US Navy Faces Mounting Risks in Hormuz

The US Navy has stated it cannot currently provide escorts for vessels through the Strait of Hormuz due to threats from Iran's Revolutionary Guards. This decision follows warnings that any ship attempting to transit the waterway would be targeted. On March 11, 2026, a Thai-flagged cargo ship, the Mayuree Naree, was struck by a projectile and set ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz. The ship was traveling to Kandla, India, after departing from Khalifa Port in the UAE. Twenty of the crew members were rescued and taken to Oman, but three remain unaccounted for. The UKMTO reported projectiles also hit two other vessels: the Japan-flagged container ship One Majesty and the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Star Gwyneth. These attacks have heightened concerns about maritime security in the Strait, a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas flows. US Central Command reported destroying 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels on March 10, 2026, after Iran initiated mine warfare operations. The US military released footage of the strikes.