vessels can be overwhelmed by a swarm (of fast boats or drones.)”

^(also “shipping corps” makes me think of EVE Online and now I have the itch again)

!ping MIDDLE-EAST&CONTAINERS&MILITARY

_ _ _ _ _ lied?

Someone message trump on truth social that the navy is refusing his orders

Is that not the Navy’s fucking job? Who is running this place