US and UK plan London summit to secure Strait of Hormuz

The United States and the United Kingdom are set to hold a high‑level meeting in London next week, aiming to create an international coalition that will protect commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine are expected to attend, along with defence ministers and senior military commanders from Western allies and regional partners.

Washington wants allied forces to provide minesweepers, warships and drones to secure the navigation routes. The initiative follows the renewal of hostilities between the US and Iran after President Trump declared the June cease‑fire agreement null and threatened a "massive attack" on Tehran. Iran has responded with rockets and drones targeting US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, killing four US servicemen and bringing the US casualty count to 18. Over the past four days no Iranian attacks on commercial vessels have been reported.

U.S. officials say the reopening of the strait is a key element of any American exit strategy from the conflict and essential for stabilising global energy markets, where roughly one‑fifth of daily oil supplies pass through the chokepoint.