Trump Calls for Joint Escort Operations Across Europe and Other Regions, Says Some Countries Lack Enthusiasm; Germany States Refusal to Participate Through Military Means

The military confrontation between the U.S. and Iran has entered its 17th day, with diplomatic efforts over control of the Strait of Hormuz rapidly intensifying.

On Monday, March 16, Eastern Time, U.S. President Donald Trump directly named European countries and Japan, South Korea, and others, urging them to join a convoy protection alliance to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. He warned the day before that if NATO allies do not respond, NATO will face a “very bad” future.

Global Times pointed out that allies generally responded冷淡 to Trump’s call. According to Xinhua News Agency, Germany’s Defense Minister Pistorius stated on Monday that Germany refuses the U.S. request for military support to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, Japan and Australia have not made positive commitments, and the UK and South Korea are cautious about escorting.

This Monday, Iran announced the launch of the 56th wave of the “Real Commitment-4” operation, expanding strikes to U.S. military bases in Qatar and the UAE. Israel also launched a new round of large-scale strikes against Iran in Tehran and other locations.

Off the battlefield, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed to shipping, with many oil tankers rerouting through Saudi Red Sea ports to bypass出口, putting pressure on the global energy supply chain. Daily Economic News previously cited British media reports that no ships passed through the strait on March 14, marking the first such occurrence since the conflict began.

Trump hopes European and Japanese, Korean, and other countries assist in safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz

According to Xinhua News Agency, on Monday, March 16, Trump told the media he hopes European countries, Japan, South Korea, and others will assist in ensuring the safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Reportedly, Trump opened his remarks at a Kennedy Center meeting by discussing the Middle East situation, stating that “strong military actions to end the threat of the Iranian regime have been ongoing for the past few days,” and that Iranian targets have been “completely destroyed.” He named European countries, Japan, and South Korea, saying “we hope they will help us secure the strait,” and admitted that some countries are “not enthusiastic” about participating in escort missions.

Previously, Xinhua cited U.S. media reports that Trump is attempting to form a so-called “Hormuz Alliance,” with plans to officially announce it later this week.

Xinhua mentioned that on Sunday, March 15, Trump warned that if NATO allies do not take action to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open, NATO will face a “very bad” future. He emphasized that Europe is a major beneficiary of navigation through the strait and “should help ensure that nothing untoward happens there.”

Regarding the battlefield situation, CCTV News reported that Trump stated on Monday that the U.S. has struck over 7,000 targets in Iran, mainly commercial and military sites, and that three missile and drone manufacturing facilities were also targeted that day. He said the U.S. has destroyed 30 moored mines, but it is uncertain whether any have been laid, and predicted “not much fighting will occur, as Iran’s remaining ammunition is almost gone.” U.S. Central Command Commander Cooper also said that over 100 Iranian vessels have been destroyed.

Germany clearly refuses, and allies generally respond冷淡

In response to Trump’s continued pressure, the response from allies has been largely negative.

According to Xinhua, Germany’s Defense Minister Pistorius on Monday in Berlin explicitly stated that Germany refuses the U.S. request for military support to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Germany is willing to provide support through diplomatic channels but will not participate militarily. He directly questioned why Trump expects “one or two European frigates” to do what the U.S. Navy itself cannot, saying “this is not our war; this war was not initiated by us,” and that there is no reason to seek authorization from the Bundestag for military actions outside NATO zones.

CCTV News reported that German government spokesperson Stefan Konleus on Monday said that the conflict between the U.S., Iran, and Israel has nothing to do with NATO.

According to环球网 citing two media outlets, German Foreign Minister Waidel-Fürth on Monday in Brussels before the EU Foreign Affairs Council said NATO should not play a role in escorting ships, “NATO has not made any decision on this and will not bear responsibility for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Xinhua reported that UK Prime Minister Stamer on Monday said that restoring navigation through the Strait of Hormuz “is not easy,” and that the UK is working with allies to develop feasible plans, but emphasized that ensuring safe passage through the strait is not NATO’s task, and that the UK “will not be drawn into a broader (Middle East) war.”

