Frankfurt (Germany), 17 Oct. (LaPresse) – The White House has suspended attacks on Iranian anti-ship missiles and drone launch platforms in the Strait of Hormuz to prevent an escalation of the conflict ahead of the mid-term elections on 3 November. This was reported by Axios, citing a US official, who stated that the decision had encouraged Tehran to step up attacks on commercial vessels in an attempt to drive up oil prices and increase pressure on President Donald Trump. According to the commander of US Central Command (Centcom), Admiral Brad Cooper, nearly 400 commercial vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last seven days, whilst US forces have helped transport over 100 million barrels of oil from the Gulf states in the past week. As reported by Axios, the US administration fears that Iranian attacks could prompt shipping companies to avoid the strait, reducing oil flows and causing a sharp rise in prices. Trump had already announced that the United States would not attack Iran before the mid-term elections.
Iran, Axios: ‘US suspends raids targeting missiles and drones in the Strait of Hormuz’
Frankfurt (Germany), 17 Oct. (LaPresse) – The White House has suspended attacks on Iranian anti-ship missiles and drone launch platforms in the Strait of Hormuz to prevent an escalation of the conflict ahead of the mid-term elections on 3 November. This was reported by Axios, citing a US official, who stated that the decision had encouraged Tehran to step up attacks on commercial vessels in an attempt to drive up oil prices and increase pressure on President Donald Trump. According to the commander of US Central Command (Centcom), Admiral Brad Cooper, nearly 400 commercial vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last seven days, whilst US forces have helped transport over 100 million barrels of oil from the Gulf states in the past week. As reported by Axios, the US administration fears that Iranian attacks could prompt shipping companies to avoid the strait, reducing oil flows and causing a sharp rise in prices. Trump had already announced that the United States would not attack Iran before the mid-term elections.