Singapore activates ministerial crisis committee amid Middle East energy disruption

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong warned on Thursday, 2 April 2026, of "severe consequences" should energy sources and supply routes in the Middle East remain constrained over an extended period, announcing the activation of a high-level ministerial crisis committee to coordinate a national response.

The announcement came hours after United States President Donald Trump delivered a primetime national address from the White House marking one month since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began on 28 February 2026.

Speaking for 19 minutes, Trump pledged two to three further weeks of intensive military action, declaring the campaign's core objectives were "nearing completion" while simultaneously vowing to "hit them extremely hard" in the weeks ahead.

Oil prices surged sharply in response to Trump's address. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures for May rose 4.1 per cent to US$104.21 per barrel. International benchmark Brent crude futures for June climbed 5 per cent to US$106.42 per barrel. Since the conflict began, oil prices have risen by more than 60 per cent overall.

How the conflict began

Operation Epic Fury was launched on 28 February 2026, when US and Israeli forces conducted a massive coordinated strike campaign against Iran. The opening wave killed Iran's then-supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with dozens of senior officials, according to reporting by Le Monde.

The strikes came despite active diplomatic efforts. On 25 February 2026, Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi had described a historic agreement to avert conflict as "within reach." Omani foreign minister Badr Al-Busaidi said on 27 February that a breakthrough had been reached and Iran had agreed to full International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verification.

Those talks collapsed when the strikes began. Iran responded with large-scale missile and drone barrages targeting US embassies and military installations across the Gulf, including in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, and Jordan.

Iran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, effectively halting the transit of approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and gas flows. Traffic through the strait has not resumed since.

Trump's claims and threats

In his Wednesday address, Trump characterised the results of the past month in sweeping terms, claiming Iran's navy had been destroyed, its air force left "in ruins," and most of its senior leadership killed. He said the command and control structure of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was being "decimated."

He acknowledged that 13 American military personnel had been killed in the operation, framing their deaths as a sacrifice to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

In remarks that drew international attention, Trump threatened to strike Iran's electricity-generating facilities if a negotiated settlement was not reached. Attacks on civilian energy infrastructure are widely considered prohibited under international humanitarian law.

Trump also directed countries dependent on Gulf oil to deploy their own forces to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Contradictory signals on ceasefire

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had requested a ceasefire, briefly raising market hopes and sending oil prices lower.

Iran's foreign ministry swiftly denied the claim, saying Tehran had made no such request and accusing Washington of advancing "maximalist and irrational" demands. The IRGC Navy said the Strait remained "decisively and dominantly" under its control.

Political risk analyst Giles Alston of Oxford Analytica told CNBC on Thursday, 2 April, that tanker traffic through the Strait was unlikely to resume in the near term, adding that Washington had "largely washed its hands" of responsibility for restoring safe passage.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy offered a blunt assessment of the speech on the social media platform X, writing that no one watching the address could tell whether Trump was escalating or de-escalating, adding: "But to be fair, neither does he."

Singapore's exposure and immediate response

It is in this context that Wong issued his warning. Asia, including Singapore, is particularly exposed to the disruption, given that a substantial share of energy supplies bound for the region had previously transited the Strait of Hormuz.

Wong confirmed the activation of the Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee, chaired by Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam and advised by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong. The committee has begun updating contingency plans and developing new ones in response to what Wong described as "unprecedented developments."

Established after the SARS outbreak, the committee forms part of Singapore's broader crisis management framework. It provides strategic and political guidance during major national emergencies, with the aim of maintaining normalcy across ministries and agencies as far as possible.

Wong said Singapore has so far managed immediate disruptions, with refineries scaling back production and firms sourcing supplies from beyond the Middle East. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) importers are also securing alternative sources globally.

Longer-term resilience measures

The government is deepening longer-term energy partnerships, including with Australia, which already supplies more than one-third of Singapore's LNG. It is also working with New Zealand to ensure supply lines for essential goods and food remain open during crises.

Households and businesses can expect additional support as energy prices rise. Budget measures such as additional U-Save rebates are being rolled out, with further enhancements and earlier disbursements planned. Targeted support will be extended to sectors more severely affected, with full details to be announced in parliament next week.

Wong cautioned that even a near-term ceasefire would not immediately resolve the supply crisis. Damaged infrastructure means constraints and elevated prices could persist for months following any cessation of hostilities.

"We are entering a more uncertain and unstable phase, with wide-ranging implications for regional security and global energy flows," Wong said. "More worrying still is the possibility of a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as other key shipping routes in the region, including the Red Sea."

Call for collective effort

Wong called on businesses and households to conserve energy and reduce unnecessary consumption, stressing that national resilience depends on collective action alongside government measures.

Drawing on Singapore's management of past shocks — including the Asian financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic — Wong expressed confidence in the country's capacity to navigate the current disruption.

"We have built strong foundations — sound finances, diversified supply chains, a strong tripartite partnership, and a cohesive society," he said. "These are not abstract strengths. They are what will carry us through."