South Korea announced plans on November 5, 2026, to expand its anti-piracy Cheonghae naval unit's operations closer to the Strait of Hormuz, deploying patrol aircraft and explosive ordnance disposal teams off Oman. The decision follows pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for assistance in the U.S.-Iran war, which has severely disrupted Middle East oil shipments. President Lee Jae Myung maintains the mission is non-combat and strictly intended to safeguard economic interests and energy routes.
Cheonghae unit operational expansion details
- ▪South Korea's Defence Ministry announced on November 5, 2026, that it plans to expand the operational area of its anti-piracy Cheonghae naval unit to open waters near the Strait of Hormuz, specifically near the port of Duqm in Oman
- ▪A South Korean defence ministry official stated on November 5, 2026, that the Cheonghae unit's reinforcement near Oman is strictly non-combat, will operate independently of allied forces, and will be prohibited from targeting or monitoring Iranian territory
- ▪South Korea's Cheonghae unit's expanded mission near the Strait of Hormuz includes deploying a destroyer, a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, an explosive ordnance disposal team, unmanned surface vehicles, unmanned underwater vehicles, and remotely operated vehicles for underwater exploration
Economic justification and procedural requirements
- ▪Extending South Korea's Cheonghae unit's Middle East deployment past its expiration at the end of 2026 requires submitting a motion to the South Korean parliament for legislative approval
- ▪South Korea's government motion to expand the Cheonghae unit's operational area to waters near Oman requires approval from President Lee Jae Myung and the South Korean cabinet
- ▪A South Korean defence ministry official stated on November 5, 2026, that enhancing the Cheonghae unit's mission near the Strait of Hormuz aims to protect South Korean citizens and safeguard national economic interests
Disruptions to Strait of Hormuz shipping
- ▪Tehran stated that four oil tankers were destroyed in the Strait of Hormuz after striking maritime mines
- ▪The U.S.-Iran war that began on February 28, 2026, disrupted commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime chokepoint carrying about one-fifth of global oil supplies
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