The Strait of Hormuz
Debate begins over German participation in naval operation at Strait of Hormuz. But tanker escorts could barely safeguard ten per cent of pre-war traffic. Paris plans naval coalition for when war cools.
BERLIN/PARIS/TEHRAN (our report) – The first voices are being heard in Berlin for German participation in a Strait of Hormuz naval mission as demanded by US President Trump. It is “imperative”, claims CDU defence policy expert Thomas Röwekamp, to “militarily defend” freedom of navigation in the narrow waters off southern Iran. And this imperative means that “a German contribution is necessary”. Such a decision would run counter to the German government’s current stance. The ruling Christian Democratic-Social Democrat coalition has initially ruled out any German involvement in potential operations by Western forces in the Strait of Hormuz. Experts are pointing out that up to twelve warships would be required to escort a convoy of five to ten tankers through the narrow sea passage. Even such a strong naval presence would offer no guarantee of safety. Iranian forces could attack from very close range. An alternative strategy would involve a US invasion of the Iranian coast. ‘Boots on the ground’ would, however, once again embroil US ground troops in a protracted Middle Eastern war. As energy and fertilizer prices soar, France is meanwhile seeking to forge a naval coalition, including Arab states, to intervene in securing the Strait of Hormuz – but only for a time when the fighting has subsided. Paris, like other Western governments, is refusing to be sucked into the immediate hot war.
France takes the lead
French President Emmanuel Macron announced last Monday, during a visit to Cyprus, that he was now preparing a military operation to open the Strait of Hormuz. However, this was only to be a “purely defensive” operation, which could begin at the earliest once “the hottest phase of the conflict” had passed.[1] As a first step, Paris has sent eleven warships to the Middle East – the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, two helicopter carriers and eight frigates. One frigate is already patrolling the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait near Djibouti as part of the EU’s Aspides mission. The largely failed Operation Aspides is tasked with protecting merchant ships sailing to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal from attacks by Houthi militias in Yemen. A second French frigate is now to be deployed to those waters.[2] Italy and Greece are also taking part in Aspides with one frigate each. The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, meanwhile, which is currently cruising near Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean, is accompanied by warships from the Netherlands, Spain and Italy. The German Navy is not participating, although there is a German frigate, the Nordrhein-Westfalen, stationed off Cyprus where it has a role in UNIFIL, a UN peacekeeping mission to south Lebanon.
Europe still distancing itself from the US
It has been reported that initial talks on the shipping crisis are now underway. France has reportedly made direct and indirect contact with Iran. The presidents and foreign ministers of both countries have spoken on the phone. And Paris has decided to keep its embassy in Tehran open.[3] Italy, for its part, denies being in talks with Iran, although the Financial Times has mentioned such contacts.[4] French activities are said to be still mainly focused on building a future naval coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Paris is reportedly in contact not only with European countries but also with the Arab Gulf states, India and Canada. India, however, has so far remained very cautious. It is generally agreed that no concrete measures can be taken in the Strait of Hormuz under the current circumstances. Practical steps will only be taken if a naval presence does not lead to an escalation of the war. A European diplomat was quoted at the end of last week as saying that France clearly wanted to “distance itself from the American approach” – because ultimately “you will need to have a minimum approval from Iran” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without effectively entering the war.[5]
“We’re not ready”
For its part, the United States claims to be obliterating Iran yet is desperately pressing for support in getting the Strait of Hormuz re-opened. President Trump announced back on 3 March that the US Navy would escort tankers through the strait “as soon as possible”.[6] US Energy Secretary Chris Wright claimed on social media on 10 March that the first US escort of a tanker had now begun. Shortly afterwards, however, he had to delete the post following a denial from the White House.[7] On 12 March, Wright admitted that operations in the Strait of Hormuz were still impossible: “We are simply not ready yet.”[8] Indeed, American measures to open the sea passage are unlikely to be implemented before the end of March. On Saturday, Trump personally called on other states – including France, the UK, South Korea and China – to finally start escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. But he added that, “the United States would be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian boats and ships out of the water.”[9] Trump’s demand for other countries to escort tankers from the Persian Gulf into the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean effectively amounts to a call for them to enter his war against Iran – not through active attacks, but in a defensive role.
Another war of occupation?
