Donald Trump launched another scathing attack on the UK over the Iran war, telling Britain and other countries who are not doing more to support the US war effort to “go get your own oil” and secure the Strait of Hormuz themselves.
In a fresh tirade against the UK and other allies over a refusal to join the US-Israeli offensive, the US President also warned the countries to “start learning how to fight for yourself” because America “won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us.”
“Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”, he wrote on his Truth Social social media platform.
Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, reiterated Trump’s comments, calling on “countries around the world … to be prepared” to join the mission to reopen the waterway.
“It’s not just the US navy, last time I checked there was meant to be a big, bad Royal Navy to help as well,” he said in an apparent mocking of the British armed forces.
The latest US attacks on Britain’s response to the war comes after Sir Keir Starmer repeated his pledge to not involve the UK in a potential ground invasion of Iran.
The comments also came in the wake of reports in the Wall Street Journal that Trump would be willing to end the US military campaign even if Iran maintains its stranglehold over the strait, a vital shipping route for global oil and gas supplies.
Iran's effective blockade of Hormuz and its attacks on the Gulf states have pushed up global energy prices.
The global benchmark brent crude oil price hit $119 (£90) per barrel on Tuesday, close to its highest since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran.
Rising oil and gas prices are hitting UK consumers. The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the Cobra crisis committee on Tuesday to consider the impact on households and the wider economy from soaring energy costs.
President Trump wrote in his post: “All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.
“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil! President DJT.”
The President's comments came less than an hour before Buckingham Palace announced the King and Queen will make a state visit to the US in late April, giving an indication of the diplomatic tensions Charles and Camilla will have to navigate during the visit.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey later announced Britain plans to send additional air defence equipment and troops to help its allies in the Middle East as as he visited Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.
Sir Keir said ministers will look at "making sure that everything that we need to have in place" to respond to the looming economic crisis sparked by the Iran war is set up.
Average energy bills are forecast to rise by £288 from July as soaring wholesale costs caused by conflict in the Middle East are set to push up Ofgem's price cap.
Cornwall Insight said its prediction for the watchdog's price cap from July to September now stands at £1,929 for a typical dual fuel household - an increase of £288 or 18 per cent on April's cap.
Motorists are already counting the cost of the war, with drivers paying £544 million extra for fuel since the US-Israeli bombing campaign began.
UK airlines are not experiencing disruption to their supply of jet fuel, industry association Airlines UK said.
A spokesperson said: "UK airlines are currently not seeing disruption to jet fuel supply and continue to engage with fuel suppliers and Government to monitor the situation.”
However the last shipment of jet fuel in transit from the Middle East to the UK is due to arrive this week, according to data firm Vortexa.
In the latest sign of the risk to shipping in the region a Kuwaiti oil tanker a loaded Kuwaiti crude oil tanker was struck in an Iranian attack while anchored off Dubai, officials said, with the warning of a potential environmental catastrophe.
President Trump posted a video on Truth Social showing a large explosion in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the post included no caption, and it remains unconfirmed whether the footage depicts the fire onboard the Kuwaiti oil tanker.
Authorities said the vessel sustained hull damage after being hit, sparking a fire and raising concerns over a potential oil spill.
Emergency crews have since brought the blaze under control and are assessing the extent of the damage.
The incident marks the latest escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
The Kuwaiti Petroleum Company said the tanker, Al Salmi, was fully loaded.
The vessel is huge, with a capacity of two billion barrels, so if an oil spill did occur the environmental impact would be catastrophic.
However, in an update on Tuesday morning, the Dubai media office confirmed there had been no leakage from the Kuwaiti crude oil tanker.
“Dubai authorities confirm that response teams have successfully contained the incident involving the Kuwaiti oil tanker in Dubai waters, with no oil leakage and no injuries reported,” it said on X.
No injuries were reported in the blaze and all 24 crew members are safe, authorities confirmed.
