NATO Considers Launching Operation to Escort Ships Through the Strait of Hormuz

BRUSSELS — NATO is reported to be considering the possibility of a maritime escort operation for commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. As reported by Bloomberg, citing a senior NATO official, on Tuesday (19 May 2026), the operation could be launched if the strait remains blocked by Iran beyond July. The issue of transit through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to dominate discussions at a NATO leaders’ meeting on 7 and 8 July 2026. NATO member states fear that a prolonged blockade of the Strait could trigger broader economic shocks. ‘Political direction comes first, and then the formal plan follows,’ said NATO’s Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich at a Tuesday press conference when asked about the possibility of a maritime operation. ‘Am I thinking about it? Absolutely.’ Diplomatic and military preparations are also reportedly accelerating outside NATO. A coalition led by France and the United Kingdom is currently drafting a contingency plan to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz shortly after hostilities end.