Trump says US does not need Nato after being rebuffed over strait of Hormuz | US-Israel war on Iran

Donald Trump said that the USA does not need NATO after his call for a multinational naval force to reopen the key strait of the Hormuz trade route closed by Iran was rejected by some member countries of the organization.

Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office, the US president described the rejection of his calls as “a very stupid mistake” and added, without citing any evidence: “Everybody agrees with us, but they don’t want to help. And we, you know, in the United States, we need to remember that because we think it’s quite shocking.”

Trump added that he thought Europe would send minesweepers to assist with the operation in the strait, and that this was “not a big deal” but was “unfair” for the United States.

Among Trump’s targets was once again British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Trump stated that he was disappointed and said that relations with England were good before Starmer took office.

The US president’s remarks came after Starmer said on Monday that the UK would “take the necessary steps to defend ourselves and our allies, but we will not be drawn into a wider war”.

Some US allies have questioned the changing logic and necessity of the US-Israeli war against Iran, which is in Trump’s third week.

In an earlier post on the Truth Social network, Trump called on Japan, Australia and South Korea to say they would not send warships. “Having had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need’ or desire assistance from NATO Countries; WE NEVER HAVE!” he wrote

His remarks come amid an escalating crisis in the Middle East, where Iran has attacked cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, bringing oil shipments from large parts of the Gulf to a halt and triggering sharp increases in global oil prices.

On a typical day, ships carrying a fifth of the world’s oil pass through the narrow passage, but Iran has said it will no longer allow “not a single liter” to be sent to its enemies. This caused oil prices to rise above $100 (£75) per barrel, threatening a rise in inflation for the global economy.

In response to reports that he was considering potential ground operations by American or Israeli forces in the form of seizing the Kharg Island oil port complex or the Isfahan region, where Iran stores most of its stores of highly enriched uranium, Trump said, “I’m not really afraid of that. I’m really not afraid of anything,” when asked whether such a move would cause a Vietnam-style quagmire.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the White House encouraged the Ahmed al-Shara regime in Syria to help disarm Hezbollah in eastern Lebanon; This proposal could pit Sunni former Salafis from the Al Nusra Front, which has been involved in sectarian massacres, against Shiite Hezbollah forces.

Trump’s message on Tuesday remained contradictory, as it has been throughout much of the war; The US president has refused to commit to a timeline, despite boasting about his military achievements.

“Look, if we leave now, it will take them 10 years to rebuild,” he said. “We are not ready to leave yet, but we will in the near future.”

Separately, the Washington Post reported that senior Israeli officials told US diplomats that Iranian protesters would be “slaughtered” if they took to the streets against their government as Israel continued to openly call for popular uprising.

Iran launched new attacks across the Gulf on Tuesday, expanding a conflict that had already begun to spread beyond its initial fronts.

Qatar stated that the falling debris caused a fire, but there was no loss of life, and that one missile was intercepted. In the UAE, authorities briefly closed airspace after the military responded to what it described as missile and drone threats and declared the situation had stabilized.

While it was reported that drone and rocket attacks were made near the US embassy in Baghdad in Iraq, in a separate attack, four people were reported killed in a house where Iranian advisors were said to be located. The events underlined how quickly Iraq was being drawn into regional conflict.

Explosions were also reported across Iran, including Tehran, Ahvaz, Isfahan and Shiraz. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Oil Minister said that Baghdad has reached an agreement with Tehran on allowing tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.