Reference media cited by The Guardian reported that Japanese Prime Minister Sano Takashi on the 16th told the Diet that Japan currently has no plans to dispatch naval vessels to the Middle East, stating “we have not made any decisions about dispatching escort ships, and are continuing to study what actions Japan can independently take and what can be done within the current legal framework.” The report also mentioned that South Korea’s presidential office on the 15th said it would “carefully study” the matter.

According to Xinhua, Australian government officials on the 16th stated that Australia will not send ships to the Strait of Hormuz. Additionally, Poland’s Foreign Minister said the president has ruled out Polish military participation in escort missions, and Greece’s government spokesperson said Greece has no intention of becoming involved in any war under any circumstances.

China responds to escort request questions

According to The Paper, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on the 16th responded to related questions at a routine press conference. When asked whether China received a U.S. request for an alliance to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Lin Jian said, “Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic leading role in China-U.S. relations, and both sides are maintaining communication regarding President Trump’s visit to China.”

Regarding the formation of an escort alliance, Lin Jian stated that the recent tense situation in the waters near the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting international trade routes for goods and energy, undermining regional and global peace and stability. China once again calls on all parties to immediately cease military actions, avoid further escalation of tensions, and prevent regional instability from causing greater impacts on global economic development.

When asked whether China has received any U.S. requests regarding this alliance, Lin Jian said there is no further information to provide.

Israel expands strikes on Iran, Iran extends attack range to U.S. bases

On the battlefield, the escalation of strikes continued on Monday, March 16.

According to Xinhua, the Israel Defense Forces announced that they have begun “large-scale strikes” against infrastructure in Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz, targeting over 200 sites in western and central Iran, including command centers, air defense systems, and weapons storage and production facilities. CCTV News reported that with intelligence support, the Israeli Air Force also targeted a space-related facility in Tehran, which is said to be used for developing anti-satellite capabilities and participating in military space projects including the “Chamlian-1” satellite.

Iran also continues its offensive actions.

According to Xinhua, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced on Monday the launch of the 56th wave of the “Real Commitment-4” operation, using “Khoramshahr,” “Imad,” and “Qader” super-heavy precision-guided missiles to strike a logistics command center in southern Israel and a missile storage facility operated by Rafael in the north, as well as U.S. Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

CCTV News reported that the IRGC issued a statement on the 41st day of “Real Commitment-4,” saying that at dawn that day, the IRGC Navy launched a precise and fierce strike on the U.S. central munitions depot at Abu Zabi, UAE. The attack caused a large explosion at the base, forcing U.S. fighters to withdraw to other deep bases.

The U.S. and Iraq have yet to respond to these claims.

CCTV also reported that in the afternoon of the 16th, missiles from Iran targeted central Israel, with intercepted fragments falling in multiple areas of Jerusalem, including near the Knesset and Prime Minister’s Office. One person was burned on contact with burning fragments.

According to Xinhua, Iran also claimed it would strike U.S. interests in the Middle East “within hours” and advised personnel in the region to evacuate.

On internal deployment, Xinhua reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei appointed former IRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei as military advisor.

Parties call for ceasefire; oil tankers reroute through Red Sea to avoid risks

Diplomatically, many countries and international forces are calling for de-escalation.

CCTV News reported that Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on Monday, March 16, stated that Russia advocates an immediate halt to military actions in the Middle East and the start of negotiations, and is willing to serve as a mediator if needed. He also said that the U.S. and Israel may have realized their “rapid actions” against Iran were mistakes and called for a quick return to dialogue.

According to CCTV, Iran’s Foreign Minister Araghchi on Monday said that the war must end in a way that guarantees “non-aggression,” and that the U.S. and Israel have “learned their lesson,” recognizing Iran as a country prepared to continue the war.

Xinhua reported that the UAE president and Saudi Crown Prince held a phone call, emphasizing the immediate need to stop military escalation and prioritize dialogue and diplomacy to resolve regional issues. Iraq’s Prime Minister also spoke with the Egyptian president, urging the international community to take action to halt military operations.

Market-wise, reports indicate that with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed to shipping, a large number of oil tankers have diverted to the Yanbu port in the Red Sea. As of Monday, at least 27 oil tankers were anchored near the two oil export facilities at Yanbu, up from 11 last Friday. Saudi Arabia aims to export up to 5 million barrels of oil daily through this alternative route bypassing Hormuz, but current volumes are still far below that target, making the speed of this shift a key variable for the global oil market.

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