Planners from 30+ nations gather in London to plan Hormuz protection mission

Military leaders from over thirty countries will spend two days in London mapping out ways to keep the Strait of Hormuz open for ships once fighting stops. Their work follows a week of video calls where more than fifty nations—spread across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia—agreed to join a British-French led effort to patrol the waterway. The sudden push for an international force started after the U. S. said it didn’t need outside help. Rather than backing down, European and Middle Eastern governments moved ahead on their own, showing a rare united front.British defense officials say the London talks will turn shared ideas into real plans. Their goal is to create a system that protects ships while allowing a lasting ceasefire to take hold. Teams will decide who provides ships, how they communicate, and where they will be based in the region. A defence minister told reporters he expects real steps forward within 48 hours. Yet the big question remains: can countries agree fast enough to prevent the next crisis?