US President Donald Trump said he has demanded about seven countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as Iranian strikes kept slamming into Gulf countries Monday.
Trump has said the US is negotiating with countries heavily reliant on Middle East crude to join a coalition to police the waterway where about one-fifth the world's traded oil normally flows. But European countries demanded to know when the conflict might end as they weighed whether to agree to his call to send warships for that effort.
Also Monday, the US and Israel pummeled military targets in Iran's capital, Israel stepped up its campaign against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon and Iran retaliated with a drone strike that caused no injuries but temporarily forced the closure of Dubai's airport, a crucial travel hub. The strike on a fuel tank started a fire that was quickly contained.
Tehran, meanwhile, accused the US without evidence of using "ports, docks and hideouts" in the United Arab Emirates to launch strikes on Kharg Island, home to the main terminal handling Iran's oil exports evidence Brent crude oil was trading near $105 per barrel Monday.
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