U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to secure the Strait of Hormuz through a new 'board' of Arab Gulf partners, declaring that the United States does not need NATO's assistance. The move follows a formal refusal from Germany and France to provide warships for the mission, even as Iranian naval mines and drone strikes keep the vital energy corridor effectively closed during the third week of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.

European Refusal

Germany and France have declined to join the naval escort, citing a lack of international mandates and a failure by Washington to consult them before the conflict began.

Gulf State Support

Several Arab Gulf nations have reportedly backed the U.S. military operations and are seeking a coalition to reopen the strait despite retaliatory drone attacks on the UAE and Bahrain.

Global Energy Impact

The closure of the waterway, which handles 20% of global oil and LNG, has caused a massive surge in international energy prices.

Donald Trump found backing from Arab Gulf states for a naval escort coalition in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, after Germany, France, Italy, and Spain all rejected his request to send warships to the blocked waterway, prompting Trump to declare that the United States does not need NATO for the mission. The rejections came as Iran continued retaliatory drone attacks against the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, deepening the crisis that began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran. Trump called on nations to help police the Strait of Hormuz, through which is transported, after Iran responded to the US-Israeli campaign by effectively closing the waterway with naval mines and drone activity. With traditional allies declining to participate, Trump moved to assemble what he described as a separate "board" or alternative coalition, and several Arab Gulf states signaled their support for continued US pressure on Iran.

Merz and Macron cite missing mandate, lack of consultation German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Germany lacked a UN, EU, or NATO mandate for any operation in the Strait and pointed to the absence of prior consultation by the United States and Israel as a key reason for Berlin's refusal. French President Emmanuel Macron went further, stating that France would never take part in operations to unblock the Strait under current conditions. Italy and Spain similarly declined to commit forces, leaving Trump without European military support for the escort mission. Trump responded sharply to the wave of rejections, warning that NATO allies faced a "very bad future" for the alliance if they failed to assist. He followed that with a pointed declaration that the United States does not need NATO for this particular mission. The episode exposed a significant fracture between Washington and its European partners over the scope and legitimacy of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran, now in its third week.

The Strait of Hormuz has historically been a flashpoint in US-Iran tensions. Iran has previously threatened to close the strait during periods of heightened confrontation, including during disputes over its nuclear program. The current US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, designated Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, 2026, and resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the initial strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. Iran's closure of the strait through mines and drone activity represents one of the most significant disruptions to global energy shipping in decades.

Gulf Arab states back Trump as Iran strikes UAE and Bahrain Several Arab Gulf states urged the United States not to stop its military campaign against Iran, according to reporting by ANSA, signaling that Trump's alternative coalition concept had found receptive partners in the region. Iran launched retaliatory drone attacks against the UAE and Bahrain, two Gulf states that host significant US military infrastructure, raising the stakes for regional governments that have aligned with Washington. The drone strikes against the UAE and Bahrain marked a direct Iranian escalation against Arab neighbors, placing those governments under pressure to respond or seek protection. Trump's pivot toward Gulf Arab partners reflected a broader strategic calculation that regional states with direct economic exposure to a closed Strait of Hormuz had stronger incentives to act than distant European allies. The formation of any such coalition remained at an early stage, with no confirmed membership or operational details disclosed as of Tuesday.

Asian allies weigh exposure as conflict enters third week A separate question emerged over whether US allies in Asia could be drawn into the Iran conflict, according to reporting by 20 Minuten, as the war entered its third week with no sign of de-escalation. Japan, South Korea, and other Asian nations with significant energy dependence on Gulf oil shipments face acute economic pressure from the Strait's closure, creating a different calculus than that facing European governments. The Reuters analysis of how allies could respond to Trump's Hormuz demands outlined a range of options short of full military deployment, including diplomatic pressure, logistical support, and participation in a monitoring mission. None of the major US treaty allies had committed to any form of military presence in the Strait as of Tuesday evening. The divergence between Trump's expectations and allied responses underscored the degree to which Operation Epic Fury was launched without the multilateral framework that has characterized previous US-led military campaigns in the Middle East. Trump was warned in advance that the campaign risked triggering Iranian retaliation against Gulf partners, according to sources cited by Reuters, suggesting the drone strikes on the UAE and Bahrain were an anticipated rather than a surprise development.

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