The United States and Britain are organising a high-level meeting in London next week to discuss forming an international coalition to protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to European diplomats. Defence ministers and senior military commanders from Western and Middle Eastern nations could attend the conference, which may include US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine.
Reopening the strait is a central element of Washington's strategy to end its conflict with Iran. The US is seeking allies to deploy minesweepers, naval vessels, and drones to secure shipping lanes, though several countries have conditioned participation on a ceasefire in the waterway. No Iranian attacks on commercial vessels have been recorded in the past four days, and US defence officials say Iranian military capabilities around the strait have been largely degraded by daily American strikes over the past two weeks.
President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iranian bridges and power stations if attacks resume, while Iran has warned it could target infrastructure in US-allied Gulf states. An Omani delegation arrived in Tehran on Friday to resume mediation on a mechanism to reopen the strait.