US and UK Discuss Coalition to Secure Strait of Hormuz

The United States and the United Kingdom are preparing to host an international conference to discuss measures that can be implemented to ensure the safety of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported on Friday (24/7), citing two European diplomats and two other sources. The conference, expected to be held in London next week, will focus on forming an international coalition aimed at protecting commercial shipping transiting the strategic waterway, according to the report. However, the schedule and date of the conference have yet to be agreed upon. The report also mentioned that the conference is likely to be attended by defence ministers and high-ranking military leaders, including US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine. According to the report, the coalition that may emerge from the meeting is still dependent on a condition put forward by several countries, namely the end of the armed conflict in the Persian Gulf region. The United States wants its partner countries to deploy various assets, such as minesweepers, other naval units, and drones, to help secure the shipping lane. Tehran and Washington signed a memorandum of understanding on the evening of 18 June governing the cessation of the conflict that began on 28 February. However, since 8 July, the US military has launched a number of attacks against Iran. US Central Command stated that the attacks were a response to Iran’s actions against commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran retaliated by launching attacks on US military bases in the Middle East and accused Washington of violating the ceasefire agreement. President Donald Trump subsequently declared that the ceasefire was no longer in effect.