US Treasury Secretary stated in a CNBC interview on Monday that oil prices are "likely" to fall well below $80 per barrel in the coming months. He also pointed out a global supply deficit of 10 to 14 million barrels per day for Gulf crude oil.

The Secretary further emphasized that the US government has not yet intervened in the energy contract market and indicated that inflation expectations remain "well-anchored" at present. During his remarks, he also referenced US policy objectives towards Iran, stating that the current strategy aims to prevent the rebuilding of Iran's military capabilities.

These comments exerted some downward pressure on oil prices. International crude benchmarks turned lower, with Brent crude falling 0.06% and WTI crude dropping more than 1%.

Concurrently, a report from The Telegraph on the 16th cited data from maritime data analysis service company "Windward," showing that the number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz dropped to zero on the 14th. This marks the first occurrence since military actions were initiated by the US and Israel against Iran. Prior to the conflict, an average of 77 vessels passed through the strait daily.

As previously reported, a US-led plan to form a maritime coalition to patrol the Strait of Hormuz has encountered initial resistance.

According to reports, the US government intends to announce the formation of a so-called "护航联盟" for the Strait of Hormuz in the near future. The US administration has pressured seven allies reliant on Middle Eastern oil to join the proposed multinational patrol coalition. Warnings were issued that NATO would face a "very bad" future if allies did not act to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Citing US officials, The Wall Journal reported last Sunday that the White House plans to announce the formation of a multinational coalition as early as this week.

However, key allies have responded coolly. Japan and Australia have explicitly stated they currently have no plans to dispatch naval vessels. The UK also has no related deployments, France has refused to commit additional military forces, and Germany will not participate in international military operations to protect merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.