Overview
- After public appeals, Germany, France and the UK declined to join combat efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Japan, Australia and others also refusing to send warships.
- In an Oval Office exchange and subsequent posts, President Trump said the United States does not need allied help and mused about “finishing off” Iran while leaving Strait security to nations that rely on the route.
- U.S. Central Command confirmed strikes using multiple 5,000‑pound deep‑penetrator munitions against hardened Iranian anti‑ship missile sites along Iran’s Hormuz coastline.
- Iranian drones, missiles and naval mines have curtailed traffic through the chokepoint, disrupting oil and LNG flows and pushing fuel prices higher.
- EU officials ruled out extending the Red Sea Aspides mission to Hormuz, and the UK signaled mine‑countermeasure support rather than deploying escorts, reflecting a focus on de‑escalation over direct combat.