The G7 nations plan to ensure safe passage for merchant ships through the Strait of Hormuz, including by offering military escorts for oil tankers and cargo vessels.
This will require coordination between different navies, and weeks of preparation, French President Emmanuel Macron said after a virtual meeting with other leaders of the seven largest industrial nations.
Macron noted that current conditions do not yet allow the operation to proceed. “The strait is a war zone, but the work needs to be organised,” he said, adding that proposals include collaboration with shipping companies, transport firms, and insurers.
The G7 consists of the Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa have emphasised the urgent priority of maintaining energy flows, including shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
France has already deployed three warships to the region, while Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands have sent naval vessels to the Mediterranean.
under the EU's Operation Aspides, European naval veseels have been tasked since 2024 with protecting merchant ships in the Red Sea from attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia, which opposes Israel and is backed by Iran.
