American President Donald Trump claimed the US can "easily" open the Strait of Hormuz, which would bring enormous economic benefit to the world. On Truth Social he wrote: "With a little more time, we can easily open the Strait of Hormuz, take the oil and get rich. That would be a great benefit for the world."

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategic waterway through which approximately one fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas typically transits. Since the war with Iran began in late February, maritime traffic through the strait has largely halted, causing oil prices to surge.

Currently, only a small number of vessels pass through daily - mainly from Iran, the UAE, India, China, and Saudi Arabia. According to Kpler analysis, in March only 225 cargo ships passed through - a drop of 93 percent compared to the pre-war period.