Stories

Sat, 14 Mar 2026

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 Trump urges UK and other nations to send warships to Strait of Hormuz

The US president says he hopes China, France, Japan and South Korea will also send ships to defend the key oil shipping route.

* Donald Trump urged UK and other nations to send warships to Strait of Hormuz to secure shipping route
* US president said he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, and UK would also send ships to the passage
* UK Ministry of Defence said it was discussing "a range of options" with allies to ensure security of shipping in the region
* Tehran has said it will continue to block Strait of Hormuz, which is world's busiest oil shipping channel
* Trump claimed 100% of Iran's military capability had been destroyed, but that Tehran could still attack ships
* US president threatened to target Iran's vital oil infrastructure on Kharg Island if its leadership interferes with ships
* UK has sent HMS Dragon to the region, but not as an escort ship for tankers through the strait
* Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said PM should "rule out deploying British ships just because Trump tells him to"
* France's President Emmanuel Macron had previously offered to send warships as an escort mission once conflict phase ends.