Shipping firms question safety in strait of Hormuz despite Trump plan

President says US navy will ‘guide’ stranded ships out of waterway but report says warship was hit by Iran

• Middle East crisis – live updates

The world’s shipping industry has questioned if vessels will be able to travel safely to and from the Gulf after Donald Trump announced his latest plan to open the strait of Hormuz.

The US president wrote on Monday that the navy would “guide” stranded ships out of the waterway, writing on his social media site Truth Social that the operation, “Project Freedom”, would be a humanitarian gesture “on behalf of the United States, Middle Eastern Countries but, in particular, the Country of Iran”.