UK declines to join Trump’s naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

The United Kingdom will not participate in the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz proposed by US President Donald Trump, the British government indicated on Sunday.

The announcement follows a statement from Trump declaring a total naval blockade of the strategic waterway, which is vital for global energy supplies. In response, the British government maintained its long-standing position, calling for the preservation of freedom of navigation and the reopening of the strait.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated: “Effective immediately, the US Navy, the finest in the world, will begin the process of BLOCKADING all ships trying to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz. Any Iranian who fires on us or peaceful ships WILL GO TO HELL.”

According to Bloomberg, individuals familiar with the government’s position, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the proposed US operation, confirmed that the UK would not join the blockade.

Discussing the plan to seal the strait on Fox News, Trump stated that his understanding was that “the UK and a few other countries were sending minesweepers.”

While the UK has discussed the deployment of autonomous mine-hunting drones to the strait should a viable plan emerge with other allies to reopen the waterway, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has previously clarified that these systems are already “in the region.” This proposal remains distinct from Trump’s threat to impose a blockade on Hormuz.

The Telegraph reported that the UK will not deploy warships to enforce the blockade against oil tankers, despite Trump’s assertion that other nations would assist the US Navy. Instead, the UK intends to task minesweepers with clearing the waterway of any mines laid by Iran since the onset of hostilities.

On Sunday night, Downing Street issued a statement following a telephone conversation between Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. The statement noted that the UK is “working urgently with France and other partners to build a broad coalition to protect maritime freedom of navigation.”

The UK maintains mine-hunting systems in the region that could be utilized to clear naval mines deployed by Iran in the strait; however, such an operation is expected to take place only after active hostilities have concluded.

Representatives from a coalition including the UK and other nations are scheduled to meet in the coming days to discuss plans for reopening the waterway. Nevertheless, most countries involved in these discussions are reluctant to commit naval forces until a permanent peace agreement is reached. Many do not view reopening the strait through military means as a viable option at this stage.

In his Fox News interview, Trump renewed his criticism of Starmer, once again comparing him to Neville Chamberlain, the British leader whose name is synonymous with the policy of appeasement toward Adolf Hitler. Trump also criticized the Prime Minister for offering to send military equipment only after the war had ended.

“You need the equipment before the war starts, or during the war,” the President said, describing Starmer’s position as a “Neville Chamberlain-style statement.”

Relations between the two leaders have become strained following Starmer’s refusal to grant US forces permission to use British military bases for initial strikes against Iran. This refusal prompted a series of insults from Trump directed at the Prime Minister.

Since that time, the UK has permitted the use of its bases by American forces participating in what are described as “defensive” operations targeting Iranian missile launchers. However, Starmer has continued to emphasize that this conflict is “not our war.”

In an interview with ITV last week, Starmer criticized Trump’s rhetoric, including threats to destroy Iranian civilization. “I am making it clear that as the UK, we have principles and values. We will act according to these in everything we do,” Starmer said.

Referring to the repeated criticism from Trump regarding the UK’s refusal to expand its role in the conflict, Starmer added: “That is why I said—and of course, this has caused a certain amount of criticism and pressure over the last few weeks—we will not be dragged into this war.”

Meanwhile, domestic opposition to Starmer’s stance continues. Former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson described Starmer’s insistence that the Middle East conflict does not concern the UK as “pathetic.” Johnson suggested that the UK should support the US in the region in exchange for securing further American support for Ukraine.

“I think Donald Trump makes a very, very valid point about NATO, and we should be there to help,” Johnson said. “To simply say ‘this is not our war’ is absolutely pathetic. The main reason it is pathetic is because the Iranians can see that the West is divided, and that is a massive boon for Vladimir Putin and everyone in Ukraine.”