US asks allies to submit Hormuz security plans

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The US wants specific commitments from European allies regarding their pledge to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, requesting that the countries present concrete plans to ensure navigation through the waterway within days, according to a senior NATO official.The request was presented during discussions between American and NATO officials at the White House — where President Donald Trump met with North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Mark Rutte — as well as at the Pentagon and State Department, according to the official.The White House, the Defense Department and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Wednesday night.A UK-led coalition of more than 40 countries, which includes many European nations, Japan and Canada, has pledged to help re-open the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas flows, after active combat in the Middle East stops. The closing of the strait has sent global energy prices soaring and raised concerns about imminent fuel shortages.Trump, Iran and Israel announced a fragile, 14-day ceasefire agreement on Tuesday, contingent upon the cessation of attacks and the reopening of the strategic waterway. About a dozen mostly European leaders issued a statement following the accord promising they would “contribute to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”However, strikes from Iran and Israel have continued and the Strait of Hormuz has remained effectively closed since the announcement. Tehran has said Israel’s attacks on the Iran-aligned Hezbollah militia in Lebanon constitute a violation of the ceasefire agreement.That raises questions about whether the latest request from the US will spur members of the Hormuz coalition to present plans quickly and whether they consider the US timeline of a few days realistic.