US naval experts began some time ago to discuss the circumstances under which tanker escorts through the Strait of Hormuz would take place. It is said that two warships would likely have to be deployed for each tanker. Alternatively, it would be conceivable to have twelve warship escorts for a convoy of five to ten tankers. In any case, “thousands of troops” would be required for a relatively small number of tankers – and very significant risks could not be ruled out. The Strait of Hormuz is narrow and the Iranian coastal terrain is complex. It would be almost impossible to prevent Iranian attacks – particularly in the form of drones or missiles fired from very close range. If the US opts for the greatest possible security, it would have to launch a full-scale invasion with ground troops landing on the southern Iranian coast, concludes the Wall Street Journal.[10] This in turn would require adequate time for planning and preparatory military strikes, a former Israeli military intelligence officer specialising in Iran is quoted as saying. And US ground troops on Iranian territory would be a welcome target for Iranian forces, particularly the Revolutionary Guards, who are experienced in asymmetric warfare. Should this scenario unfold, the Trump administration would have led the US into its next war of occupation in the Middle East.
Ten per cent maximum
What is more, the economic benefit of convoy operations in the Strait of Hormuz would be modest. According to an analysis on the specialist maritime portal Lloyd’s List, any large-scale operation to escort tankers and cargo ships out of the Persian Gulf would enable a maximum number of ship passages that only amount to ten per cent of the typical pre-Iran war traffic.[11] Even then, it is uncertain whether ship-owners would be prepared to expose their expensive merchant vessels and their crews to the inevitable residual risk of deadly attacks.
“Military operation imperative”
Berlin currently rejects any German participation in an operation to escort merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated as early as Friday that he saw no reason “to consider military protection of sea routes”. Germany would not become part of the Iran war.[12] Yesterday, Sunday, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also ruled out any intervention: “We will not take part in this conflict”.[13] He argued that the EU’s Operation Aspides was already proving “ineffective” in the Red Sea, and he remained “very sceptical” as to whether it could achieve better results if extended to the Strait of Hormuz. Security, he added, could only be achieved through a negotiated solution. Despite this, voices can already be heard in Berlin in favour of a Bundeswehr deployment in the Strait of Hormuz. The chairman of the Bundestag’s Defence Committee, Thomas Röwekamp (CDU), for instance says it is “imperative to defend freedom of movement in international trade routes … by military means”.[14] “Extending the mandate for the EU’s Operation Aspides is in Europe’s interest,” claims Röwekamp, so “a German contribution is needed here.”
More on the Iran war: Europas Beitrag zum Krieg, Vor dem Preisschock and Unter Beschuss.
[1] Emmanuel Macron annonce que la France va contribuer à la sécurité du détroit d’Ormuz. lemonde.fr 09.03.2026.
[2] Claire Gatinois, Chloée Hoorman: Emmanuel Macron, à bord du porte-avions « Charles-de-Gaulle », fait étalage de la « puissance » militaire de la France. lemonde.fr 10.03.2026.
[3] France presses on with Hormuz ideas, no secret Iran talks, sources say. reuters.com 13.03.2026.
[4] Henry Foy, Sarah White: France and Italy open talks with Iran in hope of securing safe Hormuz passage. ft.com 13.03.2026.
[5] France presses on with Hormuz ideas, no secret Iran talks, sources say. reuters.com 13.03.2026.
[6] Spencer Kimball: Energy Secretary Wright says U.S. ‘not ready’ to escort oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz yet. cnbc.com 12.03.2026.
[7] White House denies US military escorted tanker in Hormuz after deleted post. aljazeera.com 10.03.2026.
[8] Spencer Kimball: Energy Secretary Wright says U.S. ‘not ready’ to escort oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz yet. cnbc.com 12.03.2026.
[9] Maia Davies: Trump urges UK and other nations to send warships to Strait of Hormuz. bbc.co.uk 14.03.2026.
[10] Jared Malsin: Trump Wants to Secure Hormuz. Here’s What It Would Take. wsj.com 14.03.2026.
[11] Richard Meade: Naval escorts would cap tanker transits at under 10% of normal volumes. lloydslist.com 11.03.2026.
[12] Hormus-Einsatz: Deutsche Reeder von Merz-Absage enttäuscht. ndr.de 15.03.2026.
[13] „Werden uns nicht an Auseinandersetzung beteiligen“. tagesschau.de 15.03.2026.
[14] Matthias Gebauer, Anna Reimann: Deutsche Soldaten in der Straße von Hormus? Auf keinen Fall! Oder? spiegel.de 15.03.2026.
