US Labels Hormuz Mission ‘Humanitarian’, Cites Impact on India’s Cooking Gas

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday (local time) called the ongoing US-led naval operations a "humanitarian effort" aimed at safeguarding critical global supply chains, including liquified petroleum gas (LPG) vital for daily cooking in India.Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Bessent said the disruption in Hormuz threatens not just oil flows but essential goods for vulnerable populations worldwide. "This is a humanitarian effort... it's not only energy that's in there, it's fertiliser, it's food transport, it's LPG for the more than the billion-plus people in India use to cook," he said.Beseent also urged China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz while accusing Beijing of "funding" Iran through energy purchases."Iran is the largest

state sponsor of terrorism, and China has been buying 90 per cent of their energy, so they are funding the largest state sponsor of terrorism," he told Fox News.Despite the accusation, Bessent called on Beijing to play a constructive role, particularly ahead of US President Donald Trump's expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week.

"The attacks from Iran have closed the Strait. We are reopening it. So I would urge the Chinese to join us in supporting this international operation," he said, adding, "Let's see them step up with some diplomacy and get the Iranians to open the strait."