US-backed pipeline proposal targets global reliance on Strait of Hormuz amid Iran threats

A caller U.S.-backed connection to build a web of overland power pipelines bypassing nan Strait of Hormuz is gaining attraction arsenic tensions successful nan region expose a captious vulnerability successful nan world power system.

A argumentation memo reviewed by Fox News Digital outlines nan concept, known arsenic "ARAM Express," a projected consortium betwixt nan United States and Gulf partners to create a multidirectional overland web for oil, state and petrochemicals, originating pinch Richard Goldberg of nan Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

The scheme envisions pipelines extending westward to nan Red Sea and Mediterranean, arsenic good arsenic confederate routes toward nan Arabian Sea, creating aggregate export pathways that would trim reliance connected nan strait, done which astir one-third of nan world’s seaborne lipid presently flows.

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USS George H.W. Bush transits nan Arabian Sea arsenic U.S. forces enforce a naval blockade against Iran and support Project Freedom successful nan Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. Central Command. (Fox News)

The connection would trust connected wide world participation, pinch European and Asian buyers investing successful infrastructure and securing semipermanent proviso agreements.

"European buyers are hopeless for semipermanent proviso resilience, and Asian customers are arsenic exposed," Goldberg said. "Even China cannot tolerate nan consequence of a sustained disruption."

The push comes arsenic Iran’s threats to commercialized shipping and ongoing U.S. efforts to unafraid nan waterway nether President Donald Trump’s "Project Freedom" item nan risks posed by a azygous chokepoint to world power flows.

Roughly one-third of nan world’s seaborne lipid passes done nan constrictive waterway, making it a captious artery for world markets. With Iran threatening shipping and U.S. forces now guiding vessels done nan strait nether President Donald Trump’s "Project Freedom," nan White House is framing nan situation successful world terms. 

"The President will not let Iran to clasp nan world system hostage and undermine nan free travel of energy," said White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, describing nan motorboat of "Project Freedom" arsenic a humanitarian effort to reconstruct navigation done nan strait.

That framing aligns pinch a increasing position among U.S. officials and analysts that nan consequence is not only contiguous but besides structural.

U.S. Ambassador to nan United Nations Mike Waltz signaled that Washington’s partners are already looking beyond nan strait itself.

"I cognize our Gulf partners and allies are earnestly reasoning done that," Waltz told Fox News Digital erstwhile asked astir semipermanent alternatives during a convention telephone pinch reporters Monday.

"I cognize they’re looking astatine further alternatives to frankly diversify their pathways and diversify their economies," he added.

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The surge successful location piracy consequence is exacerbated by nan volatility of nan Strait of Hormuz arsenic Iranian-backed threats persist successful nan Persian Gulf and world power flows are shifting. (Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Cassandra Thompson/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

A vulnerability years successful nan making

The thought that Hormuz represents a structural weakness is not new. But until now, it has mostly been tolerated, pinch world markets relying connected stableness successful nan Gulf to support power flowing.

That presumption is now nether strain.

Even pinch U.S. naval powerfulness deployed to unafraid nan waterway, nan existent situation has highlighted really quickly disruption, aliases moreover nan threat of it, tin ripple done world proviso chains.

"This isn’t conscionable a semipermanent thought anymore," said Rich Goldberg of nan Foundation for Defense of Democracies deliberation tank. "There is simply a existent threat to nan Strait of Hormuz that isn’t going distant truthful agelong arsenic nan regime successful Tehran remains."

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The connection would trust connected wide world participation, pinch European and Asian buyers investing successful infrastructure and securing semipermanent proviso agreements. (U.S. Central Command)

Saudi Arabia: Building astir nan risk

Saudi Arabia stands retired arsenic nan state among Gulf states that has invested astir heavy successful reducing reliance connected Hormuz.

Its East-West pipeline allows crude lipid to recreation from eastbound fields connected nan Gulf to nan Red Sea larboard of Yanbu, bypassing nan strait entirely. From there, shipments tin move toward Europe, Africa and Asia without entering nan chokepoint.

"Saudi Arabia has treated nan Strait of Hormuz consequence pinch planning, not panic," said Salman Al-Ansari, a Saudi geopolitical analyst.

"The East-West pipeline is strategical insurance," he told Fox News Digital, "A Hormuz closure would beryllium disruptive, but not paralyzing. Saudi Arabia has spent years reducing that vulnerability, and coming it is uniquely positioned to sorb shocks and support world flows moving."

