President Donald Trump issued a blunt public ultimatum to Iran on Sunday, warning the regime it has until Tuesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its power plants and bridges.
Britain hosted a virtual summit Thursday with diplomats from more than 40 nations to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz -- a critical oil shipping lane that has been essentially shut down since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began on Feb. 28.
Britain is preparing to lead a multinational coalition to clear and reopen the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. military strikes on Iran, with British officers already embedded at U.S. Central Command and allied meetings underway, according to The Times of London.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to withdraw U.S. protection of the Strait of Hormuz from European and Asian nations that have refused to support American military operations against Iran, warning that non-cooperative allies could soon find themselves responsible for the waterway's security.
The U.S. military destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, one day after President Trump warned Tehran that any attempt to mine the critical waterway would draw consequences "at a level never seen before."
Iranian forces seized an oil tanker named Talara on Friday as it passed through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, triggering what could become a major international standoff.
