Oil tankers could be escorted through the Strait of Hormuz by the US navy to protect them from Iranian threats as the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate.
The narrow strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil and gas is transported, has become a bottleneck after Iran threatened to "set fire" to any ships attempting to pass through.
Lloyds List Intelligence suggests around 200 tankers are currently stranded in the Gulf.
The issue has been a major factor in oil prices soaring, with Brent crude trading at almost $84 per barrel on Tuesday.
In a bid to ease fears and restart the flow of oil, US president Donald Trump has now taken to social media to announce the US provide risk insurance "at a very reasonable price" to all shipping firms in the region to "ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD", the BBC reports.
He also vowed to use the military to escort vessels "if necessary... as soon as possible".
Meanwhile, the UK is sending Royal Navy warship the HMS Dragon to Cyprus to boost security around the RAF Akrotiri base.
Two Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters are also being sent to the base after its runway was struck by a drone earlier this week.
The Ministry of Defence has said UK forces have also shot down drones in Iraq, Jordan and Qatar.
The conflict continues to develop at pace, with live updates throughout the day available from the BBC here.