- By Aditya Jha
- Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:24 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Iran War 2026: The war between Iran and the joint forces of Israel and US entered its 14th day on March 13, with no immediate signs of peace in the Middle East. The tensions began with the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier on February 28. Iran, in its retaliation, has attacked the prominent cities of Israel and US bases in the Arab nations, causing severe damage. The crude ship movement through the Strait of Hormuz has also been affected, leading to surge in oil prices, especially in the Asian countries.
US President Donald Trump has assured that America can escort the ships through the critical chokepoint "if needed". However, the military experts have pointed out that the region offers major challenges. General Dan Caine of the US Air Force, who is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that passing the ships through Hormoz will not be easy.
"It's a tactically complex environment. Before, I think, we want to take anything through there at scale, we want to make sure that we do the work pursuant to our current military objectives," Caine asserted. However, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent had also assured that the US Navy will soon be able to escort the ships safely.
"My belief that as soon as it is militarily possible, the US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will be escorting vessels through," Bessent told the Sky News. His statement came after some reports suggested that Iran was hiding mines in the critical region, leading to panic among the stakeholders.
However, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth clarified that there were no evidence of any deployment of mines. "We've heard them talk about it just like you've reported recklessly and wildly about it. But we have no clear evidence of that," Hegseth told the reporters.