UK and France Forming Multinational Effort for Strait of Hormuz
Additional details are coming out on the reported plan being led by the UK’s Royal Navy and France to develop a multinational effort to provide stability and reassurance to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The UK’s plan is, according to a report in The Times (London), well developed and has been shared with the Americans, while Reuters reports France will be conducting a multinational video conference this week with a broad group of 30 allies.
The efforts are proceeding despite the public criticisms of Donald Trump, who last week called the allies “cowards” and said NATO was a “paper tiger.” The Times (London) reports the UK’s chief of the defense staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, briefed France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada on Sunday, while the UK also sent a team of military planners to meet with U.S. Central Command in Florida.
The countries have repeatedly said they would not be involved in combat operations and, according to The Times, would only launch their effort once the hostilities subside. However, with Donald Trump asserting that talks are underway with Iran, the Europeans are reported to be moving forward with their plan.
The Iranians on Wednesday informed the UN Security Council that the Strait of Hormuz is open for “non-hostile vessels,” asserting that nations other than the U.S., Israel, and their allies are free to send their ships through the Strait. However, they must consult the Iranians and receive permission. Yesterday, reports said a UAE-managed container feeder ship was denied clearance and turned around. A Chinese-owned containership reportedly paid a large fee for safe passage.
The trickle of ships continues through the Strait. Thai officials confirmed that one of their tankers made the passage and assert they did not pay a fee. The Bangkok Post is quoting sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who said the embassy in Muscat worked through the Omanis and that they expect a second vessel to also be granted safe passage. India also reported it was able to arrange safe passage for several of its tankers and gas carriers.
AI maritime intelligence firm Windward, however, reports just four vessels went through the Strait on Tuesday with their AIS signal on, one outbound and three inbound. They were using the channel near Iran, while it says two bulkers also made the transit hugging the Omani coast without broadcasting an AIS signal. Windward reports that AIS-transmitting foreign vessel activity in the Arabian Gulf totaled 592 vessels, including 325 cargo vessels and 267 tankers.
The UK effort would initially focus on clearing mines from the Strait. While analysts have questioned whether the Strait is mined, British intelligence, The Times writes, believes Iran mined portions of the Strait. It says the UK has “world-leading capabilities” to deal with the mines and is considering adapting RFA Cardigan Bay or another ship of the class as a mothership to host the mine clearance operations. It points out that the UK already has Remus reconnaissance drones in the region, as well as other deployable autonomous minehunting systems.
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It says the Royal Navy has not ruled out deploying its Type 45 destroyer to the Strait. They speculate it would be joined by French frigates and U.S. Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyers.
The British believe some form of physical presence will be required to rebuild confidence for global shipping. Trump, in his social media posting, had said it would be a “simple military maneuver” to reopen the Strait with “very little danger.” British officials, according to The Times, however, pointed out that they shot down 14 attack drones on Monday night in Iraq, the highest total in a single night. They said that since the conclusion of the Eid holiday, the pace of attacks had resumed.