NEW YORK — The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a Bahrain-sponsored resolution aimed at protecting commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, diplomats said Friday, amid continued tensions in the Middle East.

Two diplomats said the vote by the council’s 15 members has been scheduled for Saturday morning, after being moved from Friday due to a UN holiday.

The draft resolution, finalized by Bahrain as the current council chair, would authorize “all defensive means necessary” to secure commercial vessels passing through the key shipping route. The authorization is proposed to last for at least six months or until the council decides otherwise.

However, China has voiced opposition to any provision allowing the use of force. Its UN envoy, Fu Cong, warned that such authorization could escalate tensions.

He said the move would be “legitimizing the unlawful and indiscriminate use of force, which would inevitably lead to further escalation of the situation and lead to serious consequences.”

The proposal comes as oil prices continue to rise following strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran in late February, which disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes.

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani earlier expressed hope for a unified position from the council, citing the need for a “decisive response” to threats against international navigation.

The measure is backed by Gulf Arab states, the United States, and the League of Arab States, whose secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit voiced support for the initiative.

A resolution requires at least nine votes in favor and no veto from the council’s five permanent members—the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom—to be adopted.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump said earlier this week that US attacks would continue, contributing to further concerns over the reopening of the Strait and pushing oil prices higher. — Reuters