US President Donald Trump on Monday criticised allied nations for their lukewarm response to Washington’s call for help in protecting shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing US war with Iran.

Speaking to reporters after a consultative meeting at the White House, Trump said the United States had spent decades defending its partners but was now receiving little support in return.

“For 40 years, we’re protecting you, and you don’t want to get involved,” Trump told reporters.

“We strongly encourage the other nations to get involved with us and get involved quickly and with great enthusiasm,” he added.

The US president said countries whose oil shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz should step forward and play a greater role in securing the vital waterway, noting that only about one percent of US oil supplies pass through the route.

Trump’s remarks came as tensions in the region continued to escalate and the waterway, through which a significant portion of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments pass, remained under threat.

During the press conference, Trump also claimed that US forces had inflicted severe damage on Iran’s military capabilities during recent operations.

He said American strikes had targeted Iran’s defence systems, radar networks and senior military leadership.

According to Trump, about 95 per cent of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers had been destroyed.

The US president further claimed that more than 7,000 military targets inside Iran had been hit during the campaign.

He also said that more than 100 Iranian naval vessels and 30 naval fleets, including boats used to deploy sea mines, had been sunk during the operation.

Trump confirmed that Iranian oil facilities had been struck and asserted that Tehran’s ability to launch missiles had now been “almost eliminated”.

Highlighting the United States’ energy position, Trump said the country had become the world’s top oil producer and had secured millions of additional barrels of oil supply from Venezuela.

He added that Washington was holding discussions with several countries aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while insisting that the United States was rapidly achieving its defence objectives in the conflict.