US allies have rejected President Trump’s appeal for them to send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas usually passes.
Iran has closed the key sea lane in response to US and Israeli airstrikes, attacking ships with drones and missiles, leading to a sharp increase in global oil and gas prices and warnings of soaring inflation and an international economic crisis.
The British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK would not be “drawn into the wider war”. He said: “Ultimately, we have to reopen the strait of Hormuz” and did not rule out any form of action, but she aid it would have to be agreed by as “many partners as possible”.
That led President Trump to again criticise Sir Keir’s response to the war, saying he had thought the UK was the “Rolls Royce of allies” but was disappointed by the lack of support.
European countries have turned down the callas for help from the US president, despite threats from Donald Trump hat Nato faces “a very bad future” if members fail to help reopen the vital waterway.
Germany ruled out participation in any military activity, saying it had not been a joint decision to launch military action against Iran. The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said: “That is why the question of how Germany might contribute militarily does not arise. We will not do so”.
Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said “diplomacy needs to prevail”. France, along with Japan and Australia, has also said it does not plan to send warships to the region.
US allies also expressed concern over the situation in Lebanon, where Israeli forces have begun ground operations against what they say are Hezbollah strongholds in the south of the country, after days of airstrikes.
Sophie Raworth presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Chris Mason, Jonathan Beale and Jeremy Bowen.
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