Britain, France Lead 40-Nation Push to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
Over 40 nations are finalizing plans to protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with the UK and France deploying warships despite Iran's warning of 'immediate military retaliation' if foreign forces enter the strategic waterway.
May 11th 2026 · United Kingdom
Britain and France are co-hosting a multinational defence ministers meeting on Tuesday with over 40 nations to finalize military plans for restoring trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz, following warnings from Iran that any such naval deployment would face immediate military retaliation. The UK will deploy HMS Dragon, a guided missile destroyer, while France has sent its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Middle East region, with both countries describing the moves as pre-positioning for an international mission to protect commercial shipping once a sustainable ceasefire is achieved. The meeting, co-chaired by UK Defence Secretary John Healey and his French counterpart Catherine Vautrin, aims to coordinate contributions from participating nations including demining, escorting and air policing capabilities. "We are turning diplomatic agreement into practical military plans to restore confidence for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz," Healey stated. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded on Sunday that any extra-regional warships around the strait would be considered an escalation and met with a "decisive and immediate response," asserting that "only the Islamic Republic of Iran can establish security in this strait." Before the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28, approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas typically flowed through the strategic waterway. Iran has effectively shut the strait since hostilities erupted, while the United States has imposed its own naval blockade of Iranian ports, sending global oil and gas markets into turmoil and driving fuel prices sharply higher. French President Emmanuel Macron indicated in Nairobi that France had "never envisaged" deploying forces within the strait itself but rather envisioned a security mission "coordinated with Iran" and opposed any blockade from either side that would prevent ships from passing through the key shipping lane.