The war between the United States, Israel and Iran has pushed the Middle East into its third week of turmoil, threatening the stability of the global energy system as the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz faces severe disruption.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called on allied nations to form a coalition to escort commercial vessels through the narrow waterway, arguing that countries heavily dependent on Gulf oil must shoulder the burden of protecting the route. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s energy supplies transit through the strait, making it one of the most important chokepoints in global trade.
But two key U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific Japan and Australia signalled hesitation on Monday, saying they have no immediate plans to deploy naval forces to the region.
Financial markets reacted cautiously to the latest developments. Asian equities weakened while Brent crude rose above $104 per barrel amid fears that prolonged disruption to shipping could tighten global oil supplies.
Japan cites constitutional limits
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tokyo had not decided to dispatch escort vessels to the Middle East, emphasising the legal and constitutional constraints that limit Japan’s military operations overseas.
Japan’s post-World War II constitution renounces war and restricts the use of force, meaning any deployment of the country’s Self-Defense Forces must fall within a narrow legal framework. Takaichi told parliament the government was still examining what steps it could take independently while remaining within those limits.
Japan is among the world’s most import-dependent energy economies and relies heavily on crude oil shipments that pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Australia distances itself
Australia also appeared reluctant to join any U.S.-led naval coalition.
Energy Minister Catherine King said Canberra had not been asked to participate in escort missions and had no plans to contribute ships to reopening the strait. Her comments suggested the government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is wary of becoming directly involved in a widening regional conflict.
Australia has previously participated in maritime security operations in the Middle East, but the government’s stance indicates a cautious approach as tensions escalate.
Pressure on China and Europe
Trump has also stepped up pressure on other major economies that rely on Gulf energy supplies.
He told the Financial Times that he expected China to help restore shipping through the strait before his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing later this month, suggesting the trip could be delayed if Beijing does not cooperate.
Trump argued that China has a direct interest in the strait remaining open because it imports the majority of its oil from the region. The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The U.S. president also warned European allies that the future of NATO could be at risk if members fail to assist Washington in safeguarding the shipping lane.
European Union foreign ministers are discussing whether to expand an existing naval monitoring mission in the region, but diplomats say there is little appetite so far for extending it into the Strait of Hormuz itself.
War fuels instability across the Gulf
The crisis in the strait stems from the broader conflict that erupted after U.S. and Israeli forces launched a major bombing campaign against Iran on February 28.
Since then, shipping traffic has slowed dramatically as insurers, shipowners and traders reassess the risks of navigating the waterway. While some Iranian vessels continue to transit the strait, much of the world’s tanker traffic has been disrupted.
Meanwhile, regional tensions continue to spill over. Authorities in Dubai said a drone strike sparked a fire in a fuel tank near the city’s airport, briefly disrupting operations at one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs. In Saudi Arabia, air defences intercepted dozens of drones targeting the kingdom’s eastern region.
Despite U.S. claims that Iran’s military capabilities have been severely degraded, Tehran insists it remains capable of defending itself. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the country had neither requested a ceasefire nor negotiations and was prepared for a prolonged confrontation.
Analysis: A coalition few allies want
Trump’s demand that allies protect the Strait of Hormuz reflects a broader pattern in his foreign policy shifting the burden of global security onto partners while maintaining U.S. strategic leadership.
But the muted response from Japan and Australia illustrates the limits of that approach during a conflict many governments did not support in the first place. For countries heavily dependent on Gulf energy, the stakes are enormous, yet the political risk of joining a military operation tied to a controversial war is equally high.
The request also exposes an awkward contradiction in Washington’s position. The United States initiated a campaign that destabilised the region’s most important energy corridor, yet is now urging other nations to help restore the stability that was lost.
For allies, joining such a coalition could mean being drawn deeper into a war with Iran a conflict that threatens not only regional security but the global economy. Rising oil prices, shipping disruptions and the risk of broader escalation are already rippling through markets.
If key powers decline to participate, the burden of protecting the strait may fall largely on the United States and a handful of partners, limiting the effectiveness of any coalition and prolonging uncertainty in global energy markets.
Ultimately, the standoff highlights a fundamental reality: securing the Strait of Hormuz requires international cooperation, but the war that endangered it has made that cooperation far harder to achieve.
With information from Reuters.
