In scenes that underscored deepening divisions within the Western alliance, European nations lined up against Donald Trump’s Hormuz war plans, declining to send warships and calling for diplomatic solutions to the crisis. Trump had insisted that NATO allies had an obligation to help reopen the vital waterway and had threatened the alliance with a damaging future if they refused. The European response was a broad and consistent rejection, reflecting both strategic caution and a fundamental disagreement about the purpose and likely outcome of further military escalation.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz was most explicit, ruling out military participation and backing his decision with arguments drawn from historical experience about the limitations of military force as a political instrument. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius added that it was unclear what a small European naval force could achieve in a situation where the United States had already deployed its substantial naval resources. Together, their statements presented a Germany fundamentally opposed to the course being charted in Washington.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer chose deliberate ambiguity over outright refusal, promising a viable plan developed in consultation with the widest possible group of international partners. He acknowledged that reopening the strait was a global priority but said it would require careful preparation. Trump expressed unhappiness with Britain’s approach but suggested he still expected the UK to contribute in some form.
Italy, Greece, France, Japan, and Australia all declined to send ships. The EU decided against expanding the mandate of Operation Aspides after a Monday ministerial meeting. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed the absence of appetite among member states for changing the mission’s scope. Estonia’s foreign minister added clarity to the European position by calling on the US and Israel to articulate their strategic goals before expecting allied support.
Israel conducted fresh strikes across Iranian cities, while Iran launched retaliatory missiles toward Israel that were intercepted. Drone attacks disrupted oil operations at the UAE port of Fujairah and caused fires near Dubai airport. Iran rejected ceasefire proposals and warned against US ground troop deployment. US military losses reached 13 dead and more than 200 wounded, and rights organizations reported a total death toll in Iran of more than 1,800 people.