President Donald Trump has expressed frustration after several key allies of the United States declined his call to deploy warships to escort commercial vessels through the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran and Israel.
The war between the United States, Israel and Iran has entered its third week, severely disrupting maritime traffic through the strait, a vital global energy route through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies normally pass.
The closure of the waterway has driven global oil prices higher and heightened concerns about rising inflation in energy-importing economies.
Several American partners, including Germany, Spain and Italy, said they had no immediate plans to send naval forces to assist in reopening the strategic passage.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz explained that Berlin lacked the necessary mandate from international bodies such as the United Nations, the European Union or NATO to participate in military operations in the region.
Merz also noted that Germany had not been consulted before the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran, which influenced Berlin’s decision to stay out of the escort mission.
Speaking during a press briefing in Washington, Trump said some countries were willing to assist but criticised others that he described as long-standing beneficiaries of American protection.
“Some are very enthusiastic about it, and some aren’t,” Trump said.
“Some are countries that we’ve helped for many, many years. We’ve protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren’t that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm matters to me.”
Meanwhile, Israeli officials said the military had drawn up detailed operational plans for at least three more weeks of strikes against Iran as the conflict intensifies.
An Israeli military spokesperson, Nadav Shoshani, told reporters that Israel still had “thousands of targets” inside Iran.
Overnight, Iranian drone attacks reportedly disrupted operations at Dubai International Airport and struck a major oil facility in the United Arab Emirates.
Iran has also launched attacks toward Israel while deploying drones and naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, effectively blocking shipping through the critical maritime corridor.
The continued disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has heightened fears of a wider economic impact, as the waterway remains one of the most important routes for global energy exports.
Analysts warn that prolonged instability in the region could further strain global supply chains and push energy prices even higher in the coming weeks.
