By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER and TARYN KAUR PEDLER, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER and SAM LAWLEY, NEWS REPORTER
The UK will not be involved in Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, it is understood.
Earlier today, the US president warned that US forces will immediately ‘begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz’, hours after peace talks with Iran held in Pakistan broke down.
The US President also said in his Truth Social post: ‘I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran.
He later claimed that NATO forces, including the UK will be sending minesweepers to assist the US’ military operation in the waterway.
Before the UK’s reported denial of its involvement in the US’ military operation, Trump criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s stance on Washington’s war against Iran, comparing the Prime Minister to Neville Chamberlain – whose premiership was defined by his 1930s appeasement of Adolf Hitler.
‘NATO is shameful,’ the US president told Fox News.
‘I mean, look at the United Kingdom… PM Starmer said “we’ll send the equipment after the war is over”.
‘I said “you don’t need equipment when the war is over. You need the equipment before the war starts, or during the war”.
‘He made a public statement that “we will send equipment after the war is over”, that’s a Neville Chamberlain statement.’
UK ‘will not be involved in Trump’s blockade of Hormuz’
The UK will not be involved in Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, it is understood.
Earlier, a UK government spokesperson said: ‘We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home.
‘The Strait of Hormuz must not be subject to tolling.
‘We are urgently working with France and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect freedom of navigation.’
Breaking:US President Trump says blockade of Strait of Hormuz will ‘begin shortly’
Hours after the US-Iran talks in Islamabad failed, President Donald Trump has warned that US forces will immediately ‘begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz’.
The US President also said in his Truth Social post: ‘I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran.
‘No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits.
‘Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL! Iran knows, better than anyone, how to END this situation which has already devastated their Country.’
US ‘reveals “red lines” for negotiations Iran refused to agree to’
A White House official has revealed Donald Trump’s ‘red lines’ that the Iranian delegation refused to agree to.
CNN reported that the US’ nonnegotiable positions for Iran included:
- Ending all of its uranium enrichment
- Dismantling major nuclear enrichment facilities
- Allowing the US to retrieve the over 400kg of enriched uranium it believes is buried underground
- Accepting a broader ‘peace, security and de-escalation framework’
- Ending funding for proxies including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis
- Fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz
- Agreeing not to charge tolls on ships passing through the waterway
WATCH: Vance confirms no deal with Iran after 2 hours of talks
US to use underwater drones to clear mines in Strait of Hormuz
The US Army today said it will be using underwater drones to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Admiral Brad Cooper said: ‘Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage, and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce.’
CENTCOM added in a statement: ‘The Strait of Hormuz is an international sea passage and an essential trade corridor that supports regional and global economic prosperity.
‘Additional US forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.’
‘It could be long time’ before oil prices drops, says expert
An energy expert has warned that it could be ‘a long time from now’ before oil prices go down, even after the Middle East war ends.
Karen Young, a senior scholar at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, told CNN: ‘[There] are huge variables which are really, really unsolved. So, I think for now and into the end of 2026 we’re looking at elevated oil prices for certain.’
She added: ‘If we have a blockade, we still have the problem of a shortage in the market of about 7 million barrels of crude, 4 million barrels of product not getting out. And we just added to that by [taking] the Iranian barrels off the market.’
Lebanon: We are working to get Israel to withdraw
Lebanon’s prime minister said today that he is working to get Israel to withdraw from the south of his nation.
UN: Israeli tank rammed our vehicles multiple times in Lebanon
The UN said that an Israeli tank rammed peacekeeping vehicles in the south of Lebanon today.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said today: ‘On two occasions today, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers rammed UNIFIL vehicles with a Merkava tank, in one case causing significant damage.’
It added that Israeli soldiers had blocked a road in the region ‘that is used to access UNIFIL positions.’
The organisation added: ‘Over the past week, Israeli soldiers have fired ‘warning shots’ in the area, striking and damaging clearly identifiable UNIFIL vehicles. In one case, a “warning shot” landed a metre away from a peacekeeper who had dismounted his vehicle.’
UKMTO says armed group attempted Red Sea boarding
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said an armed group attempted to board a vessel sailing in the Red Sea.
The organisation said a boat carrying up to 12 people, including up to five armed with automatic weapons, approached a sailing vessels around 54 nautical miles southwest of Al Hudaydah, Yemen, today.
The armed group attempted to board, but the captain of the sailing ship let off a flare, causing the other vessel to flee.
Authorities are said to be investigating.
Israeli lawmaker taunts Trump: ‘If you have to shoot, shoot’
A top Israeli lawmaker has taunted Donald Trump, telling him not to ‘quack’ following the US leader’s explosive announcement.
Zvika Fogel, the chair of the Knesset’s National Security Committee, said: ‘Donald, if you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t quack.’
Key Updates
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UK ‘will not be involved in Trump’s blockade of Hormuz’
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Iran says military vessels in Hormuz will be ‘dealt with harshly and decisively’
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Trump reiterates his conditions in a second Truth Social post
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US President Trump says blockade of Strait of Hormuz will ‘begin shortly’
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Iranian diplomatic official denies that peace talks failed over Iran’s nuclear ambitions
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Pope says he is ‘closer than ever’ to Lebanese people
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Iranian official says key demands include war reparations and controlling Strait of Hormuz
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Strait of Hormuz ‘completely’ under Iranian control, deputy parliament speaker says
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Israeli air raids target towns in southern Lebanon
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Iran says opposition failed to gain trust in talks
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Iran’s ex-foreign minister blames talks failure on US push to ‘dictate’ terms
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Israeli PM says joint US campaign against Iran had succeeded in ‘crushing’ nuclear programme
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Oil tankers pass through Strait of Hormuz
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UK minister says ‘disappointing’ no breakthrough in Iran war talks
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Key Saudi pipeline restored
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Israel and Lebanon to hold direct negotiations
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PICTURED: JD Vance leaves Pakistan after US-Iran peace talks end
