Barak Ravid
Seven U.S. allies announced in a joint statement on Thursday their support for a potential coalition to reopen the strait of Hormuz for commercial ships and oil tankers. Reality check: The statement does not include any commitment to send naval vessels or other resources to make that happen. For now, it's largely a gesture to placate President Trump, who has railed against allies for declining to help secure the strait and warned that a failure to do so could undermine the future of NATO.
Why it matters: The strait closure has become the main crisis for the White House in the war.As long as the Iranian blockade holds and Gulf oil remains trapped, President Trump can't end the war and declare victory even if he wants to.
Driving the news: The White House has been trying both military and diplomatic means to unlock the Hormuz crisis.The U.S. military is conducting strikes on Iranian anti-ship positions along the shores of the Strait of Hormuz to decimate Iran's ability to attack oil tankers.
Meanwhile, the White House and State Department have tried to build a coalition of countries to provide ships, other military assets and political backing for a mission to escort ships or otherwise provide a secure route for shipping in and out of the Gulf.
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