Over 30 Nations Plan Hormuz Strait Mission in London

Military planners from more than 30 countries gathered in London on Wednesday for two days of discussions to advance a multinational mission aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restoring safe navigation through the vital waterway. The talks, hosted by Britain and France at the Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood, northwest London, focus on developing a coordinated defensive operation to protect commercial shipping once a sustainable ceasefire takes hold in the region.

The initiative builds on diplomatic progress from a conference in Paris last week, co-chaired by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, which drew representatives from around 50 nations across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Those virtual discussions established broad international support for the mission, with more than a dozen countries signaling their intent to participate. Britain emphasized that the force would remain entirely defensive and would deploy only after a lasting peace agreement, excluding the United States and Iran as the primary warring parties.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey described the London meeting as a key step to convert diplomatic...