US President Donald Trump is in talks with seven countries to join a coalition to control the Strait of Hormuz. Trump wrote on social media on March 16 that all countries that receive oil through the Strait of Hormuz should take steps to reopen shipping through that section.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declined to send UK warships to restore shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, despite the request of US President Donald Trump, reports The Telegraph.
According to the daily, the fact that Starmer turned down Trump’s request could further worsen relations between the two leaders. The US president had already expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that London did not allow the use of its military bases to launch a first strike against Iran.
The Sunday Times, citing its source, on Sunday reported that the UK Ministry of Defense is studying the possibility of sending mine-hunting drones to the Strait of Hormuz. The UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, confirmed in an interview with Sky News that such an option is being considered.
Based on reports from March 16, 2026, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjirō Koizumi stated that the government is not currently considering conducting maritime security operations—such as deploying Self-Defense Force (SDF) warships for escort missions—in the Strait of Hormuz, despite rising tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking at a budget committee meeting on March 16, 2026, Koizumi noted that while such operations “cannot be ruled out” legally, the decision depends on specific conditions, such as the need to protect Japanese vessels or citizens. He declined to comment on whether the current situation in Iran met those thresholds, referring to the situation as “rapidly evolving”.