Al-Ansari based on that nan kingdom’s strategy goes beyond power exports, positioning nan state arsenic a broader logistics hub.

"Ports, pipelines, onshore bridges, retention and Red Sea entree are each portion of 1 Saudi contingency architecture," he said.

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The scheme envisions pipelines extending westward to nan Red Sea and Mediterranean, arsenic good arsenic confederate routes toward nan Arabian Sea, creating aggregate export pathways that would trim reliance connected nan strait, done which astir one-third of nan world’s seaborne lipid presently flows. (Fadel Senna / AFP via Getty Images)

UAE and nan fragmentation of nan Gulf model

Saudi Arabia is not nan only subordinate adapting. 

The United Arab Emirates besides has developed replacement export capacity done its pipeline to Fujairah, extracurricular nan Strait of Hormuz.

At nan aforesaid time, immoderate analysts reason that caller location dynamics constituent to a deeper shift, 1 that goes beyond infrastructure and into nan governmental building of nan Gulf itself.

Yonatan Adiri, an Israeli entrepreneur and erstwhile advisor to erstwhile Israeli President Shimon Peres, said nan accepted exemplary of a unified Gulf power strategy centered connected Hormuz is opening to break down.

"The full statement … it’s starting to expire," Adiri said, referring to nan long-standing reliance connected nan strait arsenic a cardinal artery for Gulf exports. 

He pointed to emerging economical and geopolitical realignments, including new corridors and shifting alliances, that are fragmenting nan region’s accepted power architecture.

"The UAE stepping distant from OPEC is not conscionable astir accumulation policy," Adiri said, referring to nan country’s determination to time off nan Organization of nan Petroleum Exporting Countries effective May 1, 2026. "It reflects a broader displacement toward an independent strategy — building its ain routes, partnerships and leverage alternatively than relying connected a corporate system."

These changes are driven successful portion by broader world competition, according to Adiri, peculiarly efforts by nan United States and its partners to antagonistic China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

"The full strategy is being rethought," he said, describing a displacement toward diversified routes that trim reliance connected azygous choke points.

WHY GULF STATES AREN’T JOINING THE WAR AGAINST IRAN — DESPITE ATTACKS ON THEIR SOIL

Cargo ships are anchored successful nan Gulf adjacent nan Strait of Hormuz arsenic seen from bluish Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, March 11, 2026. (Reuters/Stringer/File Photo/File Photo)

Uneven vulnerability crossed nan Gulf

Despite these developments, not each Gulf states are arsenic prepared.

"If you’re Kuwait, you’re successful a world of hurt," Goldberg said, pointing to countries that deficiency meaningful alternatives to maritime exports.

Qatar, 1 of nan world’s largest exporters of liquefied earthy gas, remains heavy limited connected nan strait, pinch constricted options to reroute proviso if shipping is disrupted.

This uneven vulnerability could reshape location dynamics, giving countries pinch replacement routes greater resilience and leverage successful early crises.

Political limits and semipermanent questions

While nan method lawsuit for replacement routes is increasing stronger, governmental constraints remain.

One of nan astir delicate issues is whether early corridors could impact Israel, moreover indirectly.

"As for routes involving Israel, moreover indirectly, nan authorities are highly difficult nether existent circumstances," Al-Ansari said. "I genuinely do not spot it happening now."

At nan aforesaid time, he suggested that specified practice could go much realistic successful nan early nether different governmental conditions.

A strategy successful transition

For now, nan U.S. and its friends stay focused connected stabilizing nan contiguous business successful nan Strait of Hormuz, ensuring that ships tin walk safely and world markets proceed to function.

But arsenic tensions persist, nan existent situation is forcing a broader reassessment.

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While nan method lawsuit for replacement routes is increasing stronger, governmental constraints remain. (Altaf Qadri/The Associated Press )

The mobility is nary longer conscionable really to unafraid nan strait, but whether nan world power strategy tin spend to dangle connected it to nan grade it has for decades.

If nan existent trajectory continues, Hormuz whitethorn stay critical, but nary longer dominant, experts argue, arsenic countries put successful caller routes, caller partnerships and a much diversified power map.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Saudi Arabia and nan UAE for remark but did not person a consequence successful clip for publication.